28. Search Search Procedures

The tab Procedures allows previewing and adding approach, arrival (STAR) and departure procedures (SID) to the flight plan. Procedures of a selected airport are arranged in a tree which indicates the dependency between procedure and transition.

The dialog uses a tree element. See Trees for more information about this type of input element.

See Procedures for general information about SID, STAR, approaches and transitions.

Procedure legs are shown when a procedure node is expanded in the tree. Procedures can be filtered by runway, name and type.

Right-click on a procedure or a procedure leg to show a context menu.

Use the context menu item Delete Selected Legs or Procedure of the flight plan table or the map context menu item Delete from Flight Plan to remove procedures from a flight plan.

Procedure legs are highlighted in red if one or more navaids could not be resolved. A warning dialog will be shown if you try to add this procedure to a flight plan.

Note that the SID and STAR names are limited to 5 characters in FSX and P3D due to a limitation in the BGL file format. Therefore procedure names are slightly modified. However, this does not apply to procedures from a Navigraph or X-Plane scenery database.

All information in the procedure search tab reloaded on startup if the setting Restore information window content is enabled on the page Startup and Updates in options. The information is also kept when switching between simulators in the Scenery Library Menu, provided the airport exists and has procedures in the selected simulator database.

The procedure search tab expands procedure branches that are already present in the flight plan. This means that procedures and/or their respective transitions are expanded when showing procedures for departure or destination airport.

_images/procexpand.jpg

Expanding the tree elements for SID JCOBY4 via SWANN after selecting Show Procedures from the context menu when right-clicking on KIAD on the map or in the flight plan table. Click image to enlarge.

Tip

You can use the cursor key Down to jump from the input fields into the result tree and navigate there using the keyboard shorcuts shown in the Context Menu Procedures.

Note

Note that the shown runway numbers might differ compared to airport runways. This happens when an add-on airport and the navigation data have different runway numbers which is a result of renumbered runways due to changes in magnetic declination (magnetic pole drift).

Little Navmap resolves these mismatches internally and still allows to work with procedures. You might expect issues when loading flight plans containing such discrepancies into add-on aircraft or simulators.

Important

It is up to the user to combine the correct procedures with the flight plan.

Little Navmap will not keep you from choosing north bound procedures for a route going south, for example. Also check the resulting route to avoid accidental zig-zag routing which can happen if you combine the wrong approach/transition with a STAR, for example.

Check the flight plan for reversals, zig-zag guidance, too close waypoints or other issues. Delete waypoints manually if you find such cases.

_images/proceduresearch.jpg

Showing a transition and a RNAV approach. Start and endpoint of a transition leg are highlighted on the map. Screenshot based on Little Navmap 2.6. Click image to enlarge.

28.1. Runways

Runways are assigned automatically for STAR and approaches if possible to avoid error messages about runway mismatches. This means that a selected STAR runway changes automatically to the one used by a newly selected approach if the STAR allows multiple runways.

The runway of a multi-runway STAR will also be automatically selected for an approach runway already inserted avoiding the runway selection dialog.

28.3. Preview and Highlights

Little Navmap displays a preview of the selected procedure or transition.

  • Click on a procedure in the procedure tree to see the preview of the procedure.

  • Click on a transition in the procedure tree to see the preview of the transition and its related procedure.

  • Click on a procedure or transition leg to see additional highlighted navaids.

Tooltips give information about navaids in the preview.

The preview of missed approaches can be changed by toggling Show Missed Approaches in the menu View.

Procedures can be added to the flight plan by either using Insert Procedure on the preview from the map context menu (right click on a navaid) or the Context Menu Procedures.

Note that labels of procedure waypoints have a … appended if additional labels texts like restrictions are suppressed due to higher zoom distances or lower detail levels.

_images/proc_preview_selected.jpg

Previewing a SID at LIPO with tooltip information on procedure and related waypoint. The preview also uses the Transparent line setting for flight plans in the options dialog on page Map Flight Plan. Click image to enlarge.

