
                          P C   F L T   P L A N   2.2

                        Computer Flight Planning for DOS

        Copyright (c) 1990-1994 Geir A. Granviken. All rights reserved.

                             DEMO/SHAREWARE VERSION


1.   GENERAL

     PC Flt Plan is a flight planning program for IBM compatible PC's.
     It is designed for VFR planning as well as detailed IFR planning.
     Among the features are: User maintainable facility- and aircraft
     databases, map display (Now supports VGA, EGA, CGA, Olivetti/AT&T
     and Hercules, to cater for lower spec laptops/palmtops), automatic
     climb / cruise / descent performance, provisions for special legs
     like SID's and approaches, alternate planning, fuel reserves,
     diversion fields, payload calculations, 4 different flight plan
     printouts, and many more. The author is a pilot by profession.

     The program is a DOS program, but has been tested in Windows 3.1,
     Windows for Workgroups 3.11 and OS/2 (2.1x and Warp), and works well
     from all these environments. The program will also give up time slices
     to Windows and OS/2 when not doing anything, to reduce the CPU load.

     This version of PC Flt Plan is distributed as shareware, and is free
     to be evaluated for a reasonable time. However, due to the rather
     narrow niche the program covers, a few minor features may have been
     disabled in the unregistered version. See below for details.

     A registered copy for private use is available for:

             USD  45,- / GBP  30,- / NOK 330,-
             (International money order, EuroGiro, VISA)

     3,5" disk, postage and handling included. More information is found in
     the file MAILER, or can be seen if you let PC Flt Plan print out an
     order form. For upgrade of previous versions, contact the author.

     Note:

     The nav-database leaves a lot to be desired for users outside
     Norway, where it only covers a selection of airfields and navaids
     (the selection may differ depending on where the package is
     uploaded). It is user maintainable though, and new facilites can be
     added while working out new routes, or from the nav-database
     manager. I am trying to find a solution to this shortcoming
     (Jeppesen offers such databases, but only as a monthly
     subscription, and because of the huge price, I have dropped plans
     to make the program able to import data from these.), it may be
     that I just have to start hand punching...

     I also have plans to add data for some common aircraft types in the
     aircraft database, but since there might be many variants of a type,
     the user will still have to check the data carefully in the aircraft
     operations manual.

2.   TERMS FOR USE AND DISTRIBUTION

     The terms are found in the file TERMS.DOC. The program may only be
     used if the user agrees to the terms stated in this file.

		 THERE IS NO LIABILITY OR WARRANTY OF ANY KIND.


3.   DISABLED/LIMITED FUNCTIONS IN THE CURRENT UNREGISTERED VERSION

     None, other than the information box popping up on startup.

     But please note the following for BBS-versions:

     The install program and a text reader program is left out in
     BBS-versions, to keep the ZIP file size down for modem downloading.
     Installing is merely copying the files into the desired directory
     however (and most people who can download files from a BBS probably
     know how to do that...).

4.   INSTALLING

     (If you use an earlier version, consult para. 8 for information on
     your old config.- and data files!)

4.1  Installing from disk

     The disk versions contain an install program. Proceed as follows:

     a. Start up from DOS. If your PC is configured to start up directly in
	Windows, select "Exit Windows", or you may use a DOS window.

     b. Put the diskette in disk drive A:

     c. Type the following command at the DOS prompt and press <Return>:

	     A:INSTALL

     d. Follow the instructions in the install program.

4.2  Installing from a compressed file archive (ZIP file)

     Make a directory on your hard-disk and extract the files to this.
     Example commands, using PKUNZIP (r):

	     C:
	     CD \
	     MD FPL
	     CD FPL
             PKUNZIP A:\PCFPL22

     The README file and files ending with .DOC are not required to run the
     program, but it is a good idea to take a look in these before you
     delete them...

4.3  Windows / OS/2

     A PIF file for Windows 3.1 (PCFPL22.PIF) is included. Install this in
     your Windows directory or in the FPL directory. Create a program
     object with the menu options FILE/NEW/PROGRAM OBJECT from the Program
     Manager, specifying PCFPL22.PIF (with the path for where you put it)
     as the command and the FPL directory as the work directory.

     In OS/2, a program object can be dragged from the TEMPLATES folder,
     and the necessary settings be specified by clicking the right mouse
     button and then selecting SETTINGS. Or you may use the migrate feature
     and then adjust the settings afterwards. Make sure "DOS window" or
     "DOS full screen" is selected. FPL.EXE must be entered as the command,
     and the FPL directory as the work directory. To save system resources,
     select SESSION/DOS SETTINGS and adjust the memory requirements as
     outlined below.

     For both Windows and OS/2, the RAM needed for PC Flt Plan is about 380
     KB. No EMS or XMS is used, and may therefore be set to zero. It is
     best to run the program in full screen mode, because of the map
     display feature, which uses VGA 680 x 480 x 16 colors graphics mode.

4.4  Preparing PC Flt Plan for use

     More detailed instructions are found in the documentation file, but
     here is a quick guide:

     Start the program by typing FPL<Return> at the DOS-prompt. Select
     SETUP from the Main menu, then CONFIGURE. When done, select AIRCRAFT
     DATA from the Setup menu, and enter your aircraft data. If you want to
     enter your local airfields and nav-aids, select NAV-DATABASE, also
     from the Setup menu, and add the facilities. The program is now ready
     for use.

