SkyDemon Plan Overview

SkyDemon runs on any Windows PC and helps you plan your route, calculate performance, prepare for flight and later analyse the results. Internet connectivity is required for automatic retrieval of NOTAMs, TAFs and METARs.

How it Works

SkyDemon uses proprietary vector charts compiled dynamically from the very latest available air data for each supported country. The map comprises most of the planet and can be dragged around and zoomed intuitively with the mouse in the same way as all modern online mapping systems.

Planning a route is as simple as clicking on consecutive waypoints until the route is finished. It can then be altered by dragging any part of it to create doglegs around features or to experiment with different routings. Our charts include airspace, airfields, towns, radio navigation aids, instrument reporting points, visual reporting points, airways and more. User-defined waypoints can also be created.

While planning a route it is easy to see from both the main map and enroute features view whether there are any conflictions with designated airspace, ground-based obstructions or other hazards. The enroute features view is a side-on projection of your route. It makes it clear whether the route passes close to terrain or obstructions and whether it goes under, through or over the top of airspace. All ground-based features and reporting points you will pass close by are depicted.

As a route is planned, NOTAMs are fetched for the relevant flight information region(s) and plotted on the maps, making it easy to tell which are likely to affect the flight in a navigational capacity. Weather information, both observed and forecast, is automatically downloaded for airfields near the route and is plotted on the maps and in detail in separate windows. This makes it easy to see if cloud will make your plan unfeasible, for example, as you can see the cloud layers in relation to the ground and your planned levels.

Forecast winds aloft are then entered by the user and heading and groundspeed calculations are performed and displayed in the route plan together with automatically-calculated minimum safe altitudes for each leg.

About SkyDemon Charts

Our charts are drawn dynamically by the software and present a uniquely uncluttered view of the same complicated data that is used to assemble all air navigation charts. Simply hovering the mouse over any feature brings up all detail associated with it, such as vertical limits, period of activity, frequencies and other information.

Terrain elevation data is used extensively throughout the product. We use it for compiling the relief-shaded background of the main map that makes it easy to tell at a glance the approximate height of the ground, and for providing the backdrop to the profile views. It is used when calculating the minimum safe altitude for any area.

One benefit of a vector chart is that you can opt to remove certain features that you are not interested in. Automatic airspace clipping means that unless you specifically want to show it, no airspace more than 1000 feet above your planned route is shown. You can choose to hide all airspace and obstructions within specified vertical limits.

Performance Calculations

As a route is plotted, the required fuel quantity is constantly updated in the fuel planning window. The aircraft library is used to define the parameters for your aircraft such as the type of fuel it uses, burn rates and maximum levels. Thus a complete fuel plan is always just a glance away. The planned fuel level can be set anywhere between the minimum required (for the route and diversion) and the maximum useable.

Weight and balance calculations are performed as the planned fuel quantity is changed. The loading points for an aircraft are defined such that fuel weight and centre of gravity can be updated by SkyDemon, leaving other loading points such as pilot and passenger weight to be filled in manually. As these values are set the centre of gravity envelope graph is updated, making it easy to see whether the proposed configuration is acceptable for flight.

Next: Briefing Features