Question about fltplan.com

[troopernflight]

Is this one of the best free flight planners that's available? It seems to work pretty well except for a few little things. I must say, it definitely beats filling out a flight log by hand and making all of your own calculations. One thing I was curious about. See below:

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 bgColor=#9bc3de border=1><TBODY><TR><TD width=180>FIX</TD><TD width=25><CENTER>[SIZE=-1]ST[/SIZE]</CENTER></TD><TD width=115>[SIZE=-1]LAT/LON[/SIZE]</TD><TD width=55><CENTER>[SIZE=-1]InB/Out</CENTER>[/SIZE]</TD><TD width=35><CENTER>Leg</CENTER></TD><TD width=35><CENTER>Rem</CENTER></TD><TD noWrap width=70 colSpan=2><CENTER>Fuel Burn
Leg Tot.</CENTER></TD><TD noWrap>[SIZE=-1]Leg[/SIZE]| </TD><TD width=35><CENTER>Rem</CENTER></TD><TD width=35><CENTER>ETE</CENTER></TD><TD width=40><CENTER>[SIZE=-1]WX[/SIZE]</CENTER></TD></TR><TR><TD noWrap>[SIZE=-1]KGMU GREENVILLE [/SIZE]</TD><TD width=25><CENTER>[SIZE=-1]SC[/SIZE]</CENTER></TD><TD width=115>[SIZE=-1]N3450.9W08221.0[/SIZE]</TD><TD width=55><CENTER>[SIZE=-1]---/152</CENTER>[/SIZE]</TD><TD width=35><CENTER>0</CENTER></TD><TD width=35><CENTER>82</CENTER></TD><TD align=right width=35>1.0</TD><TD align=right width=35>1</TD><TD noWrap>[SIZE=-1]0:00[/SIZE]| </TD><TD width=35><CENTER>0:49</CENTER></TD><TD width=35><CENTER>0:00</CENTER></TD><TD width=40><CENTER>[SIZE=-1] [/SIZE]</CENTER></TD></TR><TR><TD noWrap>[SIZE=-1]PETON [/SIZE]</TD><TD width=25><CENTER>[SIZE=-1] [/SIZE]</CENTER></TD><TD width=115>[SIZE=-1]N3438.8W08211.6[/SIZE]</TD><TD width=55><CENTER>[SIZE=-1]149/130</CENTER>[/SIZE]</TD><TD width=35><CENTER>14</CENTER></TD><TD width=35><CENTER>68</CENTER></TD><TD align=right width=35>1.7</TD><TD align=right width=35>3</TD><TD noWrap>[SIZE=-1]0:11[/SIZE]| </TD><TD width=35><CENTER>0:38</CENTER></TD><TD width=35><CENTER>0:11</CENTER></TD><TD width=40><CENTER>[SIZE=-1]N/A [/SIZE]</CENTER></TD></TR><TR><TD noWrap align=right>[SIZE=-1]KCAE0025 [/SIZE]</TD><TD width=25><CENTER>[SIZE=-1] [/SIZE]</CENTER></TD><TD width=115>[SIZE=-1]N3412.0W08130.8[/SIZE]</TD><TD width=55><CENTER>[SIZE=-1]133/134</CENTER>[/SIZE]</TD><TD width=35><CENTER>43</CENTER></TD><TD width=35><CENTER>25</CENTER></TD><TD align=right width=35>2.4</TD><TD align=right width=35>5</TD><TD noWrap>[SIZE=-1]0:23[/SIZE]| </TD><TD width=35><CENTER>0:15</CENTER></TD><TD width=35><CENTER>0:34</CENTER></TD><TD width=40><CENTER>[SIZE=-1]122.0[/SIZE]</CENTER></TD></TR><TR><TD noWrap>[SIZE=-1]KCAE COLUMBIA [/SIZE]</TD><TD width=25><CENTER>[SIZE=-1]SC[/SIZE]</CENTER></TD><TD width=115>[SIZE=-1]N3356.3W08107.2[/SIZE]</TD><TD width=55><CENTER>[SIZE=-1]134/---</CENTER>[/SIZE]</TD><TD width=35><CENTER>25</CENTER></TD><TD width=35><CENTER>0</CENTER></TD><TD align=right width=35>1.3</TD><TD align=right width=35>6</TD><TD noWrap>[SIZE=-1]0:15[/SIZE]| </TD><TD width=35><CENTER>0:00</CENTER></TD><TD width=35><CENTER>0:49</CENTER></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

