VFR Flight - planning programI've started a new thread for VFR Flight so people can more easily discuss it here. (Dieter and I had been discussing it in the "General Discussions" area). Dieter pointed this program out to me last week and suggested I give it a try. When it comes to flight planning software, with thousands of flight plans under my belt (800+ in the auto routes of RTMM Flight Plans.zip), I'm skeptical. It is easy to stay with what you know (and some always will). But I must now say this, after flying half way across Canada following the TransCanada highway ... VFR Flight is a FIRST CLASS flight planning tool for simmers!
Łukasz Kulasek has created this fine program, and you can find a great introduction to it by going to the web page for it at:
First of all, read the web page thoroughly to look at the features. Second, spend some time with the YouTube videos that Lukasz has created, (at the top of the page). You will see how easily he does things (meaning you'll get the hang of it too) and you will be amazed at some of the features. (Glide Range for a disabled aircraft?). He will show you some very special magic he can do with terrain analysis. Making the way points is simple, right mouse click will do it.
Like Plan-G, that gives a ".plg" file output, VFR Flight outputs a ".vfr" flight plan. You can save it, bring it in, adjust it, etc. But like Plan-G ... the key for us is the EXPORT and IMPORT area. (This is NOT located under the "File" area as I expected, but is located under the "Flight Plan" button. When you make a plan, you can export it as FSX/P3D ... and it exports as a ".pln" file. (By sticking with the sim's format (.pln) you can use any flight planning tool to work on plans. You can IMPORT all of our .pln files using this method.
There are several map formats you can use. I am using the "Virtual Earth Hybrid" map. This gives you great color distinction, excellent terrain definition, it names areas in the scenery, shows "maximum safe altitude" for different areas on your map, gives all the aeronautical information, NDB's VOR's, etc with expanded information when the "under mouse cursor" is checked on. When you fly with it, you can easily fly through the mountains and watch the progress of your flight as the track is created.
- Yesterday, I saw a strange ground formation through the wind shield. I went to the map, zoomed in on the track just ahead and it turned out to be a railroad yard! Somehow the link between visually what you are seeing out the wind shield, the map and looking closer at the terrain (landclass) in P3D ... all comes together beautifully with this program. I also like it that when you see a community coming, you wonder what it might be ... you zoom on the map, and nearly always it is named for you. My point here is that the VFR experience really comes together for you by using this program. In my area you could easily say, "fly west from Hilton Head airport following 278 for 6 miles to the community of Bluffton, watch for highway 170. When you cross 170, fly WSW for 5 miles, in the large sub-division there (Sun City Hilton Head), look for a triangular pond, Doug's house is north side of the pond. And zooming in, there is MY house! All of that is visible while you are flying, highway names, distance, names of communities, etc. This is pure VFR!
As you saw in the NOTAMs, I have changed all of our RTMM Flight Plan.zip (auto routes) to a new format getting rid of the # and = signs and replacing them with "To " and "From ". This does the same thing, it groups them for you so they will all be located in the same general area, together. The new program did now allow the # and = ... so we changed to adjust to it. (Finished and posted).
I have had some extended problems with my computer because of Windows 10 (which is now fixed). But Plan-G was always quitting on me. Now that the computer is fixed, that problem remains. I do not have that problem with VFRF ... I've flown it for about 30 hours now and it has not "stopped" once.
As you begin to "play" with the new program, don't hesitate to use the "help" button at the top. It connects directly to the website's help area. Use it often when you have a question, the answer is probably there.
Like Plan-G, you have to be connected to your sim within VFRF. There is a little icon at the top of the window. It is a green plug, that is green and connected, or red and disconnected. When you are looking at that icon, it is telling you what WILL HAPPEN if you click on it, it is NOT telling you the state it is in. So if it is "green/connected" ... you are disconnected, if it is red/disconnected, you are connected. I found this a little confusing ... but now I'm used to it.
- So many Flight Plans: For me, I have over 2000 flight plans. So keeping them all in one folder (my documents/Prepar3D Files folder) it becomes difficult to handle. So I have created several folders ... "P3D RTMM Plans" ... P3D TransCanada Plans ... P3D Hawaii Plans, etc. These all are "together in the documents area, all starting with "P3D". I then use the BROWSE button when I'm flight planning and go to that folder, then download the plan. That way, I don't have all of the plans jumbled together.
Cut out some special time in you flight simming day and take a close look at this program. Again, look at the YouTube videos to get a great overview of what the program can do. then try it. You will be amazed at the different kinds of maps, the way it can connect to SkyVector information, the "enabled ruler" giving you instant direction and distance with a click of the mouse. I'm not going to list all the amazing features here, you will have more fun finding them yourselves.
You'll also find Łukasz very responsive on his forum:
http://vfrflight.org/forum/He is still in the "formative" stage of this program, and has made changes to help all of us through our suggestions on the forum. Dieter asked about csv data points, a week later, they were there and all of our RTMM csv files can be activated on VFRF. So join his forum and place comments and questions there for him and for the community.
I give this one 5 stars. A "FIRST CLASS" flight planning program that makes VFR flight even more exciting. Give it a try ... and post your comments here.
Doug/RTMM
PS ... when you are using the program and appreciate what Lukasz has done, don't forget he has a donation button on the page. Nothing keeps WONDERFUL, FREE programs coming to us better than saying THANK YOU monetarily to these innovative people.