Hello everyone,
as a simmer I am used to plan flights for a 737, but I have recently switched to the Cessna 172 and I am trying to learn to build a flight plan to use without GPS
When I look at the SID and STAR and Approach charts from Navigraph, and I see the distances and instruction provided, to me they seem focused on airliners not on small private planes, so my question to you,
is there a good resource on the net, where I can learn to build a flight plan and read the charts, that is specifically dedicated to private licenses type planes?
Much Appreciated for any advice.
Little NavMap is a great tool. You can even import a flight plan that you create in that software into MSFS.
Personal Comments and Observations
Navigraph has several useful resources to help.
Their Discord Server has a Learning IFR Channel where you can ask real time questions.
They also have some useful Tutorials and How-Tos on their YouTube Channel.
Thanks, I am using Little NavMap already, but to build gps flight plans.
I want to learn to navigate without GPS. Follow a SID then follow VOR to VOR then a STAR and eventually the approach chart for an ILS but I am not sure the charts I find on navigraph, are also for cessnas and if they are, should I be following the same distances to make the turns etc…?
Thanks I will look into Navigraph resources
Generally, SIDS and STARS are intended for high performance aircraft, not Cessnas. Many of them are designed to be used only by aircraft equipped with GPS, although there are some which are still based on VORs and DME such as the Kingston One arrival into KJFK.
VORs are slowly being phased out, especially for SIDs and STARs. That said, there are still many applicable to non-RNAV, piston-engined aircraft. Here’s a sampling of just selected airports in Southern California:
Into LAX:
KIMMO3
OCEAN3
VISTA3
SADDE8
Out of LAX
CHATY5
SEAL BEACH 8
VENTURA 8
Out of BUR
ELMOO9
VAN NUYS 3
Into ONT/CNO/AJO/RAL and others
SETER5 (actually requires ADF!)
ZIGGY7
Into LGB
EMMLN1
KAYOH8
TANDY5
Out of LGB
ANAHEIM 1
Into SAN
HUBRD1
Out of SAN
FALCC1
Into KBFL
FASTO2
Out of KBFL
MARIC4
So you could ostensibly do the following routes, all steam gauge, and have SID and STAR at each end:
KBFL MARIC4.GMN V299 FIM.TANDY5 KLGB
KLGB ANAHM1.LHS LHS.FASTO2 KBFL
KBUR ELMOO9.ELMOO V186 PDZ.SETER5 KRAL (do the VOR Rwy 9 from SBD)
KRAL RAL2.PDZ V8 HEC.CRESO5 KLAS
KLAS MCCRN6 BLD V21 HEC.KAYOH8 KSNA