AOPA Real-Time Internet Flight Planner

Transcription

1 AOPA Real-Time Internet Flight Planner

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3 Table Of Contents Product Information... 1 Copyright... 1 Getting Started... 3 How to Use Online Help... 3 Viewing Options in Internet Explorer... 3 Connectivity and Firewalls... 3 Basic Screen Elements... 4 Screen Display... 4 Menus and Toolbars... 5 Moving Around... 6 Right-Click Menus... 8 Enroute Chart Right-Click Menu... 8 Route Right-Click Menu... 8 Flight Planner Basics... 9 Route Properties... 9 Pilot and Aircraft... 9 Pilot Profiles Basic Aircraft Data Information Needed to Enter or Modify an Aircraft FAA Aircraft Type Designators Creating a New Aircraft Flight Planning Create a Route Flight Plan Tool Plan a Route Route Types Navigational Data Opening a Flight Plan About Automatic Routing Modify a Route Modifying A Route Working with User-Defined Waypoints Working with Waypoints Reverse Route Saving a Flight Plan Deleting a Flight Plan Reports Navigation Log FAA Flight Plan DUATS and Weather Set up Your DUATS Account Using DTC DUATS with RTFP Using CSC DUAT with RTFP Connect to CSC or DTC DUATS Getting a Briefing NexRad and Satellite Images Definitions Aircraft Data Airway DUATS Enroute Chart Enroute Waypoint PreFlight Menu i

4 Table Of Contents Route Waypoint Technical Support... 1 Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFRs) TFRs Tooltips User-Defined Waypoints Waypoint ii

5 Product Information Copyright 2003 Jeppesen Sanderson, Inc. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without prior permission of Jeppesen Sanderson, Inc. Jeppesen Sanderson, Inc. 55 Inverness Drive East Englewood, CO Technical Support AOPA Real-Time Flight Planner (RTFP) provides technical support through AOPA. Access the AOPA website for more information at 1

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7 Getting Started How to Use Online Help Information regarding AOPA Real-Time Internet Flight Planner's features is contained in the remaining topics of this online help including: Setting up pilot and aircraft profiles Instructions on manipulating chart views and tools Creating and editing routes Connecting and downloading weather Our intent is for you to become comfortable using the full program capabilities for safe and effective flight planning. Viewing Options in Internet Explorer There are times when you would like to launch a new window for viewing online Help, as opposed to reusing the browser window you already have open. If you have Internet Explorer, you have that option. 1. Click Tools > Internet Options. 2. Click the Advanced tab. 3. Clear the "Reuse windows for launching shortcuts" check box. Connectivity and Firewalls 3

8 RTFP AOPA Real-Time Flight Planner (RTFP) uses TCP port 1986 to communicate with the server. If you are behind a firewall, you may need to allow outgoing connections on this port. Note that you do not need to allow incoming connections on any ports to use the system. Basic Screen Elements When you first open AOPA Real-Time Flight Planner (RTFP), your screen will display the enroute chart, which looks something like this. There is a toolbar available for use which, by default, is displayed around the edges of your RTFP main screen. However, you can drag the toolbar to a different screen position as necessary. Additionally, if you hover your cursor over the toolbar buttons, you will see popups (called tool tips) which tell you the name of that tool. Some of the tools will be grayed out which means that some other function must be performed before that tool becomes available. Screen Display View Tabs The RTFP main screen displays the Enroute Chart window by default. The Enroute Chart displays your route in graphic format as you add and make changes to it. You can view airports, waypoints, fixes and other details of the entire route. You can move easily from one set of functions to another by clicking on the tabs. The Enroute Chart displays the main map screen when opening RTFP. Most flight planning functions take place in the Enroute Chart. 4

