About FlightMath 2.3

for Mac OS X

What does FlightMath do?

Before any flight, a certain amount of (sometimes complex) math is necessary in order to calculate such things as wind correction vectors and density altitude. Traditionally, these calculations have been the domain of the ASA E6-B Flight Computer; however, this is little more than a circular slide rule. As such, it can be intimidating to use and, with a slip of the finger, inaccurate.

With the advent of FlightMath, all that changes. Now, these calculations (and more) are easily and instantly computed in real-time with a very intuitive Macintosh interface. You'll never again have to worry about making sure your pencil's sharp enough to do those wind correction problems!

Flight simulator enthusiasts can use FlightMath in conjunction with programs such as X-Plane from Laminar Research that are able to download real-world weather data. Ever find that you never quite go where you think you're pointing during those long cross-countries? It's wind drift, and you can use FlightMath to calculate a steer course that'll keep you on track, whether you're just a serious flight simulator addict or are trying to hone real-world navigation skills.

With FlightMath 2.3, you can do the following calculations:

• Wind Correction - Unless you are new to flying, you know that a critical part of planning is correcting for wind drift. FlightMath allows you to quickly compute a course to steer without using the cumbersome circular slide rule.
• Fuel and Burn Rate - Calculate fuel burn, capacity, and time for every flight. Want to know how far you can get on a half tank of fuel? Want to know if you'll need to refill during a long trip? Use this feature in conjunction with Speed and Distance, and you'll always know where you stand.
• Speed and Distance - Compute distance, speed and time with ease, including mixed units for both speed and distance. Don't remember the conversion from Statute to Nautical miles? Let FlightMath do the work.
• Density Altitude - Easily compute density altitude without the E6-B. Density altitude, the altitude that the airplane feels like it's flying at in standard conditions, can change considerably with temperature and pressure. This is a useful computation for short fields, high altitudes, or high temperature locations.
• Station Weather - You can download weather data for any airport that has an ICAO code for easy density altitude computations and to view surface conditions.
• TAF - Obtain Terminal Area Forecasts for any airport that has an ICAO code and generates TAF information. You can view the results as a native "encoded" TAF, or as human-readable "decoded" text.
• Current Radar - You can download radar images and radar loops from many airports and weather stations in the United States, as provided by NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration).

Requirements and What You Should Know

These instructions assume you have a solid working knowledge of the Macintosh. This doesn't mean you need to be a power user, but the standard Macintosh interface and its conventions should be familiar to you.

FlightMath requires Mac OS 10.1.x or greater and 4 MB disk space for a full install. Internet access is required to download weather information.