AOPA Flight Planner - I preferred the earlier one

[Maule Driver]

I preferred the earlier one because it was web based and allowed me to run
it wherever I was on whoever's system I was using (including my friend's
Macs where I've planned and filed dozens of flights).

What really is irritating me is the fact that my home 'port, 8NC8, is not in
the airport database. Making it a waypoint still doesn't seem to allow me
plan a flight to and from it. A minor but irritating problem. It wasn't a
problem with the earlier tool.

Going to have to call them since there doesn't seem to be any online help or
support on the topic.

[Ross Richardson]

I called AOPA to inquire about the fact the Flight Planner didn't allow
a user defined route; it's direct or airways. They said they had to keep
it simple. You can go and strech the rubber band route.

You know, for simple flight planning, the DUATS Cirrus dial-up
application cannot be beat. Gives you interface with DUATs winds, can
plan airways, direct, user defined. I have my plane profiled and I
usually am within 5 to 10 minutes of my flight time and a couple of
gallons of fuel burn. I get a real simple printable flight plan to take
away with me.

Ross
N7905U

Maule Driver wrote:
>
> I preferred the earlier one because it was web based and allowed me to run
> it wherever I was on whoever's system I was using (including my friend's
> Macs where I've planned and filed dozens of flights).
>
> What really is irritating me is the fact that my home 'port, 8NC8, is not in
> the airport database. Making it a waypoint still doesn't seem to allow me
> plan a flight to and from it. A minor but irritating problem. It wasn't a
> problem with the earlier tool.
>
> Going to have to call them since there doesn't seem to be any online help or
> support on the topic.

[Kyler Laird]

"Maule Driver" > writes:

>I preferred the earlier one because it was web based and allowed me to run
>it wherever I was on whoever's system I was using (including my friend's
>Macs where I've planned and filed dozens of flights).

I flight plan on whatever machine I have handy. Often is borrowed.

It continues to amaze me that companies try *so* hard to avoid making
applications that just work on the Web.

>What really is irritating me is the fact that my home 'port, 8NC8, is not in
>the airport database. Making it a waypoint still doesn't seem to allow me
>plan a flight to and from it.

From the related thread, I gather this means that AOPA assumes that only
a small fraction of their members would ever want to use that airport so
it's not worth spending resources to support it.

--kyler

[Andrew Gideon]

Kyler Laird wrote:


> From the related thread, I gather this means that AOPA assumes that only
> a small fraction of their members would ever want to use that airport so
> it's not worth spending resources to support it.

<Laugh>

Uh oh. A small fraction of AOPA members use any airport.

- Andrew

[Paul Tomblin]

In a previous article, "Maule Driver" > said:
>I preferred the earlier one because it was web based and allowed me to run
>it wherever I was on whoever's system I was using (including my friend's
>Macs where I've planned and filed dozens of flights).

Isn't the old AOPA one just http://www.duats.com/ with the AOPA name
plastered on it?

>What really is irritating me is the fact that my home 'port, 8NC8, is not in
>the airport database. Making it a waypoint still doesn't seem to allow me

It's on duats.com.


--
Paul Tomblin > http://xcski.com/blogs/pt/
Microsoft - Where quality is job 1.0.1

[John Harlow]

> What really is irritating me is the fact that my home 'port, 8NC8, is
> not in the airport database. Making it a waypoint still doesn't seem
> to allow me plan a flight to and from it. A minor but irritating
> problem.

I see it more of as a major flaw. It's a pretty useless tool to me.

[Maule Driver]

"Paul Tomblin" >
> In a previous article, "Maule Driver" >
said:
> >I preferred the earlier one because it was web based and allowed me to
run
> >it wherever I was on whoever's system I was using (including my friend's
> >Macs where I've planned and filed dozens of flights).
>
> Isn't the old AOPA one just http://www.duats.com/ with the AOPA name
> plastered on it?
>
> >What really is irritating me is the fact that my home 'port, 8NC8, is not
in
> >the airport database. Making it a waypoint still doesn't seem to allow
me
>
> It's on duats.com.
>
You are right. It was just duats.com with AOPA on it. I think I'll go back
to it. The 8nc8 omission is a real pain.

AOPA seems to be paying a lot of attention to the airspace restrictions so
maybe that's what it's good for.

