General Flight Planning
Filing IFR
Planning a flight
Aircraft Performance
Why is this data so much more accurate than other available online flight planning web sites such as DUATS or FltPlan.com? (Back to top)
Other services do not consider weight or temperature as part of their performance calculations. At ISA, FlightAware recognizes that a Challenger 300 will burn 400lbs of fuel over 5.6 minutes to get to FL310 when it weighs 24000lbs or at 38500lbs, 735lbs of fuel over 10.4 minutes. Other flight planning systems provide the same data regardless.
Do I have to be a pilot to use FlightAware Flight Plan? (Back to top)
Nope. Any registered FlightAware member can plan flights, view routings, print approach plates, and take advantage of all the flight planning features.
How many pilots can I have? (Back to top)
Unlimited. Coming soon, FlightAware will offer a dispatcher feature to correlate pilots with individuals in your FlightAware Flight Crew.
How many aircraft can I have? (Back to top)
Unlimited.
Should I do something crazy like blindly file and fly without reviewing the accuracy of the data? (Back to top)
Certainly not, not only is that crazy like you said, but the data provided by FlightAware is not reviewed by a certified pilot or dispatcher prior to providing it to you. You should review it for accuracy before flying.
I have feedback. (Back to top)
I have an urgent question. (Back to top)
Will this thing work on my Blackberry? (Back to top)
Not yet. Support for mobile devices is coming soon.
I heard that sometimes when you file on FlightAware, you can get a better fuel price, is that true? (Back to top)
Yes, in some cases, FlightAware has made arrangements with FBOs and will offer preferential pricing when you're planning a flight on FlightAware.
Is this weather QICP certified for Part 135 and Part 121 carriers? (Back to top)
Not yet. Expect to see that late 2009.
Does FlightAware verify Receiver Autonomous Integrity Monitoring (RAIM) availability? (Back to top)
Yes. It will indicate the results at the top of every flight plan navigation log page.
I want to use FlightAware's flight planning technology in my own application. can i do that? (Back to top)
Do I have to be a pilot to file a flight plan? (Back to top)
You must be a certified pilot or dispatcher that is otherwise permitted by the FAA to file IFR flight plans.
How far in advance can I file a flight plan? (Back to top)
Currently, you can only file flight plans for the next 24 hours. FlightAware will be adding the ability to schedule flight plans further in the future.
Can I change a flight plan I've filed? (Back to top)
No. You must cancel the flight plan and re-file to amend it.
How can I cancel a flight plan that I've filed on FlightAware? (Back to top)
If the departure time is more than two hours from now, you can click "Filed Flight Plans (view/delete)" and cancel your flight plan. If it is within two hours, you must either let the flight plan timeout or call 1-800-WX-BRIEF to cancel it.
Can I get a full briefing through FlightAware Flight Plan? (Back to top)
Yes, either click "View FAA Filing Results / Briefing" after filing IFR, or click "View Filing" when viewing all your past flight plans.
How do I know that a flight plan has been field once I've submitted it? (Back to top)
You can track the aircraft on FlightAware to see if the flight you filed is listed as scheduled. Alternately, you can setup a
FlightAware flight alert so that you can receive an email and/or text message with your expected clearance when your flight plan has been filed.
Does FlightAware support ICAO flight plans that indicate RNAV/RNP capabilities? What about RVSM? (Back to top)
Yes, FlightAware only files ICAO domestic flight plans. When setting up your aircraft profile, FlightAware will ask about the aircraft's RNAV, RNP, RVSM airspace and your willingness to accept RNAV routings.
Does FlightAware support VFR flight plans? What about DVFR? (Back to top)
Yes, using
Simple File, you can file VFR flight plans. FlightAware does not support DVFR.
Why is FlightAware changing my origin and/or destination to "ZZZZ" when filing with the FAA? (Back to top)
Per ICAO Flight Plan specifiaction, non-ICAO airport codes (e.g., 11R) are to be replaced with "ZZZZ" and the non-ICAO airport is to be indicated in the REMARKS section. FlightAware does this automatically for you
How do the altitude ranges work? (Back to top)
FlightAware will select a handful of altitudes that are within the maximum and minimum flight level you've provided and perform the flight planning calculations for each of them.
Do you consider RVSM altitudes? (Back to top)
Yes, we use 1000 foot spacing below FL410 and 2000 foot spacing above FL410.
What is the service area of FlightAware flight planning? Do you support Hawaii and Alaska? (Back to top)
Currently we only support domestic US flights. We're currently testing support for Alaska and Hawaii and we plan to extend support to Canada and the Caribbean in the future.
