flight planning software for Area 500 ?

[Adrian Lewer]

Hi all I have decided to buy a GPS. I am keen on the Area 500 but still open to others. I would like to know what flight planning software is out there I can use to plan flights, print off maps with the required data then upload the flight plan to the GPS. I do remember one called seredent Airnav (I think thats what it was called) but apparently its unavalible anymore.

 

All info would be appreciated.

 

 

[Guest davidh10]

I use AirNAV VFR. The last time I looked, the GPS interface did not support the Aera. I load any appoints that aren't already in the GPS manually. I'm using the Aera 550.

 

The interface software is actually Open Source, so you could probably download the latest version, which may support the Aera.

 

Thinking a bit more deeply about it, if you loaded appoints that are already in the GPS, you'd end up with duplicates and the AirNav program has no way of knowing what appoints are already in the GPS. I suspect that feature is more useful if you have a GPS that does not already contain aviation waypoints.

 

Of course there's nothing stopping you from compiling your own file of appoints and just dropping it into the GPS from your PC. I do that for GeoCaching in the road mode, but it works for air mode too if you drop the file in the correct directory.

 

 

[J170 Owner]

Hi all I have decided to buy a GPS. I am keen on the Area 500 but still open to others. I would like to know what flight planning software is out there I can use to plan flights, print off maps with the required data then upload the flight plan to the GPS. I do remember one called seredent Airnav (I think thats what it was called) but apparently its unavalible anymore.All info would be appreciated.

Hi. Personally, I think flight planning software is a waste of time. Pilots should be capable of doing a flight plan using the whizzwheel and definately be able to recalculate headings/tracks and wind while in the air using the whizzwheel. (How many can?). As for GPS, I use a Garmin Nuvi in offroad mode (as a backup). It works just fine, plots a line between waypoints in purple and your track shows up as a blue line. Easy to see where you are and what to do to maintain track. Great when you get home and overlay your track on Google Earth. I am however old and frumpy so you may throw your sandles at me, if they are followed with booz.

 

 

[JayKay]

I do remember one called seredent Airnav (I think thats what it was called) but apparently its unavalible anymore.

Sentient Software's AirNav VFR is available from http://www.sentientsoftware.com.au/ for a Winter special price of $99. Check their web site.

 

 

[Guest davidh10]

Hi. Personally, I think flight planning software is a waste of time. Pilots should be capable of doing a flight plan using the whizzwheel and definately be able to recalculate headings/tracks and wind while in the air using the whizzwheel.

Definitely not a waste of time, but I agree that you have to be able to re-plan in the air. For me a whiz wheel would be a waste of money, as I've never used one and it would be difficult, if not impossible, in a trike anyway. You need to ne able to navigate with a map and your mind. Tools do help, so a compass and a pencil come in pretty handy!

The beauty of AirNav VFR is being able to draw the route on the official Airservices maps, attach notes plan frequency changes, altitude, input winds, etc and then print it all for the flight. Much more cost effective than buying paper maps, because you are licensed to print as many times as you need, so every flight can have a new map print. Flight plans can be saved and recalled for re-use, so saves time.

 

None of this relieves you from the task of navigating while flying, although as you have said, there are pilots who use the GPS as primary rather than as as an adjunct to navigation.

 

Personally, I fly with a map on my knee board even locally and feel strange without it.

 

I do like being able to use the GPS to flag 10 miles from destination and readout of eta. Of course a GPS can always fail or give wrong information, so always know where you are on the map.

 

PS. Great eclipse.

 

 

[kaz3g]

Hi. Personally, I think flight planning software is a waste of time. Pilots should be capable of doing a flight plan using the whizzwheel and definately be able to recalculate headings/tracks and wind while in the air using the whizzwheel. (How many can?). As for GPS, I use a Garmin Nuvi in offroad mode (as a backup). It works just fine, plots a line between waypoints in purple and your track shows up as a blue line. Easy to see where you are and what to do to maintain track. Great when you get home and overlay your track on Google Earth. I am however old and frumpy so you may throw your sandles at me, if they are followed with booz.

