FS2020 ATC & Flight Plans
Being lazy and having the Assistance option set to handle ATC
communications (AI Radio Communications (ATC)), I have
identified these facts concerning the ATC and the Flight Plan.
A very basic description of a very complex system.
Let me know what is incorrect.
BEFORE YOU CLICK FLY
Flight Plans can only be created by FS2020 on the World Map.
Flight Plans can be imported (Loaded) that are created by
other apps like Little Navmap, Simbrief, etc..
A Flight Plan, FP, is only sent to the ATC from the
World Map when you click "FLY".
It can never be changed with the ATC by the Pilot or FMS.
But, it can be canceled with the ATC by the Pilot.
World Map
1. Create the FP on the World Map and press "Fly".
2. Create the FP on the World Map and save it and
then click "FLY". Or, load it and click "FLY".
FS2020 saves it as a .pln and a .flt file.
3. Load a saved Flight Plan
a. Saved fron Little NAVMAP.
b. Saved from SimBrief.
c. Saved from any other apps.
d. Saved from World Map as a .pln file before you
click "FLY".
Loads with current Flight Conditions of your PC and
not the saved ones (date, time & weather).
Does not show the "Cloud" icon on the on-screen menu.
e. Saved as a .flt file from the World Map with a FP
before you click "FLY".
1. Saves the Flight Plan in the .flt file.
2. Edit with Notepad it to modify Flight Conditions.
(date, time & weather)
Modify weather to show "Cloud" icon on the
on-screen menu.
[Weather]
UseWeatherFile=True
UseLiveWeather=True
WeatherPresetFile=.\WeatherPresets\ClearSky.WPR
WeatherCanBeLive=True
(Can change weather preset to rain, etc)
(But, I use the "Cloud" icon.)
[DateTimeSeason]
Season=Summer
Year=2023
Day=185 <--- Julian day of the year (Google it)
Hours=13 <--- 1:00PM (1-24)
Minutes=0 <--- (0-59)
Seconds=0
UseZuluTime=False
[Fuel.0]
TankSelector=All
TankSelector1=All
Center=0
LeftMain=75 <---- Okay for the C172 & CJ4
RightMain=75 <---- Okay for the C172 & CJ4
LeftAux=0
RightAux=0
LeftTip=0
RightTip=0
Center 2=0
Center 3=0
External 1=0
External 2=0
Save it to itself. No need to rename it.
Loads with the Flight Conditions that were saved.
AFTER YOU CLICK FLY
A Flight Plan cannot be saved.
A .flt can be saved but will not have a Flight Plan.
When you click "FLY", the FP is sent
to the ATC and to the plane's Flight Management System, FMS.
You're flying and cannot send a new FP to the ATC
or change the ATC's FP.
1. The ATC's FP will never channge unless you cancel it
or end the flight.
3. ATC does not communicate with the plane's FMS.
4. The FMS does not communicate with the ATC.
5. The ATC only communicates with the Pilot.
1. The ATC
The ATC communicates with the pilot.
The pilot cannot change the ATC FP.
ATC does not know what the FMC is doing.
a. The Pilot can cancel the ATC plan.
b. The Pilot can end the flight or Restart it.
c. The ATC FP is the FP sent to the ATC and to the plane's
FMS when you click "FLY".
d. The ATC FP will never change.
c. The ATC knows when you reach a waypoint in its ATC FP
and what the next waypoint is in the ATC FP.
d. You have to reach that waypoint to have ATC continue
with your flight
1. To determine what the ATC FP next waypoint is,
"Request Vector to Next Waypoint" to the ATC
ATC will respond with: "Continue to XXXXX following
heading YYY".
2. Manually fly towards waypoint XXXXX or set your
heading to YYY. (VFR flight)
It may take more than one request but the ATC will
give you headings to get you to the ATC expected
waypoint.
3. With the AP, select "Direct to" and choose the
ATC expected waypoint and press "EXEC".
4. With the AP, select the ATC next waypoint on the
FMC "LEGS" page or enter it in the scratchpad
and replace current the "LEGS" waypoint.
e. The ATC does not:
1. follow your flight but does monitor your height.
ATC is not flying the plane.
The Pilot is and is expected to fly to the
ATC's next waypoint.
2. care if you change the FMC and select
a new DIR or waypoint.
3. care where you are heading.
4. care if you are using the Auto Pilot, AP, or not.
5. care if you want to fly in circles
or run out of fuel.
2. The CJ4 FMC
The CJ4 FMC and the ATC never communicate with each other.
The FMC has the FP entered into it and will follow it
if the AP is activated.
1. There is no (VECT)
2. There is no discontinuity
a. The pilot can change the FMC Flight Plan
b. The FMC does not care.
c. The FMC follows whatever is entered into it. (if valid)
d. If you modify the FMC's FP to be different from the
ATC's FP, the FMC's AP will follow it but the
ATC will not know what you are doing.
You are flying without the ATC.
3. The FP displayed
a. no line on PFD - no FP enabled on the FMC
b. Magenta - The waypoint you are flying to
c. White - future waypoints on the FP
2 Likes
Great analysis —
I think yiou will find that ATC will update its knowledge of your changed In Plane FP, if you ask to an IFR clearance, or to effectively update a previous Clearance.
Not sure about VFR. It may update if you cancel VFR flight following, and then request it again after modifying your FP.
It 100% does update what ATC knows about your FP *at least on GNS/GTN Garmins, no idea about FMCs), when you are able to ask for a new clearance.
There should be a clear option in the ATC menu to “Amend a Clearance” ( to match your current GPS FP ) - even if the communications resulting from this are “simplified”
1 Like
There is also an option on some aircraft to “Amend clearance based on current FP” if you’ve changed your aircraft FP. So it is possible to alter the ATC FP.
1 Like
and each time you “REFRESH” you Clearance (FP), the sim will calculate the CURRENT vector, but after that , it will NOT update that vector heading, despite passing through waypoints.
No because it’s a computer and not a person watching a radar screen
