42. Flight Plan Formats

Little Navmap supports several flight plan formats, all of which have different limitations. All of the formats listed below can be exported and some can be loaded using Open Flight Plan in the menu File.

42.1. Little Navmap LNMPLN Format

Little Navmap uses its own XML based text format since only this allows to save all features provided by the program in a safe manner as well as proper file validation. This also eliminates many of the confusing warning dialogs when saving other formats and potential data loss.

While you can still load, for example, FMS and other formats directly into the program, saving is limited to the LNMPLN format. You have to export the plan as FMS after changing it. You can do that either directly from the menu File -> Export Flight Plan as FMS for X-Plane 11 and 12 or using menu File -> Multiexport Flight Plan Options and then File -> Multiexport Flight Plan.

See also Flight Plan Multiexport for more information on multiexport.

Note

The LNMPLN format is only understood by Little Navmap. Do not try to load it into simulators or add-ons.

Consider exported flight plan files as disposable since almost all export formats have limitations resulting in data loss. Remember that you can always restore them by loading the original LNMPLN file and exporting again.

See Little Navmap Flight Plan File Format for a detailed description of the format.

Warning

Always save a copy in the default LNMPLN format before exporting to other formats. This allows Little Navmap to restore all flight plan properties like procedures, alternate airports and remarks.

Note that the LNMPLN format is only understood by Little Navmap. Do not try to load it into simulators or add-ons.

42.2. User Waypoint Names

User waypoint names will be adapted to format limitations when exporting.

PLN: Maximum length for FSX or Prepar3D is 10 characters and no special characters are allowed. Unsupported characters will be removed and the length will be truncated.
FMS: No spaces allowed. These will be replaced with underscores (_).
FLP: All user waypoint names will be replaced by coordinates.

42.3. Garmin Export Issues

Many Garmin add-on use the Garmin trainer in the background.

A problem when importing a flight plan containing procedures like SIDs, STARs, and approaches is that procedure names change over time.

A SID WENAS7 becomes WENAS8, waypoints/intersections are removed, the airway structure changes or runways are renamed, for example.

The Garmin trainer database is updated by Garmin once or twice a year but AIRAC cycles are updated more often in Little Navmap as well as in simulators. The result are inconsistencies between Little Navmap, flight planning websites or other programs and the less frequently updated Garmin trainer database.

Garmin trainers abort if a waypoint or procedure has a name that does not match or is duplicated in its database.

The Garmin trainer indicates a duplicate and offers the user the possibility to select from a list when manually entering such a waypoint into the device.

The Garmin trainer import routine does not allow this. The import is either rejected or the flight plan is locked and the user has to edit it manually.

42.4. Flight Plan Export Formats

The table below shows the capabilities of Little Navmap and the supported flight plan formats (X = supported, 0 = not supported, - = not applicable) as listed in Flight Plan Multiexport.

Ext.: File extension or name.
Open: Can load format using Open Flight Plan in menu File.
Exp.: Format can be exported.
Airw: Can export airways. Otherwise only a list of waypoints.
Proc. can export procedures.

Bold: Main format supporting all features like remarks but not usable for other tools or simulators`.
Highlighted format name: The format can be loaded by Little Navmap using Open Flight Plan in menu File.

