You can find X-Planner for iPad in the iTunes App Store now.
This is a pre-flight flight planner for (real) airplanes that does all the stuff that pilots should do before every flight, but don’t. It makes flight planning easy and fun.
Here is how it works:
- Enter the dates of your BFR, medical, ins-com check, and airplane annual whenever you have them done.
- Enter the weight of you and your pax and baggage and fuel before each flight.
- Enter the your destination and wind speed and direction at each altitude before each flight.
Since this is on an iPad, the interface is amazingly fun, quick, simple, and minimal. Simply touch and drag to change things. Easy!
Then, of course, the app tells you:
- Expiration dates of your BFR, medical, ins-com check, and airplane annual, so you can see if you are legal to fly.
- Your weight and balance at everything from your current fuel to empty tanks, so you can see your weight and balance for the entire flight, ensuring that it is legal.
- Your time and fuel burn to get to your destination at all the different altitudes your airplane can fly, allowing you to choose the best altitude.
Time and time again, I see myself and other pilots not knowing our currency, center of gravity, and best altitude to fly–an unending parade of cluelessness that results in illegal, unsafe, and at least sub-optimal flying. This app solves all of those issues for you, and is really fun and easy to use.