| Learning flight planning is as important as learning to | | | | plane's cargo and the plane itself, these critical areas |
| operate an aircraft. After all, the safety and success | | | | are designed to ensure flight costs are kept to a |
| of every flight depends on the efficiency of the flight | | | | minimum simply by planning the aircraft's route, its |
| plan. Before a pilot can hope to spend hours airborne | | | | speed, height and the minimum amount of fuel it can |
| on his aircraft, he must first learn how to prepare a | | | | carry to sufficiently carry out a flight. |
| flight plan. | | | | Flight planning tutorials Flight planning is one of the most |
| What is flight planning? Essentially, flight planning is | | | | basic lessons taught in flying school. Your flight |
| simply the process of creating a plan that describes | | | | instructor can teach you the most essential things you |
| the flight of an aircraft. There are two important | | | | need to learn about flight planning. However, there are |
| safety aspects involved in flight planning: fuel calculation | | | | web-based flight planning services you can turn to for |
| and air traffic control compliance. Fuel calculation | | | | help, in case you need tutorials and other information. |
| determines the amount of fuel needed in order for the | | | | A good source of flight planning information and |
| aircraft to travel safely from one point to the next | | | | tutorials is AOPA.org, the website maintained by the |
| while air traffic control compliance involves following | | | | Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association. In addition to |
| the terms required to ensure a safe flight. | | | | the various information you can get online, AOPA.org |
| Fuel calculation is based on the fuel consumption of the | | | | also offers an online flight planner which you can |
| aircraft, which is essential information for the pilot to | | | | access and use in real time. You'll have to download |
| plan how much fuel he must carry or, if necessary, | | | | the program and if you need a tutorial, you can access |
| where and when he should make fuel stops. For this | | | | it from the site, which explains what information you |
| reason, safety regulations require aircrafts to carry | | | | need to get and what to do with it. |
| extra fuel. Air traffic compliance, on the other hand, is | | | | FlightPrep dot com is another website that offers a |
| necessary in order to avoid collisions in mid-air by | | | | brief tutorial on how to use their downloadable flight |
| ensuring that the pilot keeps his aircraft within the | | | | planner. It will walk you through your first session in |
| pre-agreed route(s). | | | | flight planning and let you know what information you |
| Other than the safety of the pilot, his passengers, the | | | | need and how to use it. |