New Online Flight Planner

[MikeInAB]

Just learned a couple weeks back that Jeppesen is cancelling their Internet Flight Planner (JIFP) product in 2015. I'm not exactly sure what the deal is, but AOPA has the rights to the JIFP software engine, and now has a beta-version of "AOPA Internet Flight Planner" (AIFP) on their website. I've tried it out, and it appears to have similar capability to the former JIFP planner, but the AOPA version is fully online - no client-side software to download. Also, like the Jeppesen product, AIFP seems to have wind-data for Canada, and decent VFR/elevation map for Canada as well. No, it's not a VNC, but it has most (if not all) pertinent VFR nav info, elevation shading; and can produce easy-to-read nav logs, do w/b, etc.

I don't know about everyone else here, but after getting my ppl, I've always liked having software to do the d/t and fuel calcs for a trip. Even better if I can lay out my route a few days before, review it on charts; and on the morning of the flight, update my nav log with current winds aloft.

[xchox]

When will COPA do something like this for us?

[Taxivasion]

Ever heard of www.fltplan.com? Free, Handy,W&B,Navlog, All Canadian content incl, Great FREE ipad/iphone app....did I mention it was free?

[AirFrame]

Or skyvector.com?

[MikeInAB]

I think COPA should do something like this; but will they? I'm not holding my breath.

fltplanner.com works well; but personally, I prefer to be able to drag the rubber band along my course of route, and at the end of it, have a navlog that's printable (b/w laser printer) and readable. I find fltplanner.com's logs have too much info and are therefore hard to read.

I haven't played much yet with skyvector.com; but my first impression is that it is not too user friendly.

I will also mention that I've been out of the cockpit for four years , but am trying to get back to it. Last time I flew, there were some people using digital flight decks, but I certainly wasn't one of them. I used my PC at home (or laptop away from home) to get weather, flight plan, etc., but always relied on paper charts for use in the airplane. Although I like my electronics, I think I'll be sticking with paper charts in the cockpit (at least their batteries never go dead).

[I_Drive_Planes]

Or skyvector.com?

Skyvector is the best.

[ScottS]

I will try this one out.

I haven't figured out how to print the Nav log or at least get a digital copy to bring in the plane from SkyVector.com. SkyVector definitely takes the cake on ease of use for mapping routes.

It quite possibly be that I am inept, but I found the route creation at fltplan.com frustrating if you aren't going direct from airport to airport or even nav aids. You need to enter lat/long for each waypoint for creating a route through the mountains which is way more time consuming than the skyvector system.

[AirFrame]

I haven't figured out how to print the Nav log or at least get a digital copy to bring in the plane from SkyVector.com. SkyVector definitely takes the cake on ease of use for mapping routes.

It's not just you. SkyVector makes it difficult to get the Nav log out. Maybe they're trying to avoid liability by not allowing you to take their data with you and blame them when you run out of fuel due to a headwind (that they don't model).

It quite possibly be that I am inept, but I found the route creation at fltplan.com frustrating if you aren't going direct from airport to airport or even nav aids. You need to enter lat/long for each waypoint for creating a route through the mountains which is way more time consuming than the skyvector system.

FltPlan.com is more geared towards commercial pilots flying at 10000+ feet than at GA Pilots touring around in the valleys. The mobile app is a little kludgy but for something that gives you free Canadian charts as a basemap to a live moving map, the kludginess is acceptable.

[ScottS]

Unfortunately I am only sporting an old iPad with iOS 5.1 so the new FltPlanGo app isn't available. I could install it on my BB Z10 but the screen was too small to be useful. Naviator did work well on my BB though, but I would prefer an option to create the route on the desktop, then view it on mobile.

For now, I am just writing the skyvector log onto paper backup and keeping my finger on the VNC while following the Aera 500. Eventually I will probably buy a new iPad Mini or an Android device.