Flight Planning Softare Advice Please

[LUCKY-1]

Giday Folks, I was recently exposed to some Australian made flight planning software & it was great. So good in fact that I am thinking of puchasing a copy of my own. Given that there is a wealth of flight experience out on our forum I wanted to know what you other Pilots think in regard to the choice. Anyone have any worthwhile and sensible advice?

Regards Luckster.

[startingout]

Im using co-pilot for iphone 24$ was a worthwile investment, well after the original cost for the phone.... Allows many options and makes everything nice and easy for me, calc's everything from fuel to weight and balance and distance's. Perfect :ok:

[bizzybody]

I have used both Flight Planner 2000 and Command Flight Planner. I find that for planning commercial flights with block speeds and prices, Command Flight Planner is the better of the 2.

Flight planner 2000 I find easier to use though but to get block speeds, fuel burn and costs you need to go into different screens all the time.

Depends on your budget too, they can both get a little $$$$

[das Uber Soldat]

I use command flight planner, i think its pretty good. The only issue i have is that it doesnt do takeoff and landing distance calcs :(

[vee1-rotate]

CFP user here too. Haven't used it to its full potential yet, but toying around with it and it is great. Moreso tailored towards the VFR pilot, but it is fully capable of producing IFR plans. I'm pretty sure you can download demo's off both said programs, so maybe do that and give them both a run, and see what works for you.

[manymak]

Champagne Flight Planner 3000 is the way to go! Very simple and set out in a step by step arrangement. But still will give you as much info as you need.

I found Command flight planner difficult to use, very cluttered and to put in a simple flight plan took much longer than FP3000.


From memory pricing on both software is pretty similar.

[The Green Goblin]

Champagne is better for flight VFR/IFR below A100, any flight on pressure altitudes command is the way to go. I still prefer 3000 though, i used to be able to whack a complex IFR plan together in a couple of minutes. Command takes slightly longer.

[ForkTailedDrKiller]

I have been using Champagne since its inception. Never bothered to look at anything else because I can do and submit a complex multileg flightplan in a couple of minutes with Champagne.

Dr :8

[bentleg]

I find AirNav excellent for VFR. I especially like the air services charts being online and the click on the chart planning process.

However I am now learing IFR and I must say I am having a few issues. They could be my inexperience with all things IFR, but I suspect the product is designed primarily for VFR and being sold as suitable for IFR. I have not yet convinced myself of its suitability for IFR, but I still have an open mind on that.

I'd be interested in comments from any IFR users of Airnav.

[the wizard of auz]

I use Command Flight Planner as well and I find it a very good tool. I tried champagne and found that although a good program, It wasn't as user friendly. That being said, It could be that I was used to using command and had to change my ways to use champagne, and found it different to use. Therefore I was a little biased.

[Matt-YSBK]

I use CFP for VFR and IFR. I had a few goes at champagne but sort of gave up 1/2 way through. Many people swear by it. I think it comes down to which one you used in the beginning. My original school had it in the crew room and that's that one i always used. Its something i hear a lot.

I did get a quote for the Jep Flightstar once. It looked very very nice even had moving map in the cockpit. (EFB) But when i got the price back from my Jep in Canberra and decided a yearly subscription was more then a 100 hourly. My mind was changed back fast.

[Nivo]

Command Flight Planner for IFR and submission of flight plans to NAIPS etc. AirNav VFR for printing current VFR maps.

Nivo

[megle2]

Command was a pain.
Command best feature - being able to trade it in on Champagne.

[Led Zep]

I've used Champagne 2000/3000 and Command. Champagne is by far the easiest, quickest way to do a flight plan, IFR/VFR, high or low. Follow the steps one by one in Champagne you'll have a complete flight plan within a minute. Jump from menu to menu to sub menu in Command like a mad rabbit and eventually you'll get a flight plan that may or may not be correct because you can't remember what you have filled in and what you haven't, thanks to no logical order of input. :8