On the 1st leg, why does is say "outbound 152, and inbound to PETON 149. If I wouldn't be changing course considering that's direct from GMU to PETON, why are these courses different? Same thing with PETON to CAE "outbound 130 and inbound 133". Just curious.

Would it be worth it to just go ahead and purchase some flight planning software? I would assume it would be better quality and have more features. Any advice on this would be appreciated.

 

[IslandFlyer]

I've wondered the same thing....looking forward to someone who knows.

 

[dc3flyer]

Great Circle Route? Magnetic Variation? I don't know!

I wondered the same thing when I first started using it, which wasn't until I was really flying across country. Funny thing is, when you start navigating from fix X to Y and Z and it looks like a straight line but fltplan.com says different, when you get to Y your course is actually different by a few degrees than when you started and there is no turn to make and your course is what fltplan says.

 

[Fly_Unity]

Is this one of the best free flight planners that's available? It seems to work pretty well except for a few little things. I must say, it definitely beats filling out a flight log by hand and making all of your own calculations. One thing I was curious about. See below:

<table bgcolor="#9bc3de" border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td width="180">FIX</td><td width="25"><center>[SIZE=-1]ST[/SIZE]</center></td><td width="115">[SIZE=-1]LAT/

LONInB​

[/SIZE]</td><td width="55"><center>[SIZE=-1]/Out[/SIZE]</center>[SIZE=-1][/SIZE]</td><td width="35"><center>Leg</center></td><td width="35"><center>Rem</center></td><td colspan="2" width="70" nowrap="nowrap"><center>Fuel Burn
Leg Tot.</center></td><td nowrap="nowrap">[SIZE=-1]Leg[/SIZE]| </td><td width="35"><center>Rem</center></td><td width="35"><center>ETE</center></td><td width="40"><center>[SIZE=-1]WX[/SIZE]</center></td></tr><tr><td nowrap="nowrap">[SIZE=-1]KGMU GREENVILLE [/SIZE]</td><td width="25"><center>[SIZE=-1]SC[/SIZE]</center></td><td width="115">[SIZE=-1]N3450.9W08221.0[/SIZE]</td><td width="55"><center>[SIZE=-1]---/152[/SIZE]</center>[SIZE=-1][/SIZE]</td><td width="35"><center>0</center></td><td width="35"><center>82</center></td><td align="right" width="35">1.0</td><td align="right" width="35">1</td><td nowrap="nowrap">[SIZE=-1]0:00[/SIZE]| </td><td width="35"><center>0:49</center></td><td width="35"><center>0:00</center></td><td width="40"><center></center>
</td></tr><tr><td nowrap="nowrap">[SIZE=-1]PETON [/SIZE]</td><td width="25"><center></center>
</td><td width="115">[SIZE=-1]N3438.8W08211.6[/SIZE]</td><td width="55"><center>[SIZE=-1]149/130[/SIZE]</center>[SIZE=-1][/SIZE]</td><td width="35"><center>14</center></td><td width="35"><center>68</center></td><td align="right" width="35">1.7</td><td align="right" width="35">3</td><td nowrap="nowrap">[SIZE=-1]0:11[/SIZE]| </td><td width="35"><center>0:38</center></td><td width="35"><center>0:11</center></td><td width="40"><center>[SIZE=-1]N/A [/SIZE]</center></td></tr><tr><td align="right" nowrap="nowrap">[SIZE=-1]KCAE0025 [/SIZE]</td><td width="25"><center></center>
</td><td width="115">[SIZE=-1]N3412.0W08130.8[/SIZE]</td><td width="55"><center>[SIZE=-1]133/134[/SIZE]</center>[SIZE=-1][/SIZE]</td><td width="35"><center>43</center></td><td width="35"><center>25</center></td><td align="right" width="35">2.4</td><td align="right" width="35">5</td><td nowrap="nowrap">[SIZE=-1]0:23[/SIZE]| </td><td width="35"><center>0:15</center></td><td width="35"><center>0:34</center></td><td width="40"><center>[SIZE=-1]122.0[/SIZE]</center></td></tr><tr><td nowrap="nowrap">[SIZE=-1]KCAE COLUMBIA [/SIZE]</td><td width="25"><center>[SIZE=-1]SC[/SIZE]</center></td><td width="115">[SIZE=-1]N3356.3W08107.2[/SIZE]</td><td width="55"><center>[SIZE=-1]134/---[/SIZE]</center>[SIZE=-1][/SIZE]</td><td width="35"><center>25</center></td><td width="35"><center>0</center></td><td align="right" width="35">1.3</td><td align="right" width="35">6</td><td nowrap="nowrap">[SIZE=-1]0:15[/SIZE]| </td><td width="35"><center>0:00</center></td><td width="35"><center>0:49</center></td></tr></tbody></table>

