How We Fly: The Art and Urgency Behind Flight Planning

A successful flight starts with meticulous planning, technical excellence, and profound responsibility. Here's how we take off, and what it takes to get there.

Mapping More Than Miles - The Heart of Route Planning

Pilots and flight planners orchestrate routes like a symphony - balancing safety, efficiency, and regulatory compliance.

Location

Each flight begins with identifying where we are flying from and where we are flying to. Every airport has a unique 3 letter code known as an airport code or location identifier which is assigned by the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

Terrain

Terrain, like mountains and valleys, and even city skylines can provide amazing views for everyone on board an aircraft, but for those planning the flight, terrain can be a challenging puzzle to solve.

Terrain can affect the safety and efficiency of a flight. When flight planning, you must determine your MSA - minimum safe altitude. This is the lowest altitude on the route that provides adequate terrain clearance. The amount of clearance depends on the obstacles, for example, in mountainous areas you may need to maintain a higher MSA to minimize turbulence and downdrafts.

Mountainous areas, and other types of terrain present some unique challenges for pilots and route planning. High altitude and high temperatures may reduce performance of the aircraft, and can affect takeoff and landing distances, along with reducing climb rate.

Weather Systems

Weather systems are specific sets of atmospheric conditions. Weather systems are made up of either high pressure or low pressure systems which affect:

• wind

• temperature

• cloud formation

• frontal systems (when air masses of different temperatures and densities meet)

• thunderstorms

• icing conditions

• turbulence

Pilots analyze weather reports and forecasts to understand the potential weather systems they may face on a specific route to their destination. Depending on the severity of the forecasted weather reports, pilots may need to adjust their planning, identify alternates for a long the way, or in some cases reschedule their flight for safety.

No Fly Zones

A no fly zone is an area that has restricted or prohibited aircraft from flying in a designated zone. There are many different reasons a no fly zone is established, and it is very important to identify and avoid those areas.

Fuel Stops

Fuel stops are planned or unplanned stops during a flight to refuel the aircraft. When flight planning, calculating fuel and fuel stops takes into consideration a few different factors:

• Distance you are traveling

• Take off weight allowance

• Required landing weight

• Flight conditions

• Potential deviations for weather or emergencies

Choosing the Right Wings for the Job

Each aircraft has unique qualities and capabilities. Determining the right aircraft depends on the mission's purpose. Some missions include transporting cargo, while other missions may be transporting passengers, and in some cases you are transporting both!

Aircraft performance features to consider based on mission:

• Payload capacity

• Speed

• Range

• Fuel efficiency

• Take off and landing minimums

• Maneuverability

• Avionics

• Stability

• Weather handling

• Aerodynamics

Types of airplanes to consider:

Fixed Wing aircraft are a good choice for a mission like, long haul supply runs. They are designed for speed and distance. The aerodynamics of this type of aircraft minimize drag, allowing them to go faster and farther on a single fuel load.

Rotary wing aircraft (Helicopters) are ideal for tight landings in rough terrain because they do not require a runway. These aircraft also have the ability to hover in place making them great for rescue missions, photography, and medical evacuations.

Amphibious aircraft are built to land on both water and land. These aircraft are great for missions to remote lakes, rivers, and coastal areas. They can also be used for firefighting and supply drops in rugged terrain.

Drones are unmanned aerial vehicles that are remotely piloted. These types of aircraft can be used for surveillance missions, mapping, and even delivery.

There are many different types of aircraft, these are just a few. To learn more about different types of aircraft, check out this website from the FAA here.

Behind Every Flight: The Unsung Work of Aviation Logistics

When planning a flight, pilots gather all information necessary for a safe and compliant flight. Things pilots must take into consideration are:

• Flight permits

• NOTAMs

• NAS updates

• Weather

• Fuel

• Terrain

Preflighting before departure is required and helps to ensures a safe and compliant flight. A preflight may consists of covering the following items:

• Conduct a weight and balance

• File necessary flight plans timely

• Load cargo

• Inspect the aircraft thoroughly - exterior and interior

• Give a briefing to flight crew and passengers

• Complete system checks

• Complete configuration checks

• Listen for unusual sounds and pay attention to unusual smells coming from the aircraft before boarding

• Inspect gear necessary for mission or planned route

  • For example, if going into a wildfire area you may need - heat shields, camera mounts, smoke masks, emergency kits

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