Flightplanner software.

[emaroo]

"Still learning the ropes as very new to aviation".

 

I have been surfing the net for a flightplanner program that is at a reasonable price. Here is a link to one of the programs I have found. http://www.users.bigpond.com/melissun/fp.html

 

What do people think? It appears to have a few bugs but only costs $25. The results seem to be accurate as they are identical too my calculations on the wiz wheel.

 

Does anyone else have any other programs that are easy too use and are reasonably priced.

 

Cheers Rick

 

 

[Guest Booker YPMQ]

Hi Rick,

 

From a quick look this seems to be reasonable for the price. If it wasn't for the weight and balance features I'd recommend to give it a miss but for $25 it is probably not a bad thing to be able to easily look at your loading data as most pilots who regularly fly the same aeroplane tend to get a bit slack in this area (me included). Personally I use AirNav VFR which I find helpfull with the full range of maps. All depends on the type of flying you do I guess.

 

 

[Guest Graham Lea]

I use Utranav and have done a fair bit of flying around eastern Australia.

 

For me, cost wasn't the major factor in buying nav software.. especially if it has "bugs" :-)

 

http://www.aerialpursuits.com/products/prd_sw1.htm

 

 

[rong]

Rick,

 

You tend to get what you pay for. To compare with a more functional system you can get a free trial of PocketFMS (http://www.pocketfms.com/au)

 

Ron

 

 

[emaroo]

I use Utranav and have done a fair bit of flying around eastern Australia.For me, cost wasn't the major factor in buying nav software.. especially if it has "bugs" :-)

 

http://www.aerialpursuits.com/products/prd_sw1.htm

Graham

Looked at the Ultranav. Looks better and a lot more user friendly.Thanks for the tip and appreciate your time and others for responding.

 

Cheers Rick

 

 

[Guest pelorus32]

I tried ultranav but it just kept crashing. I finally gave up and bought Champagne Flightplanner 3000 and it's brilliant.

 

http://www.champagnepcservices.com.au/

 

Regards

 

Mike

 

 

[ianrat]

I have also used the Ultranav program. For the cost of the program it works very well. The final map section is a bit so so but i have never had it crash on me. I sent an email and received the latest ERSA update. I like the ability to either select a Airport, Nav Aid or you can just select a town and then insert into your plan.

 

Ian Rat

 

 

[Guest Vpilot]

Hey Guys i am rather new here. I noticed you guys are using flight planners. I have one you may be interested in that i didn't see mentioned. Command Flight Planner i use this and i thik it's great check it out i would be interested in your comments.

 

www.commandsoftware.com.au

 

 

[Guest Vpilot]

Hey chris it's the right link but i googled it and i now can't acess the site. It may be down

 

-Andre

 

 

[Mazda]

I've used the Champagne PC one extensively and it is great. I'm also trialling the AirNav one, which is also great in a different way.

 

The Champagne PC one puts the waypoints in a table, and you can look at the route on a basic graphical display. If you put in a distant destination if planning IFR it will automatically plan via the IFR route. It does weight and balance, PNR, CP etc. It has lots of little ALAs, towns etc in the database and is very accurate. It is a very sophisticated program. It doesn't have the maps of the AirNav.

 

I'm still learning the AirNav one! It's very different in that it is based on actual Airservices maps. So you can draw the line on the map like you would on a real map. Initially it felt a bit clumsy because you run out map and have to switch to the next one, but once you get used to it that is no problem. For a long flight you could plan on a PCA and the track then appears on all other maps. I found it very useful because you can use the VTCs or VNCs to plot a VFR route down a lane (like Nowra etc) and that route then appears on your WAC, ENC etc. Very handy.

 

It won't automatically plot an IFR route like Champagne PC. It doesn't have the weight and balance envelope, just basic max weight data. It doesn't have the accurate climb performance data of the Champagne PC, but it does have a simple to use rule of thumb method (which you'd probably use anyway). It uses the real maps and you can print them out with your route on them. You can put notes on the charts or plans too - like "tune CTAF 126.7" or "have a sandwich" or whatever!

 

 

[timshel]

I have used the Ultranav but it kept crashing, (works fine on my instructors PC!) command seems to have gone broke? So I bought champage 3000 and its really very good. Expensive but you get what you pay for. I love the NAIPS interface (downloads ARFOR winds automatically) and the decode weather jargon functions, as well as the accurate fuel planning features. Support is quick and personal. Just wish it would upload to my PDA - I use mobile windows and it only uploads to a palm.

 

 

[Matt]

Command are still up and running - I use Command Flight Planner and received my latest update last month. Their website is http://www.commandsoftware.com.au/Aviation/Default.asp

 

 

[Guest Juliette Lima]

Hi all,

 

Love the air services maps unique to AirNav VFR by Sentient... not the cheapest option as maps are continually upgraded, but planning off the real thing with contours, control zones, restricted areas etc. is the go for me.

 

Cheers

 

JL

 

 

[Mazda]

True! The more I use AirNav VFR the better it seems to be. It is a nice simple way to plan and for VFR pilots the fact that you view it on the real charts is very helpful (re terrain etc). Another useful feature is that if you plot the waypoints down a VFR lane, it automatically puts that exact route on all the other charts - ERCs, WACs etc, and if you put in an IFR waypoint from an ERC it puts that on the WAC etc. The charts are the real Airservices ones and you can print out your route plotted on the chart on A4 pages - so there is no need to buy charts. It will put time or distance markers on there too.

 

It's all chart based, so if you want to fly to a point on a chart (mountain, homestead, lake etc) just click on it and it can be added to your plan.

 

It prints out a schedule allowing for preflight time, refuelling time, overfly/circuit time etc. Very handy.

 

 

[gavinl]

Pocketfms here

 

I use pocketfms, mainly so I can use it on my Pocket PC with gps. It has regular updates and maps have many zoom levels. Additionally, I have also used Oziexplorer and digital VTC and WAC maps with my Pocket PC - also works well.

 

gav

 

 

[timshel]

All sounds good, will have to check out this Airnav. Can it upload to pocket PC, thus enabling in-cockpit diversions?

 

 

[Admin]

Tim

 

Have you seen the flight planner here in the Flight Bag menu above?

 

 

[Dieselten]

I'll add my vote for John Reynoldson's Ultranav, and it's well worth becoming a registered user for the ERSA updates. I send a payment for the updates because a good product deserves support.

 

It's straightforward, works well and you can have several different aircraft performance data sets with which to plan. Being the cautious type I also check the output against a calculator/chart just to be sure.

 

I also like the ability to add user-defined waypoints to some of the databases.