FSbuild Tutorial #2 (SID's and STAR's)
How to add SID's:

(Updated Nov 19 2000)

FSBuild SID's are stored in the filename 'FSB_SIDS.TXT', they are in plain ascii text so you can easily edit them.

SID's in FSbuild basically have 1 or 2 parts

1 The main route
2 The Transition.

For SID's the Fsbuild will always read the main SID routing first, then add the Transition routing 
after the main route.

  Editing Rules

-Each SID should be placed under the section header which contains the departure airport ICAO code surrounded by 
 brackets '[]'(ex: [EGLL] ).
-There can be several Transition routes, but only one main SID route.
-The Main SID route is listed first, then the Transitions follow (if any).
-You can however have transitions with no main SID route.
-SID ID must have a version number/id at the end of the ID, not the transition ID.
 (ie before the period if you include a transition  (Ex: PEBLE2.SLI) "Sid.Transition").
-  Separate the fields by spaces.

  Field definitions
SID IDWaypointCrossing AltRwy
NTM1C HUL 6000
NTM1CBULUX7000
NTM1CNTM
 1       2       3         4
Field 1 SID-ID.Transition
Field 2 Waypoint ID
Field 3 Crossing altitude (Optional)
Field 4 Runway
The crossing altitudes are in Feet (even thousands), Flight Level notation (ie FL..) is not supported.
 Field 4 is the runway this field assigns that particular waypoint to that the specific runway(s) only.
 Meaning when you 'Build' the Route in FSBuild if the departure runway selected does not match the runway(s)
 listed for the waypoint the waypoint will not be inserted into the Flight Plan.
A an example SID this would be applicable to is the Border4 departure out of San Diego, 
where there's a  different starting route for each runway that then joins up with the man SID routing.

                  FSB_SIDS.TXT  Entry for BRDR4 SID (KSAN)

                    ...
                    BRDR4        MZB096   ---    9
                    BRDR4        D19PGY   ---   27
                    BRDR4        PGY080   ---   27
                    BRDR4        PGY      ---   27
                    BRDR4        BROWS
                    BRDR4.IPL    IPL
                    BRDR4.JLI    JLI
                    ...


   The runway information "must" "always" be in field '4'.  In cases where there is no crossing altitude for
   that waypoint, but you want the waypoint to be specific to a runway(s). Then enter '---' as field 3
   so FSBuild does not confuse your runway with a crossing altitude.

Note: This works exactly the same way for STAR's, so this will not be repeated in the STAR's tutorial.

Note: above the waypoints named 'MZB096', 'D19PGY', 'PGY080' are user defined waypoints (see more
      details on this for the LABAN SID example below).

                   
                        
                          Runway 27 Border4 routing                                Runway 9 Border 4 routing.

Note the routing differences for the above Flight Plan based on selected runway. The left screen image is the routing for a build 
using when runway '27' as the selected departure runway. The right screen image is the routing for a build on the same flight plan 
but using runway '9' as the selected departure runway.

 Notes:  For runway specific waypoints where more than runway is applicable to the waypoint, separate the runway
         ID by comma's.

Example DUDES9 departure off Sacramento (KSMF)

DUDES9       SHELD  --      16L,16R
DUDES9       LIAMM  --      34L,34R
DUDES9       CROTI 
DUDES9       DUDES 
DUDES9.FMG   FMG
DUDES9.LLC   ALPIN
DUDES9.LLC   LLC
DUDES9.MVA   MVA

The waypoint SHELD only applies to runway 16L and 16R departures. The waypoint LIAMM only applies to runway 34L and 34R departures.
All of the remaining waypoints however apply to all runways.
If waypoint on the SID is not in the database, after 'Build' it will show up on your Active Flight plan with the waypoint ID, but 
without a name (that will be your hint that you need to add that Nav ID to the database). Your calculated distance and heading between 
this and the next and previous waypoints will surely be incorrect. 
(see Tutorial XXX for adding Navaids to the database).

Note: This works exactly the same way for STAR's, so this will not be repeated in the STAR's tutorial.


Another distinction for SIDS that can be made is to make the entire SID specifific to runway(s).

Looking at the image below of the LABAN 1B, and the LABAN1C  departures. The LABAN1C SID is for Runway '21' only, and
the LABAN 1B  SID is for runway 03 only.