9 Getting Started The NavLog tab displays a computer generated Navigation Log report. You can review and print your NavLog. The Flight Plan tab displays a computer generated FAA Flight Plan. You can review and print your flight plan. The Weather tab gives you quick access to weather downloads. Menus and Toolbars Menu Bar The Menu Bar displays at the top left position of the RTFP main window directly below the window header. The Menu Bar looks like this: File - Displays options for connecting, disconnection, or exiting the program. Edit - Displays options for managing program settings, such as editing pilot and aircraft information. Preflight - Displays options for managing the routes, such as planning a new route, storing or retrieving routes, or reversing a currently open route. View - Displays options for managing the Enroute Chart, such as displaying or removing the toolbar and status bar, as well as the connection statistics. Help - Displays options for accessing the system help files. Standard/Chart Toolbar The Standard/Chart Toolbar looks like this: The Standard Toolbar functions are: Plan a Flight - Displays the Flight Plan dialog box. Zoom In - Zooms the Enroute Chart in one level while keeping the same center point. Zoom Out - Zooms the Enroute Chart out one level while keeping the same center point. Previous View - Displays a previous page in the Enroute Chart. Terminal NDBs - Displays NDBs in the Chart View; click again to remove. Low Airways - Displays low altitude airways in the Chart View; click again to remove. Cities - Displays city outlines and names in the Chart View; click again to remove. Print - Prints the NavLog, Flight Plan, or Weather. Help - Accesses the online help system. Weather Graphics Overlay drop-down list - Displays the weather graphics overlay. Status Bar The status bar displays across the bottom of the RTFP main window. As you move your cursor around the screen, the status bar changes to give you pertinent information. For example, in the status bar below, the cursor is positioned over the Zoom In icon. 5

10 RTFP If the Status Bar is not visible, click View > Status Bar to display it. Moving Around To Zoom on a Chart When using the zoom feature, keep in mind that the data buttons on the toolbar will be grayed out until you reach a zoom level that is usable. In other words, if you are zoomed in or out too far for the chart to display useful information, the NDBs, Low Airways, Cities, and Print icons will be inaccessible. Drag Zoom Flight Planner has continuous zoom capability. To begin, hold down the left mouse button and move the mouse diagonally to draw a box. When you let go of the mouse button, the area inside the box will resize to fill the screen. The smaller the box you draw on the screen, the closer you will zoom in on the chart. Right-Click Zoom You can zoom in or out one level by right-clicking in the Chart View and selecting Zoom In or Zoom Out from the shortcut menu. You can return to the overall view (fully zoomed out) by selecting Full Zoom Out. It is sometimes advantageous to Full Zoom Out and begin drag zooming in again if you want to change the area you are viewing. Toolbar Buttons You can find the Zoom In and Zoom Out icons on the Chart Toolbar. Keyboard The plus (+) and minus (-) keys on the keyboard are another fast method of zooming in and out on a chart. Press and release the keys to zoom by steps. 6

11 Getting Started Hold either key down to see the zoom scale bar graph. The bar will be moving to a larger or smaller screen width, depending on which way you are zooming. Release the key to zoom to a particular scale. To Scroll On the Chart Keyboard Use the arrow keys on the keyboard to scroll up, down, left and right. Mouse Place the cursor near the edge of a chart. It will change to a directional arrow as shown on the chart below. Click when the arrow is in view and the chart will scroll in that direction. There are eight directions; left, right, up, down, and diagonally to each corner. If you hold down the mouse button, the screen will continue to scroll (autopan). To Center On the Chart Center on Cursor To center the view on the cursor, double-click on the chart at the point you want to center on. Centering on User-Defined Waypoints To center the Enroute Chart on a waypoint, select the waypoint on the Enroute Chart, right-click and select Center On from the shortcut menu. Previous View 7

12 RTFP Previous View displays the previous page in the history list. You can also access the Previous View function by right-clicking on the chart and selecting Previous View from the shortcut menu. Right-Click Menus AOPA Real-Time Flight Planner (RTFP) employs a right-click menu format. These menus are available for different functions in the Enroute Chart. Enroute Chart Right-Click Menu Right-click in the Enroute Chart to see a menu similar to the one shown here. Route Right-Click Menu Right-click on a route in the Enroute Chart to see a menu similar to the one shown here. See Also: Route Properties 8

