FlightAware.com IFR flight planner

TangoWhiskey

TangoWhiskey

Touchdown! Greaser!
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Got this email today; haven't had a chance to check it out, but thought I'd start a thread where we can compare notes/thoughts:

I'm excited to announce FlightAware Flight Planning, a revolutionary new product that FlightAware just launched. I'm writing you today because you told us that you are a Private/IFR Pilot when you registered on FlightAware in August 2006. This is a pre-release beta, but the flight planning application is now available at http://flightaware.com/flightplan/. FlightAware will be the industry leader in flight planning by bringing powerful features and convenience to this free service just like we did for flight tracking three years ago.

Our revolutionary flight planning application will reduce operating cost by automatically calculating the most optimal altitude and route as well as any available FlightAware FBO fuel discounts. Along with your flight plan, we'll provide you with a navigation log, bundled approach plates, airport diagrams, and everything else needed for a flight. Additionally, if you're using our flight alerts, we'll even email or text you with your anticipated clearance -- all for free.

A few of the notable features you should be aware of:
  • Route/Altitude Optimization Matrix - FlightAware conducts millions of calculations using your aircraft performance data and every available route (based on real-time air traffic control data) and altitude to find the shortest time and/or lowest cost flight.
  • File IFR - FlightAware remembers your aircraft data (including RNAV/RNP capability and RVSM compliance) as well as pilot information so that you can quickly and easily directly with the FAA.
    Web-based interface - FlightAware's flight planning & filing is available anytime, anywhere.
  • Current Fuel Prices - FlightAware has current (within 10 days) FBO fuel prices at hundreds of US airports. In some cases, fuel prices obtained by FlightAware include significant discounts for operators that flight plan on FlightAware.com.
  • Aviation Weather - METARs, TAFs, national, local, and en route weather.
  • Approach Plates -- Download current bundled terminal procedures (IAPs, DPs, STARs, diagrams) in PDF format to easily print and bring onboard.

You will need to set up pilot information (to file IFR) and aircraft information (for performance calculations). We can provide default performance numbers for many popular aircraft. If your aircraft type does not have performance information already entered, you can do it yourself or send copies of the relevant POH pages to performance@flightaware.com or fax to +1-713-877-9020. We'll enter in the performance tables for you and let you know when you're ready to go.

If you're conducting a short flight and do not need to flight plan (e.g., flying direct <25 miles, etc.), simply click "Simple IFR File" at the top of any flight planning page to quickly & easily file IFR from FlightAware using your pre-defined aircraft and pilots.

You can take a glance at what we have to offer by viewing the attached screenshots or watching the video demo.

Thanks for using FlightAware.

Daniel Baker
FAA Commercial Pilot (AMEL/ASEL/IA)
Chief Executive Officer, FlightAware
 
Just got the email, plan on checking it out a bit later.
 
It looks pretty slick.

I still like FltPlan.com, but they could sure use some UI help!
 
SCCutler said:
I still like FltPlan.com, but they could sure use some UI help!
Click to expand...
I like fltplan.com because it has canned performance numbers. You can modify them but at least it is a beginning. You don't have to start from scratch. I know, I'm lazy... :blush:
 
i agree mari. i've found that the canned 414 numbers match pretty closely to how we fly our 421's. and its worked out nearly to the minute in practice as well.
 
I just tried it out and it's well interesting.

My first flight plan used a DP that's not available for my airport. I'm not sure yet how to change it.

The UI is pretty slick Ajax and the airplane model is pretty detailed.

As far as I can tell there is no chart of the proposed route.

Needs some work but has some good ideas.

Joe
 
Agree with Mari and Toni. It's neat, but I'm used to and very much enjoy the features of fltplan.com. The UI is lacking and overdue for a makeover, but it is a great system that Tim and Ken run.

I don't see many immediate benefits of using FlightAware over Fltplan.com. Flight cost is usually the shorter trip at the most cruise-efficient altitude, so I'm not sure how helpful that will really prove.

Best,
Jason
 
Everskyward said:
I like fltplan.com because it has canned performance numbers. You can modify them but at least it is a beginning. You don't have to start from scratch. I know, I'm lazy... :blush:
Click to expand...

The FlightAware site has some "shared" profiles for common GA airplanes, too. I didn't have to set up a profile to plan a flight.

A couple of observations:

  • It took me a minute to figure out how to pick one of the generated routes--I kept trying to click the row of data--you have to click one of the times/altitudes at the far right, instead.
  • I wish there was a way to visually see the routes on a map on the site. Maybe there is, and I didn't see it, but I can't visualize a set of coordinates that are listed on the screen.
  • I like the final page it produces, especially the bundled links to the approaches for the airports in your flight plan.
 
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