Google Earth for in flight Planning?

[terry]

I have found it an a very useful supplement to my flight planning to
view my route on google earth before the flight. especially when
flying to an airport I have never been before. The visual picture of
the route and destination is just so much more real than a map. And
of course you can check the distance using the ruler function as well,
and you can also check the coords in case the numbers in the gpc or
ersa ( australia) are not correct which has been known to occur.

Any one else using this great tool?

Terry
PPL Downunder

[terry]

On Aug 11, 7:15*pm, terry > wrote:
> I have found it an a very useful supplement to my flight planning to
> view my route on google earth before the flight. especially when
> flying to an airport I have never been before. *The visual picture of
> the route and destination is just so much more real than a map. * And
> of course you can check the distance using the ruler function as well,
> and you can also check the coords in case the numbers in the gpc or
> ersa ( australia) are not correct which has been known to occur.
>
> Any one else using this great tool?
>
> Terry
> PPL Downunder

Just to correct the heading , that was meant to be "for flight
planning", not "for in flight planning " just in case you thought I
was staring at google screens in flight
Terry

[Cubdriver]

I particularly like it for visualizing how the 45 and the downwind leg
will work out in practice, or even entering on the base leg.

Sometimes when I see something that puzzles me during a flight, I can
"re-fly" the afternoon on Google Earth and zoom in on the mystery
house/whatever.

Blue skies! -- Dan Ford

Claire Chennault and His American Volunteers, 1941-1942
new from HarperCollins www.FlyingTigersBook.com

[buttman]

On Aug 11, 3:15*am, terry > wrote:
> I have found it an a very useful supplement to my flight planning to
> view my route on google earth before the flight. especially when
> flying to an airport I have never been before. *The visual picture of
> the route and destination is just so much more real than a map. * And
> of course you can check the distance using the ruler function as well,
> and you can also check the coords in case the numbers in the gpc or
> ersa ( australia) are not correct which has been known to occur.
>
> Any one else using this great tool?
>
> Terry
> PPL Downunder

check out http://runwayfinder.com

you can switch between sectional chart view and google map view very
easily.

[terry]

On Aug 12, 6:45*am, buttman > wrote:
> On Aug 11, 3:15*am, terry > wrote:
>
> > I have found it an a very useful supplement to my flight planning to
> > view my route on google earth before the flight. especially when
> > flying to an airport I have never been before. *The visual picture of
> > the route and destination is just so much more real than a map. * And
> > of course you can check the distance using the ruler function as well,
> > and you can also check the coords in case the numbers in the gpc or
> > ersa ( australia) are not correct which has been known to occur.
>
> > Any one else using this great tool?
>
> > Terry
> > PPL Downunder
>
> check outhttp://runwayfinder.com
>
> you can switch between sectional chart view and google map view very
> easily.

Thats great, unfortunately its only for the US but I guess its just a
matter of time before we have it downunder.
Terry

[Gerry Caron]

"terry" > wrote in message
...
>I have found it an a very useful supplement to my flight planning to
> view my route on google earth before the flight. especially when
> flying to an airport I have never been before. The visual picture of
> the route and destination is just so much more real than a map. And
> of course you can check the distance using the ruler function as well,
> and you can also check the coords in case the numbers in the gpc or
> ersa ( australia) are not correct which has been known to occur.
>
> Any one else using this great tool?
>

It's also useful for analyzing your flights. If you have a portable GPS
that logs your flights, go to http://www.goflying.org/ There you can
upload your log and do a mashup that lets you view it in Google Earth. You
can also view other's flights (if they've made them public.)

Gerry

[steve[_1_]]

One of my IFR instructors said another student prints out google earth
images of the route he is going to fly, to particularly look for landmarks
in unfamiliar routes and emergency landing site possibilities.