[Dean Wilkinson]

********* Shameless Plug ************

While not free, my Win32 planner is low cost compared to the
competition and it includes digital sectionals. It will run on
any version of windows from 95 on, and can run under Virtual PC
on a Mac. It may run under WINE on a Linux machine. It was
developed using Delphi, and I can easily offer it in a .NET
version. Rumor has it that .NET will soon be supported on both
Linux and Mac machines.

Download the demo and give it a try:
http://www.razorsedgesoft.com/airplan

I will have a booth at Oshkosh this year, so stop by and see me
there.

Dean Wilkinson

"Maule Driver" > wrote in message >...
> I preferred the earlier one because it was web based and allowed me to run
> it wherever I was on whoever's system I was using (including my friend's
> Macs where I've planned and filed dozens of flights).
>
> What really is irritating me is the fact that my home 'port, 8NC8, is not in
> the airport database. Making it a waypoint still doesn't seem to allow me
> plan a flight to and from it. A minor but irritating problem. It wasn't a
> problem with the earlier tool.
>
> Going to have to call them since there doesn't seem to be any online help or
> support on the topic.

[G.R. Patterson III]

Kyler Laird wrote:
>
> From the related thread, I gather this means that AOPA assumes that only
> a small fraction of their members would ever want to use that airport so
> it's not worth spending resources to support it.

I could be wrong, but I think you should blame Jeppesen, not AOPA. The download
page says that Jep provides the software.

George Patterson
Battle, n; A method of untying with the teeth a political knot that would
not yield to the tongue.

[C J Campbell]

AOPA's flight planner was introduced to give users better ability to plot
TFRs than what the old DUATS flight planner had. It was written by Jeppesen
and is the same software that the FAA uses to plot TFRs. It is based on
Jeppesen's FliteStar software and had the TFR plotting ability even before
FliteStar had it.

However, like all freeware, I suspect it is deliberately crippled so as to
not affect FliteStar's sales.

8NC8 is in the database for both FliteStar and the AOPA flight planner. For
some reason the AOPA flight planner will not let you use it, although you
can see it plotted on the chart if you zoom in enough. You can click on it
and get the information about it.

7 NM NE of Durham, NC (Durham County)

N 36° 03.6' W 78° 47.0' Magnetic Variation: 9.1°W

Elevation: 309'

Cincinnati Sectional

Owner: Private, Permitted Use: Private

Position Estimated, Elevation Surveyed


It looks like a bug (in the software -- the airport does not look like a
bug). There is no problem including it in FlightStar flight plans, so this
is a peculiarity of the crippled AOPA version. I kind of wonder if the AOPA
software treats all private airports like this? It will not allow WA96 (Port
Orchard, WA), either. Maybe the lawyers got hold of it and worried about
liability.

Several people have mentioned Cirrus flight planning software. Cirrus is
going away. A free standalone replacement called "Golden Eagle FlightPrep"
has been developed by the same people who developed Cirrus, but I could not
find on their web site what the operating requirements will be. It will be
formally introduced in April at Sun n Fun. Cirrus was not developed by
DUATS, but both Cirrus and Golden Eagle FlightPrep are promoted on the DUATS
web site.

An online version of FlightPrep is available by paid subscription. It will
run on either Mac or Windows environments. The Mac notice has a disclaimer
that says "check computer requirements," but they don't seem to have posted
anywhere what those computer requirements are. It looks like the online
version compares favorably with Aeroplanner. They give a discount to AOPA
members.

www.flightprep.com

[Travis Marlatte]

I agree that DUATS planning is simple, fast and very adequate. Oh, yea, and
it's free. I almost always use it for advance planning. For one thing, I
know that I have access no matter where I'm staying at the other end.

The new AOPA planner does a couple of things that I love. First, the airways
are marked with the MEA and the navlog indicates the MEAs for airways. I can
rubber band the route so that the MEAs are acceptable to me. Second, the
TFRs are shown so that I can verify that I am clear. With the radar overlay,
it is a pretty good planning aid.

If it turns out to be a VFR flight, I can follow my planned route and not
have to worry. If it turns out to be an IFR flight, I'm also set.

The one feature that would make me a dedicated user would be to have fuel
prices displayed.

