Weather or Not...To Go by Mike Coligny / AirVenture 2009 As I was touring Wittman Field, I came across the booth for the flight planning website Enflight.com. Enflight is not new to me, since I have had a subscription to the service for 8 years. The guys in the Enflight booth were demonstrating the latest version, and it turned out that I hadn t seen it yet. I became aware of Enflight at Oshkosh in 2000 when I met founder, primary developer, and fellow Californian Geoff Peck. We hit it off right away, and Geoff convinced me to try his beta version of Enflight. I had tried all the other brands of flight planning software, and quite frankly I found none came close to what Enflight offers. There are several tools available on the web that overlap parts of what Enflight does, but not at one site with one simple, userfriendly interface. I am a pilot who uses his airplane almost exclusively for business. What Enflight does quickly and accurately for me is plan a safe crosscountry flight, check Enroute weather, applicable NOTAMs, and last but not least, file a VFR or IFR flight plan safely in about 6 minutes. I can do this from home, the FBO, the hanger, and even from the airplane if conditions are right. With 6 minutes of Enflight information, I have a better and more thorough understanding of weather than if I had called FSS, used Duats, or tried the other free software services. Over the years, Enflight has been updated and for my AirVenture visit this year, Enflight s CEO Phillip Apley provided me with a tour of new features. When you sign up, Enflight asks you to input data on your aircraft, whether you have one or multiple. This may take a bit of time initially, but the information enables the planner to be very accurate in aircraft performance and fuel figures better than the POH. This information is permanently stored once you ve entered it. And, Enflight s database includes a library of aircraft data. Here are a few simple steps I use to get a briefing. After I log in with my user name and password, a page pops up with these options: Home Flight Planning Weather Briefing Weather Graphics File Flight Plan Logout. I choose Flight Planning, and input my departure point, destination point, cruise altitude, routing method, departure time and time zone of departure (see illustration). continued on page 3
Flight Planning: KBHM - KMEM Pilot Information for Mr. Phillip G Apley Monday July 13th, 2009 17:33:36 UTC Mon Jul 13 2009 13:33:36 GMT-0400 (EDT) BHM Twr/S: 118.25 ATIS: 119.4 Twr: 119.9 Gnd: 121.7 App/Dep Class C: 123.8 (050-230), 127.675 (231-049) ClearDel (part time): 125.675 Alt.: 7,000 ft. Depart: Mon Jul 13 18:03 (UTC) Routing options selected: Automatic low altitude airway. Flight plan route: VUZ V159 HLI MEM Twr: 118.3 (runway 09/27), 119.7 runways 18C/36C, 18L/36R, 128.425 runway 18R/36L App Class B: 119.1 (176-355), 125.8 (356-175) IC: 119.1 Gnd: 121.0 runway 09/27, 121.65 runway 18R/36L, 121.9 runways 18L/36R, 18C/36C Dep: 124.15 (356-175), 124.65 (176-355) ClearDel (part time): 125.2 Final: 126.7 D-ATIS: 127.75 ANG CP: 138.1 Id Type/Morse Leg data Fuel used Name Route Mag KTS Fuel Time Lat/Lng Alt Winds Crs TAS Time Dist to go 1. BHM Apt. Temp Hdg GS Dist 0.0 Birmingham AL (Birmingh Direct 1.6g 0:00 33:33:50 86:45:08 7 314/17 312 86kts 0:08 183nm 2. VUZ +21 C 312 69kts 9nm 1.6 g d114.4 Vulcan V159 7.2g 0:08 33:40:12 86:53:59 57 320/22 298 109kts 0:44 174nm 3. HAB +16 C 302 88kts 64nm 8.8 g d110.4 Hamilton V159 8.4g 0:52 34:11:55 88:00:41 70 330/16 293 110kts 0:50 110nm 4. HLI +16 C 298 96kts 81nm 17.2 g d112.4 Holly Springs Direct 1.8g 1:42 34:46:12 89:29:47 70 026/6 302 130kts 0:14 29nm 5. KMEM Apt. +23 C 304 129kts 29nm 19.0 g Memphis TN 1:56 35:02:32 89:58:36 3 0nm NOTE: fuel calculations do not include required reserves. Flight totals: fuel: 19.0 gallons, time: 1:56, distance 183.3 nm. Average groundspeed 95 knots. Great circle distance is 182.8 nm -- this route is 0% longer. Altitude Suggestions: Altitude Time Fuel 3000 1:45 17.3 6000 1:54 18.8 7000 1:56 19.0 9000 1:57 19.2 12000 1:59 19.3 30000 1:59 18.6 34000 1:57 18.3 39000 1:57 18.3 2 Weather or not to go / Mike Coligny
When I then select Plan Flight, the page opposite appears in less than a second. The flight planner automatically checks winds aloft and integrates them into the flight plan. I usually print a copy of this, then click on weather briefing. The briefing window is populated automatically from the flight plan. The weather briefing uses a system called WXpert and is color coded. The briefing below demonstrates the color coding features. Remember that you really only have to focus on the areas appearing in red. Like the flight planner, the weather briefing tool requests that you input your personal minimum weather requirements, which are then stored in your account database. For example, winds greater than 20 knots, visibility less than 3 miles, ceilings less than 1200 feet, and so on. Typical briefing screens appear on the next page. The color coding is straightforward. Green = go, Yellow= marginal, and Red = doubtful/stay in bed (see right). On my typical cross-country (usually in the 600-mile range), the brief may be several pages but I only need to focus on red to determine if the flight can be made safely. I look for ways out should the unexpected or notforecast event happen. Big-picture weather graphics are also available. A color-coded, closest terminal forecast for departure and destination airports is also provided (below, and next page). The bottom line is that all of this is done quickly and safely. After reviewing the weather I look at NOTAMs (see page 4). Here, too, automation and color coding are provided by NXpert, Enflight s NOTAM analyzer. You easily avoid NOTAM overload, since Blue means important, Yellow signifies cannot classify, and less important information is grayed out. The weather briefing can be tailored to various preferences, and my favorite is the selective briefing option. To use this feature, you indicate on each section of the briefing whether it should be on, off, or selective. When you press the selective briefing button, the briefing re-displays, typically 75-90% smaller. Selective sections leave out irrelevant NOTAMs and sequence reports, so you can focus on important items and print only what you need based on your preferences and experience. continued on page 5 Surface Observations are color coded to your personal minimums and preferences Weather or not to go / Mike Coligny 3
