iFly Developer Team

iFly Jets: The 747-400

1. Introduction
iFly Jets: The 747-400s FMC (Flight Management Computer) supports various
standard procedures which including SID, SID TRANS, STAR TRANS, STAR,
APPROACH TRANS and APPROACH. This document describes the format of
our procedures.

2. Various navigation data file

extentions
All related procedures data are stored in SIDS and STARS folders, which are
located under the directory of your flight simulator installation (eg.
c:\fs\iFly\744\navdata). The folder called FLTPLAN is used for storing the
data for various pre-defined routes.
The SID folder stores the procedures for takeoff. And the procedures included
the SID and SID TRANS. A sample file of a SID procedure can be read as:
xxxx.sid, and a sample file of SID TRANS procedure can be read as xxxx.sidtrs.
Note. The xxxx stands for the ICAO code which indicates the name of airport.
The STAR folder stores the procedures for landing. And the procedures included
STAR, STAR TRANS, APPROACH and APPROACH TRANS. A sample file
of STAR procedure can be read as xxxx.star; and a sample file of STAR TRANS
procedure can be read as xxxx.startrs; a sample file of APPROACH procedure
can be read as xxx.app; and a sample of APPROACH TRANS procedure can be
read as xxxx.apptrs. Note. The xxxx stands for the ICAO code which indicates
the name of airport.
The SUPP folder stores some supplementary data. A sample supplementary file
can be read as: xxxx.supp. The xxxx stands for the ICAO code which indicates
the name of airport.
Looking at the files under the main navdata directory, there are 5 .txt files and
1 .dat file. They are AIRAC file. We used the same format as iFly Jets: The
737NG.
All these files can be opened with Notepad (the Windows accessory) or any text
editor.

3. SID/STAR Data format

Each file of SID/STAR has the same format.

3.1 [list] Section

There must have one [list] section in the file, otherwise this file will be ignored.
It lists all procedures of the airport. The format is Procedure.AA=BB.CC.

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AA: It is index number, start from 0 and up to 255. Do not add the leading
zero. For example, Procedure.01 must write as Procedure.1, Procedure.010
must write as Procedure.10.
BB: This is the procedure name, which used for displaying on the DEP ARR and
RTE pages. Allows string combination such as A~Z and 0~9. And
the maximum length of each string is 12 characters.
CC: This data is used to link the other procedure.
For SID, this data is the runway identifier, xx, xxL, xxR, xxC is the legal
identifier, there xx is from 001 to 36
For SID TRANS, this data is the SID identifier. Allows string combination
such as A~Z and 0~9. And the maximum length of each string is
12 characters.
For STAR, this data is the runway identifier, xx, xxL, xxR, xxC is the legal
identifier, there xx is from 001 to 36
For STAR TRANS, this data is the STAR identifier. Allows string
combination such as A~Z and 0~9. And the maximum length of
each string is 12 characters.
For APPR, this data is the runway identifier, xx, xxL, xxR, xxC is the legal
identifier, there xx is from 001 to 36
For APPR TRANS, this data is the APPR identifier. Allows string
combination such as A~Z and 0~9. And the maximum length of
each string is 12 characters.
If one TRANS can link to multiple SID/STAR/APP, or one SID/STAR/APP
can link to multiple RUNWAY, it need create multiple procedures. For
example, if SID AJ1G can used for 05L, 05R, 23L, 23R, it need write as
this:
Procedure.0=AJ1G.05L
Procedure.1=AJ1G.05R
Procedure.2=AJ1G.23L
Procedure.3=AJ1G.23R

3.2 [BB.CC.DD] Section

Each Procedure.AA=BB.CC item need at least one [BB.CC.DD] section, it
used to define each waypoint.
BB: Same as the BB in the [list].
CC: Same as the CC in the [list].
DD: It is index number, start from 0 and up to 255. Do not add the leading
zero. For example, [AJ1G.05L.01] must write as [AJ1G.05L.1],
[AJ1G.05L.010] must write as [AJ1G.05L.10].
All items in the [BB.CC.DD] Section describes:
Name
Leg