To make this disctinction in FSBuild, you enter this information at the very top of the Airports header (ie ICAO code) in the 
FSB_SIDS.TXT file, prefixed with the 'T' character.

Example:  

[ESGG]
T LABA1B     LABAN1B    03
T LABA1C     LABAN1C    21
T HAR1B      HAR1B      03
T HAR1C      HAR1C      21

Field 1  The 'T'  prefix, which tells the Builder these are not actual SID waypoints.
Field 2  The SID 'ID'
Field 3  The actual full SID Name. Not particularly important right now, but it was a feature designed into the program for
         future use in case I decided to create an ATC adventure generator later on.  However this 'Field 3' "must" be there
         as field 4 is the runway information. So repeat the SID ID twice if you have to as long as there are 3 fields 'before'
         the runway field (field 4).
Field 4  The runway(s) applicable to that SID (you can assign multiple runways to a SID as well, just separate them with a comma
         (ex 21,25,27).

Note: This works exactly the same way for STAR's, so this will not be repeated in the STAR's tutorial.


The SID/STAR display pulldown menu in FSBuild will used this information to tie the displayed SID's/STAR's to what departure/arrival
runway you select.  What I mean is as you select runways for your departure, or destination, the SID's and STAR's displayed in the 
SID/STAR pulldown menu will change accordingly.  For example, say your departure is 'KSAN',  I have defined in the FSB_SIDS.TXT file
that only runway 27 can be used for the Peble2 SID.  So if you select runway '9' you will see all the SID's listed for SAN except 
Peble2.  But then if you switch back to runway '27' then Peble2 will be listed with the SID's.

            

Note: This works exactly the same way for STAR's, so this will not be repeated in the STAR's tutorial.

You can insert your own user defined waypoints
*LABA1C      HAR040
 LABA1C      TODDY
 LABA1C      NOL062
 LABA1C      LABAN
The Waypoints HAR040, and NOL062 are not real world Nav ID's. I created them so that that Fsbuild would build a 
Flight Plan that followed the SID routing correctly. The two waypoints locations on the SID are depicted by the red 
arrows. The first one named as HAR040 is the expected point to cross the 040 course (recipricol of R-220) off the 'HAR' VOR. The 2nd 
user defined waypoint is named NOL062 which is where to intercept the NOL 062 course (R-242) and turn direct to LABAN the SID exit point.
To do this you merely just need a unique ID, and to put in in the Intersections database (fsb_int.txt). I would suggest you use at least
5 characters for these user defined waypoints so that FSbuild treats them like intersections.
Here are 2 examples of Building SID's
Example 1: SID (No Transitions)  using the screeshot above for the LABAN1C SID out of Goteborg Sweden.
You simply put the waypoints for the SID in order from the top down. Fsbuild will insert these waypoints
in the exact order depicted in the SID file.
*LABA1C      HAR040
 LABA1C      TODDY
 LABA1C      NOL062
 LABA1C      LABAN
When FSbuild encounters a blank line, it considers that the end of the SID and will stop reading the SID.
Note the asterisk '*' prefixing the first item '*LABA1C  HAR040'. Lines that begin with Asterisks are ignored by FSbuild. Mostly 
 for comments, etc. But also I use the '*' to have FSbuild ignore user defined waypoints that I have not yet had a chance to enter into 
 the database.
         
Example 2: SID (With Transitions)
 PORTE3       PORTE   
 PORTE3       PESCA
 PORTE3       WAGES
 PORTE3.AVE   AVE
 PORTE3.CZQ   CZQ
 PORTE3.FLW   FLW
 PORTE3.PXN   PXN
Looking at the waypoints you can see this route follows the SID for westbound departures, and doesn't use the 
waypoints specific to eastbound departures. Because as mentioned earlier Fsbuild does not yet support SID's that have 
separate routes for different runways on the same SID. The first waypoint I inserted here is PORTE. As explained earlier,
if we wanted we could have made made up user defined waypoints for the initial left turn to interceopt the PYE R-135.
For this example the waypoints up to WAGES are the main SID route, and the transitions then follow after WAGES. The 
transition being appended to the SID name separated by a period.
If you were to enter on the FSBuild 'Route' page your flight plan as 'KSFO-PORTE3.AVE'.  After Pressing 'build' your
route would look like 'KSFO-PORTE-PESCA-WAGES-AVE..'.
Here's another example SID with Transitions using the Gateway SID out of St.Louis.
  GATWY4       TWILA
  GATWY4       JIGSY
  GATWY4.BIB   BIB
  GATWY4.VHP   BIB
  GATWY4.VHP   KELLY
  GATWY4.VHP   VHP
  GATWY4.ROD   BIB
  GATWY4.ROD   KELLY
  GATWY4.ROD   SHB
  GATWY4.ROD   ROD
  GATWY4.CREEP BIB
  GATWY4.CREEP KELLY
  GATWY4.CREEP SHB
  GATWY4.CREEP CREEP

