Flight Planning the Old Fashioned Way

How do you prefer to flight plan?

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dmccormack

dmccormack

Touchdown! Greaser!
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Dan Mc
I'm still birdless (will go out west next week, help hang the engine, test fly, and hopefully head east).

So I have some time to kill. I pulled out the sectionals and started flight planning different flights with a pen, markers, scrap paper, and a plotter.

It's been a while -- I forgot how much you can learn while poring over a sectional.

While I like -- and use -- web-based planners frequently (I have a review here), I don't think I'll ever give up sectionals for VFR joy rides.


Who else does flight planning the old fashioned way?
 
I have had a life long affair with maps and charts. I can spend hours looking at a chart. Since the zenith of flying is actually flying, as opposed to pushing buttons, I prefer to carry that active engagement into flight planning.

I understand the utility of web-based and other electronic means but the finger on the chart has never failed me although twice I have gotten lost with another pilot when he insisted GPS for primary nav.
 
Do people still flight plan? I do a series of direct to flights and do the Magenta Line of death between a few different devices.

At this point, I have 3 GPSes I could use to back up each other. And if they fail, I follow along on my eee Pad with the charts on it instead.

I haven't owned a Paper Chart is nearly 6 months now.

And I don't think I'm going back. Its just too much easier, faster, and more accurate to do it with a GPS.
 
I'm still under 400 hrs. On shorter X-Ctrys (under 250 nm), I'm still trying to get better at remembering to write down waypoint times and calculating ground speed. It is pretty easy if you practice. I believe situation awareness is better. I kick myself when I forget to work out engine out glide distances, ID downwind airfields, the whole bit.

I see a lot of airplane ads with music equipment in them. I'm really not even close to just rocking out and taking it all for granted yet. I can see it for passengers though.

I am probably going to cut over to an IP-ad after I buy a plane. I think it just makes sense to me to have all the charts in the cockpit if WX diversion takes you off the chart you planned on.
 
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Richard said:
I have had a life long affair with maps and charts. I can spend hours looking at a chart. Since the zenith of flying is actually flying, as opposed to pushing buttons, I prefer to carry that active engagement into flight planning.
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Exactly -- looking at charts helps me mentally rehearse in a way not possible with electronic modes.

Google Earth is handy for new places, but it has significant limitations.
 
I had to "refresh" myself before teaching an X/C flight planning lesson for the whole TC+WCA+VAR+DEV=CH stuff.

I use FliteStar, but look at the sectionals before flying an unfamiliar route. I also will fly it in flight simulator which helps give a feel for terrain and other things.
 
On my trip to OSH a few years back I did the 'Google Earth" thing by laying the view almost sideways and loaded that image into my mind... I set the veiwing speed to about 1 hour for the entire trip and as I flew it over a 12 hour period the 'preflight image' burned into my mind helped me alot and I was ready for just about any curveball my plane would have thrown at me.. I also used paper charts, My KMD-150 and mark 20 eyeballs too.. It was a trip to remember for sure ....:yesnod::yesnod::yesnod::yesnod:
I LOVE cross country flights... And the good ol USA is the best place in the world to fly in. IMHO.

Ben.
 
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Fltplan.com and Foreflight.

I teach primary students both the old fashion way (first) and some of the more modern methods (later on).
 
Teach on paper. Electronics for myself.
 
Depends on the situation. IFR, yes I'll do the paperwork unless it's really freakin' short. VFR? Naaah unless I'm pushing reserves. But my personal minimum is an hour anyway so I rarely bother.
 
I do a little of both on big trips. Nothing like looking at (one of three) charts I buy each cycle, ruler and slide rule. I think this helps keep the brain working. A week or so in advance and then finalize it night before.
Day of, I'll fire off an internet planner chart to check the details, maybe voyager or AOPA or aeroplanner. Pull up the DUAT weather and any significant info I might need. I've also been known to call flight service. LockMart isn't as bad as they used to be but certainly aren't even close to the old FSS.
500 hours; I still get anxious about "big" trips.
Just flying around the neighborhood; duat and aopa or voyager.
 
for work..no
for play..yes

I still love the feel of a sectional
I still hate the feel of 70lbs worth of Jepps
 
Was web-based until ForFlight....which is technically also somewhat web-based. I por over the details of the charts, too, but on the iPad screen. I don't miss replacing $10 charts every few months!
 