Format Name	Ext.	Open	Exp.	Airw	VFR/IFR	User Wpt. Names	Remarks	Dep. Parking	Cruise Alt.	Proc.
LNMPLN	LNMPLN	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020	PLN	X	X	X	X	X	0	X	X	X [5]
FSX and Prepar3D	PLN	X	X	X	X	X	0	X	X	0
FSX and Prepar3D annotated (obsolete)	PLN	X	X	X	X	X	0	X	X	X
FS9 PLN	PLN	X	0	X	X	X	0	X	X	0
X-Plane FMS 11	FMS	X	X	X	0	X	0	0	X	X
X-Plane FMS 12	FMS	X	X	X	0	X	0	0	X	X
X-Plane FMS 3	FMS	X	X	0	0	X	0	0	X	0
X-Plane CIVA	FMS	X	X	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
FlightGear	FGFP	X	X	0	0	0	0	0	0	X [2]
FSC	PLN	X	0	X	0	X	0	0	0	0
Aerosoft Airbus and others	FLP	X	X	X	0	0	0	0	0	X
Aerosoft CRJ	FLP	X	X	X	0	0	0	0	0	X
Reality XP GNS 530W/430W V2	FPL	X	X	0	0	X	0	0	0	0
Reality XP GTN 750/650 Touch	GFP	X	X	X	0	X [1]	0	0	0	X
Flight1 Garmin GTN 650/750	GFP	X	X	X	0	0	0	0	0	0
TDS GTNXi	GFP	X	X	X	0	0	0	0	0	X
PMDG Aircraft	RTE	0	X	X	0	0	0	0	0	0
Rotate MD-80, JARDesign and others	TXT	0	X	X	0	0	0	0	0	0
Majestic Dash MJC8 Q400	FPR	0	X	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
IXEG Boeing 737	FPL	0	X	X	0	0	0	0	0	0
Flight Factor Airbus	corte.in	0	X	X	0	0	0	0	X	X [2]
iFly	FLTPLAN	0	X	X	0	0	0	0	0	0
MSFS IniBuilds Airbus	FPL	0	X	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
ProSim	XML [4]	0	X	X	0	0	0	0	0	0
BlackBox Simulations Airbus	PLN	0	X	X	0	0	0	0	0	0
Leonardo Maddog X	MDX	0	X	X	0	0	0	0	0	0
QualityWings	RTE	0	X	X	0	0	0	0	0	0
AivlaSoft EFB	EFBR	0	X	X	0	0	0	0	0	0
Level-D	RTE	0	X	X	0	0	0	0	0	0
FeelThere or Wilco	FPL	0	X	X	0	0	0	0	0	0
TFDi Design 717	XML	0	X	X	0	0	0	0	0	0
IvAp for IVAO [3]	FPL	0	X	X	0	0	0	0	0	0
X-IVAP for IVAO [3]	FPL	0	X	X	0	0	0	0	0	0
VATSIM vPilot or SWIFT [3]	VFP	0	X	X	0	0	0	0	0	0
UFMC	UFMC	0	X	X	0	0	0	0	0	0
X-FMC	FPL	0	X	X	0	0	0	0	0	0
Garmin exchange format	GPX	-	X	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
HTML flight plan web page	HTML	-	X	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

For Flight1 Garmin GTN 650/750, Reality XP GNS 530W/430W V2, Reality XP GTN 750/650 Touch and TDS GTNXi additional export formats exist which replace waypoints with user defined waypoints. This helps to avoid the locked waypoint issue but drops all procedure and waypoint information.

Procedure waypoints are excluded from most file formats by default, except for GPX. You have to use the GPS, FMS or MCDU in the simulator to select procedures. Exceptions are e.g. X-Plane FMS and FLP which allow to save and load procedures.

You can enable saving of waypoints by checking the menu items Export Waypoints for Approaches and/or Export Waypoints for SID and STAR.

The current file name and type will change if you save a plan as LNMPLN. This does not occur when exporting.

42.5. Export Formats

42.5.1. Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020

File format for MSFS. Little Navmap can read and export this format.

You can export this format directly using Export Flight Plan as MSFS 2020 PLN and load the flight plans using menu File -> Open Flight Plan.

While the format supports procedures there appear problems in MSFS loading these. Procedures might be omitted or new ones inserted. Furthermore MSFS does not support the selection of transitions and often inserts these automatically.

You can set a parking spot or fuel pad as starting position but note that runways and helipads as starting positions will be ignored by MSFS.

See FAQ - The flight plan does not show up correctly in MSFS for more information on problems.

PLN files for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 will have special characters removed since the simulator cannot load files having these as a part of the name.

42.5.2. FSX and Prepar3D

File format for FSX and P3D. Little Navmap can read and export this format. Procedures are not saved.