I have mentioned on other occasions on this list that I use AirNav VFR for flight planning and run the moving map version on my lap top bluetoothed to a GPS mouse and 5" TFT screen. I find it an immensely useful tool.

 

Last Saturday I had to go to Ballarat to see a client. I rang the aeroclub to ask about the weather and they said it was vis good with cloud broken about 4000. It was even better at home so I did a quick plan and headed from Coldstream to Romsey and across the range to Ballarat. As I got closer to my destination the cloud began to close in around me in all directions very damned quickly. I squeeked in the last few miles and, watching the rain and cloud now almost down to the ground while my client signed her papers, thought I'd be there for the night.

 

After about an hour and a half, I could see that the weather to the south had opened up a bit but the weather to the east from whence I came was still not for me. I phoned Bacchus Marsh and they confirmed that, while they couldn't see much other than cloud in the direction of Ballarat, it was much better to the south.

 

It took just a few minutes to plan south to PPB at Altona South, then around the coastal route to Brighton then direct to Coldstream. Five minutes later, I was heading off with the plan showing on the VNC and VTC charts on my screen and the little black arrow marking my progress. I had my altitudes, headings, times and distances all calculated and recorded on the flight plan and the whiz wheel stayed firmly in the door pocket where it belongs so I could concentrate on the aviating. Austers and trikes have something in common... they move around a lot in the air, don't have a heck of a lot of room and need to be flown ALL the time.

 

I like my little bit of technology even if I don't understand the details of how it works

 

kaz

 

 

[Adrian Lewer]

Thanks for the reply's everyone. I do agree everyone should be able to use the whizz wheel and I have posted on here before about my "excursions" without the GPS and have made alot of progress in my learning. I am not 100% with the whizz wheel but am able to get myself out of the poop when needed. I have made flights in the past where I just take off and plan in the air. I must admit this is where I built most of my experience. I usually stay within the local area or go for a scoot around the bay I do have an excellent knowledge of the area so this helps. I am just wanting to make the use of the maps easier in the cockpit as well as have the use of the GPS as a visual backup just to make sure all is going good. All of the A/C I fly have a gps built into the dash but I want to be able to turn on the GPS on and know it intimately not learn a different brand in flight.

 

I like the Area 500 looks good was hoping it worked with moving maps :(

 

 

[Guest davidh10]

I like the Area 500 looks good was hoping it worked with moving maps :(

The map on the GPS does move, and it has aviation maps including aerodromes, navigation features, airspace, danger and restricted areas.

What mote would you want?

 

 

[Admin]

What more would you want?

A Recreational Flying GPS...sorry, couldn't help myself

 

 

[blueshed]

Ian how about a link for Ol Mate so he can find what you are talking about!

 

 

[Admin]

Recreational Flying 5" GPS

 

Recreational Flying 7" GPS

 

 

[kaz3g]

A Recreational Flying GPS...sorry, couldn't help myself

Having the actual AirServices charts on the screen, as would be my preferred case with the Rec Flying GPS and is currently the case with my AirNav set-up, is the biggest factor in my choice. I don't have that facility with the Jeppeson stuff in my Garmin... the detail isn't there and it doesn't look the same which affects orientation time between the hard charts (yes, I still use them too) and the image on the screen.

 

I know exactly where I am at any point in time and, if I should have an electronic failure, I can then continue to follow my plan on my hard charts without a WTFAI? moment.

 

The whiz wheel is in the door pocket and stays there while I'm in the air. I do any in-flight course adjustments by mental arithmentic -- 1:60 isn't that hard if you have your 10 mile markers drawn on your track -- and save the clunker as a "just in case" option for use on the ground if the electronic problems can't be resolved.

 

We don't use morse code in radio communications anymore, so why should we confine ourselves to navigation tools from the same era?