13 Flight Planner Basics Route Properties The Route Properties dialog box gives you information about your route, as well as the ability to do the following: Name the Route Change the Default Winds Adjust Cruise Altitude To Open the Route Properties Dialog Box There are two ways to open the route properties dialog box: Double-click on a route on the Enroute Chart. Right-click on a route on the Enroute Chart, then select Properties from the shortcut menu. To Change the Route Properties 1. Right-click a route in the Enroute Chart. 2. Select Properties from the shortcut menu. 3. RTFP creates and names routes using the departure and destination points, such as KSJC->KLVK. To change the route name, click in the Name field in the Route Properties dialog and manually enter the new name. 4. To change the default winds, click in the Default Winds text boxes and manually enter the changes. 5. To change your cruise altitude, click in the Cruise Altitude text box and manually enter the change. 6. Click OK to accept your changes. Pilot and Aircraft 9

14 RTFP Pilot Profiles AOPA Real-Time Flight Planner (RTFP) allows you to enter, store, and edit pilot information. To Add or Modify a Pilot Profile 1. Click Edit > Pilot. This will display the Pilot Information dialog box. 2. Manually enter or edit the pilot's title, first name, middle name or initial, last name, street address, city, state, zip code, and phone number. 3. Use the Service Providers drop-down list to select the default weather provider. 4. Manually enter or edit your service provider access code and password. 5. Click OK. Basic Aircraft Data For an aircraft to be available for use in AOPA Real-Time Flight Planner (RTFP), the aircraft data must be in the system. To Modify an Aircraft's Basic Data 1. Click Edit > Aircraft Data > Edit Current Aircraft. 2. Select the Basic Info tab. RTFP uses this information in flight plans and performance calculations. 10

15 Flight Planner Basics Below is a list of the Basic Aircraft Data fields and brief descriptions of each. When you have entered all the basic aircraft data, click OK to keep the changes or Cancel to revert to the original data. Description of Basic Aircraft Data Aircraft Info Make The manufacturer's name for the aircraft, for example: Bonanza, Arrow, Centurion. Model The manufacturer's model designation for the aircraft, for example, F33A, PA 28RT, T210. Registration The registration number of your aircraft. Color The color description RTFP will use in the FAA flight plan form. Equipment Click on the View/Edit box to open a dialog for entering FAA equipment code selection. RTFP will apply these to the flight plan forms. You can also enter the codes if you prefer. Home base RTFP uses this airport identifier or name as a starting point. Fuel Maximum usable fuel the aircraft can carry. Enter this value using the fuel units capacity specified for the aircraft. Maximum The maximum weight of the aircraft, fuel, passengers etc. Gross Weight (lbs) Climb Rate of You can find this information in a climb performance chart, or in the front of the Climb POH. This figure should be the sea level, standard temperature rate of climb for the aircraft. Indicated Enter the speed you normally use. If you normally use a high cruise climb speed, Climb speed put that in (this may result in a lower climb rate so enter a lower number for your 11

16 RTFP Climb Fuel Burn Rate Cruise Default Cruise rate of climb above if you use a high cruise climb speed). Notice that this is indicated airspeed. This may not be directly provided in your Pilot's Operating Handbook (POH). The figure may be implied from other data such as time/distance/fuel to climb tables and graphs. Another way to estimate sea level climb fuel rate at full power is to divide your fuel flow at 75 percent power by.75. Enter the default cruise altitude that you would like the RTFP to use for flight planning purposes. Cruise TAS Enter the true airspeed used for cruise. Cruise Fuel This may not be directly provided in your Pilot's Operating Handbook (POH). The Burn Rate figure may be implied from other data such as time/distance/fuel to cruise tables and graphs. Descent Rate of The rate of descent (in feet per minute) for normal descents. Descent Indicated The normal indicated airspeed used for descent. Descent speed Descent Fuel Burn Rate This figure may not be directly provided in your Pilot's Operating Handbook (POH); it may be implied from other data such as time/distance/fuel to descent tables and graphs. Information Needed to Enter or Modify an Aircraft Look for the following aircraft data in your Pilot s Operating Handbook, Aircraft Operation Manual, and any other documents for your aircraft: Make Model (see FAA Aircraft Type Designators) Registration Information Equipment Fuel Capacity (in gallons) Maximum Gross Weight (in pounds) Performance information (climb/cruise/descent) Entering the performance information is the most difficult part of aircraft data entry. It sometimes requires some calculations mixed with personal knowledge of your aircraft. However, once this data is entered, RTFP will represent your aircraft s performance much more accurately. For best results, make sure to check that all written aircraft performance figures match your actual aircraft performance. FAA Aircraft Type Designators To retrieve a specific FAA Aircraft Type Designator, click the type of aircraft for which you want information. Click here for Aircraft. Click here for Rotorcraft. Click here for Experimental Aircraft. Creating a New Aircraft 12