You can export this format directly using Export Flight Plan as P3D or FSX PLN.

Flight plans of this format can be loaded into Little Navmap using menu File -> Open Flight Plan.

42.5.3. FSX and Prepar3D annotated (obsolete)

Annotated PLN format used by Little Navmap versions up to and including 2.4.5.

This is needed only if you like to save a flight plan for older Little Navmap versions.

Little Navmap can read and export this format completely with procedures.

Flight plans of this format can be loaded into Little Navmap using menu File -> Open Flight Plan.

42.5.4. FS9 PLN

File format of the Flight Simulator 2004. Uses the same PLN file extension as the FSX PLN format. Little Navmap can only read this format.

Flight plans of this format can be loaded into Little Navmap using menu File -> Open Flight Plan.

42.5.5. X-Plane FMS 11 and X-Plane 12

X-Plane FMS format which can be loaded into the stock GPS, the G1000 and the FMS of X-Plane 11 and 12.

You can export this format directly using Export Flight Plan as FMS for X-Plane 11 and 12.

Little Navmap can read and export this format.

Store these files into the Output/FMS plans directory inside the X-Plane directory.

Read the X-Plane manuals for the respective devices on how to load plans inside the cockpit: User Manuals for X-Plane Products.

Flight plans of this format can be loaded into Little Navmap using menu File -> Open Flight Plan.

Note

Little Navmap cannot determine the cruise altitude of a flight plan after loading this format in some cases. You might see errors about violated altitude restrictions after loading. Adjust the cruise altitude manually if this is the case.

42.5.5.1. FMS Export Issues

While Little Navmap resolves references from simulator airports to procedures in the navdata by various ways, X-Plane might not be able to find the procedures for a given aiport. This is the case if an airport has been renamed or has inconsistent idents like ICAO or FAA. You will see a warning message in X-Plane where it complains about not being able to load the procedures. You can try to load the flight plan and select the procedures manually in the GPS or FMS units but this also does not work in all cases.

Another issue is where X-Plane refuses to read flight plans due to unknown departure or destination airports. This can happen if the airports are only present in an add-on and not in stock or have been renamed. You can open the FMS file in a text editor and fix this manually by replacing the keywords ADEP and ADES with DEP and DES respectively. Note that this does not work if procedures are used with an airport.

FMS file which cannot be loaded by X-Plane with keywords ADEP and ADES:

I
1100 Version
CYCLE 2209
ADEP 44T
ADES KSHN
NUMENR 2
1 44T ADEP 211.000000 46.992359 -122.827721
1 KSHN ADES 271.000000 47.233555 -123.147552

Corrected FMS file for both airports where the first occurences of ADEP and ADES were replaced with DEP and DES keywords for both airports:

I
1100 Version
CYCLE 2209
DEP 44T
DES KSHN
NUMENR 2
1 44T ADEP 211.000000 46.992359 -122.827721
1 KSHN ADES 271.000000 47.233555 -123.147552

42.5.6. FMS 3 (X-Plane)

X-Plane FMS format which can be loaded into the stock GPS and FMS of X-Plane 10 and 11.05. The format is very limited and basically stores only a list of waypoints.

Flight plans of this format can be loaded into Little Navmap using menu File -> Open Flight Plan.

Store these files into the Output/FMS plans directory inside the X-Plane directory.

42.5.7. X-Plane CIVA Navigation System

This is a flight plan format which exports files for the X-Plane CIVA Navigation System.

The flight plan is divided into files with a maximum of eight waypoints each. A flight plan with more waypoints will result in more files.

Example for flight plan files for a plan from EGAE to LGIO containing not more than 24 waypoints:

EGAELGIO.fms
EGAELGIO1.fms
EGAELGIO2.fms

Little Navmap can read and export this format.

Store these files into the Output/FMS plans directory inside the X-Plane directory.

42.5.8. FlightGear

FlightPlan format which can be loaded into the RouteManager of the free flight simulator FlightGear.

