So what do people do these days when making a flight plan?

[APenNameAndThatA]

As far as I know, you need a backup phone for your phone/tablet before you can ditch paper maps. The cost and inconvenience of paper maps is considerable. 

[pluessy]

When I used to fly long trips (7-8h), I always printed a rough flight plan the day before for the 2 most likely routes (1 inland, one closer to the coast). Completed all way points, tracks & distances and just left the wind, GS and heading off. Then in the morning, I re-checked the weather/wind (Windy.com) and picked the route and altitudes that were more favourable and transferred the wind, heading, GS and time interval from OZrunways to the paper plan, updated NAIPS and off I went. Kept the paper plan updated as the flight progressed. ipad going blank from over heat or having some other hissy-fit, no problem, just keep flying the heading to the next waypoint. Gives you time to cool/re-start the ipad and concentrate on FLYING instead of fiddling.

[Mewp]

I use AvPlan and for long trips i print the charts off the screen using a colour laser printer, usually each leg has a paper copy. The app allows all flight plan data to be printed as well.

[Garfly]

On 03/07/2022 at 5:44 PM, flying dog said:

Wow, this is overwhelming....

 

Seems I may not be making any XC flights for a while.

 

(Though I haven't flown for about 3 years.)

😞

 

I wouldn't be put off.  Flight planning and nav is, IMHO, safer and simpler than ever. 

Hopefully the instructor who takes you for your BFR can get you up to speed on the EFBs etc, if you're interested. 

Anyway, good luck with getting back in the saddle.

[Student Pilot]

Haven't done a flight plan in years, leave a flight note or make sure somebody knows where I'm going.
Do all you blokes put a road plan in when you go driving? Do you use a road tracker/recorder when driving? A car could disappear on any of the main roads and not be found for weeks or longer. Do any of you check/get weather for driving? 

[Garfly]

The trouble is SP, air nav does have its own little traps lying in wait for young players.  For example:

 

 

Edited July 6, 2022 by Garfly

[KRviator]

19 minutes ago, Student Pilot said:

Haven't done a flight plan in years, leave a flight note or make sure somebody knows where I'm going.
Do all you blokes put a road plan in when you go driving? Do you use a road tracker/recorder when driving? A car could disappear on any of the main roads and not be found for weeks or longer. Do any of you check/get weather for driving? 

Not even remotely similar to flying but to answer your questions:

1: Do I plan a road trip beyond, say, 50NM? Yes. Even if it is as simple as "Do I need to refuel first, or will the available fuel get me there and back?" Closely followed by "Which servo enroute has the cheapest fuel in FuelCheck?". Even at work, we are required to do a Journey Assessment for any road trip at night, or any trip beyond 50NM by day.

2: Yes. I'm going long-distance, or without the KRviatrix, I'll plan my trip on Google Maps for real-time delays and diversions, and then share that trip so she can track me and have a real-time ETA. If she's coming, then we'll usually call our rellies and give them an updated ETA when we're on the road. Insofar as tracking, incidentally, so does my employer on almost every vehicle in their fleet. I got a txt from my Supervisor just last week saying "KR, the tracker shows you stopped for over an hour, are you ok?" - I wasn't stopped, and hadn't stopped, but "the system" thought I had for some reason and he was checking on me.

 

3: If there's a chance of inclement weather, yes - I do check NSW LiveTraffic for weather-related issues, and enroute I use Google Maps for reeal-time traffic info.

[APenNameAndThatA]

1 hour ago, Student Pilot said:

Haven't done a flight plan in years, leave a flight note or make sure somebody knows where I'm going.
Do all you blokes put a road plan in when you go driving? Do you use a road tracker/recorder when driving? A car could disappear on any of the main roads and not be found for weeks or longer. Do any of you check/get weather for driving? 

It depends on the type of flying you do. If people here only fly within 25 miles of home, with no airspace, no frequency changes, never in iffy weather, never with enough weight to need to leave fuel at home, always with much more fuel than they need, and just go to the same place over and over for years, then they will probably not do flight plans either. 

[flying dog]

2 hours ago, Student Pilot said:

Haven't done a flight plan in years, leave a flight note or make sure somebody knows where I'm going.
Do all you blokes put a road plan in when you go driving? Do you use a road tracker/recorder when driving? A car could disappear on any of the main roads and not be found for weeks or longer. Do any of you check/get weather for driving? 

Sometimes.

 

I already know the car's endurance and so if it is to a known place and I know how far it is, the fuel calculations are sort of automatic.

But I shall mention something on that shortly.

 

I don't do much country driving so I don't worry too much on the weather.

 

But once I was "helping" someone drive their "petrol guzzler" from Sydney to Melbourne towing a heavy trailer.

 

I got to do the second part after.... Gundagai.