How does FlightAware come up with the routes? Are they preferred routes? (Back to top)
They are based on routes recently flown between the origin and destination you specified. If no route is available, FlightAware will suggest routes flown between nearby arports.
How does FlightAware decide what alternates to suggest? (Back to top)
Currently, FlightAware suggests all airports within 40 miles of your destination that have published instrument approaches. In the future, FlightAware will suggest alternates based on aircraft requirements.
Do I have to pick an alternate? (Back to top)
No, it is not required by FlightAware. FAA regulations may require that you pick an alternate.
How current are the fuel prices at FBOs? (Back to top)
Many FBOs update their prices directly on the FlightAware.com web site. Roughly 200 a week update via email and FlightAware calls 300-400 weekly.
What FBOs are included? (Back to top)
Virtually all FBOs. There is no fee to be listed. FBOs can add themselves on an airport page or
contact us to be added.
Why is the route I'm filing different than the route shown in the navigation log? (Back to top)
For the navigation log, FlightAware expands DPs, STARs, and airways to include all the intersections and/or navaids along that segment.
What time zone am I filing in? What is "in an hour" ? (Back to top)
You can specify the time zone. For example, 04:00 CDT or 16:30 PST or 13:00 Z. However, if you click one of the options like "in an hour," it will display the time in the preferred time zone you setup in your profile. Regardless of the time zone you're departing from, it will always be in the future the same number of hours since the suggested times are relative to the current time.
What are the different colors on the route/altitude matrix? (Back to top)
For each route/altitude combination, FlightAware highlights the fastest flight in orange, the least fuel consumption flight in blue, and the least expensive (considering aircraft and fuel) flight in green.
Why would I ever want to fly a longer flight when there are shorter options? (Back to top)
Depending on the economics of your aircraft and the cost of fuel, it may be worthwhile in some instances to fly a longer, more efficient flight.
How does FlightAware know what the winds are for the en route segments of a flight? (Back to top)
Winds aloft are computer prepared four times a day by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and contain forecast wind direction and speed as well as forecast temperatures. FlightAware currently extracts the forecasts for each three-hour interval for 30 hours into the future as each forecast is delivered, for the entire continental United States. FlightAware currently has winds aloft every 3000 feet between 3,000ft and 48,000ft at 1 degree intervals.
How does FlightAware combine all the route, weather, and performance data to produce flight estimates? (Back to top)
We seperate the route into hundreds of segments and consider the current altitude, temperature, aircraft weight, and power setting to calculate the time and fuel consumption of each of those hundreds of segments.
What are the different types of performance profiles (rate vs time)? (Back to top)
Different manufacturers specify performance data in different styles and the performance profile entry options are designed to let you enter performance data directly from the POH without having to do any additional work.
Why do I have the option for multiple climb, cruise, and descent profiles? (Back to top)
To allow users to select the appropriate profile (max rate climb or cruise climb, max thrust cruise or long range cruise thrust, etc) to meet the needs of the flight.
Why does FlightAware need the dry operating cost and the fuel price? (Back to top)
FlightAware uses the dry operating cost and fuel cost to assist the users in determining the best route and altitude for their mission.
What if I rent a plane "wet" (including fuel)? (Back to top)
You should enter the wet rate in the dry rate field and enter 0 for the fuel price
What aircraft does FlightAware provide performance profiles for? (Back to top)
