Flight Planning Software
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Flight Planning Software
Jeppesen FliteStar VFR is on offer at the moment for under £90. I want it, of course (the New Toy syndrome); but do I need it?
I've read all the publicity material but still don't fully understand what it does for me. My background is as an ex-RAF QFI who has taught pilot nav, so I am certainly at home with manual methods, but I'm always happy to have life made a little easier and perhaps quicker. What's the opinion of people who have experience of using this software - or indeed cheaper alternatives such as Navbox?
I've read all the publicity material but still don't fully understand what it does for me. My background is as an ex-RAF QFI who has taught pilot nav, so I am certainly at home with manual methods, but I'm always happy to have life made a little easier and perhaps quicker. What's the opinion of people who have experience of using this software - or indeed cheaper alternatives such as Navbox?
Have you tried Sky Demon Light? It's free and available here:
SkyDemon Light
It is endorsed by NATS and I think it is a very good VFR planning tool. Notams are automatically displayed once you have set your route (even if it starts and ends at the same place). You can print out a Plog and save the route as a GPX file.
SkyDemon Light
It is endorsed by NATS and I think it is a very good VFR planning tool. Notams are automatically displayed once you have set your route (even if it starts and ends at the same place). You can print out a Plog and save the route as a GPX file.
Last edited by Dark Helmet; 9th Aug 2011 at 07:03. Reason: Forgot to say it is free!
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Hi JJ, you are right there is a lack of utile reports about flitestar here on pprune and apparently in the whole www!
I plan most of my flights (VFR) with Flitestar... I took me some time but now I can say I do like it.
You tell Flitestar your preferences (cruise setting, altitude, and so on...) and your aircraft data (typing all the numbers out of your manual is really a stupid work, your lucky if your aircraft model already exists...).
Then Flitestar does basicly everthing for you e.g weather briefing, W&B, flightplan, fuel calculation, cost report and of course your flightlog. If you have Jeppview it does integrate the approach plates too (I don't).
Flitestar plans the Route with a RouteWizzard via VORs, Airfields, NDBs or whatever you wish. A second way is to plan your route manually by clicking waypoints on the map.
The integrated JeppWX is quite handy and shown on the map (if you want to).
The Software is certainly pretty capable but its design is sometimes complicated or at least not very intuitive... I needed the manual a lot.
On the other hand I have never tried cheaper alternatives so I unfortunately cannot compare them to Flitestar!
cheers
maehhh
I plan most of my flights (VFR) with Flitestar... I took me some time but now I can say I do like it.
You tell Flitestar your preferences (cruise setting, altitude, and so on...) and your aircraft data (typing all the numbers out of your manual is really a stupid work, your lucky if your aircraft model already exists...).
Then Flitestar does basicly everthing for you e.g weather briefing, W&B, flightplan, fuel calculation, cost report and of course your flightlog. If you have Jeppview it does integrate the approach plates too (I don't).
Flitestar plans the Route with a RouteWizzard via VORs, Airfields, NDBs or whatever you wish. A second way is to plan your route manually by clicking waypoints on the map.
The integrated JeppWX is quite handy and shown on the map (if you want to).
The Software is certainly pretty capable but its design is sometimes complicated or at least not very intuitive... I needed the manual a lot.
On the other hand I have never tried cheaper alternatives so I unfortunately cannot compare them to Flitestar!
cheers
maehhh
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Thanks for the feedback on Flitestar, maehhh - you are the first real user I have made contact with, and I am grateful for your opinion.
Dark Helmet has pointed me (above) to a free, web-based version of Sky Demon, which I have looked at briefly and which seems quite interesting, especially for a free product (obviously, they hope you will pay to upgrade to the full version, which is in the same price bracket as Flitestar).
If you have time and are interested, do take a look at it, perhaps it will do all you need. It's certainly simple, and apparently doesn't need annual updates.
Dark Helmet has pointed me (above) to a free, web-based version of Sky Demon, which I have looked at briefly and which seems quite interesting, especially for a free product (obviously, they hope you will pay to upgrade to the full version, which is in the same price bracket as Flitestar).
