FlightPlan Plugin

An IFR-style flight planning system for DCSServerBot with Discord integration, F10 map visualization, and navigation fix support. File, activate, and track flight plans with waypoints, altitudes, and timing.

Features

Flight Plan Filing: Create detailed flight plans with departure, destination, waypoints, altitude, and ETD
Auto-Lifecycle: Automatic activation on takeoff and completion on landing at destination
F10 Map Visualization: Plot flight plans as markers on the F10 map (temporary or permanent)
Discord Integration: Publish flight plan status to a dedicated channel with live updates
Navigation Fixes: Support for VORs, NDBs, TACANs, and intersections with OpenAIP integration
User Waypoints: Create custom named waypoints for reuse across flight plans
Multiple Input Formats: Accept MGRS, DMS, decimal coordinates, airbase names, and navigation fixes
In-Game Commands: Full chat command support for managing flight plans while flying
F10 Menu: Dynamic menu for viewing, plotting, activating, and completing flight plans
Stale Plan Cleanup: Automatic cancellation of expired flight plans

Requirements

DCSServerBot v3.6+
PostgreSQL database (standard DCSServerBot setup)

Installation

Add flightplan to opt_plugins in your config/main.yaml: ```yaml opt_plugins:
- flightplan ```
Restart DCSServerBot - the database tables will be created automatically
(Optional) Configure the plugin in config/plugins/flightplan.yaml
(Optional) Seed navigation fixes:
- Use /flightplan fix seed to load bundled navigation data
- Or use /flightplan fix sync <theater> to fetch from OpenAIP (requires API key)

Configuration

# config/plugins/flightplan.yaml
DEFAULT:
  enabled: true
  status_channel: 123456789012345678  # Discord channel for flight plan updates
  publish_on_file: true               # Post to Discord when plan is filed
  publish_on_activate: true           # Update Discord when plan is activated
  stale_hours: 24                     # Cancel plans older than this (hours)
  auto_cancel_stale: true             # Auto-cancel stale plans on mission start
  marker_timeout: 30                  # Default F10 marker display time (seconds)

  # Auto-Lifecycle: Automatic activation on takeoff, completion on landing
  auto_lifecycle:
    activate_on_takeoff: true         # Auto-activate filed plan when player takes off
    complete_on_landing: true         # Auto-complete active plan when landing at destination
    require_departure_match: false    # If true, only activate if takeoff is at departure airbase
    proximity_threshold: 3000         # Fallback distance (meters) for destination matching

  openaip:                            # OpenAIP integration (optional)
    api_key: "your-api-key-here"      # Get from https://www.openaip.net/
    cache_hours: 168                  # Cache navigation data for 1 week

Auto-Lifecycle Feature

The auto-lifecycle feature provides seamless flight plan management:

Automatic Activation on Takeoff: When a player takes off, their most recent filed flight plan is automatically activated. F10 markers are created and Discord is updated.
Automatic Completion on Landing: When a player lands at their destination airbase, the active flight plan is automatically completed. Markers are removed and Discord is updated.
Destination Matching: The system uses airbase name matching (handles variations like “Batumi” vs “Batumi-Chorokhi”) and falls back to proximity checking if the airbase name isn’t available in the event data.

To disable auto-lifecycle features (for manual-only operation):

DEFAULT:
  auto_lifecycle:
    activate_on_takeoff: false
    complete_on_landing: false

Discord Slash Commands

Flight Plan Commands (`/flightplan`)

Command	Description	Role
`/flightplan file <server> <callsign> <aircraft> <departure> <destination> [options]`	File a new flight plan	DCS
`/flightplan view <plan>`	View flight plan details	DCS
`/flightplan list [status] [user]`	List flight plans with filters	DCS
`/flightplan activate <plan>`	Activate a filed flight plan	DCS
`/flightplan complete <plan>`	Mark flight plan as completed	DCS
`/flightplan cancel <plan>`	Cancel a flight plan	DCS
`/flightplan plot <plan> [duration]`	Plot flight plan on F10 map	DCS
`/flightplan publish <plan>`	Publish flight plan to Discord	DCS
`/flightplan stale [hours]`	Cancel stale flight plans	DCS Admin

File Command Options

Option	Description	Example
`server`	Target server (required)	`My Server`
`callsign`	Your callsign (required)	`Viper11`
`aircraft_type`	Aircraft type (required)	`F-16C`
`departure`	Departure airfield (required)	Autocompletes from mission
`destination`	Destination airfield (required)	Autocompletes from mission
`alternate`	Alternate airfield (optional)	Autocompletes from mission
`waypoints`	Comma-separated waypoints (optional)	`ADLER,38TLN1234,@MYPOINT`
`cruise_altitude`	Cruise altitude (optional)	`FL300` or `30000`
`cruise_speed`	Cruise speed in knots (optional)	`450`
`etd`	Estimated departure time UTC (optional)	`14:30` or `1430`
`remarks`	Additional remarks (optional)	`Training flight`