 

GPS technology is reliable and affordable. Even I can use it. I don't understand the finer points of how it works but I can work it.

 

Critics say that there is a temptation to fly the GPS instead of the plan and the aircraft thereby reducing safety and efficiency. I disagree. If your GPS is displaying the ASA charts and you know with real certainty where you are, then you have more time to look outside and "see and avoid" which is the primary safety task.

 

The only issue I have with my current set-up is that it's not easily portable -- the TFT sceen is pretty much a fixture in the Auster. So I'm waiting and hoping that it will be possible to share the AirNav charts and moving map program on my laptop with one of Ian's Android tablets (the licence allows me to run it on 2 computers).

 

kaz

 

 

[skyfox99]

I'm also in the market for a new GPS, also thinking of buying the Garmin Aera 500.

 

I also want to buy Airnav flight planning.

 

I'm still unsure if the Aera 500 will work with Airnav, can anyone answer this for me?

 

Thank you....

 

 

[skyfox99]

From what I have read about Airnav so far, this software will sure suit the ipad.

 

I wonder if they are thinking of doing it for the ipad, the sooner the better I would think...

 

 

[Guest davidh10]

As far as I know, nothing has changed since post no 2, but plans are easy to enter manually and all the usual waypoints are already in the GPS.

 

 

[skyfox99]

So plans are easy to enter manually?

 

What if you have co-ords, are they easy to enter also?

 

I like the sound of it being easy to enter plans manually.

 

Regards

 

 

[Guest davidh10]

Yep. A plan is simply a list of waypoints. If you need to create waypoints that aren't already in the GPS, then do that first and give each one a name. Nous, create a new plan and add each waypoints by name or ICAO code. Give your plan a name and save it. You van now recall that plan by name and activate it, or inverted it. You can also build a plan on the fly, so to speak. I've done that in the air. Lastly you can use a "fly direct to" menu option and just select a single destination.

 

Coordinates are also easy to enter, and assign a name, map symbol, and height.

 

When a plan is active to an aerodrome, it also shows extended runway centre lines to fly along. At Yarrawonga, it is accurate enough to put you on the runway.

 

 

[skyfox99]

Thanks for the info, the Garmin Aera 500 looks like the way to go.

 

 

[Guest davidh10]

Thanks for the info, the Garmin Aera 500 looks like the way to go.

You can download the GPS manuals directly from the Garmin web site. That may also answer some questions for you. There's two manuals. One for automotive mode and the other for aviation mode. The GPS just reboots into the selected mode.

 

 

[skyfox99]

I bought a Garmin Aera 500...what a unit this GPS is.

 

Very easy to use, doing flight plans, waypoints etc etc.

 

I'm very happy with the purchase.

 

I would still like to buy the AirNav software, I have a few qustions I wanted to ask them...sent of an email at least a week ago.

 

Still no answer...makes me a bit uneasy about buying it now....

 

 

[dodo]

How does Oziexplorer compare with Airnav? I see that Ian sells his GPS units with either (or both!). When would you pick which one? Or when would you want both?

 

Jim

 

 

[Guest davidh10]

I bought a Garmin Aera 500...what a unit this GPS is.Very easy to use, doing flight plans, waypoints etc etc.

I'm very happy with the purchase.

 

I would still like to buy the AirNav software, I have a few qustions I wanted to ask them...sent of an email at least a week ago.

 

Still no answer...makes me a bit uneasy about buying it now....

Maybe your email went astray. They usually reply in 24 hours. I'd try again.

 

 

[skyfox99]

I'm using Mapsource-Trip and Weighpoint Manager to download waypoints etc to the Aera 500, works just fine.

 

 

[Guest davidh10]

I'm using Mapsource-Trip and Weighpoint Manager to download waypoints etc to the Aera 500, works just fine.

Good to have it confirmed that it works. Garmin doco does not list Aera models as being compatible, but their help desk told me they are, despite the documentation!

I haven't been motivated to try it yet.