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Anyone who flies their own small aircraft knows all about the numerous steps required to create and properly file an official flight plan. It takes maps, rulers, specialized calculators, old-fashioned protractors and a lot of “know how” to develop each step of the flight. When you get into long-distance journeys the work only gets harder and more complicated. With the “PreFlight” app at hand, however, anyone can create even the most complex flight plan in just minutes using their iPod Touch or iPhone device.

While there are some equivalent apps available, such as ForeFlight Mobile, the PreFlight app works to provide almost all of the necessary tools in a single location. It has the ability to access an online database that provides instant wind aloft data accurate for a forty-eight hour window of time for any location in the world. It provides information on more than fifty thousand air fields around the world, along with local wind and weather stats, and is even powered with a “smart” calculator to suggest the most fuel efficient approaches to any trip.

Consider that other comparable mobile navigational tools have separate preparatory apps that have to be loaded and used individually. For example, Checklist Pro and AOPA Airports are two powerful apps that have to be used in conjunction with ForeFlight in order to get the job done. These can successfully determine all of the same information as PreFlight, but as stated, require the download and use of three separate features.

With PreFlight, it requires the use of the single app, and begins at the Flight Details page to obtain the “from”, “to”, and any “alternate” locations. This provides the pilot with the option to choose how many legs they want to use in order to complete the trip, meaning how many stops or side trips will be included in the one-way planning. The simple slide controls also allow the pilot to make adjustments to cruise altitude, the QNH (a barometric altimeter reading that allows the plane’s equipment to accurately read ground level for a specific airport), and even the type of plane being used. The app then takes this data and generates the flight details.

There are screens which give pre-flight pointers and allow specific information to be reviewed, such as the amount of fuel, the amount of time in the air, and the most accurate weather and wind forecasts available. Once the pilot is certain of their settings they can take a look at their complete route from their airport of origin through to their final destination. The route includes details about current temperatures, wind speeds and directions, and the total amount of fuel consumed for each leg planned.

The “PreFlight” app comes at a reasonable cost, especially when the many time and money saving features are considered, and is far more than a simple pocket tool for aviation enthusiasts. Clearly it compares easily to other navigation apps, but is among the few to include all FAA navigation aids and registered airports. It is also one of the few with access to adjustable maps and customizable settings that can allow each trip to be planned quickly and accurately. It does not, however, provide access to flight filing features, such as the ForeFlight File app which can send out a complete plan and even receive email confirmation. It is, however, one of the more reliable apps for private pilots to use.