You can export this format directly using Export Flight Plan as FlightGear FGFP.

Flight plans of this format can be loaded into Little Navmap using menu File -> Open Flight Plan.

You can save the files into any directory and load it within FlightGear.

42.5.9. FSC

File format for FlightSim Commander. Uses the same PLN file extension as the FSX PLN format. Little Navmap can only read this format.

42.5.10. Aerosoft Airbus and others

42.5.11. Aerosoft CRJ

A format that can be read by the X-Plane FMS (not the X-Plane GPS), Aerosoft Airbus and other add-on aircraft. Supports airways and procedures.

You can load these files into the X-Plane FMS including airway information. Procedures are saved in the FLP but cannot loaded yet by the FMS. You have to select these manually after loading the flight plan.

42.5.12. Garmin

Simple XML based flight plan format which stores only a list of waypoints. Little Navmap can read and export this format.

42.5.13. Reality XP GNS 530W/430W V2

Flight plan format as FPL file usable by the Reality XP GNS 530W/430W V2.

See Notes about the Garmin Formats GFP and FPL for information on known problems when exporting flight plan data for the GNS.

Little Navmap considers the GNSAPPDATA environment variable if set. See the GNS manual for more information.

The default directory to save the flight plans for the GNS units is C:\ProgramData\Garmin\GNS Trainer Data\GNS\FPL for all simulators.

You may have to create the directory manually if it does not exist.

Flight plans of this format can be loaded into Little Navmap using menu File -> Open Flight Plan.

42.5.14. Reality XP GTN 750/650 Touch

Save flight plan as GFP file usable by the Reality XP GTN 750/650 Touch.

Flight plans of this format can be loaded into Little Navmap using menu File -> Open Flight Plan.

See Notes about the Garmin Formats GFP and FPL for information on known problems when exporting flight plan data for the GTN.

Little Navmap considers the GTNSIMDATA environment variable if set. See the GTN manual for more information.

42.5.15. TDS GTNXi

The default directory to save the flight plans for the GTN units is C:\ProgramData\TDS\GTNXi\FPS for all simulators.

Flight plans of this format can be loaded into Little Navmap using menu File -> Open Flight Plan.

See Notes about the Garmin Formats GFP and FPL for information on known problems when exporting flight plan data for the GTN.

You may have to create the directory manually if it does not exist.

42.5.16. Flight1 Garmin GTN 650/750

The default directory to save the flight plans for the GTN units is C:\ProgramData\Garmin\Trainers\Databases\FPLN for all simulators.

You may have to create the directory manually if it does not exist.

42.5.16.1. Garmin GTN Trainer 6.41

The default directory to save the flight plans for the GTN units is C:\ProgramData\Garmin\Trainers\GTN\FPLN for all simulators. You have to create this directory manually and then navigate to it in the file dialog when saving. Little Navmap will remember the selected directory.

42.5.16.2. Garmin GTN Trainer 6.21

If you’re using the trainer version 6.21 then the default path is C:\ProgramData\Garmin\GTN Trainer Data\GTN\FPLN. You have to create this directory manually.

42.5.17. Flight1 Garmin GTN 650/750

This is the flight plan format used by the Flight1 GTN 650/750.

Flight plans of this format can be loaded into Little Navmap using menu File -> Open Flight Plan.

See Notes about the Garmin Formats GFP and FPL for information on problems when exporting flight plan data for the GTN.

The default directories to save the flight plans for the GTN units are:

Prepar3D v3: C:\Program Files (x86)\Lockheed Martin\Prepar3D v3\F1TGTN\FPL.
Prepar3D v4: C:\Program Files\Lockheed Martin\Prepar3D v4\F1TGTN\FPL.
Flight Simulator X: C:\ProgramFiles(x86)\Microsoft Games\Flight Simulator X\F1GTN\FPL

You might need to change the user privileges on this directory if your saved flight plans do not show up in the GTN. Give yourself full control and/or ownership of this directory to avoid this.

