On 5/10/2006 2:51 PM, wrote the following:
Those Flightprep folks certainly seem to have a good system with the
GPS, WX, and Plates complete with the computer. Just plug it in and
go.

Yes. When start it up it even calls and gets all the METARs (assuming
you have an open internet connection) and displays them as color coded
dots on the map so you can see current conditions on your route of
flight as you plan it. Its birth was as a DUATS interface, so it is
very strong on accessing internet resources as you do your planning.

HOw was your experience with this system.

It is very solid in terms of crashes. IMHO there is still some
interface tuning needed in the in-flight readability area but I think
it's at the head of the class already with big easy-to-hit buttons and
the very slick architecture of their page system. I do not have the
XM weather so can't comment on that specifically.

It is great fun to watch your little airplane on an approach plate or
a runway diagram. It also records the flight by default, so you can
look at practice approaches, holds, etc. after the fact and see how
you did.

Does the computer run
windows? Can i use it for something other than aviation stuff (ie:
play a DVD)?

Yes. Yes. I am using an HP TC1100. The display is marginal in
bright light but that is not the fault of the application. The Motion
Computing boxes with the View Anywhere display are the hot ticket.
FlightPrep sells the LS800, which is a better size too. The TC1100 is
a tad big. I am waiting for the 1024 x 768 version of the LS800 and
then I will snap for it together with two docks. One for home and one
for our lake place, where I have full sized monitors and keyboards
plus other hardware connected. It will then be my only computer, used
for everything, just as the TC1100 is now.

HTH