28.4. Procedure Tree

Legs are shown in dark blue while missed approach legs are shown in dark red color.

Bold red text indicates an error in the leg. The procedure is incomplete and should not be used in a flight plan. Little Navmap might refuse to use the procedure depending on the error since inconsistencies can result in crashes.

  • Description: Description, type and number of available transitions. Parallel runways are indicated by a list of runways like STAR 07L, 07R, 07C. The suffix All is added if a procedure applies to all runways of an airport.

  • Ident: Ident of the initial fix and ARINC code in brackets or name of SID or STAR. See ARINC Approach Types for an explanation of the ARINC type codes. Otherwise ident name of a procedure leg, if expanded.

  • Course °M: Magnetic course for a leg if expanded.

  • Restriction: Either procedure altitude restriction, procedure speed limit or a required vertical path angle. The following altitude restrictions exist for procedures:

    • Number only: Fly at altitude or speed. Example: 5,400 or 210.

    • Prefix A: Fly at or above altitude or speed. Example: A 1,800.

    • Prefix B: Fly at or below altitude or speed. Example: B 10,000 or B 220.

    • Range: Fly at or above altitude one and at or below altitude two. Example: A 8,000, B 10,000.

    • Altitude, optional speed limit and optional path angle: List of values. Example: A 8,000, B 10,000, B220, -3.5°.

  • First and last Waypoint: The entry and exit waypoint of a procedure or transition. The exit for approaches is usually the runway number like 21R or the airport in case of a circle-to-land approach.

  • Dist./Time: Distance of flying time for a leg. Holds can have a leg time in minutes or a leg distance in NM.

  • Remarks: Shows number of transitions, fly-over, turn direction, related navaid, RNP indicator and allowed aircraft categories for a procedure.

28.4.1. ARINC Approach Types

The ARINC procedure type is shown in Little Navmap in brackets after the approach name/fix.

The first letter of the ARINC approach type defines the type and the following two digits define the runway plus the optional runway designators L, C or R.

An opional suffix like X, Y or Z separated by a dash can be used to have approaches of the same type unique for airport and runway.

Types:

  • B: Localizer backcourse

  • D: VORDME

  • F: Flight management system (FMS)

  • G: Instrument guidance system (IGS). Similar to ILS, but not aligned with the runway. Requires a visual turn at the end.

  • H: RNP approach. Based on GPS.

  • I: Instrument landing system (ILS). Precision approach.

  • J: GNSS landing system (GLS). GBAS landing system, combining GPS with a ground station enhancing precision.

  • L: Localizer only (LOC)

  • M: Microwave landing system (MLS). Obsolete.

  • N: Nondirectional beacon (NDB)

  • P: Global positioning system (GPS)

  • Q: Nondirectional beacon and DME (NDBDME)

  • R: Area navigation (RNAV)

  • S: VOR using a VORDME or VORTAC

  • T: TACAN. Military only.

  • U: Simplified directional facility (SDF). Less precise than a localizer

  • V: VOR

  • W: Microwave landing system (MLS), type A. Obsolete.

  • X: Localizer directional aid (LDA). Like a localizer but not aligned with the runway. Requires a visual turn.

  • Y: Microwave landing system (MLS), type B and C. Obsolete.

Examples:

  • I20-Z: ILS approach Z to runway 20.

  • D18C: VORDME approach to runway 18C.

  • R02 RNAV approach to runway 02.

  • L03-Y Localizer approach Y to into runway 03.

28.5. Top Buttons

28.5.1. Type Filter (All Procedures)

The type filter is not available for an FSX or P3D stock database.

This filter is always available for X-Plane or MSFS databases which contain SIDs and STARs already in the stock data.

