I'm making the log available to all of you:
DOWNLOAD LINK
- I have added a performance module set up for the Boeing 377, Lockheed L-49, DC-6B and DC-3C. The data is from real world flight manuals except the L-49 which is from the A2A manual. It is not flight tested in FSX or P3D. I have also had to create formulas from various graphs and tables for just about everything and I think it is at least 95% accurate. Descent settings I have come up with myself. Edit these tables all you like to suit your taste on the relevant pages!
- I have fixed the magnetic variation and top of descent bugs mentioned by Stearmandriver. At least hopefully!
- Cells with a small red triangle in the upper right corner have a comment attached meant as a tooltip. Hold your mouse cursor over the cell and the comment will be shown!
- Cells with a green tint are required for proper calculations. Cells with a yellow tint are for your reference and are not required to fill in. Cells with a red tint are the results of calculations.
- Some of the sheets are protected in order to prevent unintentional editing. The password is: Connie
THE QUICK AND DIRTY WAY: This will not use any of the planning features of the spreadsheet. The logbook will work but all information will not be entered.
- Go to STEP 2.2. Follow the instructions.
- Go to STEP 2.3. Follow the instructions.
- Go to STEP 4. Follow the instructions and fly!
TO USE ALL FEATURES:
STEP 1: SETTING THE LOG UP
1. Go to the HANGAR page:
- Add aircraft types if you want to. (Performance settings are only available for the types listed above though. I am not planning on adding any other types anytime soon. It's time consuming work!)
- Add the registrations of your fleet! You can see that my repaints are still in there. Replace them with yours or keep them!
- Add your crewmembers names. (Not required)
- You can add manufacturers logos to display on the notes page. Insert a logo beneath the last one and add the name of the manufacturer. (Not required, backgound color is: R:251 G: 218 B: 167)
2. Go to the SCHEDULE page:
- Add your flights. Include: Flight number, departure time (local, format: HH:MM), departure timezone (drop down), origin, type of equipment (drop down), arrival time (local, format: HH:MM), destination. Block time is displayed. Make notes if you want to!
- I have left a couple of flights to show a few examples.
- Add airline logos to be displayed on the flightplan and nav log pages. (Same way as manufacturer logos, enter airline ICAO code)
STEP 2: FLIGHT PLANNING
1. Go to the FLIGHTPLAN PAGE:
- Enter desired date by using the drop downs.
- Select your desired flight from the "Flight Number" drop down.
- Select the aircraft you want to use for the flight from the "Ship No." drop down.
- Select your crewmembers. (Not required.)
- Tick the relevant box to determine the type of flight. (This is recorded in your logbook)
- Enter the number of passengers and the weight of your cargo in pounds.
- Winds will be entered later.
2. Create a flightplan in PLAN-G:
- Create a flightplan in PLAN-G.
- You are limited to 28 waypoints!
- I recommend that you add 4-5 waypoints along your track when doing ocean crossings.
- Make Plan-G display your plan in a table format. Select all the rows and columns in the table. (Left click the uppermost row, hold the shift key and press the down Arrow on your keyboard until all rows are blue.) Copy the flightplan by using Ctrl + C.
3. Go to the PLAN-G FLIGHTPLAN PAGE:
- Paste the flightplan into Excel by selecting the top left cell within the black frame and pressing Ctrl + V.
- Your flightplan should now be within the black frame.
4. Go to the NOTES PAGE:
- Enter the weight of your supplies, ADI and oil.
- Enter the distance to your alternate.
- Enter your desired holding time.
- Enter the warm-up and taxi time.
- Enter extra fuel if desired.
POWER SETTINGS - USING THE PERFORMANCE MODULE (RECOMMENDED - WORKS ONLY WITH DC-3, BOEING 377, L-49, DC-6)
- Enter the departure airport elevation as altitude on the CLIMB row. Select your climb Power from the BHP drop down!
- Enter the sruise power settings (I-VIII) that you intend to use. Enter altitude and cruise power (BHP) for each setting! Enter the waypoints using the "From" and "To" drop downs! You must use them i sequence! The last setting that you use will be used to calculate holding and diversion fuel. It can of course be used for the last part of your route as well! Use as many as you like or just one!