--
-------------------------------
Travis
"Ross Richardson" > wrote in message
...
> I called AOPA to inquire about the fact the Flight Planner didn't allow
> a user defined route; it's direct or airways. They said they had to keep
> it simple. You can go and strech the rubber band route.
>
> You know, for simple flight planning, the DUATS Cirrus dial-up
> application cannot be beat. Gives you interface with DUATs winds, can
> plan airways, direct, user defined. I have my plane profiled and I
> usually am within 5 to 10 minutes of my flight time and a couple of
> gallons of fuel burn. I get a real simple printable flight plan to take
> away with me.
>
> Ross
> N7905U
>
> Maule Driver wrote:
> >
> > I preferred the earlier one because it was web based and allowed me to
run
> > it wherever I was on whoever's system I was using (including my friend's
> > Macs where I've planned and filed dozens of flights).
> >
> > What really is irritating me is the fact that my home 'port, 8NC8, is
not in
> > the airport database. Making it a waypoint still doesn't seem to allow
me
> > plan a flight to and from it. A minor but irritating problem. It
wasn't a
> > problem with the earlier tool.
> >
> > Going to have to call them since there doesn't seem to be any online
help or
> > support on the topic.

[Jim Fisher]

"Maule Driver" > wrote in message
> I preferred the earlier one because it was web based and allowed me to run
> it wherever I was on whoever's system I was using (including my friend's
> Macs where I've planned and filed dozens of flights).

Fer what it's worth, Aeroplanner is incredible. I don't see it mentioned
here much anymore. The owner of the site used to post here a lot. In
Aeroplanner's infancy, he solicited our feedback and, more importantly,
acted almost immediately on that feedback in order to make it better.

Y'all all think AOPA and DUATs and anyone else in aviation ought to provide
a user friendly, multi-platform, accurate planner at absolutely no cost to
you and damn the cost to the developer. Well, all that's available at
Aeroplanner but you gotta pay for it.

You get what you pay for.

8NC8 is there, by the way.

--
Jim Fisher

[Aviv Hod]

"Maule Driver" > wrote in message
...
> I preferred the earlier one because it was web based and allowed me to run
> it wherever I was on whoever's system I was using (including my friend's
> Macs where I've planned and filed dozens of flights).
>
> What really is irritating me is the fact that my home 'port, 8NC8, is not
in
> the airport database. Making it a waypoint still doesn't seem to allow me
> plan a flight to and from it. A minor but irritating problem. It wasn't
a
> problem with the earlier tool.
>
> Going to have to call them since there doesn't seem to be any online help
or
> support on the topic.
>
>

The AOPA tool seems to not let you plan directly to private airstrips, but
you can easily modify any route it comes up with. In your case, just flight
plan to KRDU, then drag the end point to 8NC8. It's in the database, you
just need to zoom in to find it. Dragging the endpoint seems to update the
navlog correctly as well. Does that solve the problem?

-Aviv

[Maule Driver]

"Aviv Hod" com> wrote in
message ...
>
> "Maule Driver" > wrote in message
> ...
> > I preferred the earlier one because it was web based and allowed me to
run
> > it wherever I was on whoever's system I was using (including my friend's
> > Macs where I've planned and filed dozens of flights).
> >
> > What really is irritating me is the fact that my home 'port, 8NC8, is
not
> in
> > the airport database. Making it a waypoint still doesn't seem to allow
me
> > plan a flight to and from it. A minor but irritating problem. It
wasn't
> a
> > problem with the earlier tool.
> >
> > Going to have to call them since there doesn't seem to be any online
help
> or
> > support on the topic.
> >
> >
>
> The AOPA tool seems to not let you plan directly to private airstrips, but
> you can easily modify any route it comes up with. In your case, just
flight
> plan to KRDU, then drag the end point to 8NC8. It's in the database, you
> just need to zoom in to find it. Dragging the endpoint seems to update
the
> navlog correctly as well. Does that solve the problem?
>
I believe it would. I'm going to try it. Thanks.

[Andrew Gideon]

Jim Fisher wrote:

> Well, all that's available at
> Aeroplanner but you gotta pay for it.
>
> You get what you pay for.

Someone else mentioned Aeroplanner. I read around on the web site, and the
product certainly does look interesting. I'm probably going to buy a month
of premium shortly to give it a shot.

Thanks for the recommendation.

- Andrew