Free Flight Planning Software
 

I've discovered a neat little aviation site offering free VFR flight planning software for download. The url is http://members.tripod.com/flight_planner the software is easy to use and is well worth downloading

Free, except,

"All I ask is that should you decide to use the programme for your flight planning then please have the decency to complete the Registration form and comply with the payment details
"

Doesn't sound very free to me. Certainly didn't get me past page one.

We (a club member and I) made one up on Excel, includes flight plan with lots of tricks, cargo manifest, weight and balance graphs and envelopes for every aeroplane in the fleet (not the helicopter though, can't figure out how to display both the longitudinal and lateral CoG!). Takes a bit of time to create the first part but then you can copy and paste and edit for different aircraft. I can have a full ATO kit ready in two minutes.

Nice website though. At least page one is.

Go in past the first page, it's SHAREWARE, the programme is fully functional, no nag screens, no unavailable bits. Worth another look!
It also used digital mapping for route planning, not bad for free, you only pay if using it pricks your concience!!!

[This message has been edited by Undercarriage (edited 10 February 2001).]

I've just had a nosey,but I could'nt get past page one,but from what I read Chicken 6 is right in saying that its not free!!!
Shame on you !!!!!!!!!!

It is free in that it is shareware, that is to say that it is a fully functional piece of software that you can download for free. If you like it you send the author £5 IF YOU WANT TO. There is no-one saying you have to pay for it!!!

As someone occasionally involved in writing and selling small software applications - I feel I should make clear the point about shareware.

It is not free, however, it is made available to you on a "try before you buy" basis. If you find it useful enough to be worth the (usually small) price requested then pay for it and use it. If it doesn't meet your needs or you don't think it is worth the money then simply delete it from your disk.

The fact that you are not forced to pay should not hide the fact that the person that wrote the software expects payment from users. If they aren't paid they are not encouraged to support or improve the software. If this happens we may all miss out on the benefits their skills could bring us.