For an aircraft to be available for use in AOPA Real-Time Flight Planner (RTFP), the aircraft data must be in the system. Most of the information needed to create a new aircraft in RTFP can be found in your Pilot's Operating Handbook (POH).
Whether creating a model from scratch or editing an existing model, the information that displays is basically the same. The only difference between the two views is that when editing an aircraft model, the tabs are aligned along the top (as shown below) because information is already stored within each tab. When creating an aircraft model, the program uses a sequence of dialogs to ensure that the information is placed in the right sequence.
If you need to create a new aircraft model, click Edit > Aircraft Data > Create New Aircraft. The Basic Information dialog box appears where you can begin entering the data.
If you need to modify an existing aircraft model:
Click Edit > Aircraft Data > Edit Current Aircraft or
Click Edit > Aircraft Data > Select Aircraft. Select an aircraft in the Aircraft Library Manager dialog box and click Edit.
RTFP uses this information in flight plans and performance calculations.
The following list describes each field in the Basic Aircraft Data dialog box. When you have entered all of the basic aircraft data, save your edited fields, or click Cancel to revert to the original data.
If you are creating a new aircraft model, click Next to complete your Aircraft Model Setup by giving your aircraft a name to be added to the Aircraft Library Manager (see Saving Your Selected Aircraft).
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Basic Aircraft Information |
Make |
The manufacturer's name for the aircraft; for example: Bonanza, Arrow, Centurion. |
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Model |
The manufacturer's model designation for the aircraft; for example: F33A, PA–28RT, T210. If you plan to upload flight plans to DUATS, verify that you have the current and correct code. See the FAA website: http://www.faa.gov/airports_airtraffic/air_traffic/publications/atpubs/CNT/5-1.htm for current FAA aircraft codes. |
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Registration |
The registration number of your aircraft. |
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Color |
The color description RTFP uses in the FAA flight plan form. If you plan to upload to DUATS, ensure that you use a valid code. DUATS only accepts certain colors. See Formatting DUATS Flight Plans for a list of acceptable colors. |
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Equipment |
Click on View/Edit to open a dialog for entering FAA and ICAO equipment codes by using selected check boxes. RTFP applies the appropriate suffixes to the flight plan forms. See FAA online for current aircraft equipment suffixes if you prefer to enter them. See Formatting DUATS Flight Plans. |
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Home base |
Optional. RTFP uses this airport identifier and places it into the FAA Flight Plan (block 14). |
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Fuel capacity |
Maximum usable fuel (in gallons) the aircraft can carry. |
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Taxi Fuel |
The amount of fuel used for taxi. You can find this information in the Performance section of the Pilot's Operating Handbook (POH) or in the Weight and Balance section. It might be listed in a sample weight and balance calculation of takeoff weight. |
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Gross Weight |
The maximum weight of the aircraft, fuel, passengers etc. |
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Climb |
Rate of Climb |
You can find this information in a climb performance chart, or in the front of the POH. This figure should be the sea level, standard temperature rate of climb for the aircraft. |
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Indicated climb speed |
Enter the speed that you normally use. If you normally use a high cruise climb speed, use that number (could result in a lower climb rate, so enter a lower number for your rate of climb above if you use a high cruise climb speed). Notice that this number is indicated airspeed. |
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Climb Fuel Burn Rate |
These numbers might not be provided in your POH. They can be implied from other data, such as time/distance/fuel-to-climb tables and graphs. Another way to estimate sea-level climb fuel rate at full power is to divide your fuel flow at 75 percent power by .75. Fuel flow at the service ceiling should be close to the full throttle values shown at the highest altitudes in your charts. |
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Cruise |
Default cruise altitude |
Enter the default cruise altitude that you would like the RTFP to use for flight planning purposes. |
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Cruise TAS |
Enter the true airspeed used for cruise. This number is transcribed to Block 4 of the FAA Flight Plan. |
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Cruise Fuel Burn Rate |
This may not be directly provided in your Pilot's Operating Handbook (POH). The figure may be implied from other data such as time/distance/fuel to cruise tables and graphs. |
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Descent |
Rate of descent |
The rate of descent (in feet per minute) for normal descents. |
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Indicated descent speed |
The normal indicated airspeed used for descent. |
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Descent fuel flow |
This figure may not be directly provided in your Pilot's Operating Handbook (POH); it may be implied from other data such as time/distance/fuel to descent tables and graphs. |
After selecting an aircraft model to edit, you can overwrite the existing aircraft with edited information or save a new aircraft model while keeping the original.
To overwrite an aircraft model with new changes:
Once changes are made, click OK in the Edit Aircraft Model or the Edit Default Aircraft Model dialog box.
A dialog box appears that summarizes the changes and reaffirms the overwritten data. Click Yes to continue.
To edit an existing aircraft and keep the original aircraft sample:
In the Aircraft Name tab, give the aircraft a unique name.
Click OK or Finish.
Your new aircraft model and its unique aircraft name are added to the Aircraft Library.