Waypoint Commands (`/flightplan waypoint`)

Command	Description	Role
`/flightplan waypoint add <name> <coordinates> <theater> [altitude] [description]`	Create a user waypoint	DCS
`/flightplan waypoint list [theater]`	List user waypoints	DCS
`/flightplan waypoint delete <name>`	Delete a waypoint	DCS

Navigation Fix Commands (`/flightplan fix`)

Command	Description	Role
`/flightplan fix list [theater]`	List navigation fixes	DCS
`/flightplan fix count`	Count fixes by theater	DCS
`/flightplan fix add <identifier> <lat> <lon> <type> <theater> [name] [freq]`	Add a navigation fix	DCS Admin
`/flightplan fix delete <identifier> <theater>`	Delete a navigation fix	DCS Admin
`/flightplan fix sync <theater>`	Sync fixes from OpenAIP	DCS Admin
`/flightplan fix seed`	Load bundled seed data	DCS Admin

In-Game Chat Commands

Command	Aliases	Description
`-flightplan`	`-fp`	Show your active flight plan
`-plotfp [id]`		Plot flight plan on F10 map for 30 seconds
`-fileplan <dep> <dest> [aircraft]`		Quick file a flight plan
`-activatefp [id]`		Activate your filed flight plan
`-completefp`		Complete your active flight plan
`-cancelfp`		Cancel your flight plan

Examples

-fp                           Show your current flight plan
-plotfp                       Plot your own plan on F10 map
-plotfp 5                     Plot flight plan #5 on F10 map
-fileplan Batumi Kutaisi      Quick file: Batumi to Kutaisi in current aircraft
-fileplan BATUMI SENAKI F-16C File with specific aircraft type
-activatefp                   Activate your most recent filed plan
-completefp                   Mark your flight as complete
-cancelfp                     Cancel your current plan

Flight Plan/
+-- View Active Plans         (Show popup with all visible plans)
+-- My Flight Plan            (Show your current plan details)
+-- Plot All Plans (30s)      (Temporarily display all plans on map)
+-- Plot Plan/                (Submenu to plot specific plans)
|   +-- #1: Viper11
|   +-- #2: Hawg21
|   +-- ...
+-- Activate Plan/            (Submenu - only if you have filed plans)
|   +-- #3: Batumi -> Kutaisi
|   +-- ...
+-- Complete Flight           (Only if you have active plan)
+-- Cancel Flight             (Only if you have active/filed plan)

Waypoint/Coordinate Input Formats

The plugin accepts multiple coordinate formats for waypoints:

MGRS Coordinates

Military Grid Reference System coordinates.

38TLN1234567890    # Full 10-digit precision
38TLN12345678      # 8-digit precision
38T LN 12345 67890 # With spaces (will be normalized)

DMS (Degrees Minutes Seconds)

N41 30'00" E044 15'00"    # With symbols
N413000 E0441500          # Compact format
N 41 30 00 E 044 15 00    # With spaces

Decimal Degrees

41.5, 44.25               # Latitude, Longitude
41.5 44.25                # Space separator also works

User-Defined Waypoints

Reference custom waypoints with the @ prefix.

@PANTHER                  # Looks up "PANTHER" in waypoints table
@IP_NORTH                 # Custom ingress point
@REFUEL1                  # Tanker holding point

Airbase Names

Airbase names from the current mission are resolved automatically.

Batumi                    # Exact match
Senaki                    # Partial match finds "Senaki-Kolkhi"
Stennis                   # Carrier names work too

VORs, NDBs, TACANs, and intersection identifiers.

ADLER                     # VOR identifier
TSK                       # NDB identifier
PANTH                     # Intersection

Altitude Formats

Format	Example	Result
Flight Level	`FL300`	30,000 ft
Flight Level with space	`FL 300`	30,000 ft
Feet (plain)	`30000`	30,000 ft
Feet with suffix	`30000ft`	30,000 ft
With comma	`30,000`	30,000 ft

Speed Formats

Cruise speed is specified in knots as a plain number:

Example	Description
`450`	450 knots TAS
`350`	350 knots TAS

ETD Time Formats

Estimated Time of Departure in UTC:

Format	Example	Description
With colon	`14:30`	14:30 UTC
Without colon	`1430`	14:30 UTC
With Z suffix	`14:30Z`	14:30 UTC
Mixed	`1430Z`	14:30 UTC

If the specified time has already passed today, it is assumed to be tomorrow.

OpenAIP Integration

The plugin can sync real-world navigation data from OpenAIP:

Add the key to your configuration:

DEFAULT:
  openaip:
    api_key: "your-api-key-here"

Sync navigation fixes for each theater:

/flightplan fix sync Caucasus
/flightplan fix sync Syria
/flightplan fix sync PersianGulf

Supported Theaters

Theater	Region
Caucasus	Georgia, South Russia
Syria	Syria, Lebanon, Cyprus, Turkey
PersianGulf	UAE, Iran, Oman
Nevada	Nevada, California
Normandy	Northern France
TheChannel	English Channel
MarianaIslands	Guam, Mariana Islands
SouthAtlantic	Falkland Islands
Sinai	Egypt, Sinai Peninsula
Afghanistan	Afghanistan region
Kola	Northern Russia, Norway

Database Schema

The plugin creates the following tables:

flightplan_plans

Main flight plan storage.

