From: kleing@qualcomm.com (Klein Gilhousen)
Subject: More on FliteStar
Organization: Qualcomm, Inc., San Diego, CA
Date: Sat, 22 Aug 1992 17:43:46 GMT

I had previously posted a product review on FliteStar.  I've added 
on the moving map connection to my Loran and thought you'd like to 
hear about this.  Previously, I said:

     I ordered a copy of the flight planning computer program 
     called FliteStar about 10 days ago.  It arrived last 
     Friday and I've been having a lot of fun with it ever 
     since.  I used it to plan and to fly along with me on a 
     round trip between Bozeman, MT and Denver Stapleton last 
     week.  The short story is that this is the greatest 
     value in a computer program that I've ever purchased.  I 
     strongly recommend this product.  

     I bought the Macintosh version.  I have a Mac IIci on my 
     desk and a Powerbook 170 augmented with an 80 MB hard 
     drive, 8 mbyte of RAM and a 9600 PowerPort internal 
     modem.  
[.......]

     In the airplane, you can use the Moving Map mode to 
     follow you along your flight.  This works either in a 
     dead reckoning mode where you position the plane at the 
     departure, set the heading and airspeed so the plane 
     flies  the route.  A much better thing to do is to 
     connect the Powerbook to your Loran RS-232 output.  

In this mode, the airplane symbol is at your actual present 
position and heading, not just where you ought to be.  (The 
planned track is there too, of course.)  

I finally was able to get over to Billings, MT, my closest 
avionics shop to have the connection between my II Morrow 604 
Loran and Powerbook made.  The shop obtained, at a local computer 
store, a cable with a 9 pin D connector on one end and a Macintosh 
modem connector on the other.  Then they made up a cable and small 
bracket to go from the back of the Loran to a female D connector 
mounted to the bracket which they hung from the bottom of the 
panel on the right side.  The cable is long enough to allow the 
computer to be anywhere in the first two rows of seats.

In flight, the thing is really nice to have.  In the first test 
flight, I departed BIL to their north practice area to check out 
the work that was also done on my autopilot.  On completion, I 
picked up my IFR clearance and joined the airway to Bozeman.  It 
was really neat to watch the track gradually merge with the 
airway.  Just like flying a great big (and very expensive) video 
game.  

     You can select either North at the top or have the route 
     head up on the chart.  At any time, you can go back to 
     planning mode and change the plan to accommodate ATC, 
     weather or whatever deviations that may happen along.  
     You can replan a present position, direct to destination 
     with no sweat.  (Or to some arrival fix you hadn't 
     planned on, or whatever.)  The moving map control panel 
     also has a button labeled "emergency" which gives you a 
     list of all the closeby airports.  You can click on one 
     and get a page full of airport info, then click a button 
     to reroute to this airport.  Pretty nifty.  

     The moving map is really the best part.  It's a real 
     time moving map/planner that doesn't take up any panel 
     space.  My 421 already has a full panel.  I'd love to 
     have moving map on the panel, but there's just no way.  
     Actually, this is better.  I can set it down on the 
     floor or on the right hand seat to get it out of the way 
     when I'm busy with the takeoff or landing.  

There's another neat feature of the Moving Map display and Loran 
connection that I just noticed.  The thing will store in a file a 
history of your flight!  Every 10, 20 or 120 seconds (your 
choice), your present position is added to the file.  It also puts 
a little X on the map so that as you fly along, your track is 
visible behind you.  This could come in handy in the event of some 
dispute with ATC about your actual path vs your clearance.  

I expect this good stuff to really be a boon on those challanging 
IFR flights.  I fly the thing by myself so I need all the help I 
can get.  (Actually, my wife's a licensed pilot too, but she 
usually sits in the back with our 3 year old daughter to keep her 
amused.)

Klein Gilhousen, Golden Eagle N421KG
Qualcomm, Inc.