More online tools for flight preparation
Google tools
The google search engine is great to get pilot reports and find more information about your destination airport. Searching by ICAO code or location indicator in Google Earth and Google Maps gives good geographical insights of the destination and the route. If you’re wondering how hard a landmark will be to find, give it a try in Google Earth or Google Maps. One note though, some of the pictures are more than 10 years old…
YouTube
YouTube for flight planning ? Yes, definitely. When I fly to an airport for the first time I like to have as much information as possible. Looking at videos of the approach taken by other pilots gives additional information and is kind of a preview. Here again, seaching by ICAO code or location indicator is the most efficient way to find what you’re looking for.
Airliners.net
Just like YouTube gives information in video, airliners.net gives information via photos. What does the airport look like ? Even if charts are quite accurate, a photo gives much more information.
liveatc.net
If your new destination is in a different country or has specific procedures, what about test-driving the local ATC ? liveatc.net provides live audio feeds of ATC almost worldwide. If you think ATC is the same everywhere, try listening to New-York JFK (KJFK) and then Geneva (LSGG). Some preparation can only help.
Official AIP online
Several European countries offer their AIP online, some for free. Here is a short list: French AIP, UK AIP, Belgian AIP. The Swiss AIP can’t be accessed online but you can subscribe to the paper version here.
Less official information online
Different websites managed by aviation enthusiasts provide extensive but unofficial information databases. Nav2000 (French only) covers France, Switzerland and Belgium. It offers chart extracts, photos, price of fuel, contact information, pilot reports and much more about airports and ultralight bases.
www.fl95.de (German only) offers flight planning and weight and balance online. It contains a database of en-route points and of aircraft for the weight and balance.
Flight plan filing
Several sites offer flight plan online. Some require that the flight starts or ends in the country operating the website, other are more flexible. Olivia, the French system (also in English) allows for NOTAM, weather and flight plan filing. The German DFS AIS (German and English) provides flight plan filing as well as TAF / METAR / NOTAM briefings. eurofpl.eu offers the possibility to send a flight plan directly to the EUROCONTROL systems. www.homebriefing.com offers full service, but users have to pay for flight plans.
Aircraft manuals
Many aircraft manuals and checklists can be found online. They can not be used as replacement of the official documents of YOUR aircraft, but can be helpful. Click here to access the download page of Diamond Aircraft.
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If you know about great online resources for flight preparation leave a comment and I’ll update this post.
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