VFR Cross-Country Planning with Cessna and NG ROUTE
NG ROUTE is built around IFR airways, but Cessna pilots flying VFR cross-countries still benefit: airport lookup, distance, METAR at departure and destination, suggested runways from wind, and a clear picture of terrain and region. You will not file the jet route string in a 172, but the same briefing habits — weather, alternates, fuel, runway — make VFR touring safer and more fun in MSFS or X-Plane.
Plan the leg
- Enter departure and destination ICAO in NG ROUTE.
- Note great-circle distance and compare with your planned VFR path (direct vs airways vs landmarks).
- Read departure and arrival METAR: ceiling, visibility, wind, temperature, QNH.
- Check suggested runway; for VFR, you may override with pattern direction or field preference.
- Brief an alternate VFR airport within gliding or divert distance if destination weather is marginal.
Choose cruise altitude (VFR)
In many regions, VFR semi-circular rules apply: odd thousands plus 500 ft eastbound, even plus 500 westbound (verify local rules for your sim region). Cessna 172 climbs slowly — pick an altitude you can reach without spending the entire leg in climb. NG ROUTE distance helps estimate time: at 100–110 KTAS typical cruise, divide NM by ground speed for ETA and fuel.
Fuel for piston singles
Rule of thumb: know hourly burn from POH (often 8–10 GPH in cruise for 172). Trip fuel + reserve (30–45 minutes VFR day is a common training minimum). NG ROUTE jet fuel numbers do not apply to your Cessna — use the planner for distance and weather, then calculate gas separately.
Navigation in the sim
- Pilotage and sectional — MSFS VFR map or SkyVector alongside NG ROUTE briefing
- GPS / G1000 — direct-to destination or user waypoints along your chosen VFR corridor
- Flight following — on VATSIM, request after departure; not modelled in solo sim but good habit
Arrival brief
Re-read destination METAR 10 minutes before TOD. Set altimeter to QNH. Listen to ATIS if available. Enter pattern or straight-in per traffic and wind. If weather below your personal VFR minimums, divert to alternate you briefed earlier.
Sample training mission
Plan KPAO–KSQL or any 50–80 NM pair in NG ROUTE. Fly VFR at 5,500 ft (example), log time and fuel, land with full pattern. Repeat with live weather and compare go/no-go decision using only METAR cards.
VFR weather minima and airspace rules are country-specific. Real-world VFR requires current charts and legal minima. Simulation training only.