I like maps and I like pouring over paper maps, but nowdays I do that with Skyvector. I trained (in 2009) using the paper & pencil method, measuring NM with my VFR plotter on the sectional, filling out, and calculating on the navlog by hand. It felt a little tedious, but I am glad I learned that way.

Now I use a combination of Skyvector.com and Fltplan.com to fill out my navlog very quickly. I'll do a quick check of weather and winds aloft on AviationWeather.gov, call WX-Brief for TFR/NOTAMs and I'll go.... BUT that's if I'm planning the flight in the first place. If if it's not too far and I've already been to that airport before, I'll just hop in and go.

I have a handheld GPS in the form of my Android phone and Naviator software.
 
I use charts, plotter, e6b, navlog ... The first couple of times with students. Then I show them the web way and they groan. I always have a chart in the seat next to me. I've tried the iPad lately while flying with students... They are doing the chart thing and I futz with forflight. For some reason it has trouble keeping a signal or getting one. I'm thinking it might be the case it's in. So next time I'm going to take it out of the case and see what it does.. At one point the other day it said we were at 16000 feet - we were at about 6K feet.
Anyway, for long trips into unknown territory I will continue to use paper charts. For flying around here I don't need them anymore.
 
PS: no one has mentioned nav monster.... Is it still around or any good for this? I think I'll check it out.
 
I loved navmonster and still use it for "checking things out" along a route, but it was much better before they had to switch to a different map setup in response to ChartCase's asinine patent trolling. Now the map's on a separate tab.
 
Skyvector for overview, DUATS for file and wind, notams online. DONE. :D Of course we teach the students the old painful way, but hey, we actually gotta make takeoff time here so.. :)
 
hindsight2020 said:
Skyvector for overview, DUATS for file and wind, notams online. DONE. :D Of course we teach the students the old painful way, but hey, we actually gotta make takeoff time here so.. :)
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Oh please. I can plan and file the "painful" way in the time it takes you to steal a cookie from the FBO.
 
I love the smell of a freshly printed sectional right out of the mail. Also, printed sectionals can't run out of batteries. That said, on my last cross country Foreflight on my iPad really impressed me with how accurate it was compared with the G1000 (both of which were also tracking my path towards the grand canyon).


---
I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=35.931414,-115.092759
 
I'm happy to spread out the charts and plan the route to fly. Then load it into DUATS to let it crank out the plan based on current weather and aircraft performance numbers already entered. I proved I could do it by hand when I got my private cert. Still can, but why take the time?
 
Ghery said:
I proved I could do it by hand when I got my private cert. Still can, but why take the time?
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Because you can spend time peering at the paper, lay out different routes, remind yourself what all the terms and abbreviations mean on the chart, and prepare for the nearly inevitable "Uh oh, lost electric -- where should I go?" event.

:thumbsup:
 
dmccormack said:
Who else does flight planning the old fashioned way?
Click to expand...

Me. While I've had a GPS (a couple IFR ones) I still draw the pencil line
on the sectional .. highlight obstructions and airspace .. and pay attention to what's on the map. I use aeroplanner for a general quick view of a trip as to time and distance.

RT
 
Richard said:
Oh please. I can plan and file the "painful" way in the time it takes you to steal a cookie from the FBO.
Click to expand...

Well that depends how long it takes to get to the FBO.
 
fltplan.com and direct to is usually what i do in airplanes.

in the glider i just go
 
Is there an online flight planner that can generate a nav log with waypoints like "river bend with small island" and "highway intersection with RR x-ing"? I've used AOPA flight planner, but it only puts navaids as intermediate waypoints on the route. I want times and distance between all the other random waypoints I pick.
 
jasc15 said:
Is there an online flight planner that can generate a nav log with waypoints like "river bend with small island" and "highway intersection with RR x-ing"? I've used AOPA flight planner, but it only puts navaids as intermediate waypoints on the route. I want times and distance between all the other random waypoints I pick.
Click to expand...


