The below article describes the format of the .rte which is used from the FMC to load a flight plan.
Generated by PFPX 19 Jun 2017 08:30 UTC <---- Comment/Remark line
11 <---- Number of waypoint entries
KIND <---- Waypoint name (1)
1 <---- Waypoint type (2)
DIRECT <---- Route to waypoint (airway ID or DIRECT)
1 N 39.7173 W 86.2946 796 <---- Position Entry (3)
----- <---- Runway string entry (if assigned) -- AIRPORTS ONLY! --
1 <---- Departure ? (1:TRUE,0:FALSE) -- AIRPORTS ONLY! --
0 <---- Runway position -- AIRPORTS ONLY! --
1 <---- Restriction phase (4)
796 <---- Restriction Altitude -- IF RESTRICTED --
- <---- Restriction Altitude Type (5) -- IF RESTRICTED --
-1000000 <---- Restriction Altitude (second) if above/below
-1000000 <---- Restriction Speed (6) -- IF RESTRICTED –
IIU <---- Waypoint name (1)
5 <---- Waypoint type (2)
J89 <---- Route to waypoint (airway ID or DIRECT)
1 N 38.1035 W 85.5774 0 <---- Position Entry (3)
0 <---- Restriction phase (4)
0
0
General Remarks
- The flight plan MUST contain valid departure and arrival airports. If runways are defined then they MUST belong to the airport as read from the database
- Empty lines in the file format must be present
- SID/STAR/APP type waypoints are not to be used.
Specific Fields
- Waypoint name : MUST exist in the database
- Waypoint type there are two values 1 (Airport type) and 5 (Ordinary waypoint type)
- Position entries take the following form: 1 N 40.6398 W 73.7789 13 where the first number 1 means a valid position followed by latitude, longitude followed by the position altitude. For ordinary waypoints altitude is naturally not required and thus a value of zero is commonly entered. Airports only should have an altitude value.
- Restriction phase can be 0 (none), 1 (CLB), 2 (CRZ) and 3 (DES). It is important to set a non zero value for airports so that the remainder of restriction information can be read.
- Restriction altitude type can be "-" or A (at or above) or B (at or below) or W (at or above this altitude at or below the next entry). "-" for airports.
- Restriction speed (not required for flight planning)
As a general convention a value of -1000000 in any numerical entry signifies NO DATA (e.g. not restricted) and a value of '-' or '----' (any number of dashes) in a string entry means also NO DATA (e.g. runway id)