FlightAware has sample data available for the following aircraft. If you setup an aircraft with a code listed below, you will have the opportunity to copy default performance data for your aircraft and then you can edit it to match your POH/QRH
| AA5 | Grumman AA-5 Tiger (piston-single) |
|---|
|
| AC11 | Rockwell Commander 114 (piston-single) |
|---|
|
| AC90 | Rockwell Turbo Commander 690 (twin-turboprop) |
|---|
|
| AC95 | Gulfstream Aerospace Jetprop Commander (twin-turboprop) |
|---|
|
| B222 | Bell 222 (twin-turboshaft) |
|---|
|
| B752 | Boeing 757-200 (twin-jet) |
|---|
|
| BE20 | Beechcraft Super King Air 200 (twin-turboprop) |
|---|
|
| BE23 | Beechcraft Sundowner (piston-single) |
|---|
|
| BE33 | Beechcraft Bonanza (33) (piston-single) |
|---|
|
| BE35 | Beechcraft 35 Bonanza (piston-single) |
|---|
|
| BE36 | Beechcraft Bonanza (36) (piston-single) |
|---|
|
| BE40 | Beechcraft Beechjet (twin-jet) |
|---|
|
| BE58 | Beechcraft Baron (58) (twin-piston) |
|---|
|
| BE9L | Beechcraft King Air 90 (twin-turboprop) |
|---|
|
| C150 | Cessna Commuter (piston-single) |
|---|
|
| C172 | Cessna Skyhawk (piston-single) |
|---|
|
| C177 | Cessna Cardinal (piston-single) |
|---|
|
| C182 | Cessna Skylane (piston-single) |
|---|
|
| C205 | Cessna 205 (piston-single) |
|---|
|
| C206 | Cessna 206 Stationair (piston-single) |
|---|
|
| C210 | Cessna Centurion (piston-single) |
|---|
|
| C25A | Cessna Citation CJ2 (twin-jet) |
|---|
|
| C25B | Cessna Citation CJ3 (twin-jet) |
|---|
|
| C310 | Cessna 310 (twin-piston) |
|---|
|
| C337 | Cessna Super Skymaster (twin-piston) |
|---|
|
| C414 | Cessna Chancellor (twin-piston) |
|---|
|
| C421 | Cessna 421 (twin-piston) |
|---|
|
| C441 | Cessna Conquest 2 (twin-turboprop) |
|---|
|
| C501 | Cessna Citation 1SP (twin-jet) |
|---|
|
| C510 | Cessna Citation Mustang (twin-jet) |
|---|
|
| C525 | Cessna Citation CJ1 (twin-jet) |
|---|
|
| C550 | Cessna Citation Bravo (twin-jet) |
|---|
|
| C560 | Cessna 560 Citation 5 (twin-jet) |
|---|
|
| C56X | Cessna Citation Excel (twin-jet) |
|---|
|
| C650 | Cessna Citation III (twin-jet) |
|---|
|
| C77R | Cessna 177RG Cardinal RG (piston-single) |
|---|
|
| C82R | Cessna Turbo Skylane RG (piston-single) |
|---|
|
| CL30 | Bombardier Challenger 300 (twin-jet) |
|---|
|
| CL60 | Canadair Challenger (twin-jet) |
|---|
|
| COL3 | Cessna 350 (piston-single) |
|---|
|
| COL4 | Cessna 400 (piston-single) |
|---|
|
| D328 | Fairchild Dornier 328 (twin-turboprop) |
|---|
|
| DA40 | Diamond Star (piston-single) |
|---|
|
| E135 | Embraer ERJ-135 (twin-jet) |
|---|
|
| E50P | Embraer Phenom 100 (twin-jet) |
|---|
|
| EA50 | Eclipse 500 (twin-jet) |
|---|
|
| F2TH | Dassault Falcon 2000 (twin-jet) |
|---|
|
| GA7 | Grumman GA-7 Cougar (twin-piston) |
|---|
|
| GALX | IAI Gulfstream G200 (twin-jet) |
|---|
|
| H25B | Raytheon Hawker 800 (twin-jet) |
|---|
|
| LJ35 | Learjet 35 (twin-jet) |
|---|
|
| LJ45 | Learjet 45 (twin-jet) |
|---|
|
| LJ60 | Learjet 60 (twin-jet) |
|---|
|
| M20P | Mooney M-20 (piston-single) |
|---|
|
| M20T | Mooney M-20 Turbo (piston-single) |
|---|
|
| P210 | Cessna P210 Pressurized Centurion (piston-single) |
|---|
|
| P28A | Piper PA-28 Cherokee (piston-single) |
|---|
|
| P32R | Piper Saratoga/Lance (piston-single) |
|---|
|
| P46T | Piper Malibu Meridian (single-turboprop) |
|---|
|
| PA24 | Piper PA-24 Comanche (piston-single) |
|---|
|
| PA32 | Piper Saratoga (piston-single) |
|---|
|
| PA34 | Piper Seneca (twin-piston) |
|---|
|
| PA44 | Piper PA-44 Seminole (twin-piston) |
|---|
|
| PA46 | Piper Malibu Mirage (piston-single) |
|---|
|
| PAY1 | Piper Cheyenne (twin-turboprop) |
|---|
|
| PC12 | Pilatus PC-12 (single-turboprop) |
|---|
|
| SR20 | Cirrus SR-20 (piston-single) |
|---|
|
| SR22 | Cirrus SR-22 (piston-single) |
|---|
|
| SW2 | Swearingen SA-26 Merlin 2 (twin-turboprop) |
|---|
|
| TBM8 | Socata TBM-850 (single-turboprop) |
|---|
|
| TRIN | Socata Trinidad (piston-single) |
|---|
|
| WW24 | IAI 1124 Westwind (twin-jet) |
|---|
|
What if my aircraft isn't included? (Back to top)
Why should I enter in all the data from my POH/QRH? (Back to top)
The more data you enter the more accurate we can be in predicting time enroute and fuel consumption.