On the 1st leg, why does is say "outbound 152, and inbound to PETON 149. If I wouldn't be changing course considering that's direct from GMU to PETON, why are these courses different? Same thing with PETON to CAE "outbound 130 and inbound 133". Just curious.

Would it be worth it to just go ahead and purchase some flight planning software? I would assume it would be better quality and have more features. Any advice on this would be appreciated.

Its the great circle route, Its actually the shortest distance between two points, If you draw a straight line on a globe, then flatten the globe into a flat map, the straight line would have an arch, so you would need to fly an "arch" (on a flat map) in order to actually fly a straight line.

 

[Orange Anchor]

Is this one of the best free flight planners that's available? It seems to work pretty well except for a few little things. I must say, it definitely beats filling out a flight log by hand and making all of your own calculations. One thing I was curious about.

Would it be worth it to just go ahead and purchase some flight planning software? I would assume it would be better quality and have more features. Any advice on this would be appreciated.

The differences are negligible and I use fltplan.com for the Citation II and for my 1946 Swift. I see many others in the various FBOs signing onto the site.

I have taken the fuel burns for both airplanes (as well as the CJ I fly sometimes) and created a fuel log which you can save. The burns for a flight are quite accurate.

You can also send info to the FBO you are headed for and you can get good wx info for your dept/arr airports as well as enroute. with a duats number, you can have your flight plan filed for you.

The question is.. why would you want to buy something instead of using a program that is free?

Oh.. you can create enroute maps and also download departures, arrivals as well as airport diagrams and approach charts.

 

[ZapBrannigan]

I just wish the menus were laid out a bit better. It is the internet equivalent of a DC9 cockpit. Stuff's just everywhere with very little rhyme or reason. But yeah, I use it everytime I fly and am appreciative that it is free. Hope they never start charging.

 

[troopernflight]

Ok, that all makes sense. Thanks for the responses. It seems like a good planner, but there is still something about it that bugs me, that I can't seem to put my finger on. Maybe it's not as user friendly as it could be?? I don't know. I guess I can't complain considering it's free. But it sure cuts down on my flight planning time. I'll just have to fiddle around with it a little more to get the hang of it.

 

[Fly_Unity]

I use Flt Plan because its fast to use, however AOPA has a pretty good one too if your a member.

 

[JordanD]

One thing I've wondered about fltplan.com is what is this: [SIZE=-1]KCAE0025
It puts it on all flight plans and I never could figure a way to get it not to. I usually use a duats flightplanner now which I think is pretty good, it's usually pretty accurate as well.
[/SIZE]<center>
</center>

 

[dc3flyer]

That is 25 miles from KCAE.

fltplan tries to give you points every so often, I guess so you can check your ETE and ATE and update your planned ETA if you need to.

 

[TXaviator]

That is 25 miles from KCAE.

fltplan tries to give you points every so often, I guess so you can check your ETE and ATE and update your planned ETA if you need to.

if your leg distance is over X, or if youre going gps direct, it will add in waypoints for you to check at....