flight planning software
 

What software do you guys think is the best flight planning? I've been fiddling with AOPA's and just wondering what else you guys might use. Also what source is the best to download approach plates from.

Duck

AOPA's flight planner is a great source for doing the overall planning for your trip. The ability to click and drag the route to suite your needs is spectacular. For actual flight planning and filing I generally use DUAT.
Remember, though, flight planning software is only as good as the person who uses it. Make sure to give it good numbers :)

i'm very new when it comes to doing anything besides calling flight services and doing it the old fashion way. What's the diff between DUAT and DUATs?

To download approach plates, I go to www.myairplane.com. There you can click on NACO Approach Plates link and enter the identifier of your airport. However, it does not have a complete database. It's easy to find approach plates for medium to large airports, but smaller airports are hard to find on the site.

I use http://www.fltplan.com/ nice weather package readable notams overall nice planner.

Amen to that! The site was down for a bit today... here's the backup just in case: www.fltplan2.com

Combine fltplan.com with XM satellite weather directly into the cockpit and you have something better than most regional airline dispatchers!

It's relatively easy to figure out, has FAA certified (read legal) weather, can store aircraft performance info (as well as specific pilot profiles and tail numbers for multi pilot/aircraft operations.), and you can file IFR flight plans through their system.

Best of all? IT'S FREE!

www.fltplan.com is the best, that is all I have ever used.

Ditto on www.fltplan.com