Departure Weather and NOTAMs are color coded to your personal minimums and preferences 4 Weather or not to go / Mike Coligny
File Your Flight Plan The final necessary step is to file. Click on Flight plan and the menu is automatically populated except for fuel on board and number of people. Fill in that information, and select the kind of flight plan desired: VFR, VFR ADIZ, IFR or DVFR.I timed this event while I was writing this article, and it took only 5 minutes and 29 seconds! OK, all of this sounds good, but if I m a VFR pilot, will it work for me? You bet. Garmin Handheld Download If you have a Garmin Handheld, you re in for a surprise. If you plug in your Garmin Handheld unit to the USB port on your computer, all it takes is 2 clicks to download your flight plan, directly into the GPS! No need to copy things down or set up the GPS by hand before your flight! Mapping and Charting For those who have a yen for even more information, Enflight offers a host of additional graphics and data. Weather graphics, as well as approach plates and FAA-legal sectionals, may be printed from your home printer, and enroute charts will be available soon. You can build a custom sectional or trip profile set of charts by dragging and inserting your own pages. You can view and print your flight plan right on your charts. Weather, fuel pricing, TFRs and special-use airspace are also right on the chart (see page 7). Enflight s charts are current and legal for navigation this alone is worth the subscription price. continued on page 7 Once I ve planned my flight, I plug my Garman hand-held GPS into the USB port, click the GPS download link and the flight plan instantly downloads to my GPS. Weather or not to go / Mike Coligny 5
Current and Forecast Weather graphics in real time 6 Weather or not to go / Mike Coligny
Altitude Suggestions The folks at Enflight are hard at work developing new features. One that amazes me is the ability to get a route plan that looks at winds aloft and suggests the optimum altitude. An Inside Look at Where Enflight is Going Enflight has a lot of plans they don t want to talk about yet, but they gave me a peek at a couple of very amazing features they re working on. The flight planner is going to be able to handle and recommended multiple altitudes during a flight and help you plan based on not only Winds Aloft, but MEA s, MOCA s, and terrain altitudes! As a VFR or IFR pilot you can request ATC for a new altitude assignments throughout your flight to continuously take advantage of wind forecasts. But more important, you ll know right away if a route fits your aircraft service ceiling. The second feature that knocks my socks off is the multi-flight planner, which provides you not only with a route of flight but projected fuel burn on a long cross country. You will start by planning from departure to final destination, but on the map you will see a fuel exhaustion area and a list of low-priced fuel stops on the way. At a safe point calculated along your route, you can pick from a list of choices for refueling and/or over-nighting. These options include information on price, services, NAVAIDs, frequencies, etc. And then, after your stopover, the system picks up where you left off, automatically allowing you to get updated information to continue your flight with just a few clicks! continued next page Two features that I found quite amazing... are the ability to get a route plan that looks at winds aloft and suggests the optimum altitude...[and] the multi-flight feature with information on all the legs of a long cross-country. At right: Enflight s TAF spiral is a 24-hour weather clock. Midnight at top, noon at bottom, white hand is time now. Color coded to your personal minimums. Click on the spiral to pop up forecast details. Below: You may select data such as forecasts, TFRs, Special Use airspace and superimpose this information on the chart. Suggested fuel stops include current pricing. Weather or not to go / Mike Coligny 7
Summary I have been a pilot for 40 years and a technology nut. I can honestly say that back in the 60s, 70s, or even 80s I never envisioned a day when airline-like briefings would be available for the general aviation pilot. It s like having a private dispatcher at your command. With a yearly subscription cost in the hundred-dollar range, there s little doubt that this is one of the best values available to the pilot community today. n Mike Coligny is a freelance writer and currently holds a Master Instructor accreditation. He is a member of FAA/ Industry Joint Steering Committee and is the Vice President for New Technology, Merlin Simulation, Inc. Top: The print dialog box offers quick and useful options for printing FAAapproved sectionals at home. Bottom: Print only what you need for your route of flight. At right: Approach plates can be printed at home or on the road. Weather or not to go / Mike Coligny 8