Fsbuild-2 Flight Planner

I generated a flight plan from EGNT (Newcastle) to GCTS (Tenerife South) using STAR KO3DCG. My cruise level is FL280. When I look at the Navdata chart that corresponds to this STAR (KONBA3DCG) I see that the chart flight level between GURKA and BRICK is FL90 but the FSB flight plan still shows FL280. The same is true where the chart shows FL70 between BRICK and ARACO but the flight plan still shows FL280. There are similar disagreements until you get to BAME where the chart shows 6000 and the plan shows 5000. From the viewpoint of descent the chart seems resonable. I am not particularly experienced at STARs. What am I missing?

The AIRAC doesn't have any hard altitude constraints for the STAR. The chart doesn't have any hard constraints either - the altitudes you are seeing are MEAs (minimum enroute altitudes). This is an ATC assigned STAR and ATC will put you at any altitude they feel appropriate as you fly it.

DJ

Does that mean that it is simply following the STAR route but can be considered just part of a usual IFR approach? My problem has been that I have tried flying this approach twice without considering it as part of a STAR (no FMC) and ATC has brought me in at too high an altitude. Should I edit the flight plan to change the altitudes?

I don't know what you are flying, so it's hard to guess what's going on... I assume you are using an FMC equipped aircraft? In general you will find that the only altitude (sometimes) exported is the cruise altitude and everything else is computed by the FMC. You can, and should, change the FMC computed altitudes and speeds to something reasonable based on the charts and request those altitudes from ATC as required. Just a note for your own information: FSB doesn't generally export altitudes. If you want to use the data in the AIRAC regarding altitudes then your best bet is to use the FSB Navlog and enter the route into the FMC by hand. Editing the raw flight plan won't help a bit - FS ATC ignores altitude data except for cruise.

DJ