Column	Type	Description
id	SERIAL	Primary key
player_ucid	TEXT	Player’s unique ID
server_name	TEXT	Associated server
callsign	TEXT	Flight callsign
aircraft_type	TEXT	Aircraft type
departure	TEXT	Departure location name
destination	TEXT	Destination location name
alternate	TEXT	Alternate location name
waypoints	JSONB	Array of parsed waypoints
cruise_altitude	INTEGER	Altitude in feet
cruise_speed	INTEGER	Speed in knots
etd	TIMESTAMP	Estimated departure time
status	TEXT	filed/active/completed/cancelled
departure_position	JSONB	DCS coordinates {x, z, lat, lon}
destination_position	JSONB	DCS coordinates {x, z, lat, lon}
alternate_position	JSONB	DCS coordinates {x, z, lat, lon}
discord_message_id	BIGINT	Published Discord message ID
stale_at	TIMESTAMP	When plan becomes stale

flightplan_waypoints

User-defined named waypoints.

Column	Type	Description
id	SERIAL	Primary key
name	TEXT	Waypoint name (e.g., PANTHER)
created_by_ucid	TEXT	Creator’s player ID
position_x	DOUBLE	DCS X coordinate
position_z	DOUBLE	DCS Z coordinate
latitude	DOUBLE	Latitude in decimal degrees
longitude	DOUBLE	Longitude in decimal degrees
altitude	INTEGER	Optional altitude in feet
map_theater	TEXT	Theater restriction
is_public	BOOLEAN	Visible to all players

flightplan_navigation_fixes

Navigation aids and fixes.

Column	Type	Description
id	SERIAL	Primary key
identifier	TEXT	Fix identifier (e.g., ADLER)
name	TEXT	Full name
fix_type	TEXT	VOR/NDB/TACAN/DME/WYP/INT
latitude	DOUBLE	Latitude
longitude	DOUBLE	Longitude
map_theater	TEXT	Associated theater
frequency	TEXT	Radio frequency (if applicable)
source	TEXT	Data source (openaip/user/seed)

flightplan_markers

F10 marker tracking for cleanup.

Column	Type	Description
id	SERIAL	Primary key
server_name	TEXT	Server instance
flight_plan_id	INTEGER	Associated flight plan
marker_id	INTEGER	DCS marker ID
marker_type	TEXT	Marker type identifier
expires_at	TIMESTAMP	When marker should be removed

Flight Plan Workflow

                    +------------------+
                    |      Filed       |
                    | (Plan created)   |
                    +--------+---------+
                             |
            +----------------+----------------+
            |                |                |
            v                v                v
  +---------+---------+  [TAKEOFF]  +---------+---------+
  |   Manual Activate |  (auto)    |     Cancelled     |
  |   (command/menu)  |---+        | (User cancelled)  |
  +---------+---------+   |        +-------------------+
            |             |
            +------+------+
                   |
                   v
         +---------+---------+
         |     Activated     |
         | (Route on F10)    |
         +---------+---------+
                   |
            +------+------+----------------+
            |             |                |
            v             v                v
  +---------+---------+ [LAND@DEST]  +---------+---------+
  |  Manual Complete  | (auto)       |     Cancelled     |
  |  (command/menu)   |---+          | (Stale/timeout)   |
  +---------+---------+   |          +-------------------+
            |             |
            +------+------+
                   |
                   v
         +---------+---------+
         |     Completed     |
         | (Flight logged)   |
         +-------------------+

Auto-Lifecycle Events:

TAKEOFF: If auto_lifecycle.activate_on_takeoff is enabled, filed plans are automatically activated
LAND@DEST: If auto_lifecycle.complete_on_landing is enabled, landing at destination completes the plan

Troubleshooting

Flight plan markers not appearing

Ensure the plan has valid departure and destination positions
Check that the server is running and mission is loaded
Verify the plan status is ‘active’ (not just ‘filed’)

Waypoints not being parsed

Check coordinate format matches one of the supported formats
For user waypoints, ensure the @ prefix is used
Verify navigation fixes exist for the current theater (/flightplan fix count)

OpenAIP sync failing

Verify your API key is correct in the configuration
Check that the theater name matches exactly (case-sensitive)
Some regions may have limited navigation data coverage

Discord updates not posting

Ensure status_channel is configured with a valid channel ID
Verify the bot has permission to post in that channel
Check that publish_on_file and/or publish_on_activate are true

Stale plans not being cleaned up

Verify auto_cancel_stale is true in configuration
Stale cleanup runs on mission start (simulation start event)
Use /flightplan stale to manually trigger cleanup