EFBs and flight planning software

Dave Siciliano

Dave Siciliano

Final Approach
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Dave Siciliano
I'm really starting to lean toward getting a flight planning software program and EFB so I can quit fooling with all these paper charts; keeping everything up to date and getting changes while traveling.

I've been using the FAA charts and many times the new updates arrive late (often when I'm on a trip). So, I'm flying with out of date charts on the return flight. The AOPA flight planner can only be used on line and only has low altitude charts.

I often go on long trips in different directions and have to purchase different charts and terminal proceedures for each trip. Then, if I have to divert, I may not have all the terminal proceedures for the new route.

This is all pushing me to the EFB with charts for the U.S.

What are y'all using and how can I cut through all the alternatives? The Jepp site was pretty confusing between all their plans.

Thanks,

Dave
 
Can't help with the EFB, Dave, but I've been using Flitesoft for flight planning for several years. It's very intuitive to use and very user friendly. Even does W&B for you, and does fuel checks.
 
Thanks Bob:

From what I can understand from their site, they update by CD every 28 days. Can you update over the internet instead? My problem is updating while traveling.

Also, can I use the enroute charts and terminal proceedures to fly or just to flight plan? If I can't fly with them that means I need another service for EFB charts.

Dave
 
I've been using Flightsoft from RMS Technologies for quite some time now. One of the things I really like about Flightsoft is that you can run it on more than one computer without paying extra fees for each computer.

RMS stopped using Jepp data some time ago and opted to use the government data instead. The reason for this move was that Jeppesen wanted extra fees for each computer a customer had Flightsoft installed on. Sounds to me like Jeppesen is trying to become the Microsoft of Aviation.

Many pilots, myself included, wish to use their flight planning software on several computers such as their home, office and laptop computers. Flightsoft is great for this because they will allow the installation as well as updates on more than one computer without extra charge. You buy the program and there are different choices for updates that are reasonably priced. Once you are a customer of theirs, you are always a customer. If you let your update status lapse for what ever period you can just call them up and get back on without paying any back maintenance fees.

As far as EFBs goes, I have to confess my acronym ignorance. There are just far to many acronyms in aviation to keep track of.

Jeannie
 
Dave Siciliano said:
Thanks Bob:

From what I can understand from their site, they update by CD every 28 days. Can you update over the internet instead? My problem is updating while traveling.

Also, can I use the enroute charts and terminal proceedures to fly or just to flight plan? If I can't fly with them that means I need another service for EFB charts.

Dave
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Dave, the version of Flitesoft I use updates automatically on the internet -- I'm VFR only so I don't know about how procedures update, but I imagine that the enroute charts update the same way that sectionals and TACs do via the internet.
 
Maverick said:
I've been using Flightsoft from RMS Technologies for quite some time now. One of the things I really like about Flightsoft is that you can run it on more than one computer without paying extra fees for each computer.

RMS stopped using Jepp data some time ago and opted to use the government data instead. The reason for this move was that Jeppesen wanted extra fees for each computer a customer had Flightsoft installed on. Sounds to me like Jeppesen is trying to become the Microsoft of Aviation.

Many pilots, myself included, wish to use their flight planning software on several computers such as their home, office and laptop computers. Flightsoft is great for this because they will allow the installation as well as updates on more than one computer without extra charge. You buy the program and there are different choices for updates that are reasonably priced. Once you are a customer of theirs, you are always a customer. If you let your update status lapse for what ever period you can just call them up and get back on without paying any back maintenance fees.

As far as EFBs goes, I have to confess my acronym ignorance. There are just far to many acronyms in aviation to keep track of.

Jeannie
Click to expand...

Sorry! Electonic Flight Bag. Basically a small computer that will display all enroute and terminal charts so one doesn't have to do all those updates and carry all that paper around.

Dave
 
Hi Dave,

I've personally used Jeppesen Jepp View/Flight Deck versions 2 & 3. I'm really sad so see that Jepp. went to version 3 because IMO it is much worse than version 2.

My dad who flies for CitationShares uses EFBs in their 75+ aircraft fleet (2 in each aircraft) and use the Jeppesen software. I suppose I'm a little biased since that is the only EFB chart software I've used.

Searching for charts in JeppView in convenient and I believe you can still assign airports to tabs, so you can plug in your Departure, Destination, and Alternate airports and they will appear on its own tab on the right side of the screen and have the charts but just a touch away. Even if it's not on a tab, you can still hit the search page and punch in the ICAO and you have the charts right there, many times, faster than getting them out of a Jepp. binder.

I have been looking at Jeppesen charts for a while, and that's what I'm used to, and that's why I prefer them. I also think that the Briefing Strip presents the essential chart details and information very nicely.

The EFB's CitationShares uses the software on run Windows 2000 and seems to run well. They also have leather cases for all the EFBs so tablet PCs don't get banged up (not a bad idea either).