- Enter destination Airport altitude elevation as altitude on the DESCENT row. Select your descent power from the BHP drop down!
- Press the "Get performance"-button! Performance figures will be collected for the selected Aircraft type and positions for TOC/TOD will be calculated!
- Review your settings again with regard to the waypoints. Since TOC and TOD were inserted into the list of waypoints your route is no longer valid. Make the TOD-waypoint the last waypoint for your last power setting! (I can't make this easier! I would if I could!)
- Press the "Get performance"-button AGAIN and your settings will be corrected!
- You may edit any of the power settings if you like! Press "Get performance" to reset all changes! A green frame around the button indicates that numbers are identical to the performance tables. A red frame indicates that numbers have been changed!
POWER SETTINGS - ENTERING SETTINGS MANUALLY (Any aircraft!)
- Enter the departure airport elevation as altitude on the CLIMB row. Consult performance tables and charts for your Aircraft and enter: RPM, IAS, time to altitude, fuel to altitude. You cannot enter BHP and BMEP will not be calculated.
- Enter for each cruise power setting that you intend to use: altitude, RPM, IAS, fuel flow, from waypoint to waypoint. You cannot enter BHP and BMEP will not be calculated.
- Enter destination airport altitude elevation as altitude on the DESCENT row. Enter RPM, IAS, fuel flow, descent rate.
- Review your settings with regard to waypoints. Your last cruise setting must end with the TOD waypoint!
ENTERING WEATHER
- Go to the FLIGHTPLAN page.
- Divide your route into five zones using the FROM and TO drop downs for each zone!
- Enter wind direction and speed for each altitude.
NOTE: A quick way of entering the winds is to use Active Sky and review your route on the map. Divide your route so that the weather is reasonably uniform within each zone. The average course within each zone will be used to determine if winds are more or less favourable. Select a waypoint within a zone where the weather is typical for the zone and open the window that displays the detailed weather information. Copy this information the same way you did with the Plan-G flightplan and paste it into the relevant zone on the FLIGHTPLAN page! Green bars indicate favourable winds, red bars indicate unfavourable winds!
- Review your power settings again. If you have headwinds maybe you need to power up. If you have tailwinds maybe you can power down.
STEP 3: USING THE NAV LOG
- Go to the NAVLOG page.
- Prepare your log before takeoff. Enter your departure position using the drop down on the first row on the log sheet. Enter magnetic variation, temperature, pressure altitude (airport altitude), IAS (intended climb speed), wind strength and direction, select your next waypoint ffrom the drop down (any waypoint can be selected) or enter absolute coordinates for where you want to go. Enter fuel on board in gallons.
- Enter "Off blocks" time when you start your engines.
- Taxi and take off. Enter the time you took off in the row you prepared earlier. Turn to the calculated heading ("Mag. Head"). Enter the same heading under "Comp. Head".
NOTE: The "Mag. Head" is the heading calculated for you! This might be inaccurate due to changing winds, sloppy flying, turns etc. You must use your own judgement to determine if it is a reasonable heading! Enter "Comp. Head". This is the heading you choose to actually fly and will be used for calculations when you do your next entry!
- When you pass your first waypoint, enter position from the drop down or enter absolute coordinates, enter time, variation and all the other green tinted cells just like you did Before takeoff!
- Repeat this as you pass your waypoints!
NOTES: There are two ways of entering positions! When you pass close to your waypoint you can select your waypoint from the drop down. When you are far from your waypoint you can enter coordinates! Range and endurance are calculated from the ground speed, fuel used since last entry and time since last entry. So it is rather dumb but can give you some sort of indication!
- After landing and taxiing in and engine shutoff enter all the numbers and enter "On blocks"-time.
STEP 4: THE LOGBOOK
- Go to the LOGBOOK page.
- Press the "Copy from navlog"-button. All the data from your last flight will be collected and entered on a new row in your logbook!
- You can edit your entries all you like after they have been created!
NOTE: You can now prepare the sheets for your next flight by pressing the "Clear"-button on each page!
I am happy to answer questions here. Please report bugs! I am sure there are a few I haven't found yet!
/Mats