FlightGear is one of the most capable open-source flight simulators available, and its flexibility extends well beyond the basic installation. By integrating external tools for flight planning and navigation, you can transform your simulation experience from casual flying into a highly realistic and professional-grade training environment. This article provides a detailed, step-by-step guide to selecting, setting up, and using these tools to plan routes, navigate with precision, and bring real-world flight procedures into your virtual cockpit.

Understanding External Tools in FlightGear

External tools are standalone software applications that communicate with FlightGear to provide enhanced capabilities that the base simulator may lack. They range from full-featured flight planners that let you build complex routes using real-world navigation data, to moving map displays that show your aircraft position in real time during flight. The key benefits include:

  • Detailed flight planning: Create routes with waypoints, airways, SIDs, STARs, and custom holds.
  • Real-world navigation data: Access up-to-date navaids, airports, and airspace information.
  • Real-time moving maps: Display your flight progress on a fully interactive map with terrain, traffic, and weather overlays.
  • Enhanced realism: Practice instrument procedures, cross-check GPS data, and simulate failures without cluttering the main FlightGear window.

These tools integrate via FlightGear's network capabilities (usually HTTP, UDP, or file-based protocols) and can be used together for a comprehensive simulation environment.

Several robust external tools are widely used by the FlightGear community. Below are the most popular ones, each with distinct strengths.

Plan-G

Plan-G is a dedicated flight planner that supports detailed route creation with high-quality worldwide maps. It includes up-to-date navigation databases and can export files in multiple formats including FlightGear's native .fgfp format. Plan-G also offers a moving map feature that can connect to FlightGear over UDP, showing your aircraft position in real time. Strongly recommended for pilots who want a professional-grade planning tool. Download Plan-G from its official site.

Little Navmap

Little Navmap is a free, open-source flight planner and moving map application. It excels in real-time navigation, providing a highly detailed map with terrain, weather, and live traffic. It supports FlightGear out of the box (along with other simulators like X-Plane and Microsoft Flight Simulator). Its strength lies in the intuitive interface and the ability to plan and then monitor flights simultaneously. Visit the Little Navmap homepage.

FlightGear's Own GPS and Route Manager

While not strictly external, FlightGear includes a built-in route manager and GPS displays. However, external tools often provide a more tactile and configurable planning experience. The tools listed above complement the built-in systems rather than replace them.

Setting Up External Tools for Integration

Proper setup ensures that your external tool can communicate with FlightGear and that the generated flight plans are correctly loaded. The process varies slightly per tool, but the following general steps apply.

1. Download and Install the Tool

Visit the official website of your chosen tool and download the latest version. Most tools are self-contained and do not require complex installation. Ensure your system meets the minimum requirements (usually Windows, macOS, or Linux).

2. Configure FlightGear for External Connections

FlightGear must be launched with specific command-line options to listen for external connections. For moving map functionality with Little Navmap or Plan-G, you typically need to enable the --nmea or --generic protocols. For example:

fgfs --nmea=socket,out,30,localhost,5500,tcp

This tells FlightGear to output NMEA location data to port 5500 on your machine. Check your tool's documentation for the exact protocol and port numbers. Many tools now also support FlightGear's native property-based output via --generic.

3. Point the Tool to Your FlightGear Directory

Tools like Plan-G need access to FlightGear's scenery and navdata. In the tool's settings, specify the path to your FlightGear installation (e.g., C:\FlightGear or /usr/share/games/flightgear). This allows the tool to load accurate airport and navaid positions.

4. Test the Connection

Launch FlightGear with the appropriate options, then start your external tool. In the tool, enable the moving map or connection feature. If the aircraft position appears on the map and updates as you fly, the setup is successful.

Creating a Flight Plan with External Tools

Once your tool is installed and connected, you can create detailed flight plans. The following steps assume you are using Plan-G or Little Navmap, but the principles apply to most planners.

Step 1: Define Departure and Arrival Airports

Open the flight planner and search for your departure and arrival airports. The tool will display runways, frequencies, and other details. Select the appropriate departure runway if desired; this is not strictly required for flight plans but helps with realism.

Step 2: Add Waypoints Using Navaids or Coordinates

You can add waypoints by clicking on the map, entering coordinates, or selecting VORs, NDBs, fixes, or airway intersections. For an IFR flight, planning along airways (e.g., J202, V299) is realistic. Many tools automatically suggest airways when you string together navaids.

Step 3: Incorporate SIDs, STARs, and Transitions

Professional flight planning includes standard instrument departures (SIDs) and standard terminal arrival routes (STARs). External tools typically include databases of these procedures for major airports. Select the appropriate SID for your departure and STAR for your arrival. The tool will add the associated waypoints automatically.

Step 4: Adjust Altitude and Speed Constraints

Most planners allow you to assign altitude or speed restrictions to waypoints. This is especially useful for simulating ATC clearances. Little Navmap, for instance, has a user-friendly altitude edit window.

