Getting Started with the Aerofly FS Flight Planner

The Aerofly FS flight planner is an integrated tool that lets you design precise, realistic routes for your virtual flights. Whether you are a beginner exploring basic navigation or an advanced simmer practicing instrument approaches, mastering this planner significantly enhances your simulation experience. This section covers everything you need to know before you start plotting your first route.

Installing and Updating Aerofly FS

Before using the flight planner, ensure your Aerofly FS installation is current. The flight planner receives updates alongside the main simulator, so running the latest version guarantees access to all features and the most recent navigation databases. Visit the official Aerofly website or your platform’s app store to check for updates. On desktop, the launcher typically prompts you to download new versions automatically.

Accessing the Flight Planner Interface

Launch Aerofly FS and go to the main menu. Look for a tab or button labeled Flight Planning, Flight Planner, or Route Plan. The exact name varies slightly between versions (Aerofly FS 2, Aerofly FS 4, etc.), but the location is consistent. Click it to open the dedicated planning window. Here you see a large interactive map, a sidebar with route details, and toolbar controls. The interface is designed to be intuitive: you can click on the map to select points, drag routes, and view altitude profiles.

Creating a New Flight Route

Once the planner is open, you are ready to build a route from scratch. The process is straightforward but allows for deep customization. Follow these steps to create a basic route and then refine it.

Selecting Departure and Arrival Airports

Start by choosing your departure airport. Use the search bar in the top-left corner of the planner. You can search by airport name or its ICAO code (e.g., KJFK for New York JFK, EGLL for London Heathrow). A list of matching airports appears — select yours. The planner immediately centers the map on that airport and adds a green marker. Next, select your arrival airport the same way. The planner automatically draws a great circle route (the shortest path on a sphere) between the two airports as a dashed line. This is your baseline route.

For a more realistic flight, you will want to replace that direct line with waypoints and airways. But even the direct route is useful for quick VFR flights or familiarization.

Adding and Managing Waypoints

Waypoints are the building blocks of an accurate flight plan. They define the precise path you will follow. To add a waypoint, simply click anywhere on the map. The planner inserts a new point along the route at that location. You can also right-click (or long-press on touch devices) for a context menu offering options like Add Waypoint Here or Insert Before/After.

Using Navaids and Airways

For IFR (Instrument Flight Rules) realism, incorporate navaids such as VORs, NDBs, and fix points. On the map, these are often displayed with standard symbols (e.g., a compass rose for VOR). Toggle the Navaids layer in the map overlay settings. Click on a VOR station to add it as a waypoint. Better yet, use airways — predefined routes connecting navaids. In the planner, you can often enter an airway name (e.g., J6, V3) and the planner will automatically place the intersections along that airway. This ensures your route matches real-world flight paths.

Custom Waypoints

You can also create custom waypoints by entering latitude/longitude coordinates or bearing/distance from a known point. This is useful for training exercises or flying approaches that aren’t in the default database. To do this, right-click on the map and choose Add Coordinate Waypoint, then input the values. The planner shows a small crosshair marker. Use these to define hold points, visual reporting points, or practice approach fixes.

Enhancing Accuracy with Navigation Data

Accuracy in route mapping depends on the quality of the navigation data you use. Aerofly FS includes a built-in database of airports, navaids, and airways. However, for the most up-to-date information, you can integrate third-party data sources.

Real-World Navigation Data Overlay

The flight planner supports importing Navigraph or AIRAC cycles (navigation data updates). These contain current waypoints, frequencies, and procedures. Once installed, your planner’s map reflects the same data used by real pilots. Enable this overlay in the Settings > Navigation Data menu. The routes you create will then align with real-world charts. Visit the Navigraph website for subscription options and integration guides specific to Aerofly FS.

Terrain and Airspace Awareness

Accurate route mapping isn’t just about waypoints — it also requires understanding the terrain and airspace constraints. The flight planner includes a topographical map layer. Switch to Terrain view to see elevation shading. This helps you avoid mountains or high obstacles when planning low-altitude flights. Additionally, turn on the Airspace layer to view controlled airspace boundaries (Class B, C, D, etc.). The planner will warn you if your route crosses restricted or prohibited areas. For a truly realistic experience, respect these boundaries just as you would in real life.

Advanced Route Planning Features

Beyond basic waypoint insertion, the planner offers tools for speed, altitude, and fuel management. These features are invaluable for long-haul flights or when following specific procedures.

