Best Flight Planning Software ?

[noblues]

Anyone any comments/experience on VFR flight planning software ?

Jeppesen Flightstar and Navbox seem to be the main players ?

I want to be able to both upload and download from my Garmin GPS to and from it - presume the above will do this ?

[Evo]

I've got Navbox Proplan and like it a lot. At first sight there's a bit of an "is that it?" feeling - there doesn't seem to be much to it - but it does everthing I need. I've noticed a couple of minor problems with the database (e.g. a couple of the bits of CAS around Southampton/Bournemouth have the wrong base) but nothing major. It sends the planned route to my GPS-III and downloads the actual track flown without problems.

[BRL]

A quick search found THIS (http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=69805&highlight=Jeppesen+Flightstar) and THIS (http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=58304&highlight=Jeppesen+Flightstar)

[Genghis the Engineer]

Like Evo I'm a big fan of Navbox proplan - I do always plot a route onto a chart and double-check CAS heights which as he says are occasionally incorrect, but the changes needed are minor.

Don't buy Navbox Quickplan, the extra functionality of the full version is worth every penny.

G

[IO540]

Navbox Proplan is excellent - I used it to load up a handheld GPS but now that's just a backup in a bag, I use it to generate the plogs, handy A4 throwaway maps showing the whole route, and ICAO flight plans - a great timesaver just for these functions.

But if you want to spend say £300 plus, have a look at the Jepp Flightstar software. It seems to have some interesting functions; I saw a demo recently. The Jepp database is reportedly full of errors though.

[Timothy]

I am another very satisfied ProPlan user. As has been pointed out, ProPlan is about 1/6 the price of Jepp, and has about 75% of the functionality.

If you encounter errors, send them to [email protected] and Peter Mundy will correct them for the next monthly download.

They are a very small and responsive company (possibly even more so than Jepp ;) )

W

[noblues]

Thanks for the advice - seems its gonna be Navbox !

I have heard similar about Jep' updates and support are not that reliable ....

Anyone know if their is a demo of Navbox available ?

( www.navbox.nl doesn't have a demo or any graphics of the program).

[Davidt]

Give Quickplan some consideration.

If your a hobby pilot like me who flys mostly VFR Quickplan has everything you need.

So easy to use it doesnt even come with instructions, its self expanitory even to a non techie.

Save yourself £50 over Proplan which has bells & whistles I wouldnt use.

Quickplan does interface with most Garmin units.

[noblues]

Davidt - Thanks for the advice.

Does Quickplan create ICAO flight plans ? (I didn't realsie it had the GPS interface as well).

[noblues]

Davidt - I emailed Navbox who said QuickPlan does not interface with GPS ?

I think I go for ProPlan, its useful to be able to upload/download GPS data and print an ICAO flight plan etc ....

BTW :Navbox are releasing Ve 5 mid August with terrain on the maps and some other features, I will wait for that ...

[Flyin'Dutch']

I am having a look at the Jepp site for the price of Flightstar but if my memory serves me correctly I seem to think that I paid something like £70 for it.

I have not updated NavBox for some time as I my computer literacy skills are too limited it going.

I like Flightstar as it is very easy do a few quick scenarios. Give start and finish and let the program work out a route, adjust around airspace and altitudes and print reports with or without charts.

Love it but may have another look at NavBox as it seems to be everyone's favorite!

FD

Edited to add the current Flitestar European coverage price: € 149.64 (yup agree that is a lot of dosh!)