17 Flight Planner Basics Most of the information needed to create a new aircraft in AOPA Real-Time Flight Planner (RTFP) can be found in your Pilot's Operating Handbook (POH). To Create a New Aircraft 1. Click Edit > Aircraft Data > Create New Aircraft. The Basic Info dialog box displays. 2. Enter the aircraft Make, Model, Registration information, and Color. 3. Click View/Edit to open a dialog box containing a list of FAA aircraft equipment. Select the check boxes that correspond to the equipment on your aircraft. 4. Enter the aircraft Home Base, Fuel Capacity (in gallons), and Maximum Gross Weight (in pounds). 5. Enter the aircraft Climb, Cruise, and Descent information. 6. Click Next to continue. This opens the Aircraft Name dialog box. 13

18 RTFP 2. You can accept the default name by clicking Finish. If you want to enter a new aircraft name, manually enter the name in the Aircraft Name field and click Finish. You can also click an aircraft in the list and click Finish to overwrite that aircraft with the information you just entered in the system. Note: You can save a maximum of two aircraft per user. See Also: FAA Aircraft Type Designators 14

19 Flight Planning Create a Route Flight Plan Tool The Flight Plan tool in AOPA Real-Time Flight Planner (RTFP) is used to plan flights based on parameters defined by the user. It doesn't replace you as the route planner, rather it automates tasks that you normally do by hand, streamlining the process and helping you become more productive. Plan a Route The AOPA Real-Time Flight Planner (RTFP) system incorporates a Flight Plan function to make it easy to plan every route. Use the Preflight menu to access flight planning options. The Flight Plan dialog box prompts you for the information needed to plan the flight. To Plan a Flight 1. Click Preflight > Plan Route, or click the Flight Plan icon located on the Standard toolbar. The Flight Plan dialog box appears. 15

20 RTFP 2. In the Departure field, type the ICAO 4-letter identifier, the IATA code, a city name, or airport name, and press TAB. If the name you entered corresponds to multiple possible waypoints (for example, a city where there is more than one airport), IFP displays a selection dialog box from which you can choose your desired departure point. Click OK to accept or Info to view additional information about your selection. 3. In the Destination field, follow the same directions as for the Departure field. 4. By default, the Departure Time fields contain the current date and current time. Edit the date by manually entering a different date or by clicking the drop-down arrow and selecting a new date from the calendar that displays. Edit the time by manually entering a new time, or by highlighting the hour or minutes by clicking them, then clicking on the up/down arrows to the right of the time field. 5. RTFP utilizes two different route types. 6. Use the Route Type drop-down list to select whether you want to plan a Direct or Airway flight. 7. Use the Aircraft drop-down list to select the aircraft to use for your flight. 8. In the Altitude field, manually enter your desired flight altitude. Note: Your default cruise altitude as entered with your aircraft model will display here. You have the option of entering a different cruising altitude at this point. 9. Click OK. Route Types AOPA Real-Time Flight Planner (RTFP) provides you with two routing types. Direct Direct routes follow the shortest path from departure to destination with no intermediate stops. 16

