Flymap have put a lot of effort into making this Flight Planning system quick and easy to use and in particular they have worked on making it simple to transfer routes and other data between computer and cockpit. Although planning can be done easily on Flymap systems, we have also created PC software called Flymap Win to complement them. When planning a route, you simply enter your start and end points, which are then instantly overlaid onto the map. Dragging and clicking with the mouse allows the route to be altered and further waypoints inserted. Flymap Win also provides quick-links to METAR and TAF data, can automatically print out a plog and can be set up to make the necessary fuel, weight and balance calculations.
Decide where you want to go First things first - Flymap can incorporate many different chart formats, so you can always plan on a chart with which you are familiar.
Check the weather It's essential to know what the weather is going to do, so Flymap allows you to download and view the weather directly overlaid onto the map. It is colour coded by severity and you can also download and animate previous weather pictures in order to show trends. This service requires a subscription.
Input Your Route There are a variety of ways to plan your route in Flymap Win, but the most usual is to select a start and destination airfield and then simply click and drag the route to avoid restricted airspace and hazards
Check the Height and Airspace Along the Route Checking the elevation profile not only alerts you of high ground on the route (brown) but also allows you to double check the height and position of restricted airspace (blue).
Check the Route in Google Earth
This feature allows you to view your route in 3d complete with restricted airspace the correct levels in Google Earth, which is a free tool from Google. This is useful for two reasons: The first is that you can double check restricted airspace and the second is that you can see what your destination airfield is going to look like from the approach direction (see the bottom photo which is of EGTB)