Visual Flight Rules or VFR are basically those times when a pilot will NOT rely solely on instruments to navigate their aircraft on their route. There are many considerations to make when a pilot is doing this and the most important of which is fuel consumption, fuel is very expensive and is burnt quickly by aircraft especially those who have not planned their route correctly.
VFR flight planning explained
VFR flight planning is a simplified way of explaining a particular way of forming a flight plan when the rules of flight are governed by certain factors. VFR (visual flight rules) is a term used to describe those instances in which a pilot is not going to rely solely on instruments when navigating the aircraft. This type of flying is highly skilled and requires a great deal of training…but surprisingly perhaps, not so much as IFR (instrument flight rules) which necessitates a great deal of technical knowledge.
VFR flight is complex with many considerations to be covered. Fuel for instance is expensive, even on short flights and so it is a concern that fuel consumption is carefully controlled. VFR flight planning is one way to ensure that VFR flights are not only cost-effective but also as safe as possible. This can include the careful consideration of many factors; as pilots flying under VFR rely heavily upon their own senses and an accurate prediction of weather patterns.
Flight plans consider many things with regard to safety and the risks of collision are carefully calculated by considering the details of landscapes, weather, and other air traffic which the pilot of an aircraft may encounter. Although the weather and the behavior of other craft are never definite, experienced flight planners know how to calculate things extremely closely and so with all things taken into consideration, it is possible to draw up very accurate and almost fool-proof flight plans.
Fuel load and costs
Like any other type of planning, careful fuel management must be considered; fuel is a big expense for all flights, and keeping costs to a minimum is preferential. Reserve fuel can be a difficulty as there is no avoiding that it must be included in the fuel loaded onto an aircraft irrespective of whether or not it is believed it will be used.
By calculating the risks of an aircraft needing to divert to another airport in case of an emergency and also the expected weather conditions on the day of a flight, a good flight plan can effectively minimize the amount of extra fuel carried by aircraft, and this, of course, saves money as well as precious commodities.
The calculations of fuel are complex and many things are taken into consideration; not the least of these things is the expected weight of any particular aircraft; if a craft is carrying a heavy load then the amount of fuel that is burned is greater than that of a craft with only a light load. As an aircraft sets out on its journey, its weight will be at its heaviest due to the fuel that it is carrying on board; this consideration is something that means VFR flight planning must consider this fuel burn as the journey progresses.
Flight planning is complicated and requires very careful calculations which pilots can rely on at all times.
A detailed look at VFR flight planning
What's involved?
VFR flight planning (Visual Flight Rules planning) can be an important tool for pilots who will be embarking on any flight where as far as conditions indicate, there will be no need for onboard instruments. Any flight plan requires a large amount of prediction and forward planning and VFR is not different in that part of it necessitates the checking of weather conditions as far as possible and thus to predict what level of visibility there will be on a journey.
Clear conditions in daylight hours will indicate that there is no need for any instrument flight rules to be adhered to and that the flight may be undertaken using VFR flight planning. As with all forms of flight planning, there are however no guarantees and no absolutes; there may always be unexpected events or circumstances which could cause a pilot to have to fall back on onboard instruments to assist in navigation.
The success of a flight relies heavily on planning and accurate research must be undertaken to ensure that any risks are kept to a minimum. The main difference between VFR flight planning and IFR planning is obviously that a pilot flying an aircraft with no apparatus assisting them must use their senses to guide the craft successfully; this entails much skill and judgment as far as understanding the distance of any obstacles which may appear unexpectedly, such as other craft or even unexpected cloud. Judging the altitude and course of an aircraft may be done by looking at the horizon and this is one of the main tools a pilot uses on a VFR flight.
Prediction of weather is just as important a factor for VFR flights as it is for IFR flights and a good plan can go a long way to keeping all on board a flight safe.
Flight planning and fuel efficiency
The conservation of fuel supplies is a major reason for small and large airlines to take advantage of VFR flight planning services; a good flight planning service will enable pilots to work out how much fuel will be required for any particular flight and add to that amount how much extra fuel will need to be carried in case of emergencies such as unexpected weather patterns which could force the aircraft to work harder and to use extra fuel. It is more economical to carry only what will be used but regulations insist that extra is carried and by working out potential delays or the likelihood of unforeseen circumstances, it is possible to keep even the extra fuel allowance to a minimum.
VFR route planning services
Working out the fastest possible routes is another extremely important factor in VFR flight planning. The perfect route will be the shortest one ideally, but of course, the world is rarely perfect and sometimes the shortest routes are overcrowded and it is then that flight planning can be utilized to work out the next best option. In some cases, there may be many potential routes on offer and it is then that other conditions such as weather can influence flight planning. For all concerned, flight planning is a hugely important factor in any flight whether commercial or otherwise.
Features of VFR flight planning
The features of VFR flight planning mean that every pilot should use it, RocketRoute is a pilot’s best friend and will get you where you are heading faster, more efficiently, and cost less. RocketRoute has several key features that affect VFR flight planning greatly, these include AutoRouter, SMS alerts, Flight Logs, Landing Slots, Ground Handling, and Taxi & Hotel Booking all in one fast and easy package to give each pilot an edge.
VFR in RocketRoute FlightPlan
VFR flight planning with RocketRoute works using several key features designed to integrate with PCs, Macs, iPads, and mobiles to give you route-finding information on the move. The flight planning software is fast, easy to use, and sure to save you valuable time and money on each trip. You can use RocketRoute online or ring our operations team for more personal service.