21 Flight Planning Airways The airway route type allows you to route on Low Altitude Airways. Navigational Data To View Navigational Aid Information AOPA Real-Time Flight Planner's (RTFP) Navigational Aids include VORs, NDBs, airports, airways and intersections. There are two ways to access Navigational Aid information: Double-click on a navaid to view its properties. Right-click on a navaid and choose Properties from the shortcut menu. When navaids are close or collocated, RTFP displays a selection list. Click the name of the navaid you are interested in and select Info. Navigational Aid Information Airports, navaids, and airways display different properties windows. Navaid information cannot be modified. Click the AOPA Airport Directory link or the AOPA Airport Diagrams link to view AOPA information. Opening a Flight Plan AOPA Real-Time Internet Flight Planner (RTFP) has the capability to store and manage up to five (5) routes in order to make your flight planning easier. 1. To open a flight plan once you have one saved, click File > Save/Load Routes. 17

22 RTFP 2. Click to highlight the flight plan you want to load. 3. Click Get Stored Route. 4. If you already have a route loaded in the Enroute Chart, a message will appear, warning you that you will lose any information in the Enroute Chart when the selected flight plan loads. Click Yes in the warning dialog box to load the route. If you make changes and want to keep the original flight plan separately, save your changes by entering a new route name. About Automatic Routing Although manually creating a route works well, there are some times, particularly when planning longer, more complicated routes, when you will want AOPA Real-Time Flight Planner (RTFP) to do most of the work for you. RTFP contains a powerful routing system that can accurately and quickly calculate a route for you in seconds. To fully understand why RTFP selects a particular route, it is helpful to have a background in how the system operates. RTFP's autorouting calculations utilize a shortest path algorithm to find the best path through the low airway network. Direct routing creates a great-circle path, the equivalent of a straight line on a spherical surface, between the departure and the destination. See also: Route Types 18

23 Flight Planning Modify a Route Modifying A Route While AOPA Real-Time Flight Planner (RTFP) provides you with the most efficient route available within the parameters you set, there are times you want to modify the route RTFP creates. To Insert Waypoints Using the Enroute Chart Rubber-Band Feature 1. In the Enroute Chart, click on the route to highlight it in magenta. 2. Click between two waypoints on the route and drag the route to another waypoint or location. 3. Release the mouse button and a new waypoint will be inserted into your Enroute Chart and NavLog at the new location. If you release the mouse button where there is no defined waypoint in the database, RTFP will create a route waypoint at that location and insert it into the NavLog. On the other hand, if you release the left mouse button at a position where multiple waypoints are located (such as at an airport with a collocated VOR), a dialog box will appear to prompt you to make a selection. To Delete a Route or Waypoint Using the Enroute Chart 1. Click a route or waypoint to highlight it in magenta. 2. Right-click and select Delete from the shortcut menu or press the DELETE key to delete the highlighted route. Working with User-Defined Waypoints User-defined waypoints are a means of customizing your chart. They are saved with the program and will continue to display each time you open your chart. To Drop a User-Defined Waypoint 1. To drop a user-defined waypoint in a chart, Edit > Place User-Defined Waypoint. The pointer will change to your default user-defined waypoint icon. 2. Click in the Enroute Chart at the location where you would like to place your waypoint. 3. The Properties dialog box appears. 19

24 RTFP 4. Type in the Name of the waypoint as you want it to appear in the Enroute Chart. 5. Add Comments for the waypoint if you wish. 6. You can modify Latitude and Longitude to change the location of the waypoint. 7. Select the Lock check box if you want to keep the waypoint from being accidentally moved to a new location. 8. You can also type in an Altitude for this location. 9. Selecting a different icon from the list will modify the icon displayed in the Enroute Chart for this waypoint. 10. Click OK to close the Properties dialog box. To view a list of all the user-defined Waypoints you have entered, open the Edit menu and select User-Defined Waypoints. To Set the Default User-Defined Waypoint Icon 1. Click Edit > User Defined Waypoints. 20