Value
Leg types. The following leg
types can be used for iFly Jets:
The 747-400: PI, HA, HF, HM,

Example
Leg=CA

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FM, VM, AF, CA, VA, CD,

VD, CF, CI, VI, CR, VR, DF,
FA, FC, FD, RF, TF, IF.
NoteCDU will translate HA,
HF, HM as a simply HOLD
point.
Name

The waypoint name. Up to 12

characters

name=TP050

Latitude

The latitude of the

waypoint.Range:-180.0~180.0

Latitude=25.128333

Longitude

The longitude of the waypoint.

Range:-180.0~180.0

Longitude=121.286667

CrossThisPoint

0: fly-by

CrossThisPoint=1

1: fly-over
Heading

The course to the waypoint.

Range: 0.0~360.0. When set to
0.0, it means CDU will
calculate the course.

Heading=53

TurnDirection

The turn direction.

TurnDirection=R

R: right turn
L: left turn
Speed

The speed constraint.

Speed=210B

xxx: at restriction
xxxA: at or above restriction
xxxB: at or below restriction
Altitude

The altitude constraint.

Altitude=00600A

xxx: at restriction

Altitude=0600A1200B

xxxA: at or above restriction

Altitude=FL060

xxxB: at or below restriction

Altitude=MAP

xxxAxxxB: within restriction

xxx can be
FL180,FL080,0600,1600
MAP

If it is a missed approach point,

then set it to 1. One approach
must have one MAP. All
waypoints behind this point are
normal waypoint and all

MAP=1

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waypoints after this point are

GA section.
Frequency

The frequency of a signal

station which the airplane will
use with. The format is XXX,
XXX.X, XXX.XX. This field
can be a frequency or identifier.

Frequency=TIA
Frequency= 114.30

If there is more than one ILS

freq for one runway, then this
field can be used to define
which ILS freq is use for this
procedure.
Slope

The flight path angle.

Slope=2.8

Positive mean descent,

Negative mean climb.
NavBear

Radial from the station

NavBear=231.0

NavDist

DME from the station

NavDist=12.0

Dist

Distance for PI/HA/HF/HM/FC

leg

Dist=12.5

CenterLat

Latitude of center point for RF

leg

CenterLat=52.298333

CenterLon

Longitude of center point for

RF leg

CenterLon=4.683611

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3.3 Minimum data items for all leg type

The following chart describes the minimum data items needed for every leg type
Latitude/ Cross
Turn
Leg Name Longitude
This Heading Direction
Speed Altitude MAP Frequency Slope NavBear NavDist Dist CenterLat/
CenterLon
Point
PI

HA

(2)

HF

(2)

HM

(2)

FM

VM

AF

CA

VA

CD

VD

CF
CI

(1)

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VI

CR

VR

DF

FA
FC

FD

RF

TF

IF

(1). If not set or is 0, FMC will use 7.0 as a default distance

(2). If not set or is 0, FMC will use 1 minute or 1.5 minute as a default distance.
If set to a distance, the value must below 1000.
If set to a time, set 10000 for one minute, e.g. 12000=1.2min, 55000=5.5mins, 150000=15mins

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3.4 Leg Description

3.4.1 PI leg

PI leg use Latitude/Longitude item to define the point A, and use Frequency/
NavBear/ NavDist item to define point B. Then PI use Dist and Heading to fly the
Procedure Turn. In this illustration the TurnDirection is R.
Note: If Dist is not defined, then FMC will use 7.0 as a default distance.
Note: If Frequency/NavBear/NavDist is not defined, then FMC will use Dist*2.0
as a default distance.
Note: The leg next to the PI leg must define a heading data.
3.4.2 HA,HF,HM leg

