📍 How to create a flight route: from SimBrief to FMC

📋 Article: "How to Plan Your Flight: From SimBrief to FMC"

🚀 Introduction

Hey pilot! Want to fly like a pro? Then forget about "just take off and go." Real virtual pilots plan every flight, and now I'll show you how 😎

Why plan at all?

💰 Save fuel (yes, even virtual!)

⏱️ Know exact flight time

✈️ Fly realistically, like real airlines

🎯 On VATSIM you won't be allowed without a plan

🌐Meet SimBrief

What is it?

A free flight planning service. Absolutely awesome! 🔥

Sign up:

Go to simbrief.com

Create an account (2 minutes)

Set up your profile

Your first flight plan:

📍 Choose airports

From: KJFK (New York JFK)

To: EGLL (London Heathrow)

✈️ Choose aircraft

Look for Boeing 777-200ER (if you have FlightFactor 777)

SimBrief knows all the specs!

🛣️ Route

Click "Generate Flight"

SimBrief will suggest several options

Look at time and fuel

💡 Tip: Choose "Company Route" if available — these are real airline routes!

📊 What SimBrief shows you:

Main info:

⏱️ Flight time: ~7 hours 30 minutes

⛽ Fuel: 68.2 tons

📏 Distance: 3,451 nautical miles

🌡️ Winds aloft

Cool features:

📄 PDF with full briefing

💾 Files for FMC upload (.fms, .fmc)

🗺️ Route map

📝 Weather at departure and arrival

🌦️Check weather and NOTAM

Where to look:

🌐 aviationweather.gov

📱 SimBrief (weather already included)

💻 In X-Plane itself

What to check:

☁️ Cloud coverage at departure and arrival

💨 Wind (choose the right runway!)

🌧️ Precipitation

👁️ Visibility

NOTAM is important!

A runway or zone might be closed — better to know in advance 😅

⛽ Set up fuel

Look at SimBrief:

🛢️ Trip Fuel: main fuel for the route

🚕 Taxi: for taxiing (usually 0.5-1t)

🎯 Alternate: to alternate airport

🆘 Reserve: emergency reserve (NEVER touch!)

Enter in FMC:

INIT REF → FUEL

ZFW: 185.0 (zero fuel weight)

FUEL: 68.2 (fuel in tons)

🎯V-speeds and takeoff

Calculate speeds:

V1 — decision speed

VR — rotation speed

V2 — safe climb speed

💡 SimBrief calculates them automatically! Check the PDF.

Enter in FMC:

TAKEOFF REF

V1: 158

VR: 165

V2: 170

✨ Practical example: KJFK → EGLL

1. Go to SimBrief

From: KJFK, To: EGLL

Aircraft: B777-200ER

Generate ✅

2. Analyze

⏱️ Time: 7:30

⛽ Fuel: 68.2t

🛫 SID: HAPIE7

🛬 STAR: WELIN2A

3. Download

📄 OFP (briefing)

💾 FMS file

4. In X-Plane

Load route

Enter fuel

Program FMC

Ready for departure! 🚀

📚 Useful resources

🌐 SimBrief — main tool

📖 FlightAware — real routes

🗺️ SkyVector — airway charts

📊 ChartFox — free airport charts

🎓 Quick summary:

✅ Register on SimBrief

✅ Plan your flight

✅ Load into FMC

✅ Check weather

✅ Calculate fuel

✅ Fly like a pro! 🛫

🌍 Popular routes to try:

North America:

🗽 KLAX → KJFK (Los Angeles to New York) — 5 hours

🍁 CYYZ → CYVR (Toronto to Vancouver) — 4.5 hours

🏖️ KMIA → MMMX (Miami to Mexico City) — 3 hours

Transatlantic:

🌊 KJFK → EGLL (New York to London) — 7 hours

🗼 KEWR → LFPG (Newark to Paris) — 7.5 hours

🍀 KBOS → EIDW (Boston to Dublin) — 6.5 hours

Europe:

🇬🇧 EGLL → LIRF (London to Rome) — 2.5 hours

🇩🇪 EDDF → LEMD (Frankfurt to Madrid) — 2.5 hours

🇫🇷 LFPG → LOWW (Paris to Vienna) — 1.5 hours

Asia-Pacific:

🗼 RJTT → VHHH (Tokyo to Hong Kong) — 4.5 hours

🌏 YSSY → NZAA (Sydney to Auckland) — 3 hours

🏙️ WSSS → VHHH (Singapore to Hong Kong) — 4 hours

Middle East:

🏙️ OMDB → OTHH (Dubai to Doha) — 1 hour

🕌 OOMS → OMDB (Muscat to Dubai) — 1.5 hours

🌴 OTBD → OERK (Doha to Riyadh) — 1.5 hours

🔧 Advanced tips:

Cost Index:

🐌 Low CI (0-50) = slower, saves fuel

⚡ High CI (50-100) = faster, burns more fuel

💼 Airlines typically use 30-60

Alternate airports:

📍 Choose within 200nm of destination

☁️ Must have better weather

✈️ SimBrief suggests the best ones

ETOPS flights:

🌊 Over ocean routes

⚠️ Special fuel requirements

🏥 En-route alternates needed

NAT Tracks (North Atlantic):

🌐 Change daily at 1130Z westbound, 2300Z eastbound

🎯 Optimal routes based on winds

💨 Can save 30+ minutes!

🎮 Step-by-step: Your first planned flight

30 minutes before flight:

1️⃣ Open SimBrief (5 min)

Enter airports

Select aircraft

Generate plan

2️⃣ Review the plan (5 min)

Check fuel

Review route

Note alternate

Download files

3️⃣ Load X-Plane (5 min)

Start at gate

Load weather

Import FMS file

4️⃣ Program FMC (10 min)

Verify route

Enter fuel/weights

Set V-speeds

Review departure procedure

5️⃣ Final checks (5 min)

ATIS frequency

Runway assignment

Initial altitude

Transponder code (if VATSIM)

Now you're ready! 🚀

💡 Pro tips:

Save time:

⚡ Create aircraft profiles in SimBrief

📁 Organize FMS files by route

🔖 Bookmark favorite airports

Realism:

📞 File on VATSIM before connecting

⏰ Use real-world departure times

📋 Follow real airline callsigns

Learning:

📺 Watch real cockpit videos on YouTube

📖 Read airline procedures

🎮 Practice same route multiple times

Common mistakes:

❌ Forgetting to check NOTAM

❌ Wrong fuel units (tons vs pounds vs kg)

❌ Not updating winds in FMC

❌ Skipping alternate airport

🎯 Next steps:

Once you master basic planning:

📚 Learn about SID/STAR procedures

🌡️ Understand Cost Index optimization

🌊 Try oceanic procedures (NAT/PACOTS)

📡 Join VATSIM and file real plans

⚡ Explore dynamic weather planning