25 Flight Planning 2. Select the icon you wish to be the default for user-defined waypoints. 3. Click OK. To Delete a User-Defined or Route Waypoint 1. Right-click on your specified user-defined waypoint icon in the Enroute Chart. 2. Select Delete from the shortcut menu. 3. Click Yes to confirm the deletion. Working with Waypoints Waypoints, as used in AOPA Real-Time Flight Planner (RTFP), is a generic term for an airport, VOR, NDB, Intersection, or other navigational aid that can be used for defining a route. Included are Enroute Waypoints, User-Defined Waypoints, and Route Waypoints. Start Descent and Level Off are altitude change points, but not waypoints. Moving Waypoints In AOPA Real-Time Flight Planner (RTFP), only Route Waypoints and User-Defined Waypoints can be moved. To Move Route or User-Defined Waypoints To reposition waypoints on the map, click and drag the unlocked waypoint to a new location and drop it by releasing the mouse button. To Position a Route or User-Defined Waypoint at an Exact Latitude/Longitude 1. Right-click on a User-Defined Waypoint or a Route Waypoint. 2. Select Properties from the shortcut menu. 3. Type in an exact latitude/longitude. You may enter minutes and seconds (example: minutes) in the minutes field and RTFP will automatically convert the (.45) minutes to 27 seconds and fill in the seconds field. 21

26 RTFP To Delete a User-Defined or Route Waypoint 1. Right-click on the waypoint icon in the Enroute Chart. 2. Select Delete from the shortcut menu. 3. Click Yes to confirm the deletion. Waypoint Properties To open the Waypoint Properties dialog box 1. Select the waypoint on the Enroute Chart. 2. Right-click and select Properties from the shortcut menu. Properties for Route Waypoints and User-Defined Waypoints A Route Waypoint or User-Defined Waypoint, can be modified through the Properties dialog box. You may perform the following edits: Name or Rename the waypoint (a label that you can display or hide on the Chart). Add Comments for the waypoint (these do not display on the Chart). Lock/Unlock the waypoint. To Lock a waypoint, select the Locked check box in the Properties dialog. Once locked, you will not be able to inadvertently move your waypoint. You can still open the Properties dialog box and move the waypoint by specifying new lat/lon coordinates. To Unlock, clear the Locked check box. Modify Latitude, Longitude and Altitude. Below is the properties dialog box that is displayed for Route Waypoints. Below is the properties dialog box for a User-Defined Waypoint. The only difference between Route and User-Defined Waypoints is that the User-Defined Waypoint icon can be modified by selecting a different icon from the list. 22

27 Flight Planning To Edit User-Defined Waypoints The User-Defined Waypoints dialog box from the Edit menu lists all the user-defined waypoints you have entered. If you have not named a user-defined waypoint, it will appear in the list with its latitude and longitude. From the User-Defined Waypoints dialog box you can perform the following functions: Locate a User-Defined Waypoint 1. To have the Enroute Chart center on a specific User-Defined waypoint, select the waypoint from the waypoint list. 2. Click Locate. Delete a User-Defined Waypoint 23

28 RTFP 1. Select the waypoint from the waypoint list. 2. Click Delete. Edit Waypoint Properties 1. Select the waypoint from the waypoint list. 2. Click Properties. 3. Modify the properties as described above in the section on Waypoint Properties. Change the Default Waypoint Icon 1. Click the Set Default Icon button. 2. A list of user-defined waypoint icons will appear in the Select Default Icon dialog box. 3. Select the icon you wish to be the default for user-defined waypoints. 4. Click OK. The new default icon will display next to the Set Default Icon button. Reverse Route Once you have planned a direct route, you can easily reverse the waypoints of the original route to create a new route. The new route will appear in the Enroute Chart, NavLog, and Flight Plan. To Reverse a Route 1. Plan a direct route. 2. Click Preflight > Reverse Route. See Also: Plan a Route Saving a Flight Plan If you fly a particular route repeatedly, you can save the flight plan to reuse or modify later. Note: The system only allows storage of five routes or less. To delete a route so you can save a new route, see Deleting a Flight Plan. To Save a Flight Plan 1. Click File > Save/Load Routes. 2. Click Store Current Route. If you want to rename the route file prior to saving, right-click on the route, select Properties from the shortcut menu, and manually enter the new name in the Name field. The default name will always be the departure and destination airports. Deleting a Flight Plan Use the delete function to delete any flight plans you do not need. To Delete a Flight Plan 1. Click File > Save/Load Routes. 2. Highlight the route you want to delete. 3. Click Delete Stored Route. The system will present you with a request for confirmation. 24

