Flight planning software?

Jeff wrote:
just a question, but why do you try to avoid MOA's and major tracon
areas?

The latter is good strategy if we have to go IFR and can't
go OTP. The former is good defensive flying if they're hot.
Despite the conclusions of the F16/C172 collision in Florida,
in my opinion Boeing and Lockheed products painted military
colors are way too fast for me to see-and-avoid so we stay
out if it's avoidable. Which it usually is, long-range

Making this part of strategic planning on a long trip often
makes minimal difference, while not taking them into account
results in larger detours.

Example. I recently helped a friend plan a trip from
St. Louis to St. Simeon, GA since we have a month aeroplanner
subscription and wanted to give it more workout.

He selected a fuel stop on a direct route, Shelbyville TN.
The direct route happens to pass directly through
Atlanta Class B. The low-altitude airway routing
detours to the E. We consulted an inside source , and
determined the routing we'd selected was the best available.

I would have selected a fuel stop which was off the direct
route to the E or W a degree or so, in order to avoid
having to make a sharper detour. Just for grins, I did
so. My indirect route came up significantly shorter after
the TRACON detour was factored in.

By the way, in a manner which should warm Don Brown's heart
to a toasty glow, my friend ignores the approach-certified
GPS in his panel and files low-altitude airways with SIDS
and STARS as appropriate, with judicious use of "direct"
between navaids. This makes very little difference to the
length of the flight in most places. A couple of miles over
a 900 mile trip.

I always plan 2 routes, one through restricted areas and class B and one
around, I first attempt to go though by contacting center when I am
around 20 minutes out from the airspace, if not active and I have
permission I go through, if not, then I use the alternate to go around,
same with class B unless I am on the edge of it and it dont matter. But
MOA's, just bust right on through, ask center if anything is going on and
keep eyes open.

As you like!

It sounds as though you are flying VFR, which is our preference also.
However, if you are flying IFR, failure to plan strategically can
cost you a big detour. Depending upon the facility and your direction
of flight, you are very unlikely to be routed within 40 nm of a
Class B airport below 10-12k or so, IFR. This is because from the
TRACON viewpoint, you are a slow-moving roadblock 5 miles wide and
2000 ft high (yeah, I know, not quite that bad) when you're IFR.
IOW, you're sort of a PITA from the ATC viewpoint and TRACONs vary
in their ability and willingness to deal with this (ability here
doesn't just mean skill, but also how busy they are vs. manpower)
When you're VFR or IFR clearance VFR-on-top, you shrink to the size
of your actual plane.

My point is, if you are flying a long cross country (say, 600 miles or
more), you may wind up flying a longer trip if you fail to plan
strategically. You can actually fly a shorter trip by initially
planning one which is 1% longer.

Cheers,
Sydney