Chaning flight plan

[John Swails 1165850]

I am using FS2004 and typically my aircraft do not have a fully functional FMS so I am using the GPS (usually a Garmin). How do I add or substract a way point? I ran into this problem on my first flight from JFK to CVG. ATC amended my flight plan and I couldn't figure out how to change it on the GPS my plane was using. None of my commercial planes have the FMS so if someone can either, A - set me up with a model that has the FMS or tell me how to change my flight plan in the Garmin I would be greatly appreciative.

[Jason Baxter 920557]

There isn't an easy way to do that per se. You can: 1) Skip the waypoint manually during your flight, 2) Fly that portion using conventional navigation, 3) Use a route p[Mod - Happy Thoughts]r such as http://www.simroutes.com/fb2/P[Mod - Happy Thoughts]Route.aspx and input the route (be sure to double check the points) then download the route into the flightplan folder of FS.

[Ryan Geckler]

Two things:

 

If you want to get an FMS, get vasFMC. It's freeware and an excellent product.

 

Secondly, if a controller gives you a direct-to or a totally different new route, you can always say, "Unable".

[Garry Morris 920567]

If the Direct-To is in your flightplan already, it's a trivial exercise to use the default FS GPS to accomplish that.

Use the FPL button, click the center of the knob button, scroll down to the waypoint you're to fly direct to, click the Menu button, and then the ENT button on the GPS to confirm your selection. Voila - your next waypoint is the one that's being asked of you. You may have to manually fly a heading to it as FS wants to put you on the heading of the line from the waypoint just previous to the one you just selected.

 

Otherwise, you can reload the flightplan with the new values (I've done this before when my STAR was shifted on me), or say "unable" and request vectors.

[Randy Tyndall 1087023]

John,

 

Here's the link to VasFMC mentioned in an earlier post. It's been on the VATSIM Homepage for close to if not over a month now

 

http://www.vatsim.net/news-details/notam/free-virtual-aviation-suite-fmc-vasfmc/b3a00f0414/

 

On the aircraft I fly without either a payware FMC or VasFMC (which is freeware) I use the GPS and when ATC changes my routing I do one of two things. If early in the flight I do the Simroutes thing and download a completely new flightplan with the ATC routing that is new. If late in the flight I just do a "Direct To" all the remaining waypoints in sequence. Gets tedious, but ATC expects pretty fast reaction to instructions and the simroutes thing can take time.

 

If you do the simroutes thing make sure you turn off the AP before loading the route or it will turn you back toward your departure airfield sometimes.

[John Swails 1165850]

Thanks people. Awesome info and quick responses!