If you have time and are interested, do take a look at it, perhaps it will do all you need. It's certainly simple, and apparently doesn't need annual updates.
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For more serious IFR flightplanning this site is excellent
RocketRoute | Flight Planning Centre | Intelligent Routing
RocketRoute | Flight Planning Centre | Intelligent Routing
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Thanks to 140KIAS (is that cruising speed or rotate speed?) for comments on SkyDemon. Are you using the full (paid for) version? At first sight, the 'Lite' freebie is pretty good as it stands.
Thanks, Pace. Rocket Route is yet another candidate for my 'can't make my mind up' list! I have had a first look at the website and it does seem to be a quality product.
What we need is for 'Which' to do a report on Flight Planning software and choose some Best Buys (mind you, given that they keep recommending Humax for reliability, I'm not sure I'd take their advice!).
Thanks, Pace. Rocket Route is yet another candidate for my 'can't make my mind up' list! I have had a first look at the website and it does seem to be a quality product.
What we need is for 'Which' to do a report on Flight Planning software and choose some Best Buys (mind you, given that they keep recommending Humax for reliability, I'm not sure I'd take their advice!).
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You need to first ask yourself where you want to fly.
If you want to fly VFR all over Europe, as I did 2002-2005, then goode olde Navbox Pro is the best option, despite it being old and clunky. It has good accurate coverage, and nice things like contact details for airports, on just a click on the airport.
PocketFMS is another option which I need to get around trying, but my VFR flight planning requirement has gone way down since I got the IR in 2006 and did all foreign trips under IFR (other than trivia like Le Touquet).
FliteStar is a program I use for IFR, for plotting out IFR enroute charts (described here) but I can't recommend it for VFR. It is no better than anything else in terms of chart quality unless you buy the Raster Charts add-on CD (which is an electronic version of the Jepp "VFR/GPS" printed charts) but you can only view the chart on the PC and print off one screen at a time; there is no way to print a series of them to cover a planned route (AFAIK) like one can do so effortlessly from the built-in (IFR, mostly) mapdata.
The weather accessible in FS is all accessible for free on the internet.
If you fly mostly just UK, then Skydemon is a nice product.
None of the above options (except possibly FS with the RC add-on) do away with the need to buy the printed charts for MSA and CAS route planning.
If you want to fly VFR all over Europe, as I did 2002-2005, then goode olde Navbox Pro is the best option, despite it being old and clunky. It has good accurate coverage, and nice things like contact details for airports, on just a click on the airport.
PocketFMS is another option which I need to get around trying, but my VFR flight planning requirement has gone way down since I got the IR in 2006 and did all foreign trips under IFR (other than trivia like Le Touquet).
FliteStar is a program I use for IFR, for plotting out IFR enroute charts (described here) but I can't recommend it for VFR. It is no better than anything else in terms of chart quality unless you buy the Raster Charts add-on CD (which is an electronic version of the Jepp "VFR/GPS" printed charts) but you can only view the chart on the PC and print off one screen at a time; there is no way to print a series of them to cover a planned route (AFAIK) like one can do so effortlessly from the built-in (IFR, mostly) mapdata.
The weather accessible in FS is all accessible for free on the internet.
If you fly mostly just UK, then Skydemon is a nice product.
None of the above options (except possibly FS with the RC add-on) do away with the need to buy the printed charts for MSA and CAS route planning.
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What a very comprehensive contribution from IO540 (Mr Lycoming?). Thanks a lot.
Your last paragraph first - "None of the above options . . . do away with the need to buy the printed charts . . ." - too right, though not all the advertising material for software emphasises this basic airmanship point strongly.
My foreign flying was done when the Queen was paying, so now that I'm an OAP most of my destinations are likely to be in the UK. That being so, I'm going to take your suggestion and try out SkyDemon Lite for a while to see how it goes.
Speaking of OAPs, is your age quoted here correct? If so, kudos - are you also bold, by any chance?