A typical symptom is that you can save the flight plan in Little Navmap and you can also see the saved plan in Little Navmap’s open dialogs but it does not show up in the GTN unit. Change the privileges of the export directory as mentioned above if that is the case.

The file is a simple text format containing only one line of text.

Example for the content of a flight plan file named KEAT-CYPU.gfp:

FPN/RI:F:KEAT:F:EAT.V120.SEA.V495.CONDI.V338.YVR.V330.TRENA:F:N50805W124202:F:N51085W124178:F:CAG3:F:N51846W124150:F:CYPU

42.5.18. PMDG Aircraft

A PMDG RTE file. File location depends on the used aircraft but is usually PMDG\FLIGHTPLANS in the simulator base directory.

This format does not allow saving of procedures.

42.5.19. Rotate MD-80, JARDesign and others

A simple file format usable by JARDesign or Rotate Simulations aircraft. The dexport directory depends on the used aircraft which is usually in the X-Plane directory Aircraft.

The file is a simple text format containing only one line of text.

Example for the content of a TXT file named CBZ9CYDC.txt:

CBZ9 SID AIRIE V324 YKA B8 DURAK STAR CYDC

42.5.20. Majestic Dash MJC8 Q400

Flight plan format for the Majestic Software MJC8 Q400. Note that the export is limited to a list of waypoints.

The flight plan has to be saved to YOURSIMULATOR\SimObjects\Airplanes\mjc8q400\nav\routes.

Note that the FMC in the Dash will show invalid coordinates when you press INFO on a waypoint or airport. The flight plan, navigation and autopilot are not affected otherwise.

42.5.21. IXEG Boeing 737

Exports the current flight plan as a FPL file usable by the IXEG Boeing 737. The format is the same as TXT but with a different file extension.

The file should be saved to XPLANE\Aircraft\X-Aviation\IXEG 737 Classic\coroutes. You have to create the directory manually if it does not exist.

42.5.22. Flight Factor Airbus

A format for the Flight Factor Airbus. The file is not truncated and flight plans are appended when saving.

Flight plans are saved in a slightly extended ATS route notation which also allows to save the cruise altitude and approach procedures. Edit the file with a simple text editor if you want to remove flight plans.

While this format allows saving of SID and STAR the option for approaches was removed since it is unreliable.

Example:

RTE ETOPS002 EINN 06 UNBE2A UNBEG DCT 5420N DCT NICSO N236A ALLEX Q822 ENE DCT CORVT KJFK I22R JFKBOS01 CI30 FL360
RTE EDDFEGLL EDDF 25C BIBT4G BIBTI UZ29 NIK UL610 LAM EGLL I27R LAM CI25 FL330

42.5.23. iFly

Flight plan format for the iFly 737NG for FSX or P3D. The file has to be saved to YOURSIMULATOR/iFly/737NG/navdata/FLTPLAN.

Procedures cannot be saved.

42.5.24. MSFS IniBuilds Airbus

Flight plan locations differ by MSFS installation type:

MS Store: C:\Users\YOURUSERNAME\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.FlightSimulator_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalState\packages\microsoft-aircraft-a310-300\work\flightplans
Steam: C:\Users\YOURUSERNAME\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft Flight Simulator\Packages\microsoft-aircraft-a310-300\work\flightplans

42.5.25. ProSim

A flight plan format for ProSim. The flight plan is appended to the file companyroutes.xml when saving. Remove flight plans manually in a text editor.

Little Navmap creates up to two backup files when saving the flight plan: companyroutes.xml_lnm_backup and companyroutes.xml_lnm_backup.1.

Procedures cannot be saved.

Example:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<companyroutes>
  <route name="EFMAESGT">EFMA RUNGA N872 TEB N623 BEDLA N866 NEGIL ESGT</route>
  <route name="LGIRLEDA">LGIR SUD UJ65 TRL UM601 RUTOM M601 QUENN Q123 LULIX P167 GINOX UM601 BCN UN975 SELVA LEDA</route>
</companyroutes>

42.5.26. BlackBox Simulations Airbus

This format is for the Blackbox Simulations Airbus for FSX or P3D. Save this to YOURSIMULATOR/Blackbox Simulation/Company Routes or YOURSIMULATOR/BlackBox Simulation/Airbus A330 depending on aircraft type.

