Flight planning complaint

[bbuckley]

Great answer Peter.

[ADavis79]

Hello,

The problem with your route wasn't quite what you are under the impression it was. I was the controller working your flight.

The problem with your route was that you filed 30 fixes which mostly corresponded to PEBLE5 SLI POM DAG KEPEC3. The problem with this was you had a couple extra fixes and a couple missing fixes, that's why you weren't cleared as filed (also you can't file every fix on the departure and arrival in replacement for the departure and arrival). Your choice to go over SLI vs SXC was not the problem. Honestly I didn't even notice SLI in the route section (as soon as I saw the mass of fixes I simply changed it to the preferred route, only later did I realize that what you filed was close to that).

When I cleared you via PEBLE5 SXC LAX DAG CLARR2 (the preferred route) you simply indicated you wouldn't be able to do the flight and requested a VFR departure. If you had asked for SLI POM DAG instead of SXC LAX DAG I would have given it to you (it is considered an acceptable route by us however by default without a specific request we route you via SXC).

If you had filed "PEBLE5 SLI POM DAG CLARR2" you would have been cleared as filed.

Ahhh! Okay now it makes sense! Thank you! I've been wondering what the problem is, and it's my over-reliance on filing fixes. I'm over-thinking my flight planning. I'm only a sim pilot so I'm still trying to learn real world procedures. So if I understand you correctly, I need to abbreviate my flight plan when filing it with ATC, but I can leave the fixes in my FMC plan that I load. I had gotten myself into the habit of filing a flight plan with ATC exacly the way it appears in my FMC.
I appreciate everyone's assistance on this issue. Now I can start filing and planning my routes MUCH more efficiently! Thanks!!

[HRutila]

You should specifically name the SID in your flight plan. For example, PEBLE4 SXC. You should specifically select that SID in your FMC -- not simply load a procedure fix by fix. If you have a true FMC, you can select the SID in the Procedures page. If you are using the default GPS, you may not have the required equipment to fly certain SIDs. Consult the chart to determine what equipment is required.

[Ryan B]

Yep if you have a default-ish plane with basic GPS I'd recommend filing /A - meaning you are flying via airways (or between VOR's_, VOR only with DME.

Yeah to build on Harold's words.... If you fly big city pairs (or airports with SIDS and STARS) you'll want to file the departure procedure name with the transition (like above PEBLE4 SXC) then file the arrival transition ending with the name of the STAR. If there are any fixes in between the departure transition and arrival transition you'd file that too.

Example KBFL to KSAN
http://155.178.201.160/d-tpp/1505/00036MARIC.PDF
http://155.178.201.160/d-tpp/1505/00373BARET.PDF

MARIC3 LHS PDZ JLI BARET5

In this case I decided to go to PDZ in between LHS and JLI. I could have just filed without PDZ though. Anyway you can see the flight plan structure.... SID name / SID Transition / any other fixes / STAR transition / STAR name