Your last paragraph first - "None of the above options . . . do away with the need to buy the printed charts . . ." - too right, though not all the advertising material for software emphasises this basic airmanship point strongly.
My foreign flying was done when the Queen was paying, so now that I'm an OAP most of my destinations are likely to be in the UK. That being so, I'm going to take your suggestion and try out SkyDemon Lite for a while to see how it goes.
Speaking of OAPs, is your age quoted here correct? If so, kudos - are you also bold, by any chance?
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I use SkyDemon Lite at home, if you download the F214's from the Met Office before you set off for the airfield you can stick the winds in as well. Mind you we have the full fat version of SkyDemon at the club.
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SkyDemon
I love SkyDemon.
A bacon & blue cheese panini in the cafe, whilst I plot the flight. Then into the the club house to finally print it all off.
Then off.
Awesome stuff.
A bacon & blue cheese panini in the cafe, whilst I plot the flight. Then into the the club house to finally print it all off.
Then off.
Awesome stuff.
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Flight Planning Software - Some Conclusions
My thanks to everyone who has contributed answers to my original query. I draw three conclusions:
1. There are several adequate software packages out there, and everyone seems happy with whichever one they have settled on. Although it's clearly 'horses for courses', none seems outstandingly better, or worse, than any other. Encouragingly, not one of the best-known packages has been criticised as being poor.
2. Of them all, SkyDemon seems to have a smart marketing strategy by giving unrestricted use of a 'Lite' version absolutely free (others allow free trials of the full product, but for only a limited period).
3. My most important conclusion is what a great resource this forum is, and what a friendly bunch the contributors are. I don't see any other way I could have garnered the quantity, and quality, of views that have appeared here in just a few days.
1. There are several adequate software packages out there, and everyone seems happy with whichever one they have settled on. Although it's clearly 'horses for courses', none seems outstandingly better, or worse, than any other. Encouragingly, not one of the best-known packages has been criticised as being poor.
2. Of them all, SkyDemon seems to have a smart marketing strategy by giving unrestricted use of a 'Lite' version absolutely free (others allow free trials of the full product, but for only a limited period).
3. My most important conclusion is what a great resource this forum is, and what a friendly bunch the contributors are. I don't see any other way I could have garnered the quantity, and quality, of views that have appeared here in just a few days.
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I'm another extremely satisfied skydemon user - so much so I quickly upgraded from the free web based to the full version.
I'd previously used navbox but that's now extremely dated, and development seems limited if not totally stalled. It did have a few nice feautures but not really worth buying it for those. Skydemon is being very actively developed and implements a lot of features based on user feedback. Things like airfield plates and info, and plog printing need a bit of improving but I'm sure it will come. But the situational awareness you get with notams and weather overlaid is what flight planning should be.
I tried rocketroute briefly, but didnt find it a very polished product overall - although google maps implementation and smartphone capabilities are very clever touches.
I'm mainly flying vfr in the UK, although skydemon has lots of Europe covered (no idea to what extent though)
I'd previously used navbox but that's now extremely dated, and development seems limited if not totally stalled. It did have a few nice feautures but not really worth buying it for those. Skydemon is being very actively developed and implements a lot of features based on user feedback. Things like airfield plates and info, and plog printing need a bit of improving but I'm sure it will come. But the situational awareness you get with notams and weather overlaid is what flight planning should be.
I tried rocketroute briefly, but didnt find it a very polished product overall - although google maps implementation and smartphone capabilities are very clever touches.
I'm mainly flying vfr in the UK, although skydemon has lots of Europe covered (no idea to what extent though)
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If you fly mostly just UK, then Skydemon is a nice product.
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SkyDemon - Thanks for the advice
Re the recent comments about SkyDemon - I've only just discovered that it is essentially a NATS-commissioned product. The lite/free version looks good enough for me for the time being (input of routes is simple, and instant access to NOTAMS etc is a great aid all on its own), and a bit of experience with that will tell me if I want to bother with Flight Planning software at all.
At the moment, I suspect the answer will be yes, so I aim to make a final decision just before Christmas . . . . !