This format cannot save procedures.

42.5.27. Leonardo Maddog X

Flight plan for the Leonardo MaddogX aircraft. This format cannot save procedures.

42.5.28. QualityWings

Flight plan for QualityWings aircraft. This format cannot save procedures. The location depends on the aircraft.

42.5.29. AivlaSoft EFB

Flight plan for the AivlaSoft Electronic Flight Bag. Saving of procedures is not supported.

42.5.30. Level-D

Flight plan for Level-D aircraft. This format cannot save procedures. Save this to YOURSIMULATOR\Level-D Simulations\navdata\Flightplans.

42.5.31. FeelThere or Wilco

The format above cannot save procedures. The location depends on the aircraft.

42.5.32. TFDi Design 717

Flight plan format for the TDFi Design Boeing 717. The format above cannot save procedures.

42.5.33. IvAp for IVAO

42.5.34. X-IVAP for IVAO

Flight plan format for the IVAO online network clients IvAp or X-IvAp.

The file format for these two clients differs slightly.

Flight Plan Online Network Export will appear before where you can add all needed information.

42.5.35. VATSIM vPilot or SWIFT

Flight plan format for the VATSIM vPilot online network client.

Flight Plan Online Network Export will appear before where you can add all needed information.

42.5.36. UFMC

A flight plan format for the UFMC. The format does not allow saving of procedures.

Save the flight plan to XPLANE\Custom Data\UFMC\FlightPlans.

42.5.37. X-FMC

Save flight plan as FPL file for the X-FMC. The format does not allow saving of procedures.

The file should be saved to Path to XPLANE\Resources\plugins\XFMC\FlightPlans.

42.5.38. Garmin exchange format

GPX is not a flight plan format.

The GPS Exchange Format can be read by Google Earth and most other GIS applications.

The flight plan is embedded as a route and the flown aircraft trail as a track including simulator time and altitude.

The route has departure and destination elevation and cruise altitude set for all waypoints. Waypoints of all procedures are included in the exported file. Note that the waypoints will not allow to reproduce all parts of a procedure like holds or procedure turns.

The track contains the aircraft trail with flown altitude and timestamps.

42.5.39. HTML flight plan web page

This is not a flight plan format. This function saves the current flight plan as a single HTML web page with all images embedded. You can open this page in any web browser.

The exported file will reflect changes of the flight plan table view like column order. Columns which are hidden or shrinked to minimum width are excluded.

42.6. Notes about the Garmin Formats GFP and FPL

Various problems can appear when reading exported flight plans into the Garmin units. Most of these are a result of the Garmin navigation database which uses data of an older AIRAC cycle (mostly 1611 at the time of writing). Updated simulator or add-on databases (like the one in Little Navmap) can use the latest navdata or an old one from FSX or P3D stock data.

Any waypoints, airways or procedures that are removed, added or renamed over time can cause locked waypoints or other messages when reading a flight plan into the GNS or GTN.

It is easy to remove locked waypoints within the GNS or GTN to enable the flight plan to be activated. Refer to the documentation of the Garmin unit.

Little Navmap allows to change the Garmin export to replace all waypoints with user defined waypoints to avoid locking. While this is a sufficient approach to avoid the locked waypoints it comes with a few limitations:

Departure and destination airport are not saved as user defined waypoints. These have to exist in the Garmin navigation database.
Navaid information like frequencies cannot be displayed since the waypoint cannot be related to the radio navaid.
Procedures like SID and STAR cannot be saved with the flight plan and have to be selected manually.
The GTN (not the GNS) changes all names to a generic USERWPT... scheme.

The export of user defined waypoints can be enabled in the options dialog on tab Flight Plan.