If your flight plan is 'KSTL-GATWY4.ROD-...' Fsbuild would interpret it as 'KSTL-TWILA-JIGSY-BIB-KELLY-SHB-ROD-...'.
Even though some SID's may be a little complex, as long as you put the waypoints in the right order and with the 
right transitions Fsbuild should interpret it properly.
Notice here the some repeated use of Waypoints (ie BIB,KELLY,etc). On a transition you will often have more than one 
transition initially follow the same route. Since that route is not applicable to all transitions you need to put that 
same waypoint in each transition for FSbuild will interpret it properly. In the 'GATWY' SID above since there is a BIB 
transition; the main SID ends at the waypoint prior to BIB which is 'JIGSY'. After that it is all transitions so every 
waypoint must be listed separately for each transition after 'JIGSY'.
You'll find Transitions more common in the US and Asia, less common in Europe where what would be a transition in 
the US would probablt be a completely separate SID in the UK . 


How to add STAR's
For Creating STAR's in FSbuild the rules are similar as for SID's, though a few things are in reverse order.
FSBuild SID's are stored in the filename 'fsb_stars.txt'
STAR's in FSbuild basically have 1 or 2 parts as well.

1 The main route
2 The Transition.

  For STAR's Fsbuild will always read the Transition first (if any), then the add main STAR route after the transition (if any).
  Editing Rules
-Each STAR should be placed under the section header which contains the departure airport ICAO code 
surrounded by brackets '[]' (ex: [EGLL] ).
-There can be several Transition routes, but only one main STAR route.
-The Transitions are listed first (if any), then the main STAR route follows.
-The STAR-ID must have a version number/id at the very end of STAR-ID (Example BSR2).
-Separate the fields by spaces.
The field definitions are the same as the SID's except that the route.transition order is reversed.
For Star's it is the format of 'Transition.StarID' (ex AVE.SADDE6   Avenal Transition SADDE6 STAR.)


    VWV.OXI3   VWV
    VWV.OXI3   N41W842
    VWV.OXI3   SPANN
    DJB.OXI3   DJB
    DJB.OXI3   N41W842
    DJB.OXI3   SPANN 
    BSV.OXI3   BSV
    BSV.OXI3   N41W840
    BSV.OXI3   N41W842
    BSV.OXI3   SPANN 
    FWA.OXI3   FWA
    FWA.OXI3   SPANN
        OXI3   WATSN
        OXI3   OXI
        OXI3   HALIE
        OXI3   BEARZ     11000
As you can see the STAR format is very similar to the SID format. The main difference is the reverse order of the 
transtion name and main STAR route, and the transitions are listed first as FSbuild will add the waypoints to the flight 
plan starting from the top down.
If your flight plan reads as '...DJB.OXI3-KORD' FSbuild would interpret it as..

 '...DJB-N41W842-SPANN-WATSN-OXI-HALIE-BEARZ-KORD'


Limitations:

- Max number of waypoints on a SID is '30'.
- Max characters for a SID ID '20'.
  Note: there are no program protections against these limitations, if you exceed them don't be surprised if FSbuild 
 crashes.

  For export to EFIS98 SID ID's will be truncated to '6' characters.

 For Amsterdam and a few other places SID's, apparently don't have version numbers, since FSBuild distinguishes  a SID by text ending with a revision ID, I have added a '1' at the end of the EHAM SID's .  If you Include a SID name without a revision ID, FSbuild will interpret it likely as a intersection so be sure to include revision ID's.
FSBuild 'does' support revision ID's where a character follows a revision number.
Example    NTM1   (Okay)
           NTM1C  (Okay)
           NTM    (FSBuild will not Interpret this as a SID)
If you add, update, or correct any SID's or STAR's yourself, I'll be glad to include them in future releases and updates if you send them to me.
Ernie Alston.