29 Flight Planning 4. Click Yes. 25

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31 Reports Navigation Log The NavLog is set up like a standard paper log and provides basic route data for your selected flight. If you download winds aloft, the NavLog will automatically update the associated fields, although you won't see the calculations on the NavLog. To View the NavLog To view the NavLog, click the NavLog view tab. To Modify the NavLog The NavLog automatically updates to reflect any changes made to your route in the Enroute Chart. To Print the NavLog The NavLog has been designed to print as a trip itinerary. To print the NavLog, click File > Print Report and click OK in the Print dialog box, or click the Print icon. To change the NavLog Printing Orientation The NavLog automatically prints out in kneeboard, or landscape, orientation. You must change the printing orientation to print the NavLog in portrait orientation. FAA Flight Plan To View the FAA Flight Plan Form To view the FAA Flight Plan, click the Flight Plan tab. This opens a window containing a completed flight plan, including aircraft data from the aircraft model as well as route and aircraft performance information from the Navigation Log. To Edit the Flight Plan The flight plan form is editable. Every field on the reports can be changed and saved. When you change certain fields, a warning will display asking you to confirm your intentions, since most changes made in the flight plan are not reflected elsewhere. If you manually edit a field in the Flight Plan view, properties changes made in the Enroute Chart will not necessarily automatically be made in the flight plan. Therefore, if you modify the route properties in the Enroute Chart, check your flight plan to confirm that the changes are reflected there. Print Report 1. Click File > Print Report or click the Print icon in the Standard/Chart toolbar. 2. Click OK. 27

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33 DUATS and Weather Set up Your DUATS Account This procedure assumes you have a modem that is properly installed and working under Windows, or that you have a direct Internet connection that is working properly. AOPA Real-Time Flight Planner (RTFP) automatically stores the DUATS login information you enter into the system, but write the information down and keep it in a safe place anyway. You may have to re-enter this code into RTFP if it becomes necessary. Using DTC DUATS with RTFP To create an account and receive an access number, call or visit the website at When you have an account set up, make sure your modem is set up correctly, click Edit > Pilot, and select DTC DUATS: Internet from the Service Providers drop-down list. Enter your access code in the Access Code field and your password in the Password field. Missing Password and Access Codes If you forget your account number or password, call or go to the website. Using CSC DUAT with RTFP To create an account and receive an access number, call or visit the website at When you have an account set up, make sure your modem is set up correctly, click Edit > Pilot, and select CSC DUAT: Internet from the Service Providers drop-down list. Enter your access code in the Access code field and your password in the Password field. Missing Password and Access Codes If you forget your account number or password, call or go to the website. Connect to CSC or DTC DUATS To Connect to a Weather Provider 1. Click Edit > Pilot to open the Pilot Information dialog box. In the Pilot Information dialog box, there are fields that allow you to enter information about your DUATs provider. 29

34 RTFP 2. Use the Service Providers drop-down list to select your default weather service provider. 3. Manually enter your login access code in the Access Code field. 4. Manually enter your password in the Password field. 5. Click OK. For help with weather service providers: Contact DTC DUAT at or Contact CSC DUATS at or Getting a Briefing The procedures here apply to CSC DUATS and DTC DUAT weather. Once you have set up your DUATS account, use the Weather Tab to access weather services. Select a Route The easiest method for downloading a weather briefing is to first create a route in AOPA Real- Time Flight Planner (RTFP) and request briefings and maps for that route. See Plan a Route for more information on creating a route. You may also download a weather briefing by manually entering your route information in the DUATS dialogs. Display the DUATS Controller 1. Click on the Weather tab. View changes to the Weather window with the DUATS Weather Types selection box to the right. 2. In the Weather Types section, click the type of briefing you want. 3. Complete the information for the briefing type if a dialog box appears. Make sure your tail number and aircraft codes are correct. A valid tail number must be entered before the program will continue past this dialog box. 4. Click OK. Connect Click Connect to download your briefing. Reviewing and Printing the Briefing After the briefing, RTFP displays a message, Session Complete. You can scroll back up in the terminal window and review the briefing. 30

