Basic GA Flight Planning Tool for X-Plane 12, MSFS & Prepar3D.

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Whether you’re new to flight simulators or a seasoned virtual pilot, understanding basic flight planning is essential. Knowing how long a flight will take, how much fuel you’ll need, and where to begin your descent adds realism and confidence to every flight.

To help you with this, we’ve created a simple GA Flight Planning Tool that calculates key flight parameters for popular general aviation aircraft in X-Plane 12, Microsoft Flight Simulator (MSFS), and Prepar3D.

With this tool, you can input your aircraft type, flight distance, cruise altitude, heading, and wind information to calculate:

• Cruise time
• Fuel burn
• Top of descent (TOD)
• Headwind/tailwind and crosswind effects

Our next post will explore RNAV procedures and planning, so you can integrate this basic planning with more advanced navigation techniques. Stay tuned!

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Available Aircraft in the Flight Planner

The following general aviation aircraft are currently included in the tool:

• Cessna 172 Skyhawk
• Beechcraft Baron 58
• Cirrus SR22
• Diamond DA62
• Cessna 208B Caravan

Aircraft	Cruise Speed (kt)	Climb Rate (fpm)	Climb Speed (kt)	Descent Rate (fpm)	Descent Speed (kt)	Fuel Burn (GPH)
Cessna 172 Skyhawk	120	700	75	500	100	8
Beechcraft Baron 58	190	1200	120	800	140	28
Cirrus SR22	180	1200	100	800	140	17
Piper PA-18 Super Cub	80	500	65	400	70	6
Lancair Evolution	270	2500	140	1500	200	40
Van’s RV-10	165	1200	95	800	120	14
Cessna 152	105	600	70	500	90	6
Diamond DA40	140	800	90	600	110	9
Diamond DA62	175	1200	95	700	130	22
Beechcraft Bonanza G36	170	1000	100	700	130	15
Cessna 208B Caravan	170	1300	120	800	140	50
CubCrafters XCub	135	1000	80	500	100	8
Flight Design CTSL	120	800	75	500	100	5
Icon A5	95	600	75	500	90	4
Pipistrel Virus SW 121	115	750	80	500	100	4

If your favourite GA aircraft isn’t listed, feel free to leave a comment and we may add it in a future update.

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Using the Flight Planner – (Flight Simulator Only)

The tool is simple and intuitive: just select your aircraft, enter your distance, cruise altitude, heading, and optional wind information. The planner will calculate:

• Estimated flight time
• Adjusted groundspeed considering wind
• Fuel required for the flight
• Top of descent location

Even if you leave wind inputs blank, the planner will provide a general estimate, making it perfect for quick GA flights in your simulator.

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GA Flight Planner

Now with fuel burn! Estimates are for sim fun, not real-world planning.

Lets Fly VFR Flight Planner!

This flight simulator planning tool is very useful for planning your general aviation flights across the country no matter where you are. The planner is intended for FLIGHT SIMULATION use only and not for REAL WORLD use.

I hope you find it useful and if your new to learning to fly in one of the popular flight sims such as Microsoft Flight Simulator, X Plane 12 or Prepar3d then this can be a useful tool.

Suggestions are welcome for additional aircraft and features if your needing more to get your flight planning done efficiently.

Conclusion

This flight planning tool provides a realistic, yet fun way to plan your GA flights in X-Plane 12, MSFS, and Prepar3D. By understanding cruise times, fuel requirements, and wind effects, you can enjoy a more immersive flying experience. Start planning your next virtual flight today and take your GA skills to the next level!

Author

Brendon McAliece (Aka Gunnie) is a military veteran with 23 years working on Jet Fighters, their weapons systems and ejection seat/module systems as well as munitions and R&D.

Involved with flight simulation since the 1980s, he has flown all the major flight simulators over the years. He is an Australian expat who has lived in Malaysia, UK, Saudi Arabia and more recently Thailand.

He is a multi-lingual blogger who loves to share his life experiences here on LetsFlyVFR.com and DreamingGuitar.com, with his lifestyle and Travel experiences Blog plus his Dreaming Coffee website.

Learn More @ 
DreamingGuitar.com – DreamingCoffee.com – LetsFlyVFR.com

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