Step 5: Export the Flight Plan

After saving the plan in the tool, export it in a format FlightGear can read. Common formats include:

  • .fgfp – FlightGear Flight Plan (recommended for its native compatibility).
  • .pln – Microsoft FSX/FS2020 plan (can be converted or read by some FlightGear versions via conversion scripts).
  • GPX – Useful for logging, but not directly loadable as a route in FlightGear.

Little Navmap can export directly to .fgfp. Plan-G also supports this format.

Loading Flight Plans into FlightGear

With the exported plan file, you can load it into FlightGear in several ways.

Method 1: Via the FlightGear Launch Menu

If you use the FGRun launcher (default on many platforms), click the "Advanced Options" button, then select "Route Manager." Use the "Load" button to browse for your .fgfp file. The route will appear on the GPS and in the Route Manager interface.

Method 2: Via Command Line

For direct loading, start FlightGear with the --flight-plan= option. Example:

fgfs --flight-plan=/path/to/yourplan.fgfp

This loads the plan automatically when the sim starts.

Method 3: By Dragging and Dropping (Windows only)

In some cases, you can drag the .fgfp file onto the running FlightGear window. FlightGear will recognize it and load the route. This works best with recent versions.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

  • Plan not showing: Ensure the file has the correct extension (.fgfp). Open it in a text editor to confirm it's in FlightGear's XML-like format.
  • Waypoints missing or wrong positions: Your FlightGear navdata may be outdated. Consider sourcing a fresh navdata set (e.g., from the FlightGear wiki or a community update pack).
  • GPS not following the flight plan: Check that the Route Manager is armed and that the autopilot is set to NAV mode (if using autopilot).

Real-Time Navigation and Moving Map

One of the most powerful uses of external tools is the moving map feature. During flight, the tool receives position data from FlightGear and displays your aircraft on a detailed map. This allows you to:

  • Visualize your position relative to the planned route, terrain, and airspace.
  • Monitor progress and anticipate upcoming waypoints.
  • Practice position reporting and cross-checking against physical charts.

Little Navmap's moving map is particularly feature-rich, offering terrain elevation profiles, weather layers, and traffic overlays (including multiplayer aircraft). Plan-G's moving map is more basic but reliable.

To enable the moving map, ensure your external tool is connected to FlightGear via the correct port (as described in the Setup section). In the tool, select "Connect" and choose the FlightGear protocol. The aircraft icon will then follow your position in real time.

Using Navigation Aids (VOR, NDB, GPS)

External tools enhance how you interact with navigation aids. Instead of only tuning radio frequencies in the cockpit, you can visually identify navaids on the map and plan routes that use VORs, NDBs, and GPS waypoints. Here are practical ways to use these aids with external tools:

VOR Navigation

When planning a route using VORs, you can select a VOR as a waypoint and then determine the radial to intercept. The external tool will display the radial and distance. In-flight, you can tune the VOR frequency in FlightGear and use the instrument's indications to follow the radial while cross-checking with the moving map.

NDB Navigation

NDBs are less precise but valuable for practice. Plan routes using NDBs for non-precision approaches. External tools can show your bearing to the NDB, helping you correlate with the ADF gauge.

GPS Waypoints

Most external planners allow you to define arbitrary GPS waypoints by latitude/longitude. This is useful for creating custom routes, such as sightseeing tours or simulated airways that don't exist in the real nav database. FlightGear's GPS receiver will display these waypoints when the flight plan is loaded.

Advanced Techniques: Weather, Traffic, and Scenery

Beyond basic planning, external tools can integrate weather data, live traffic, and custom scenery databases for an even more immersive experience.

Real Weather Integration

Tools like Little Navmap can download and display real-world weather (METAR data) on the map. This helps you plan flights that match current atmospheric conditions. You can then set FlightGear's weather to match using the built-in weather scenario or a dynamic weather engine.

Multiplayer Traffic Display

Little Navmap can show other multiplayer aircraft when connected to FlightGear's MP server. This is excellent for learning to space yourself behind another plane and for general situational awareness.

Custom Scenery and Navdata Updates

External tools often rely on the same scenery and navdata that FlightGear uses. If you install updated navdata (e.g., from the FAA's CIFP or a community pack), you must also let your external tool know. Some tools, like Plan-G, allow you to import custom or third-party navdata files directly.

Conclusion

Integrating external tools with FlightGear unlocks a new level of realism and capability in flight simulation. By using a dedicated planner like Plan-G or Little Navmap, you can build coherent, real-world-style flight plans, connect to a moving map for in-flight navigation, and practice instrument procedures with the same data real pilots use. The setup process requires a small investment of time, but the payoff in immersion and educational value is immense. Experiment with different tools, explore their advanced features, and take your FlightGear experience to new heights. For further reading, consult the FlightGear Wiki on external applications and the documentation for your chosen tool. Happy flying!