Looking for good online flight planner

[Bob Collins]

I was a big user of the AOPA flight planner 1.5 . But last week, without notice, they ditched it in favor of a new one. Unfortunately, the new one doesn't work. It wiped out everybody's stored routes, pilot profiles, and aircraft profiles, and it doesn't let you do anything on the new site until you update them. The problem is, even if you enter your correct DUATS access code and password, it will report that you didn't, and block you from going any further.

I've been planning a flight from MSP to PHX for the last month and I want to leave on Tuesday and now I need to find a new service.

Please note: I don't have an iPad, so that option is out of the question for now.

I'm looking for a site that allows mousing over a route and dragging it to new points.

I'm aware of the usual great flight planning sites in terms of weather -- Weathermeister etc. -- and those are great. But they're not route-planning products.

Any suggestions?

[champ driver]

Try Fltplan.com lots of corporate pilots use it.
You file IFR or VFR, store flight plans and get weather and notams
I don't think you can mouse over any points though.

[Wilfred]

Bob, Anywhere Map (Control Vision) has a flight planner that does all you want...the 'rubber banding' is nice, and you can print out the flight plan with all the fuel data, mag headings, time enroute, etc after inputting your aircraft specs....I am not positive if the flight planner is available stand alone or if it only comes with an Anywhere package, but you could google them and call on their toll free number and ask about it...I have been using this for a number of years and really think its a very good program. I download the flight plan onto my HP pda and then use that to control the autopilot...a slick system.

[mmcgrew]

Believe me - I have tried them all (most anyway). Found iflight.com to be super (and free)

Michael

[WeaverJ3Cub]

SkyVector.com has the dragging feature as well as WX info when you hover, but not flight plan filing. Pretty basic, but it's my go to when I just want to answer my own "how long would it take" questions.

[58boner]

I was a big user of the AOPA flight planner 1.5 . But last week, without notice, they ditched it in favor of a new one. Unfortunately, the new one doesn't work. It wiped out everybody's stored routes, pilot profiles, and aircraft profiles, and it doesn't let you do anything on the new site until you update them. The problem is, even if you enter your correct DUATS access code and password, it will report that you didn't, and block you from going any further.

I too am totally pissed with the new AOPA offering. Why are we not raising hell with them? Oh, yeah, I tried that, got a form e-mail response.

[RickFE]

Wow...I have been using AOPA flight planner for years. I can't believe AOPA traded 1.5 for what they have now. I will just go back to doing my own with pencil and paper. I sent them a note asking to bring 1.5 back.

[Bill]

I tried the "new" AOPA flight planner. It's unbelievably bad. Molasses. in International Falls, Minnesota, (aka as Frostbite Falls) in January is faster. I think that Craig Fuller should return $1.2 million of his $800,000 dollar salary to AOPA for this debacle. Maybe that's why he was let go (just my speculation). I don't see any reason to renew my membership in an organization that is so inept. If this is the best that an organization that is supposedly protecting our right to fly can do, we'll all be walking.

[Bob Collins]

It's not only slow (I finally was able to get in),it's also inaccurate. I just planned a flight from South St. Paul MN to Phoenix and used the Farmington beacon, about 11 miles from South St. Paul) as the first waypoint. The AOPA flight planner showed it 116 miles away and an enroute time of about an hour to get there. I shut it off and pulled out the sectionals. Now where's that highlighter pen I used to use? And a ruler?

It's really quite interesting what a bad product it is (don't click in the wrong spot in the map, like when you're trying -- and failing -- to drag the map), but the significance is that the AOPA dropped a fairly decent product in favor of, didn't warn the pilots who were using it, didn't consult with its users or solicit feedback before ditching it, rolled out the substitute product and said, "here, this is what we have for you and we'll get around to fixing it, take it or leave it."

It's a perfect metaphor for the entire organization.

[Pilawt]

I tried the "new" AOPA flight planner. It's unbelievably bad. Molasses.

They must have licensed it from Apple Maps ...