Using Google Earth to Plot a Flightplan and Importing?

[Hangar34]

Hi all,

I am completely new to flight planning, and quite frankly find the whole thing really daunting! However, I am very impressed at the extensive scope and apparent simplicity of Plan-G for the VFR flightplans I'd like to put together.

Not being familiar with the software's development history, I didn't realise that V3 would not be supporting Google satellite imagery. That is in no way an issue for me. But, I was hoping to use the software so that I could plot waypoints based on visual reference points on the satellite imagery in order to create some sightseeing tours for use with Gen-X photoscenery.

So, my question is this... can I use Google Earth to plot a route using satellite imagery, export a .KMZ file and import it into Plan-G to adjust and complete as a flight plan. I see that you can import .KMZ files into Plan-G, but will the result be for doing exactly what I'm trying to do above?

Any help or suggestions/comments/thoughts are appreciated.

Steve

[tim arnot]

The KMZ can't be used as a flightplan, but yes you can open it in Plan-G, and you could always draw a flightplan over the top of it.

Google maps is no longer used because of Google's policy of charging extortionate licence fees. But v3 uses standards-based web map protocols, and there is always the chance for new providers to appear with terrain shading (there's a huge demand for it), and Plan-G will support it. Right now, Plan-G will use MapQuest OpenAerial, which is satellite based although the tile images can be somewhat ropey.

You can change providers through Options, and if you like playing with config files, you may find a few easter eggs... ;)

[Hangar34]

Hi Tim,

Thanks for the reply. No worries that Plan-G doesn't import a KMZ directly as a flightplan... I thought it probably wouldn't and was hoping that it would just be a visual guide so that I could re-plot the points by hand.  I'll hold my hand up and admit that I've not begun reading the manual yet (slap wrist), but I appreciate you pointing out that the map providers can be changed in the Options, something I wasn't aware of.

Now, let me see what's in those config files... :)

Regards,

Steve