5.   DOCUMENTATION

     Documentation is found in the file FPL22.DOC, which is in plain ASCII
     format.

6.   FILES

     Files included with the demo/sw version:

     - FILE_ID.DIZ  - Program description for PCBoard file lists
     - README	    - General info (this file)
   * - README.EXE   - Program to read the file above
     - WHATS.NEW    - Major changes
     - FPL22.DOC    - Text file, Documentation (ASCII)
     - TERMS.DOC    - Text file, terms for use
     - MAILER	    - Registration form
     - PCFPL22.PIF  - Windows 3.1 Program Information File
   * - INSTALL.EXE  - Install program
   * - FPHELP.EXE   - Program to read the text files
     - FPL.EXE	    - Main program file
     - FPLSETUP.EXE - Program file (normally called from main program)
     - FPL.DTA	    - Data file (will be made if not present)
     - FPL2.DTA     - Data file ( "   "   "   "   "     "   )
     - FPLMAP.DTA   - Data file, world map coordinates
     - FPLFAC.DTA   - Data file, nav-database
     - FPLFAC.IDX   - Data file, nav-database
     - FPLFLY.DTA   - Data file,  general aircraft data
     - FPL???.PRF   - Data files, aircraft performance data
     - FPLFIL.DIR   - Data file, route file remarks
     - *.RT?	    - Examples, saved routes.

     * = Not on BBS-versions (to keep file size down).

     The world map has a poor resolution on maps covering small areas, but
     if you are able to lay your hands on a public domain database called
     "Micro World Data Bank", it should work.

     The sample route files are mostly trips within Norway, and the names
     may therefore seem a bit strange, but they are included to show how
     the various features are used.

     The nav. database has a very limited coverage, but is fully user
     maintainable and also supports import from comma delimited ASCII
     files. A recommended way to expand this is to first enter the
     facilities in your local area, then add points as you create new
     routes. The program allows you to enter the necessary data for
     facilities not found in the nav-database, and save them, as you create
     a route.

     The aircraft found in the original aircraft database are also meant as
     examples, and the data may not be correct! You should enter your own
     aircraft, obtaining appropriate data from the operations manual.

7.   A NOTE ON AIRFIELD IDENTIFIERS

     In most countries, the three letter and four letter airfield codes are
     totally different. The 3 letter codes are those used by airlines and
     their international SITA network, while the 4 letter ICAO codes are
     what are used in ATC flight plans, NOTAMs, weather forecasts etc.

     USA is a bit special though, since the three letter codes are widely
     used for most purposes. If you take a 3 letter US airfield code and
     put a "K" in front of it, you have the 4 letter ICAO code however!
     Only USA has this connection between the 3 letter and 4 letter codes
     (Well, Canada has a similar system, but the first letter vary
     according to the region within Canada.)

     In PC Flt Plan, it is recommended to use the four letter codes for
     airfields to distinguish them from the often identical airport VOR
     identifiers.

     Examples:

     Country  Ctry.Code      Airfield	   3 letter code    ICAO code
     ----------------------------------------------------------------
     England	  EG	London/Heathrow        LHR	      EGLL
			London/Gatwick	       LGW	      EGKK
     Germany	  ED	Frankfurt	       FRA	      EDDF
			Mnchen 	       MUC	      EDDM
     France       LF    Paris/Ch de Gaulle     CDG            LFPG
			Lyon/Satolas	       LYS	      LFLL
     Russia	  U	Moscow//Sheremetievo   SVO	      UUEE
			St.Petersburg	       LED	      ULLI
     USA	  K	New York/Kennedy       JFK	      KJFK
			New York/La Guardia    LGA	      KLGA

     (The first letter in the 4 letter code is the ICAO region code, E is
     Northern Europe, L is Southern Europe, K is USA etc.)

8.   UPGRADING FROM PREVIOUS VERSIONS

     (This information may be disregarded if you do not use an earlier
     version.)

8.1  FROM VER. 2.x

     All datafiles are compatible. Just copy the new .EXE files and, if
     desired, the README file and .DOC files, into the directory.

8.2  FROM VER. 1.x

     Because of the many new items, backwards compatibility with ver. 1.1
     was not possible to maintain in the nav-database, aircraft database
     and the route files.

     It is possible however to convert the nav-database by exporting it to
     an ASCII file (using the old program), do the necessary changes in a
     text editor or database program, and then import them with the new
     version. The new format of the ASCII file is found in the
     documentation.

     You may keep your old FPL.CFG file, but you should select CONFIGURE
     from the SETUP menu, to adjust your settings and to specify some new
     items. (Note that the program will ignore your old color settings,
     since the coding is slightly different.)

8.3  CHANGES

     The major changes in each version are listed in the file WHATS.NEW.


     ----------------------------------------------------------------------
     Geir A. Granviken				  Tel: (Int+47) 31 28 55 65
     Norway

     E-mail: geir.granviken@thcave.bbs.no
     BBS:    RIME, AVIATION conference, Geir Granviken, Routing: ->CAVE
     ----------------------------------------------------------------------