I personally haven't used it.
"terry" > wrote in message
...
>I have found it an a very useful supplement to my flight planning to
> view my route on google earth before the flight. especially when
> flying to an airport I have never been before. The visual picture of
> the route and destination is just so much more real than a map. And
> of course you can check the distance using the ruler function as well,
> and you can also check the coords in case the numbers in the gpc or
> ersa ( australia) are not correct which has been known to occur.
>
> Any one else using this great tool?
>
> Terry
> PPL Downunder
>
>

[[email protected]]

On Aug 13, 2:22 am, "steve" > wrote:
> One of my IFR instructors said another student prints out google earth
> images of the route he is going to fly, to particularly look for landmarks
> in unfamiliar routes and emergency landing site possibilities.
>
> I personally haven't used it."terry" > wrote in message
>
> ...
>
> >I have found it an a very useful supplement to my flight planning to
> > view my route on google earth before the flight. especially when
> > flying to an airport I have never been before. The visual picture of
> > the route and destination is just so much more real than a map. And
> > of course you can check the distance using the ruler function as well,
> > and you can also check the coords in case the numbers in the gpc or
> > ersa ( australia) are not correct which has been known to occur.
>
> > Any one else using this great tool?
>
> > Terry
> > PPL Downunder

Sectional charts are a lot more useful for pilotage than google earth
images. Those charts show things more easily visible to the pilot, and
offer an overlay of information that is directly useful for flying.
Google Earth for aviation navigation is a solution looking for a
problem.

[terry]

On Aug 13, 10:29*pm, wrote:
> On Aug 13, 2:22 am, "steve" > wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> > One of my IFR instructors said another student prints out google earth
> > images of the route he is going to fly, to particularly look for landmarks
> > in unfamiliar routes and emergency landing site possibilities.
>
> > I personally haven't used it."terry" > wrote in message
>
> ....
>
> > >I have found it an a very useful supplement to my flight planning to
> > > view my route on google earth before the flight. especially when
> > > flying to an airport I have never been before. *The visual picture of
> > > the route and destination is just so much more real than a map. * And
> > > of course you can check the distance using the ruler function as well,
> > > and you can also check the coords in case the numbers in the gpc or
> > > ersa ( australia) are not correct which has been known to occur.
>
> > > Any one else using this great tool?
>
> > > Terry
> > > PPL Downunder
>
> Sectional charts are a lot more useful for pilotage than google earth
> images. Those charts show things more easily visible to the pilot, and
> offer an overlay of information that is directly useful for flying.
> Google Earth for aviation navigation is a solution looking for a
> problem.- Hide quoted text -
>
I think you misread the post. I use the google earth image to
familiarise myself with the route and the look of the destination
airfield in particular before the flight, not as a substitute for a
navigation chart. I also use it to check runway orientation which
is information not always readily available on unlicensed airstrips in
Australia.

Terry

[[email protected]]

On Aug 13, 8:41 am, terry > wrote:
> On Aug 13, 10:29 pm, wrote:
>
> > On Aug 13, 2:22 am, "steve" > wrote:
>
> > > One of my IFR instructors said another student prints out google earth
> > > images of the route he is going to fly, to particularly look for landmarks
> > > in unfamiliar routes and emergency landing site possibilities.
>
> > > I personally haven't used it."terry" > wrote in message
>
> > ...
>
> > > >I have found it an a very useful supplement to my flight planning to
> > > > view my route on google earth before the flight. especially when
> > > > flying to an airport I have never been before. The visual picture of
> > > > the route and destination is just so much more real than a map. And
> > > > of course you can check the distance using the ruler function as well,
> > > > and you can also check the coords in case the numbers in the gpc or
> > > > ersa ( australia) are not correct which has been known to occur.
>
> > > > Any one else using this great tool?
>
> > > > Terry
> > > > PPL Downunder
>
> > Sectional charts are a lot more useful for pilotage than google earth
> > images. Those charts show things more easily visible to the pilot, and
> > offer an overlay of information that is directly useful for flying.
> > Google Earth for aviation navigation is a solution looking for a
> > problem.- Hide quoted text -
>
> I think you misread the post. I use the google earth image to
> familiarise myself with the route and the look of the destination
> airfield in particular before the flight, not as a substitute for a
> navigation chart. I also use it to check runway orientation which
> is information not always readily available on unlicensed airstrips in
> Australia.
>
> Terry

Sorry, Terry, I erred in assuming you you dealing with USA airspaces.
I know nothing about documentation available in AU -- wish I had a
realistic need to know!