Call Jeppesen and ask them to clarify any questions you may have about what they offer. They won't hesitate to explain it to you. Sporty's also offers NACO charts on a CD, but I haven't tried those yet. I find that having a paper enroute chart is very handy since the tablet PC can only display so much of the enroute chart (without having to drag to another section of the enroute chart). I have seen pictures of EFBs coupled to aircraft's GPS systems and an airplane symbol displays on the chart (I believe both enroute and terminal) which is kind of a neat thing.

I know that Jeppesen updates via CD, but not sure about internet. The new chart CD's get shipped to CitationShares HQ and then the company distributes/ships them to each aircraft. I believe Doc. Bruce uses JeppView. I can try and get more details about the system specs of the tablet PCs and send some recomendations/suggestions.

Feel free to ask any questions (although I may not know the answer :p:D)

Hope that helps,
Jason
 
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Dave Siciliano said:
Sorry! Electonic Flight Bag. Basically a small computer that will display all enroute and terminal charts so one doesn't have to do all those updates and carry all that paper around.

Dave
Click to expand...
I figured it was something like that but for the life of me I couldn't put words to the letters. In any case I don't have one nor can I afford the ones I've seen. I'm also one of those "Flat Earth" people that Flying magazine refers to that just can't justify some of the extremely high prices we see in aviation. That's one of the reasons I don't read or subscribe to Flying magazine anymore.

Jeannie ` Not rich and likely never will be.
 
HPNPilot1200 said:
Hi Dave,

I've personally used Jeppesen Jepp View/Flight Deck versions 2 & 3. I'm really sad so see that Jepp. went to version 3 because IMO it is much worse than version 2.
Click to expand...

Jason. Thanks for taking the time to send all that detail. I did call Jep and was able to reach someone that did some explaining. JeppView seems to be what I need. Has the flight planning software and the Jeppview charts for the enroute flying. I can download it on the internet while traveling. They do recommend a seperate subscription for the high altitude charts. It's almost $100 per month if I get both. Then, add the EFB on top of that. Not to mention GPS update cards.

Jepp seems to still be geared to the big corporate user and seems to price things accordingly. They are kind of stiff for a GA guy going on one or two long trips a month. Still, I'm going to keep playing with this. The paper chart wars are overwhelming sometimes. Carrying charts for portions of the country over which I fly just in case I need to go into someplace is sure killing a lot of trees!! Getting charts late; then, trying to purchase them at a distant airport where the FBO doesn't carry what I need is a real pain! My right arm has grown much longer than my left: some people ask if I was a college pitcher. No, I carry a 35 pound flight bag!

Thanks again.

Dave
 
Dave,

I just picked up the EFB from these folks: http://www.flightprep.com/ I haven't gotten far enough past the basics to give it a pirep, other than to say it seems to work. Updates are by DVD.

Seattle Avionics http://www.seattleavionics.com/ seems to have a pretty good package which is updateable via internet. I've no experience with it, though.

Regards,
Joe
 
Joe B said:
Dave,

I just picked up the EFB from these folks: http://www.flightprep.com/ I haven't gotten far enough past the basics to give it a pirep, other than to say it seems to work. Updates are by DVD.

Seattle Avionics http://www.seattleavionics.com/ seems to have a pretty good package which is updateable via internet. I've no experience with it, though.

Regards,
Joe
Click to expand...

Thanks Joe. I've got a lot of info to wade through. Lance and I are flying together end of next week and he volunteered to show me his system.

Dave
 
I've been using JeppView for about a year (this May). I like it. I haven't mastered enough for software to do exactly what I want. I have one 1" Jepp binder with my usual charts by "RoutePack". They keep the enroute IFR maps in paper and up to date. I update via the internet altho Jeppesen insists on sending me CDs every 14 days.

The one thing I would like to do with JeppView is to flagged changed charts in a routepack and give me the option to print *only* those charts. I'm sure there's a way, but I haven't found it yet.

FliteSoft software looks very interesting. I use AeroPlanner on the internet, along with DUAT, FltPlan and a host of other sites for each X-C. It usually takes me longer to get all the information together than it does to take the flight. I've been looking at Jeppesen's FliteStar and JIFP (Internet Flight Planner). FliteStar is supposed to integrate with JeppView.

I looked into a hardened EFB, but they would take nealy 1/2 my flying budget for a year and that's without update service. Paper might be heavy, messy and cumbersome but it's still the cheapest route to go.
 
I'm a Jepp user, use FliteStar for flight planning and JeppView for charts. I recommend it, but it is expensive. They have a package that gets you both, but I don't know if it's cheaper.

Jeffrey, send me a private e-mail, we can chat and I'll walk you through printing only changed charts. It works best with the special prepunched paper.
 
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