The Flight Planner sheet

[Pietrantonio]

Just curious how many use the flight planner sheet (The sheet to determine your fixes, headings, alt. , ETE, ATE, etc....) everytime you decide to go on a x-country?? Are there any other resources for completing this sheet such as a website, etc? I seem to have no problems filling this sheet out, but it has been about 3 years since my PPL days until I started training again, so some areas are a bit weak. I'm going to have to get with my instructor on really understanding this fully again, but in all, are these flight planner sheet as important for IFR as they are for VFR? What's your take, opinions, ideas, experiences? Thanks everyone!

[fletchersteel]

I am not sure about the IFR thing, but as for VFR, which is all I can fly now, I like to use the AOPA flight planner. It is a really great tool for cross countries, and with you DUAT account, you can get the weather input for your flight. During my PPL x-country's my instructor wanted my checkpoints 10 to 15nm from each other. The AOPA planner puts them sometimes as far ar 50nm. I don't see it as a problem, but others might. I do feel that the more acurate and planned a trip is, the better it will be. What are you guys opinion on the checkpoint distance thing for VFR?

[Beech driver]

I personally don't use them all the time. In fact, I rarely use them for a VFR flight. However, I do the DUATs work so I know the course, time, etc. I bring that printout with me and cross reference everything on a sectional. Granted, I seem to fly the same routes often enough that I know where I am just by looking at the towns and lakes on the ground. And when I am with a student, they are going to have one filled out for me to check as we go.

As far as the length between checkpoints, I also tell my students to initially keep them about 10 nm apart. That way you can verify you are on course without needing to fly too far. It is also helpful to get the actual ground speed, time to next checkpoint, destination, etc. After a couple checkpoints I will stretch them out to say 25 nm or so. But that also depends on what there is on the ground to use.

[flyguy969]

I actually use them for all my VFR x-countries. Simply put I always want to know where I am at. Using these allows me to to cross referance my sectionals and have my situational awareness. Never know when you might lose nav equipment. As for when I file IFR I still make up charts but not as detailed. Still want to know time, distance, fuel burn, ect

[tonyw]

I rarely use them. When I fly cross countries, I generally use the GPS and back that up with VORs and use the sectionals on top of that.

And yes, I know someone's going to say, but what if you had a total loss of electric power, then you'd be screwed and my response is, I'm still using the sectionals so I've got that and if I did have a total electrical failure, I'd be screwed anyway.

[caliginousface]

http://www.fltplan.com

[flyinkibblez]

Originally Posted by tonyw

I rarely use them. When I fly cross countries, I generally use the GPS and back that up with VORs and use the sectionals on top of that.

I agree. While there is nothing wrong with them...Most of the work done on those charts is just to determine you heading and wind correction anyways. Almost everything that you enter on a flight planner is stuff you should have with you anyways.

[killbilly]

I use a sheet that I downloaded from ASA's website. My CFI has been adamant about me using them, so they're just part of the process for me. He also has me take advantage of the FSS options for weather and stuff, both pre-flight on the phone and in the air, and I've gotten pretty comfortable with calling them up and getting updates.

I don't have or use a GPS yet - and he's got me doing my checkpoints about 20NM apart, sometimes more and sometimes less depending on the particular checkpoint. We have a lot of lakes and railroad tracks here in N. Texas that make it pretty easy on a VFR day, and for night flight, if visibility is good, the shapes of towns and the scads of lit towers help, too, supplemented with VORs.