Calculating flight distances not only helps pilots determine the length of the intended flight, but it also helps them plan for fuel and weather considerations. Proper distance planning helps keep pilots and their passengers safe and allows them to plan scheduling according to the needs of their travels. The distance planning process that pilots currently use has evolved from traditional paper charts to modern digital flight planning software utilities that allow for quicker and more accurate planning. In all methods of calculation, you, the pilot, must have a good understanding of the data being produced to apply it to the flight.
Lay out your flight charts. Lay out the flight charts you will be using so that the entire route that you will be flying will be visible. This may include numerous charts and require a large area to work with if the flight will be one of a long length. The charts should be arranged so that the boundaries match up.
Draw a line between the point of origin and the final destination, including any intermediate stops (if needed). This line should be drawn as straight as possible. The aid of a straight edge (the plotter will suffice) will be helpful.
Measure the line. The line you have plotted can now be measured with your aviation plotter. Be sure to check the map scale of the chart and measure with your plotter using the same map scale. Most plotters are capable of measuring multiple scales. The total distance of the line as measured will be the distance of the intended flight.
Choose a digital flight planner. Many digital flight planners are available to the public. Some require the user to be a pilot, some require registration or membership within an organization, and some are available for a fee. A few are available for free. Choosing which flight planner you will use is a matter of personal taste and desired features. Features range from basic distance calculators to full fledged planners that include weather and charting functions.
Determine airport identifiers for the origination and destination airports, including any intermediate airport stops. Most digital flight planners use international airport identifier codes as the input data required to determine flight planning. These codes are four-digit codes assigned to each airport. To find the code assigned to your desired airports of usage, pilots can refer to physical flight charts or use an online resource that will search the airport name or city name and correlate this to the four-digit airport code.
Input airport identifiers into the planning software to generate flight distances. With the four-digit airport codes determined, these are input into the flight planning software to generate a flight plan. Other information may also be entered, such as desired altitudes of flight, fuel requirements and other items to further refine the flight planning beyond basic distance. Most flight planners will then generate not only the distance of the flight, but they will also help calculate headings for flight, fuel calculations, speed calculations based on forecast winds and other desirable information.