HA, HF are all only handle as a HM leg in iFly Jets: The 747-400. They use
Latitude/Longitude item to define the point A, and use Dist to define length of the
hold. When Dist<1000.0, it is in NM, if Dist>1000, then it will in MINUTE, and
FMC will use Dist/10000 as the time. For example, Dist=10.5 mean distance=10.5nm,
Dist=15000 means distance=1.5 mins. In this illustration the TurnDirection is R.
3.4.3 FM, VM leg
FMC will translate these 2 type legs to the conditional waypoint, heading vectors to a
course or fix. Plane needs a heading to fly the FM/VM leg. If plane is in LNAV

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mode, FMC will continue fly FM/VM heading and not switch the next waypoint. If
not in LNAV mode, plane will switch to the next waypoint when the distance to the
next waypoint is less than 3nm.
3.4.4 AF leg
Plane use Frequency and NavDist to track the AF leg.
3.4.5 CA, VA leg
FMC will translate these 2 type legs to the conditional waypoint, climb/descent
through an altitude. Plane needs a heading to fly the CA/VA leg, when reach the
altitude, FMC will switch to the next waypoint.
3.4.6 CD, VD leg
FMS will translate CD/VD leg to conditional waypoint, flying a heading to a radial
or DME distance. Plane will fly to specified heading and use Frequency and NavDist
to navigation.
3.4.7 CF leg
When plane pass previous waypoint, it will make a turn and intercept the course in the
Heading field.
Note: FMC will use one ARC and one STRAIGHT LINE to fly the CF. In the
following illustration, the leg B is the right CF leg, the leg C is not. FMC will change
leg C from CF leg to DF leg.

3.4.8 CF leg
When plane pass previous waypoint, it will make a turn and intercept the course in the
Heading field.

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3.4.9 CI, VI leg

FMS will translate CI/VI leg to conditional waypoint, flying a heading to a radial or
DME distance or intercepting a course.
If the next leg is AF leg, it will translate to flying a heading to a radial or DME
distance.
If the next leg is not AF leg, it will translate to intercepting a course. And the next
leg must have a heading data, or next leg is IF/TF leg.
3.4.10 CR, VR leg
FMS will translate CR/VR leg to conditional waypoint, flying a heading to a radial
or DME distance. Plane will fly to specified heading and use Frequency and
NavBear to navigation.
3.4.11 DF leg
FMS need the Latitude/Longitude to navigation
3.4.12 FA leg
FMS will translate CD/VD leg to conditional waypoint, passing through an altitude.
Plane will fly to specified heading and switch to the next waypoint when passing
through the specified altitude.
3.4.13 FC leg

The Latitude/Longitude (point A) item in FC leg is not the position FMC will use, it is
only a base position. FMS use Latitude/Longitude, Heading and Dist to calculate the
final waypoint position (point B). In the CDU/ND, the position of the waypoint is B.

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3.4.14 FD leg

The Latitude/Longitude (point A) item in FD leg is not the position FMC will use, it is
only a base position. FMS use Latitude/Longitude, Heading, Frequency and NavDist
to calculate the final waypoint position (point B). In the CDU/ND, the position of the
waypoint is B.
3.4.15 RF leg

Plane needs Latitude/Longitude (point A) and CenterLat/CenterLon (point B) to fly

the RF leg.
3.4.16 TF, IF leg
FMS need the Latitude/Longitude to navigation
FMS will translate CD/VD leg to conditional waypoint, passing through an altitude.

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4. Supplementary SID/STAR Data

The SUPP folder stores some supplementary data. A sample supplementary file can
be read as: xxxx.supp. The xxxx stands for the ICAO code which indicates the
name of airport.
All items in the supplementary file describe:
Section

Name

Value

Gate

The name of
the gate

Latitude,
longitude.

Example
[GATE]
11=30.235467,120.431075
B1=30.232091,120.432147

Speed

Any speed, in
IAS

Speed_Transition

Transition_Altitude

[Speed_Transition]
Speed=281

Altitude

Any altitude, in
feet

Altitude

Any altitude, in
feet

Altitude=10000
[Transition_Altitude]
Altitude=16000

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