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  #1  
Old 06-26-2013, 09:43 AM
49clipper 49clipper is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Belleville
Posts: 306
Default Flight planner ?

whats the best flight planner to use. Quickest, least cumbersone, most complete, etc.
Jim
RV-6
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  #2  
Old 06-26-2013, 12:42 PM
N15JB N15JB is offline
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Denver
Posts: 564
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Did you use primer? Suggest you use the search feature; tons of opinions already there.

Jim Berry
RV-10
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  #3  
Old 06-26-2013, 01:02 PM
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Don Don is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Richmond, VA
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 49clipper View Post
whats the best flight planner to use. Quickest, least cumbersone, most complete, etc.
Jim
RV-6
I'm going to opine that this is a very personal choice and somewhat hardware dependent. I've used a bunch of flight planners over the years- a sectional and a pen/highlighter, Flight Soft (a gift), Seattle Avionics, EAA's flight planner, and ForeFlight to name a few. I like ForeFlight the best. It's easy, intuitive, and gives me the information I want. Your needs may be different. I fly VFR, lots of 200nm stuff and less, and once a month or so, longer routes. Foreflight has helped with long, short and Canadian flights, updates are affordable and it is the best I've used. As much as I've enjoyed it, I'll be dropping it for WingX shortly because FF refuses to support SkyRadar's ADS-b hardware, which I own. They swear they're not married to Stratus but it sure looks monogamous to me!

If you don't have an iPad, I think I'd get one. The gestures make it a really great flight planning tool, no matter what software you get. Its better than any laptop or desktop to use - again, in my opinion (Mac or PC).

But you know, I'll bet you get at least a half dozen folks on here that disagree, and they're just as correct as me. Its a bit about how you think, and a bit about what you're familiar with, and whole lot about your opinion.

If you can find friends with Wing-X and ForeFlight, try them out and see what they have to offer. Try out the other recommendations you get. Then spend your $$ and buy the best one....for you.
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  #4  
Old 06-26-2013, 01:16 PM
our75olds our75olds is offline
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Florida, East Coast
Posts: 10
Default Flight planner ?

They all have good or bad things about them.

I like AOPAs FlyQweb. Why?
1) Always available when an internet is available
2) Stores lots of routes
3) Links to DUATS for briefings and filing
4) Weather, terrain, TFR, sectionals, etc overlays
5) Easy to use.

But then again, for long routes, I always spin the winds and draw the route manually (E6B and a plotter). Why? I want route familiarity (terrain, airports, prepare for dead reckoning). Flying the route before I fly the route. Then I fly with charts and GPS.

I know; but, with 2,000 hours as a KC135 navigator (pre-INS and pre-GPS days) I prefer no surprises.

In other words, pick one, learn it, cross check it, then trust it (but verify).
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  #5  
Old 06-26-2013, 02:07 PM
APACHE 56 APACHE 56 is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: MERRITT ISLAND, FL
Posts: 360
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I plan and file with Fltplan.com.
I like Weathermeister best for "more than you'd ever want to know about weather" and you can actually read/understand it.
I fly with Foreflight on iPad. Lot's of reasons presented in forum already.
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RV8 "Little Pill" N6371S, Merritt Island, Fl.
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  #6  
Old 06-26-2013, 04:22 PM
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Snowflake Snowflake is offline
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Victoria, BC, Canada
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Fltplan.com is good for online planning.
CoPilot is *excellent* for the iPhone (has been ever since it was first written for the Palm Pilot).
Skyvector.com is great for visualizing the route.
I fly with AirNavPro on my iPad and Android phone.

As someone pointed out... The choice is very personal, and (so far) I haven't found one app that does it all in a way I like.
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Rob Prior
1996 RV-6 "Tweety" C-FRBP (formerly N196RV)
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  #7  
Old 06-26-2013, 09:00 PM
steve91t steve91t is offline
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Huntersville, NC
Posts: 138
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Foreflight on my iPhone5 is all I use, it has everything I need. I have filed while paying for fuel before blasting off and picking up my IFR flight plan. I love it.
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  #8  
Old 06-29-2013, 11:26 AM
49clipper 49clipper is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Belleville
Posts: 306
Default 49cliper

Thanks for all the suggestions. I will be trying them all.
Jim
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  #9  
Old 06-29-2013, 03:28 PM
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Jesse Jesse is offline
 
Join Date: May 2005
Location: X35 - Ocala, FL
Posts: 3,679
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+1 for foreflight and weathermeister. I use weathermeister.com to get a good idea of winds split up over the flight, mainly on long flights. I use foreflight to file every time. I can file a simple or complicated route, pick any plane that I fly, it fills in my default speeds, burns and altitudes and I adjust in the filing screen. I can file in the FBO and by the time I get the plane started, the tower has my clearance on first call. Get a demo of what your friends have and go with the one that works best for the way you think. For me, it's foreflight.
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  #10  
Old 06-30-2013, 10:56 PM
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sglynn sglynn is offline
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Anacortes, WA
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Default droid

Quote:
Originally Posted by 49clipper View Post
Thanks for all the suggestions. I will be trying them all.
Jim

If you are an android user try Garmin Pilot. I need the IFR charts and map page is excellent.
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