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Flight Planning

2nd Mar 2022

Flight planning is critical in every flight, and it takes place before the departure of an aircraft. It helps determine whether the flight has met all the operational requirements and ensures the flight crew has all the information to facilitate safety. Flight plans also help with coordination with air traffic control. The pilot or flight dispatcher does the planning using computerized systems, most of which have advanced optimization and analytical capacities.


The planning process is extensive. It helps to map out the flight departure and arrival destinations, estimate the flight duration, and identify alternative airports that can be used in case of bad weather. The pilot’s details, number of passengers and crew, whether the flight is VFR (visual flight rules) or IFR (instrument flight rules), and other aircraft details are also included in the flight plans.


Flight plan considerations


Flight levels


Traffic controllers use flight levels. They use numeric and transition altitudes to determine the flight levels. Standard flight levels exist for various airways, with each direction having a different set. Every flight plan must have a legal flight level. If the altitude or airway changes, the Air Traffic Control assigns a new flight level.


Plan timeline


Pilots complete the flight planning in advance and submit the details as early as 120 hours prior. However, filing is usually a few hours before departure and, in some cases, after. The recommended duration is at least one hour before a domestic flight departure and three hours for international flights.  


Alternate airports


An alternative airport is another crucial factor in flight planning to cater to unexpected occurrences. The alternate airport must have the capacity to handle the aircraft's weight and foreseen fuel load if necessary.


Airspaces for special use


Every region has special airspaces that flight planners should not include. They may be military operations areas or other prohibited places.


Fuel


Flight plans for fuel mainly depend on the flight performance data from the manufacturers. Throttle settings of the flight plan determine the fuel burn rate, but the predicted weather and weight also matter. The plan should include reserve fuel if the flight is longer or above water.


Flight paths


Flight paths are predetermined. They can be navigational aids, which do not have airway connection or direct routing.


Importance of flight planning


The calculations involved in flight planning are essential in ensuring compliance with the regulations and safety in the aviation industry. The plans are also crucial for optimizing flight costs. The pilots can figure out the speeds, fuel quantity, and altitudes, then use that information to find the optimal route.


Planning also highlights other relevant factors such as upper air temperatures and wind, payload amount, airplane schedules, and operational constraints the crew might face. All those elements help in determining the best flight route. Other factors essential for such plans include overflight permissions and company policies for the aircraft.


Where to get flight planning tools


The aviation industry is constantly changing like the rest of the transportation sectors, meaning flight planning trends are also evolving. That is why we have a range of flight planning tools for different preferences. Everything you may need to increase your flight planning accuracy, ranging from flight computers to various types of navigation plotters, is available in our stock.  


If you need help with flight planning, we would be happy to help. Contact Fallon Pilot Shop today!