35 DUATS and Weather To print your weather briefing, click File > Print or click the Print icon toolbar. on the Standard/Chart NexRad and Satellite Images You have the option of using Weather Overlays with AOPA Real-Time Internet Flight Planner (RTFP). This feature allows you to overlay NexRad and Satellite weather images over the chart. To Overlay a Weather Image 1. After you plan a route, connect to CSC or DTC DUATS. 2. Click the Weather tab. 3. Select the NexRad/Satellite graphics check box. 4. Select the Weather Maps you want to download and click Select Maps On Route. 5. Click OK. 6. Click Connect under Weather Types. 7. Click the Enroute Chart tab. 8. Select the type of weather overlay you want from the drop-down menu. 31

36 RTFP To Delete a Weather Image 1. To delete a weather image or all weather images, click the Weather tab. 2. Right-click one of the weather images under the Weather Thumbnails heading. 3. Select Delete to delete just the image you right-clicked, or Delete All to delete all the weather images. 32

37 Definitions Aircraft Data Aircraft Data is data you enter to create an aircraft model. AOPA Real-Time Flight Planner uses your model to calculate aircraft performance in the flight plan. Airway Published routes, usually between VORs, NDBs, and fixes. AOPA Real-Time Flight Planner offers automatic flight planning on airways. DUATS Direct User Access Terminal Service, a way of disseminating preflight briefing information directly to a personal computer by telephone. Enroute Chart In AOPA Real-Time Flight Planner (RTFP), the Enroute Chart serves as your primary visual flight planning tool. Because there are several ways to plan flights, the Enroute Chart is flexible, and you will probably want to spend some time getting familiar with its capabilities. To Open the View The Enroute Chart is the view tab that displays when you open RTFP. If another view tab is open, click the Enroute Chart tab to return. Enroute Waypoint An enroute waypoint is any VOR, NDB, or other point that appears on the AOPA Real-Time Flight Planner Enroute Chart. PreFlight Menu The Preflight Menu is designed to help you plan and manage routes quickly and efficiently. Route Waypoint A route waypoint is a point that is associated with a specific route. It will appear as an icon. Once the route is deleted, the route waypoint will be deleted. Route waypoints can be created using the rubber-band route editing method. 33

38 RTFP Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFRs) AOPA Real-Time Flight Planner (RTFP) provides a graphical TFR solution, based on NOTAM descriptions provided by the FAA. TFRs After the TFRs download, they will appear in the Enroute Chart. The TFRs are updated each time you log in to RTFP. In other words, the information is not stored locally. To Access TFR Properties Double-click a TFR in the Enroute Chart to view its properties. Tooltips Tooltips are brief descriptions of particular items or screen attributes that pop up when you point to a menu item, toolbar button, navaid, airspace boundary, or sometimes even text that is partially obscured. This is a valuable feature as you are learning the toolbar buttons in AOPA Real-Time Flight Planner (RTFP). User-Defined Waypoints User-Defined Waypoints are locations identified by the user using the User-Defined Waypoint tool and entered as vector objects. They may or may not be associated with a route. Waypoint Although technically a waypoint is a type of fix, the term waypoint is commonly used to refer to other types of fixes as well. This program may use waypoints to include types of fixes that are not technically considered waypoints by FAA, JAA, or ICAO definition. A waypoint as used in AOPA Real-Time Flight Planner (RTFP) is any airport, VOR, NDB, or other fix that can be used for defining a route. They also include User-Defined Waypoints. 34