At the moment, I suspect the answer will be yes, so I aim to make a final decision just before Christmas . . . . !
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You definitely want to use software for knocking up the plog etc.
The old circular slide rule is just daft.
These days, everything is on the internet: weather, notams, flight plan filing, contacting airports by fax/email, etc. So you need to carry a little laptop, with GPRS/3G connectivity, when travelling, anyway. Or an Ipad if you are a masochist
I haven't done a manual flight plan since the day I got my PPL.
I don't think Skydemon was NATS commissioned originally. I vaguely recall reading they did a deal with NATS quite recently, on some cut-down version.
The old circular slide rule is just daft.
These days, everything is on the internet: weather, notams, flight plan filing, contacting airports by fax/email, etc. So you need to carry a little laptop, with GPRS/3G connectivity, when travelling, anyway. Or an Ipad if you are a masochist
I haven't done a manual flight plan since the day I got my PPL.
I don't think Skydemon was NATS commissioned originally. I vaguely recall reading they did a deal with NATS quite recently, on some cut-down version.
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SkyDemon Lite
Thanks IO540 - Your memory serves you well - I see now that the 'Lite' version was the product of a joint NATS/SkyDemon initiative. This link has the story - SkyDemon and NATS launch free pre-flight planning tool for GA safety | NATS
SkyDemon Lite is the only package I have tried so far, and it seems to do nearly all the pre-flight work that I am likely to want for my (so far) unambitious plans for flying VFR around UK. The only thing missing is the ability to transfer the plan (or at least waypoints) to an SD card that can be inserted into the G1000 in the Club's C172. Garmin don't seem to understand the question when I put it to them! Anybody out there succeeded in doing it? (On reflection, this is so different from my original post that started this very productive thread that I think I'll float a new one).
SkyDemon Lite is the only package I have tried so far, and it seems to do nearly all the pre-flight work that I am likely to want for my (so far) unambitious plans for flying VFR around UK. The only thing missing is the ability to transfer the plan (or at least waypoints) to an SD card that can be inserted into the G1000 in the Club's C172. Garmin don't seem to understand the question when I put it to them! Anybody out there succeeded in doing it? (On reflection, this is so different from my original post that started this very productive thread that I think I'll float a new one).
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AFAIK the only way to load an externally generated route into any IFR (panel mounted) GPS, and taking the common GA models only, is if you are using Jepp Flitestar, and then you use the Jepp Flight Plan Migrator program to convert a Flitestar "routepack" into some form which gets written to the Garmin flash card.
This works with a GNS430W, 530W, or the G1000, AFAIK.
So, no direct computer-GPS connection; it is done via the flash card. It's not exactly cheap, either, on top of the cost of Flitestar.
For a busy IFR pilot it may be worth doing because some IFR routings consist of 20-40 waypoints and entering them with the knobs takes for ever - even if your GPS supports named airways.
The reason for this restriction has never been made clear, but it appears to be concerned with the obvious difficulty of ensuring data integrity when it is being generated by some program running under Windoze or a similar bloated bug-ridden O/S. Whereas if you work it via the narrow flash card route, you merely need to demonstrate (to the FAA etc) that the software which parses the ex-Flitestar routepack file and writes to the flash card, has been developed to certain "software quality" requirements. It has taken best part of 20 years to get this far...
This works with a GNS430W, 530W, or the G1000, AFAIK.
So, no direct computer-GPS connection; it is done via the flash card. It's not exactly cheap, either, on top of the cost of Flitestar.
For a busy IFR pilot it may be worth doing because some IFR routings consist of 20-40 waypoints and entering them with the knobs takes for ever - even if your GPS supports named airways.
The reason for this restriction has never been made clear, but it appears to be concerned with the obvious difficulty of ensuring data integrity when it is being generated by some program running under Windoze or a similar bloated bug-ridden O/S. Whereas if you work it via the narrow flash card route, you merely need to demonstrate (to the FAA etc) that the software which parses the ex-Flitestar routepack file and writes to the flash card, has been developed to certain "software quality" requirements. It has taken best part of 20 years to get this far...