[Mxsmanic]

steve writes:

> One of my IFR instructors said another student prints out google earth
> images of the route he is going to fly, to particularly look for landmarks
> in unfamiliar routes and emergency landing site possibilities.

Why not just look at a chart? They're made specifically for that purpose.
And if you hit something, telling the FAA you used Google Earth for flight
planning instead of a chart isn't going to go over very well.

[george]

On Aug 14, 12:41 am, terry > wrote:

> I think you misread the post. I use the google earth image to
> familiarise myself with the route and the look of the destination
> airfield in particular before the flight, not as a substitute for a
> navigation chart. I also use it to check runway orientation which
> is information not always readily available on unlicensed airstrips in
> Australia.
>
I've noticed on our Google Earth they've included topdressing
airstrips (in the correct locations)
Getting to where you just find the strip lat/long dial the location
into a GPS and go straight there..

[Cubdriver]

On Wed, 13 Aug 2008 05:41:47 -0700 (PDT), terry
> wrote:

>I use the google earth image to
>familiarise myself with the route and the look of the destination
>airfield in particular before the flight, not as a substitute for a
>navigation chart.

Yes, same here. Pace the poster to whom you were replying, I think
that Google Earth is actually more informative than a sectional chart.
For example, for entering an extended base leg for a new runway (ie, a
runway I'd never before landed on), I was able on GE to locate a
church steeple to set up the leg.

As posted, I also like to "re-fly" flights, both for my own pleasure
and to share them with long-suffering family members.


Blue skies! -- Dan Ford

Claire Chennault and His American Volunteers, 1941-1942
new from HarperCollins www.FlyingTigersBook.com

[Rocky Stevens]

On Aug 14, 4:57 pm, Cubdriver <usenet AT danford DOT net> wrote:
> On Wed, 13 Aug 2008 05:41:47 -0700 (PDT), terry
>
> > wrote:
> >I use the google earth image to
> >familiarise myself with the route and the look of the destination
> >airfield in particular before the flight, not as a substitute for a
> >navigation chart.
>
> Yes, same here. Pace the poster to whom you were replying, I think
> that Google Earth is actually more informative than a sectional chart.
> For example, for entering an extended base leg for a new runway (ie, a
> runway I'd never before landed on), I was able on GE to locate a
> church steeple to set up the leg.
>
> As posted, I also like to "re-fly" flights, both for my own pleasure
> and to share them with long-suffering family members.
>
> Blue skies! -- Dan Ford
>
> Claire Chennault and His American Volunteers, 1941-1942
> new from HarperCollinswww.FlyingTigersBook.com

Some people who use MSFS use data from Google maps to draw the terrain
below. It would be crappy from a 3D point of view, but I wonder if it
would be a good way to practice pilotage for an unfamiliar area?

http://fsearth.fsutil.com/
http://www.elbiah.de/flusi/MyFsGoogleEarth/MyFsGoogleEarth.htm
http://sourceforge.net/projects/tileproxy/

[beachbum38]

On Aug 13, 2:22 am, "steve" > wrote:
> One of my IFR instructors said another student prints out google earth
> images of the route he is going to fly, to particularly look for landmarks
> in unfamiliar routes and emergency landing site possibilities.
>
> I personally haven't used it."terry" > wrote in message
>
> ...
>
> >I have found it an a very useful supplement to my flight planning to
> > view my route on google earth before the flight. especially when
> > flying to an airport I have never been before. The visual picture of
> > the route and destination is just so much more real than a map. And
> > of course you can check the distance using the ruler function as well,
> > and you can also check the coords in case the numbers in the gpc or
> > ersa ( australia) are not correct which has been known to occur.
>
> > Any one else using this great tool?
>
> > Terry
> > PPL Downunder

I'm studying for my private helicopter license and used Google Earth
to make snapshots of landmarks for my cross-country solo. It really
helped especially because I was able to simulate the cockpit view
including the proper altitude.
I'm also a programmer and want to dig into Google Earth to figure out
how to automate the process, allowing direct input of airports or
coordinates, altitude and distance between waypoints. I just wish
someone had done it already. It will have to wait until I get my
license though.

Marty
Student pilot, South Florida