We stopped there and had "lunch", filled up and that was that.

 

We're driving along and I'm doing on, but there is no "flight plan" in the GPS - other than "this is where you are".

I glanced at the petrol gauge and noticed fuel was getting scarce.

 

LUCKILY!

 

We pulled over, unhitched the trailer - and I stayed with it - and the car was driven back a few K's to fill up.

 

I was annoyed no end that I was driving a car with no knowledge of how far it could go and wasn't told where/when to expect the next petrol station.

 

I won't be making that mistake again.   Not travelling with that person any more.

 

But it was an interesting experience to say the least.   WATCH THE FUEL!

 

[flying dog]

47 minutes ago, APenNameAndThatA said:

It depends on the type of flying you do. If people here only fly within 25 miles of home, with no airspace, no frequency changes, never in iffy weather, never with enough weight to need to leave fuel at home, always with much more fuel than they need, and just go to the same place over and over for years, then they will probably not do flight plans either. 

That reminds me of another scenario where I am kind of glad we got through it.

 

"Weekend fly to Narromine" from up near Caloundra."

Got down to ....  Walcha.  See the relo's.

Got to their house and it started PISSING DOWN!

 

Had to stay the night.

 

Next day the plane was saturated - inside - and we pressed on to Narromine.

Maps/charts pretty well a write off.  (As was most paper work.)

The radio was kaput and it was a real mess.

 

Won't be flying with that person again either.

 

[Student Pilot]

1 hour ago, APenNameAndThatA said:

It depends on the type of flying you do. If people here only fly within 25 miles of home, with no airspace, no frequency changes, never in iffy weather, never with enough weight to need to leave fuel at home, always with much more fuel than they need, and just go to the same place over and over for years, then they will probably not do flight plans either. 

I fly all sorts of distances, local to across large countries. 

[Ando]

19 minutes ago, Student Pilot said:

I fly all sorts of distances, local to across large countries. 

Are you the PIC?

[Student Pilot]

7 hours ago, Ando said:

Are you the PIC?

Yes, usually the only occupant. Flights destination is fluid at times, dependant on a few things.

[rgmwa]

20 minutes ago, Student Pilot said:

Yes, usually the only occupant. Flights destination is fluid at times, dependant on a few things.

What aircraft do you fly?

[Student Pilot]

Air Tractors mainly, right up to the 802

[APenNameAndThatA]

47 minutes ago, Student Pilot said:

Air Tractors mainly, right up to the 802

Dude, given how much flight time you have, its silly of you to big note yourself and discourage less experienced pilots from doing flight plans.  

[Student Pilot]

Don't like your tone there chap.

I am not big noting or bragging, stating a fact I do not use a complicated flight plan, usually just a track. I am not trying to discourage flight plans or people from learning.

I do see a trend for over top complicated planning, a basic plan and weather from somewhere is all that's needed.

Most RAA aircraft are basic, the idea of basic flying is appealing. If I wanted to do complicated flight planning I would have flown airlines or charter, I fly because I like flying.

 

Edited July 6, 2022 by Student Pilot
Tone

[flying dog]

Yes, if I read every word of every post I will see what I am about to ask.

Sorry I am really having a bad time parsing things.

 

Sticking to android, what are the apps for flight planning?

 

 

[Garfly]

 

https://www.ozrunways.com/au/products/rwy-efb-for-android/

 

https://www.avplan-efb.com/avplan/announcing-avplan-efb-android/

[APenNameAndThatA]

The tribe have voted and I was wrong. Sorry. 

[Mike Gearon]

On 6/7/2022 at 10:06 AM, Student Pilot said:

Air Tractors mainly, right up to the 802

I flew in the Nebraska cornfields with an 802 called himself Whisky 3 years ago. All his work season was my learn to fly season. I guess you run Wire cutters on the wheel struts? I was told by Whisky these are handy for the obvious reason and he’s used them once.

 

Wonder what the compliance rate is for a paper plan? That being said I have one for a trip on the knee pad. I want it all laid out in sequence with contingencies.
We certainly don’t for the IFR stuff I’m doing in USA. It’s all iPad.

[Blueadventures]

On 11/07/2022 at 9:52 AM, Mike Gearon said:

I flew in the Nebraska cornfields with an 802 called himself Whisky 3 years ago. All his work season was my learn to fly season. I guess you run Wire cutters on the wheel struts? I was told by Whisky these are handy for the obvious reason and he’s used them once.

 

Wonder what the compliance rate is for a paper plan? That being said I have one for a trip on the knee pad. I want it all laid out in sequence with contingencies.
We certainly don’t for the IFR stuff I’m doing in USA. It’s all iPad.

 

[flying dog]

I would hope you also would have wire cutters at the top of the vertical stab' also!