laptop moving maps

[monkey]

There used to be software available to link your loran up to a laptop and it would give you a color moving map. At the time, I had no access to a laptop. Now, I have about five of them and would like to know if such software is still available for the loran and / or GPS. My GPS has moving map, but it is small and not color. Can anyone help me on this?

Thanks.
JB

[SeaAir]

Jeppesen makes a software package called FlightMap that I have used quite successfully with my Garmin 12XL (a "hiking" GPS). You have to buy the appropriate cable for your GPS and sort out the interface, but once that's done you throw the GPS on the dashboard and put the laptop on the co-pilot's seat and you're ready to go.

FlightMap is a wonderful package that makes flight planning a breeze. It will automatically plan your route given altitude and other contraints that you give it. If it doesn't route you the way you want, you can use the mouse to adjust it as needed. It will even plan in fuel stops if you want. Once the route is determined, you can upload the waypoints to the GPS so that you could use it alone if you want.

They have a fairly extensive database of aircraft already programmed in, but if you spend a little time you can enter the data specific to your airplane. After going through that exercise with my airplane, the calculations it makes for time enroute and fuel consumption are within a few percent of the actual values.

The program interfaces with DUATS for weather information either through the internet or directly over the phone. The information it gathers is then applied to you route making the corrections for winds aloft and showing you any SIGMETS or AIRMETS. It will also file you flight plan for you based on your route.

As you are flying and have the GPS hooked up, you can read out your heading, ground speed, altitude, as well as seeing where you are. They have a map database with the major land features included (the amount of detail is controllable by you), or you can display a rasterized WAC chart. If you have an emergency, it will quickly point you toward the nearest airport.

All in all it is a good package. The only drawback is the amount of room the laptop takes up. You really have to be alone in the airplane to make it work well just because of its size. Also, the screen has to be one of the newer, brighter screen in order to see it on a sunny day.

Hope all this helps.

[monkey]

O-K, It says I have a reply to my laptop moving map posting, but I find none below it. I will reply myself and see if this shows up...
If anyone knows of this software, please let me know.

Thanks again.

JB

[monkey]

Seair:

Thanks for the complete reply. I will contact Jeppsen and check it out.

It was strange. I kept looking at the posting and seeing that there was one reply yesterday, but it didn't show up. Only my posting. Then I did my own reply and when the page came back up, your reply was there!
Oh well, I guess I will never completely figure these computers out.

Thanks again.

JB

[wxwatcher]

JB..

Ref not seeing the replies. It sounds like you pulled a cached copy of the page from your computer's memory. Next time that appears to be happening, press the "shift" key while clicking on reload/refresh (depending on your browser). That will force a reload from the web site and bypass the internal cached copy.

[BAYALON]

Monkey
I had the FlightMap V8. software and found errors in the positions of VRPs and missing VRPs.
Make sure that yours is fine. At the time (2 months ago)Jeppesen did not have correction files on their site.

[FlyinHeel]

aeroplanner.com has links to the palmpilot GPS oriented flight tracking software. It's relatively inexpensive (less than $100) but there is some catch--about either having the Palm VII with the modem or a Palm GPS (which I don't even know if it exists).

[F4WSO]

Saw your post re: Jeppeson FlightMap software for laptops. I looked for this product on the Jeppesen website and nada. Any idea where I might find this on the web. Sounds like just what I am looking for.
Thanks

[SeaAir]

Try this link:
http://www.jeppesen.com/store/prods/flitemap.phtml

[shar0119]

Jeppesen FliteStar on sale on Ebay. http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI...item=563605509

No Reserve!