Wow--AOPA's RTFP

[spiderweb]

This is the first time I've been able to use it. I used to have dial-up, and that was too slow, and at work the LAN's firewall prevented it. Now, with a cable internet service, this thing really works! It would take me an hour and a half to fully plan a flight from BWI to ALB, for example, but this thing does it very quickly. Then, all I need to do is carefully review and alter as necessary, get a throrough weather briefing, and review the charts and plates. I really like this. Do you?

 

[Michael]

I have been using Golden Eagle Flight Planner. I like the terrain view it adds. Flying out west, its nice to see the elevation of obstructions on your route. You can also use it offline.

 

[RotaryWingBob]

This is the first time I've been able to use it. I used to have dial-up, and that was too slow, and at work the LAN's firewall prevented it. Now, with a cable internet service, this thing really works! It would take me an hour and a half to fully plan a flight from BWI to ALB, for example, but this thing does it very quickly. Then, all I need to do is carefully review and alter as necessary, get a throrough weather briefing, and review the charts and plates. I really like this. Do you?

Actually, Ben, I like Flitesoft the best. And it can be used offline if you don't have a connection while traveling.

 

[ErikU]

I use AOPA's flight planner all the time. It's free, quick and easy to use, and works well. There are other options too...

 

[jesse]

I use Aeroplanner.

http://www.aeroplanner.com

I think it's something like $12 a month? You basically just type in the depature and arrival airport. It can then generate a PDF with sectionals or whatever you want of hte trip..along with the weather..airspace.. and anything else you could possibly need.

I really don't need it anymore though. I can plan a VFR cross country in about 5 minutes with sectionals.

 

[spiderweb]

What, if any, are the shortcomings?

 

[SCCutler]

I use Aeroplanner.

http://www.aeroplanner.com

I think it's something like $12 a month? You basically just type in the depature and arrival airport. It can then generate a PDF with sectionals or whatever you want of hte trip..along with the weather..airspace.. and anything else you could possibly need.

I really don't need it anymore though. I can plan a VFR cross country in about 5 minutes with sectionals.

I used Aeroplanner for quite a while, but eventually found out that I was no longer using it much at all, after I got to where I was filing IFR a lot. Aeroplanner was, however, a great way to have "belt & suspenders" during that early phase of my flying experience. I'd plan the trip w/ Aeroplanner, get all the briefings, etc., print airport diagrams and Airnav pages for airports to which I was flying, and hand it all to "Skippy" (my office gofer / helper), who would then punch and spiral bind it. Made a great "trip kit."

Now, I do use RTFP, but mostly for the leg table it builds and to print out a flight plan form. RTFP's main deficiency is its inability to properly accommodate SIDs and STARs, and airways (kludgy for such). jepp wants you to like it enough to buy the un-dumbed-down version of FliteStar.

Have not yet tried Golden Eagle, may yet do so. Frankly, in the IFR system, I sorta prefer eyes-on for the charts, familiarize me with waypoints for the (hopefully) inevitable "direct to" shortcuts.

 

[jesse]

I used Aeroplanner for quite a while, but eventually found out that I was no longer using it much at all

Yup. Me too. The thing is.. I found out I couldn't afford to print all that stuff for every flight

Once I ran out of ink for my printer, I quit using Aeroplanner.

I'll probably cancel my subscription.

 

[ScottM]

What, if any, are the shortcomings?

Have to be online to use it.
Cannot use it behind a proxy server
no terrain view


It is ok but I prefer Golden Eagle from Duats, it is also free and at leat to me has more usefull features.

 

[flyingcheesehead]

What, if any, are the shortcomings?

Same problem as all of 'em. Doesn't run on my Mac w/o Virtual PC. I have philosophical problems with that.

I'll be doing some work to remedy that situation in a year or so, or as soon as anyone wants to put up some capital so I can work on it full time.

 

[spiderweb]

I guess I am comparing it with other free ones like CSC DUATS and fltplan.com. I like this a bit better. Ultimately, though, I do enjoy planning with charts, paper, pencil, and E6B. But I can back it up with this, too.