I’m looking for a windows (or DOS or unix) based very simple flight planner.
Really all I want is to be able to enter my own course, plus the winds aloft (either obtained automatically from DUATs or manually entered after speaking with FSS) and have it tell me time to destination. Pretty much exactly what the DUATS flight planners do - but I want to be able to do it offline.
Basically just a fancy E6B that will just lookup waypoints, convert to distance and course between them, and apply the winds.
Given that I’m not asking for anything to actually FIND a route for me, or even necessarily show this information in graphical format, I’m hoping something might exist for free.
Really all I want is to be able to enter my own course, plus the winds aloft (either obtained automatically from DUATs or manually entered after speaking with FSS) and have it tell me time to destination. Pretty much exactly what the DUATS flight planners do - but I want to be able to do it offline.
Steve,
There may well be software out there that meets your criteria - I don’t know of any. But there is one thing you already have that comes close – the Garmin 430 simulator. You’d have to guesstimate the effect of the winds aloft on your average groundspeed, but after that, you can just adjust the virtual throttle to match, and get your ETE off the sim…
I use a Sony Clie (uses the Palm OS). It holds the AOPA electronic airport directory for the entire US (free with AOPA membership), my checklists and performance data, address book, schedule, plane log, AFSS numbers, … I also have Copilot (free download) which has all public use airports, navaids, and fixes in the US. It performs flight planning (including multiple aircraft profiles, wind aloft input, and weight and balance including CG charts) and provides an E6B. I also downloaded a free scientific calculator. The Clie was $150 (16 meg), the software is free. I also have a PDF reader (downloaded approach plates are only barely readable, but I did download the Cirrus service center list PDF. When I use DUATS, I download the flight plan into the Clie. With all of this I still have 5 meg of memory left.
With all of the money that you saved with WxWorx, you should just go out and buy flightstar of flitesoft…I use the later and it has been a great tool for me…
There may well be software out there that meets your criteria - I don’t know of any. But there is one thing you already have that comes close – the Garmin 430 simulator. You’d have to guesstimate the effect of the winds aloft on your average groundspeed, but after that, you can just adjust the virtual throttle to match, and get your ETE off the sim…
Mike,
Great idea - I hadn’t thought of using the sim like that before. Of course, it’s painful enough to have to enter all the waypoints in the actual aircraft, but to have to use the knob in the sim to enter each waypoint could get a bit tiring. But it’s definitely better than nothing!
On a related note, I wonder if Garmin will ever add victor airways to it’s database so that you can just dial in “VOR V123 VOR” for a long airway with multiple bends? Like the new UPSAT device does?
And on another related note, I don’t suppose there’s any tricks you know of to allow using the regular PC keyboard to type when using the Garmin sim, are there?
I don’t suppose there’s any tricks you know of to allow using the regular PC keyboard to type when using the Garmin sim, are there?
Steve,
Actually, there are! The Version 3.0 of the sim allows you to use the arrow keys instead of the right knobs – UP/DOWN arrows as the large knob, LEFT/RIGHT as the small knob. Also, ENTER works as the ENT key. There are a bunch more keyboard shortcuts that I published a while back, but I can’t find the link now – so here it is again.
I’m familiar with those shortcuts… I was hoping for something to allow me to type “K” “G” “A” “I” on the keyboard in order to enter “KGAI” on the flight plan screen, for example.
Thanks, Art. The “copilot” program you mentioned sounds like it’s exactly what I’m looking for… but I need something that’ll run on a Windows PC (or DOS, or if necessary, UNIX/Linux)…
Aeroplanner has a free program which also be added to any website.
Thanks, but I really need it offline.
The whole reason for this request is for those occasions when (due to weather, schedule, etc.) you end up having to do your flight planning in a dingy old FBO lounge without internet access. It’s easy enough to call FSS to get weather info and winds, and easy enough to plot your course using charts, but estimating accurate enroute times, particularly for non-straight-line courses, while not technically difficult, can be time consuming…
One option would be to use my cell phone to access the 'net and then use any number of online planning programs but that requires that I be in a place with good digital cell phone coverage - I’m really looking for something I can just use on my own PC with no connectivity.
I agree. I also have Flight Soft. If I do not have access to a tel line or internet, I’m still able to do a complete flight plan and with my portable printer, print out the info. Usually there is a land line available so I can zap the IFR flight plan into the system and check the weather at the same time.
