New AOPA Flight Planner available today 4/22/2020

Stan Cooper

Stan Cooper

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Stan Cooper
https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media...2/aopa-announces-access-to-new-flight-planner
AOPA email said:
AOPA has announced that a replacement flight planning tool will become available on Wednesday, April 22. While working on the transition to a new planner, AOPA listened carefully to feedback about what members value most for flight planning tools in an online or desktop environment. The result is a new partnership with iFlightPlanner combines a new technology platform with a core set of features that AOPA members have long been asking for.

Stored flight plans and profiles set up through the previous legacy planner will be pre-loaded into iFlightPlanner. From April 22 through April 30, both the sunsetting legacy flight planner and the new iFlightPlanner will be available.
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I like it after just a few minutes of playing around with it. Can anyone figure out how to move that data box out of the middle of the screen though? That thing is a little obtrusive.
 
Looks nice, but how do I switch it to plan a VFR flight? I don't see the option and it only shows IFR plans (and altitudes).
 
Ghery said:
Looks nice, but how do I switch it to plan a VFR flight? I don't see the option and it only shows IFR plans (and altitudes).
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In the Planner box, click on that little calculator icon next to the Altitude box. That will allow you to view different altitudes and choose between VFR and IFR.
 
Stephen Shore said:
In the Planner box, click on that little calculator icon next to the Altitude box. That will allow you to view different altitudes and choose between VFR and IFR.
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Thanks. That was NOT "intuitively obvious to the casual observer" as a colleague used to say many years ago.
 
Ghery said:
Thanks. That was NOT "intuitively obvious to the casual observer" as a colleague used to say many years ago.
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Could not agree more. I actually accidentally figured it out - although I could not figure out how to get rid of the "Planner" box!
 
I can't figure how to get the text for AIR/SIGMETS from the colored areas. I selected "all" and they were all nicely displayed but I had to go back, de-select all, then one-by one select an item to figure out which color was which when they are all piled on top of each other. A "key" would be handy. What am I missing?
 
I quit AOPA a couple of months ago and they are spamming me with offers weekly. But I got this flight planner email today and followed the email link to check it out, and there was a link to renew membership for $59 instead of $79. Is it $59 now?
 
JohnAJohnson said:
I quit AOPA a couple of months ago and they are spamming me with offers weekly. But I got this flight planner email today and followed the email link to check it out, and there was a link to renew membership for $59 instead of $79. Is it $59 now?
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No, my renewal is $79. Sigh.

I do like the new flight planner, though!
 
The new, revved up iFlightPlanner looks to be the same as the old, free version on iflightplanner.com. It appears that the new free version will be tuned down significantly, with the old free version now $49/year. Since leaving AOPA, I've been using iflightplanner but I guess I'll have to find another now.
 
Walboy said:
AOPA seems to be trying to fill a void that doesn't exist.
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I tend to agree with you here. I'm not sure of the market.

- If it's not an offline app, it's not usable in flight.
- So if you want an EFB in flight, you'll have to get one of the many other offerings.
- But if you're using that EFB in flight, you're likely just going to use the same one for flight planning.
 
I tried it this afternoon. Ho hum, never could figure out how to rubber band a route. Would have liked to modify initial route once I put it in. Garmin Pilot and Foreflight set the bar.
 
Walboy said:
AOPA seems to be trying to fill a void that doesn't exist.
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Tell that to the hundreds who complained loudly when AOPA announced a few months ago that it was sun setting its online flight planner at the end of April because Jeppesen was shutting down the flight planning engine that drove it. The new iFlightPlanner product is a replacement for those members.
 
Walboy said:
I don't envy you in your job, damned if you do, damned if you don't. You must have pretty thick skin.

Any idea if FAA is going to grant extensions on flight reviews? I emailed AOPA on Apr 3 and the person who responded said something was in the works.
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Thanks for your empathy! Most appreciated.
We’ve been hoping for a fast solution from the FAA regarding such extensions for about a month. Early April the FAA decided the best path was a special federal aviation regulation to relieve pilots and aircraft owners from time bound requirements, such as flight reviews. They thought they would have it in a week. As you can see in this video from last Wednesday, we believe we will see it from the FAA this week—direct to final rule, so no comment period, which should be fine if they include all of the items we have asked for. So, recognizing we’ve heard “soon” for a month, look for some progress this week.
 
RussR said:
But if you're using that EFB in flight, you're likely just going to use the same one for flight planning.
Click to expand...

I don’t see any advantage of using this over an EFB today that someone is using.
 
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