Flight Planning Overview
An excellent flight planning system is an essential part of life for pilots. The rules and regulations for pilots are extremely stringent and if pilots are not able to secure a good, reliable planning system then this can spell trouble either during their flights or upon landing, this is because flight planning does not begin and end with the flight but also includes some aspects of aftercare. Our airways are more crowded than they have ever been in the history of commercial flying and so services which support our pilots must be extremely reliable and well organised in order to ensure the safety of all involved. When we consider all of the many aspects a good flight plan involves, perhaps the most important could be the issue of fuel planning. Pilots need to be safe in the knowledge that their craft is supplied with plenty of fuel; enough to make the scheduled journey and also enough to include any emergencies which could occur. Weather can be unreliable, especially when crossing continents and all the predictions in the world cannot be accurate 100% of the time, this is part of the reason that extra fuel must be considered in case bad weather conditions force a pilot to circle for longer than expected before landing or even to make a journey to an airport further away. As aircrafts flight capabilities are affected by wind speed, the weather is a very important factor in flight planning; with fuel consumption being a major factor.
Flight Planning Necessities
Other details for pilots to consider regarding flight planning are factors such as extra passengers who may not have been accounted for when the original plan was formed and also luggage or cargo which may either weigh more than anticipated or have been loaded at the last minute; extra weight can seriously affect an aircrafts fuel consumption and so forward thinking and extra allowances are extremely important. Sometimes the chosen flight paths are overcrowded and so the craft must fly at a height which uses more fuel than lower altitude would necessitate.
Other Flight Planning Challenges
Finding an alternative airport is an important factor in good flight planning; there are many situations where a different airport other than the original is needed. Emergencies on the ground are an uncommon but potential source of disruption which can make an alternative landing destination a much needed option. Although rare, the situations which could make landing at the first choice of airport necessary include security emergencies, fire and evacuation due to natural disaster. More usual causes of aircraft being unable to land are bad weather which causes visibility problems and also simple technical problems with lighting or power. Because alternative airports need to be a significant distance from the original choice due to the common cause of weather difficulties, the need for extra fuel is vital. Circling above the alternative airport is another factor to consider when working out an extra fuel allowance as an unexpected or unscheduled landing may upset the airports system. Flight planning needs to be very detailed to cover all eventualities.