Here you will find some flight plans for Classic Flights that I like to fly, or found particularly interesting (mostly on the US West Coast, since I have charts of the area). They begin with a history of the route (as much history as I have from my limited timetable collection), including the schedule(s), and a link to download the aircraft to fly the route. This is followed by the flight plan itself, in table format, and any comments on the flight. Enjoy!
The best way to use these plans is to print out the flight plan and use it as a ready reference during your flight.
Many of these flight plan tables are as output by NAV 3.0, by Ted Wright - thanks!
Instructions:
How to read a flight plan table:
Fresno Air Terminal to Merced Mun/MacReady
-------------------- ------ ------ ------- -------- ----- -----
From ID
Freq Course Distance ETE Fuel
To ID
Freq Mag-Crs Total Total Total
-------------------- ------ ------ ------- -------- ----- -----
Fresno Air Terminal KFAT 309
16.3 5.7 47.9
top of climb 4500ft
295 16.3 5.7 47.9
-------------------- ------ ------ ------- -------- ----- -----
top of climb 4500ft 309
12.4 3.0 10.4
beginning of descent 4500ft 295
28.6 8.7 58.3
-------------------- ------ ------ ------- -------- ----- -----
beginning of descent 4500ft 309
13.6 3.3 2.7
EL NIDO (MERCED) HYP 114.20 295
42.2 12.0 61.0
-------------------- ------ ------ ------- -------- ----- -----
EL NIDO (MERCED) HYP 114.20 305
6.7 1.6 1.3
Merced Mun/MacReady KMCE 292
48.9 13.6 62.3
-------------------- ------ ------ ------- -------- ----- -----
Lets start with the title - this is a flight from Fresno Air Terminal (now Fresno Yosemite Intl) to Merced Municipal (also known as MacReady Field). If this is a multi-stop flight, a table will be provided for each leg.
The first section gives the info for your first leg of the trip - from departure to top of climb. Check the ATIS frequency for weather conditions, which will determine your departure runway. You will depart Fresno and turn to heading 295, the magnetic course (you will always fly the lower number, the magnetic course). You should reach the top of your climb (using the data on the Flight Tips page) in a little over 16 NM, in around 6 minutes. You will use about 48 gallons of fuel for this leg. Don't forget to add fuel for the takeoff, which isn't included here, as well as a 45 minute fuel reserve (see the Flight Tips page).
Tune into the El Nido VOR (114.20) on the NAV 2 radio, and when it becomes active adjust your course to fly directly to the VOR.
In this plan, the final segment is essentially your landing approach. You should alter your course as soon as the airport is in sight (or around 10 NM before passing over the VOR, using the LOM (Locating Outer Marker), an NDB that serves as the outer marker) to get your aircraft on final approach to the runway as you pass over the LOM. Or, you can enter the pattern and land. In bad weather you can use the ILS, if present, tuned in on the NAV1 radio.
Other tables may have somewhat different formats, determined by their source.
Fly each leg as described in the table, unless modified by the instructions found underneath the table. If you are flying a schedule that doesn't stop at a given airport, skip the landing portion of the next leg, and just continue to the next leg's navaid or airport.
Chicago Midway to Los Angeles Intl. -
TWA/Continental/United
This flight is actually a bit unusual, in that it has a stop in Denver.
The only 2 airlines to fly this route with passengers were TWA, using
Connies and then Super Connies, and Continental, with Viscounts (they used
DC-7B's earlier). United flew the route as a cargo run with DC-3's,
and then DC-4's. You should have a nice view of the Grand Canyon!
Los Angeles Intl to San Francisco Intl - United
Air Lines
This flight is a classic multi-stop, flying into the little towns of California's
Central Valley. United flew this route from just after WWII until the
propliners were phased out in 1968. United used DC-3's and then CV-340's
on this route, which stopped at Bakersfield, Visalia, Fresno, Merced, Modesto,
Stockton, and Oakland.