Altitude and Speed Planning

Click on any waypoint in the route list (sidebar) to open its properties. Here you can assign a target altitude and indicated airspeed or Mach number. This creates an altitude/speed profile. The planner then displays a vertical profile graph below the map, showing climbs, cruises, and descents. You can adjust altitude constraints for each waypoint — for example, “cross at FL350” or “descend to 5000 ft by this fix.” This is critical for simulating STARs (Standard Terminal Arrival Routes) and SIDs (Standard Instrument Departures).

To apply a standard climb or descent gradient, the planner will automatically interpolate between waypoints. You can override this by setting a specific vertical speed. The result is a complete flight plan that the autopilot in Aerofly FS can follow accurately.

Fuel and Weight Calculations

A realistic route includes fuel planning. While the planner does not automatically calculate fuel burn, it provides the distance and estimated time en route (ETE) for each leg. You can use this data to compute required fuel. Some third-party add-ons integrate fuel calculations, but a simple method is to multiply your aircraft’s average fuel consumption (gallons per hour) by the ETE, then add reserves. Write a note in the flight plan’s comments field. For advanced users, the planner can export the route in formats readable by fuel-planning tools like SimBrief.

Saving, Loading, and Exporting Routes

After designing your route, you need to save it for your flight session or for future reuse. The planner offers several options.

Saving for Later Use

Click the Save button (often a disk icon) and give your route a descriptive name. You can also add notes (e.g., “VFR scenic route over Grand Canyon”). Saved routes appear in a list in the planner’s main menu. To load one, simply select it and click Load into Simulator. The route will be ready when you start your flight, with all waypoints and altitudes preset.

Exporting to External Tools

Aerofly FS supports exporting routes in common formats such as GPX (GPS Exchange) and FMS (used by many flight simulators). This is useful if you want to review the route in Google Earth, share it with other pilots, or use it with external navigation software. To export, go to File > Export and choose the format. The planner also allows importing routes from external sources — just make sure the format is compatible (e.g., .fms, .pln).

Tips for Accurate Route Mapping

  • Always enable the real-time navigation data overlay if available. This ensures your waypoints use current navaid coordinates.
  • Use the route validation feature (if present) to check for missing altitude constraints or disconnected segments.
  • When planning an IFR flight, replicate a real-world flight plan from a source like FlightAware to practice procedures.
  • For VFR flights, utilize visual landmarks like rivers, lakes, and cities as waypoints on the map.
  • Double-check that your departure and arrival airports have the correct runway assignments. The planner sometimes defaults to the longest runway; you can change it in the airport properties.
  • If the route seems to zigzag unnecessarily, revisit your airway choices. Sometimes a direct route is more efficient than following complex airways for short distances.
  • Familiarize yourself with the in-sim flight plan display — the route you create will appear on the cockpit navigation display (ND) once loaded. Practice cross-checking it during flight.

Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them

Even experienced planners run into issues. Here are the most frequent errors and solutions:

  • Waypoint duplication: Accidentally adding the same waypoint twice can cause the autopilot to loop. Use the route list sidebar to remove duplicates.
  • Altitude mismatches: Forgetting to set an altitude for a waypoint can confuse the autopilot. Always assign at least a cruise altitude for the final waypoint.
  • Unrealistic speeds: Setting a waypoint speed too high for a low-altitude phase may exceed aircraft limitations. Research typical speeds for each phase of flight.
  • Outdated data: If navaids or airways are missing, your navigation database might be old. Consider updating via the official Aerofly forums or third-party providers.
  • Overcomplicating the route: For short VFR flights, a simple course from A to B with a few visual checkpoints is more enjoyable than a 20-waypoint IFR plan. Match the planning complexity to your flight type.

Conclusion

Using the Aerofly FS flight planner effectively transforms your virtual flying from a casual game into a true simulation of real-world aviation. By learning to select airports, add waypoints, use navaids and airways, incorporate altitude and speed data, and leverage navigation overlays, you can create routes that are not only accurate but also deeply satisfying to fly. Whether you are practicing for a real pilot’s license or exploring the world from your desktop, the skills you build here will serve you well. Start simple, experiment with advanced features, and soon you will be mapping out complex flight plans with confidence. For further learning, explore the Aerofly community forums where pilots share tips and custom routes. Happy flying!