The type filter allows the selections below:

  • All Procedures: SID, STAR and approaches

  • Departure (SID): Only SID

  • Arrival (STAR): Only STAR

  • Arrival and Approaches: STAR and approaches

  • Approaches: Approaches prefixed with type like RNAV Approaches.

The respective transitions are always shown.

28.5.2. Runway Filter (All Runways)

This filter is always available and helps to find procedures for a certain departure or arrival runway.

The selection No Runway allows to find circle-to-land approaches which have no runway assigned.

28.5.3. Ident, Type and Waypoint Filter

Filter result by approach, SID, STAR or approach ARINC name as well as entry and exit waypoints beginning with the entered text.

The approach DACNA (R06) will be found when entering DAC or R06, for example.

The search function also looks for the first and the last waypoint of procedures as shown in the tree. Procedures and and transitions are hidden if no criteria matches the text search.

Procedures are shown and expanded if a transition name or waypoint matches the search text. For example, you can find a matching STAR for a selected approach and vice versa.

28.5.4. Preview all Procedures Preview all Procedures

Same as Preview all Procedures in context menu.

28.5.5. Clear Selection Clear Selection

Same as Clear Selection in context menu.

28.5.6. Help Help

Opens this chapter of the manual in the default browser.

28.6. Context Menu Procedures

28.6.1. Show on Map Show on Map

Center the map on the selected procedure.

28.6.2. Insert into Flight Plan / Use as Destination / Use as Departure Insert into Flight Plan, Use as Destination and Use as Departure

Text and functionality of this menu item depends on the selected procedure type and whether the procedure’s airport is already the departure or destination airport of the current flight plan.

A Runway Selection dialog might pop up for SID or STAR procedures which are applicable for more than one runway.

Use the context menu of the flight plan table or the map to remove procedures. See Delete Selected Legs or Procedure and Delete from Flight Plan.

If a transition is selected, the corresponding procedure (approach, SID or STAR) is added or replaced as well.

Insert ... into Flight Plan:

This menu item will add the selected procedure to the current flight plan. A procedure of the same type (SID, STAR or approach with or without transition) will be replaced if already present in the flight plan.

Use ... as Destination or Use ... as Departure:

This will add or replace the destination or departure airport and add the selected procedure.

If the flight plan is empty, the departure or destination airport is added to the flight plan as well.

A leg entry will drawn red if a navaid was not resolved during the scenery database loading process. This happens only when the source data is not valid or incomplete. In this case, the resulting procedure is not usable and a warning dialog will be shown if essential navaids are missing.

Little Navmap might refuse to use the procedure depending on error.

28.6.3. Show Information for Airport Show Information for Airport

Show detailed information in the Information dock window for the airport.

See the Information for details.

Same as Show Information in map context menu.

28.6.4. Show Airport on Map Show Airport on Map

Show the airport on the map. The zoom distance can be changed in the options dialog on the page Map Navigation.

28.6.6. Preview all Procedures Preview all Procedures

This highlights all procedures and their transitions currently shown in the procedure tree on the map. Note that the map display is updated automatically when changing filters.

Tooltips give information about navaids in the preview.

Note that missed approaches are not shown when previewing all procedures.

Procedures can be added to the flight plan by either using Insert Procedure on the preview from the map context menu (right click on a navaid) or the Context Menu Procedures.

_images/proc_preview.jpg

Previewing all SID at LIPO from runway 14. Context menu open to add SID and airport as departures. The preview also uses the Transparent line setting for flight plans in the options dialog on page Map Flight Plan. Click image to enlarge.

28.6.7. Follow Selection

The map view will be zoomed on the selected procedure or procedure leg if this function is enabled.

28.6.8. Expand All / Collapse All

Expand all procedures so that their legs and transitions are shown or collapse the tree.

28.6.10. Clear Selection Clear Selection

Deselect the currently selected procedure and remove the preview from the map.

Also clears the procedure preview enabled with Preview all Procedures.

28.6.11. Reset View Reset View

Reset column order and column widths to default.