You can plan a GPS LAt/Lon location. I make User defined Waypoints (Lake here, house there) and then add to route.
 
jasc15 said:
Is there an online flight planner that can generate a nav log with waypoints like "river bend with small island" and "highway intersection with RR x-ing"? I've used AOPA flight planner, but it only puts navaids as intermediate waypoints on the route. I want times and distance between all the other random waypoints I pick.
Click to expand...

On the AOPA planner, you right click, and make them a user waypoint.
 
dmccormack said:
I'm still birdless (will go out west next week, help hang the engine, test fly, and hopefully head east).

So I have some time to kill. I pulled out the sectionals and started flight planning different flights with a pen, markers, scrap paper, and a plotter.

It's been a while -- I forgot how much you can learn while poring over a sectional.

While I like -- and use -- web-based planners frequently (I have a review here), I don't think I'll ever give up sectionals for VFR joy rides.


Who else does flight planning the old fashioned way?
Click to expand...

Me, but I need to learn about the new ways, especially since I am a paying member of AOPA etc.

I am flying the 152 jointly with a POA pilot tomorrow (Brian) and we will probably meet first, I will review the TAC with him and go over the frequencies - then we'll take off. This will be my third "Bay Tour" - so it barely requires a "plan". The Golden Gate Bridge is easy to get to and all I need to worry about is staying out of the bravo airspace.

This weekend, schedules and weather permitting, I'm going to fly the 152 again with another POA pilot Mari (everskyward). Not sure what we will do / where we will go but I'll probably use pen and paper and sectional for that too.
 
As I'm VFR only I like to take off, fly the Magic Magenta untill fuel or bladder says it's time to stop, find a place and land. IFR that won't cut it but I really like to let the trip take me where it will, as getting there really is half the fun.
 
I really wonder about this "old fashioned" stuff. Time was you used a road map and flew past water-towers to see where you were. Weren't any of those stinking new-fangled charts until Jeppesen came around.
 
steingar said:
I really wonder about this "old fashioned" stuff. Time was you used a road map and flew past water-towers to see where you were. Weren't any of those stinking new-fangled charts until Jeppesen came around.
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Singing the praises of "how it used to be" is kinda lame. People always used the tools of the time at their disposal. No different now.
 
I start flight planning with the Golden Eagle program. Then cross reference it with charts to make sure there are usable gaps in the mountains. Then cross reference with road maps and friends suggestions to see if I need to swing over to some interesting spot. Then I take off and fly where ever there are no rain clouds and land when ever I feel like it.

Barb
 
One Short said:
I start flight planning with the Golden Eagle program. Then cross reference it with charts to make sure there are usable gaps in the mountains. Then cross reference with road maps and friends suggestions to see if I need to swing over to some interesting spot. Then I take off and fly where ever there are no rain clouds and land when ever I feel like it.

Barb
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That, fellow pilots is how we fly in Wyoming.:yesnod::yesnod::yesnod::yesnod::)
 
Usually I first plug it into skyvector to see the route and make changes, than I take an actual paper chart and plot the course. I also fill out the whole nav log. Then when I get to the actual plane I just plug my route into the G1000 and never bother to look at the paper.
Note that this is for 100+nm flights.

I don't know why I spend so much time filling out all that paperwork when I never use it. I guess it just makes me feel more prepared for the flight. :confused:


On shorter flights I just use dead reckoning or the G1000, depending on what else I got to do and what I feel like. Sometimes I even have the autopilot fly the whole thing.
 
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dmccormack said:
Because you can spend time peering at the paper, lay out different routes, remind yourself what all the terms and abbreviations mean on the chart, and prepare for the nearly inevitable "Uh oh, lost electric -- where should I go?" event.

:thumbsup:
Click to expand...

You missed the first part of my post. I'm happy to spread out the charts and decide on a route. It's the tedious calculations converting true to magnetic, wind triangles, etc that are best left to the computer. That way I have more time to do the fun part of the planning - deciding where to go and how to get there.
 
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