Plan a Flight¶
What to expect¶
Enroute Flight Navigation offers essential flight planning functionality: you can display the route on the moving map and compute travel time and fuel consumption estimates. The following image shows the Flight Route Window in a typical situation.
Flight route window, route set¶
As soon as you are flying and following the route, the moving map will show additional items that help you navigate.
The moving map shows the intended flight as a magenta line.
The map shows the path from the current position to the next waypoint as a thin red line.
An infobox shows distance, ETE, and ETA for the flight to the next and the final waypoint.
The following image shows a typical situation.
Moving map when following a flight route¶
Note
Enroute Flight Navigation shows the info box only when airborne, closer than three nautical miles to the intended route and further than three nautical miles from your destination.
Set up a route¶
This chapter will take you through the necessary steps to set up a route.
Step 1: Set aircraft characteristics¶
To compute travel time, Enroute Flight Navigation needs to know the cruise speed of your aircraft. If you have followed this manual, you have entered this piece of data after you downloaded the aviation map. If not, then please check the section Set aircraft specifics again.
Step 2: Specify wind¶
Enroute Flight Navigation also needs to know about the wind. If you are not on the page “Route and Wind,” open the main menu and choose the item “Route and Wind.” Select the tab “Wind” and enter an estimate for wind direction and speed that you expect to encounter during your flight.
Step 3: Specify waypoints¶
Enroute Flight Navigation needs to know where you want to go. There are several ways to specify the waypoints in your route.
Enter waypoints by name
Select waypoints in the moving map
Import a route from the route library
Import a GPX file from another program
Most users will enter the waypoints manually. Still, we explain all four methods in some detail.
Option 1: Enter waypoints by name
If you are not on the “Route and Wind” page, open the main menu and choose the item “Route and Wind.” On the page, select the “Route” tab. The page will initially look like this:
Flight route window, no route set¶
A tap on the field “Add Waypoint” at the bottom of the page will open a dialog window showing a long list with all waypoints from all aviation maps you have installed. Enter a few letters of the waypoint name (“Freiburg”) or ICAO code (“EDTF”) to narrow the list down. Once the desired waypoint becomes visible, a click will add it to the route.
Enter waypoints by name¶
Click on the field “Add Waypoint” again to enter more waypoints.
Option 2: Select waypoints in the moving map
It is possible to add waypoints directly from the moving map. Double-tap or tap-and-hold on any point of the moving map. The waypoint description dialog will open.
Tap on the “Plus” sign to append the waypoint to the current route.
Tap on “Direct to” to discard the current route and to add the current position and the given waypoint to your path.
If the waypoint is already present in your route, you can tap on the “Minus” sign to remove it.
Option 3: Import a route from the library
Section Optional: Save route for future use will show how to save a route to the library for future use. If you have already saved a route to the library, go to the open the main menu and choose the item “Library/Routes.” The route library page will open. Choose a route by tapping on the respective item in the list.
Option 4: Import a GPX file from another program
To prepare your flight, you might want to use full-featured flight preparation software or online services, such as FL95. Most (if not all) programs allow exporting the route in GPX format. Transfer the GPX file to your device (using Bluetooth file transfer, Google Drive, sending yourself an e-mail, or any other communication channel).
On Android devices, it suffices to open the file. Depending on the transfer mode, you can open the file after the Bluetooth transfer, in the Google Drive App, or perhaps in the e-mail client. Enroute Flight Navigation will automatically open and import the route. If more than one program on your device can handle GPX files, the system will ask you which program to use.
On the Linux desktop, drag-and-drop the GPX file to the Enroute Flight Navigation window.
Step 4: Edit the route if necessary¶
It might be necessary to edit the route. If you are not on the “Route and Wind” page, open the main menu and choose the item “Route and Wind.” On the page, select the “Route” tab.
Global functions
The three-dot-menu in the upper right corner of the screen allows reversing the route or deleting it entirely.
Waypoint-specific functions
The three-dot-menu to the right of each waypoint allows one to delete a specific waypoint or move it up and down in the list. You can edit waypoints that do not refer to pre-set airfields, navaids, or reporting points. Tap on the pencil symbol to open a dialog that allows you to set a name and edit the coordinates.
Optional: Save route for future use¶
Once you are happy with the route, you might want to save it for future use. If you are not on the “Route and Wind” page, open the main menu and choose the item “Route and Wind.” On the page, select the “Route” tab. The three-dot-menu in the upper right corner of the screen allows saving the route to the library.
Optional: Open the route in another app¶
It is possible to open the route in another app. Choose the item “Open in other app…” from the three-dot menu at the top right of the screen, and choose the appropriate file type from the submenu.