Flightplan XML formats

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FlightGear use a few different flightplan XML formats stored in property-list xml files. Due to different needs the flightplans used in the route manager and AI scenarios and have different formats.

AI flightplans

These flightplans contain only waypoints. By tying an AI flightplan to an AI model in a scenario xml file, an AI scenario will be created.

Waypoint tags

Each waypoint can contain the following tags:

Tag Type Use Remarks
<name> string Waypoint name The last waypoint use EOF, or if the AI model is to be deleted END.
<lat> double Latitude, decimal degrees
<lon> double Longitude, decimal degrees
<alt> double Altitude above mean sea level, feet
<crossat> double Crossing altitude, feet
<ktas> double True air speed, knots
<on-ground> bool Set to true or 1 if on ground

Set to false or 0 if in air or in a tunnel

<gear-down> double true for gear down

false for gear up

Or any number between 0 and 1
<flaps-down> double true for flaps down

false for flaps up

Or any number between 0 and 1

Example

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<PropertyList>
  <flightplan>
    <wpt>
      <name>First!</name>
      <lat>53.6762</lat>
      <lon>-1.39984</lon>
      <alt>1000</alt>
      <ktas>120</ktas>
      <on-ground>false</on-ground>
      <gear-down>1</gear-down>
      <flaps-down>0.25</flaps-down>
    </wpt>
    ...
    <wpt>
      <name>END</name>
    </wpt>
  </flightplan>
</PropertyList>

Route manager flightplans

See also Route manager#Defining a Route.

Route manager waypoints are a bit more complex, for starters they contain departure and destination information and not just one type of waypoint.

Note that the first and last waypoint are the departure and destination airports.

There is also support for Level-D 767 SID:s and STAR:s in FlightGear.

Departure and destination tags

Tag Type Use Remarks
<airport> string The ICAO identifier of the airport
<sid> string Any available SID
<star> string Any available STAR
<transition> string
<runway> string Departure or destination runway

Waypoint types and tags

Tag Type Use Remarks
<type> string Type of waypoint. Either runway, navaid or offset-navaid
<alt-restrict> string
<altitude-ft> double Altitude in feet
<ident> string If <type> is
runway: The departure or destination airport's runway number. Accompanied in the waypoint by the <icao> tag.
navaid: Any significant point along the route. Both airports, navaids and fixes.
offset-navaid: An point offset from a navaid by a bearing and distance. Note that true bearings are used here.
<icao> string ICAO code of an airport Used only if <type> is runway
<lon> double Longitude of the waypoint in decimal degrees
<lat> double Latitude of the waypoint in decimal degrees
<radial-deg> double True bearing from a navaid, fix or airport Note Radials on charts are magnetic!
<distance-nm> double Distance from a navaid, fix or airport

Example

<?xml version="1.0"?>

<PropertyList>
  <version type="int">2</version>
  <departure>
    <airport type="string">KOAK</airport>
    <sid type="string">(none)</sid>
    <runway type="string">29</runway>
  </departure>
  <destination>
    <airport type="string">KSJC</airport>
    <star type="string">(none)</star>
    <transition type="string"></transition>
    <runway type="string">11</runway>
  </destination>
  <route>
    <wp>
      <type type="string">runway</type>
      <departure type="bool">true</departure>
      <generated type="bool">true</generated>
      <ident type="string">29</ident>
      <icao type="string">KOAK</icao>
    </wp>
    <wp n="1">
      <type type="string">offset-navaid</type>
      <alt-restrict type="string">at</alt-restrict>
      <altitude-ft type="double">7500</altitude-ft>
      <ident type="string">SFO</ident>
      <lon type="double">-122.3738889</lon>
      <lat type="double">37.61947222</lat>
      <radial-deg type="double">88.22972768</radial-deg>
      <distance-nm type="double">16</distance-nm>
    </wp>
    <wp n="2">
      <type type="string">navaid</type>
      <alt-restrict type="string">at</alt-restrict>
      <altitude-ft type="double">10000</altitude-ft>
      <ident type="string">MISON</ident>
      <lon type="double">-121.890306</lon>
      <lat type="double">37.496806</lat>
    </wp>
    <wp n="3">
      <type type="string">runway</type>
      <arrival type="bool">true</arrival>
      <generated type="bool">true</generated>
      <ident type="string">11</ident>
      <icao type="string">KSJC</icao>
    </wp>
  </route>
</PropertyList>

Using the flightplans in FlightGear

Through the route manager

1rightarrow.png See Route manager for the main article about this subject.

For AI models

1rightarrow.png See AI Systems#AI Models for the main article about this subject.

Related content

Wiki articles

Source code

AI flightplans

Route manager flightplans