Flight Planner

[flyingriki]

Tried FltPlan and it's OK for table version planning. I've gotten used to graphic planning. Helps with terrain etc. since I plan for VFR, economy and safety. Voyager is about the next best but it does run slow. When I plan cross country I go direct, then find area at about 2.5 to 3.5 hour intrevals and zoom into the area, pick an airport in the middle of that and use 'check local fuel prices' from AirNav. Select one with the best fuel prices and rubberband the route to it. Go to the next one and do the same. Adjust the route to avoid the most inhospitable terrain. In no time I have a great plan with cheap fuel and safe routing. Hard to do all this quickly with these other planners.
I was under the impression that the EAA planner was making big improvement a couple years ago and see now that it hasn't. Just a small side screen and table version plan on the side. Probably not a priority.....oh well.

[FlyingRon]

I don't know what you get with the free "EAA" version of the service, but the full up aeroplanner now has four different flight planners and the latest "Ultimate" one is pretty nice.

I like using either that or Foreflight because I like using the real charts and not some cobbled up disaster.

[flyingriki]

Here is another interesting site I use just to keep an eye on my flying area at a glance: http://maps.avnwx.com/

Not really a planner but if you set your airport and normal radius of interest, you can quickly get a graphic picture of the conditions all around and watch as they change to see the trend for the day. Right now in Nor Cal the conditions have reversed and the valley is socked in while the coast is clear. Lucky them.... Setting for view are at upper left. Winds aloft, TFR;s etc. are helpful.
But then it may too 'cobbled up' for some.....

PS: an interesting note; you can zoom in real close and get amazing topographic detail. Have used this for planning into fields in the mountains. Not available in FAA charts and seems very accurate, at least so far....