On Mon, 16 Jan 2006 08:08:53 -0800, Greg Siemon wrote:

Are you instrument rated?

. Are you tired of paying for instrument procedures you don't use?
. Would you like to develop your own custom library of procedures?
. Would you like to update your library automatically and unattended?
. Would you like hands free Duat access for weather and filing flight plans?
. Also Pocket PC support and laptop/tablet sync?
. Would you like METAR/TAF weather by pointing with your mouse?
. And an EFB?

If you answered Yes then go to:
http://cmensys.com

From a users point of view (PIREP) on the above program.... I have been
using this program for about a month. I have no relationship to the
programmer *smile*, just a very satisfied user. Below are some rambling
thoughts from my experiences with the program (in no particular order).

The above only touches the surface of what the program can do. Once you
get past the learning curve, which took me about an hour or so (FAQ and
directions on the homepage are outstanding), you can do the following:

File VFR and IFR flight plans. For me, I found it way "too easy" and ended
up checking with FSS to see if indeed they got it.

For those that were prior to web based interaction with DUATS, the program
does allow interactive terminal access rather then the automated way should
you choose this method. A lot of flexibility built in...

Create a "trip tick" (like AAA) which is called trip pack in the program.
This extracts all approach procedures for all aiports in your flight path
(restricted to the corridor width you determine).

Makes IFR much easier in planning for alternates, since this trip pack
pulls all airports ONLY within your path. Also, organizes the charts you
need in the order of your flight, which would make it much easier to find
the "nrst" airport procedures rather then thumbing through NACO charts that
I used in the past (which in my case may be in an entire different book for
my long XC's).

Once you get used to the "drag and drop" feature of the program, creating
trip packs are a snap.

Because you are downloading procedures over the internet, high bandwidth
access would be recommended.

Reduces weight in your plane. While the printing can be extensive (stock
up on your printer cartridges and paper), it sure beats carrying NACO
charts for states you will not be entering especially if you are only doing
an in-state cross country. I have reduced a flight bag down to a notebook
containing only the approach charts and XC enroute maps I need.

At a glance on the map, shows the METAR weather (not radar), which for me
gives a great overview of the weather within the very same program that I
can get my charts. TAFs are displayed when you put your mouse over the
airport.

Program has been significantly upgraded since I began using it and
programmer has been extremely responsive to my questions when I have
contacted him.

The program is designed for IFR pilots, though VFR pilots may get some use
out of the weather feature since it shows only the text weather underneath
your flight path. It leaves nothing to the imagination. AOPA flight
planner shows the radar echoes, but no text. Can't run Golden Eagle flight
planner to comment on my low end computer.

The maps do not (at this time anyway) show airspace (B, C and D), but for
IFR flights, airspace is transparent anyway. Maps do not show victor
routes.

The program DOES NOT require a lot of computer horsepower. It runs
perfectly fine on my 500 mhz pentium 768K memory machine. Runs much more
efficiently then Golden Eagle flight planner, and some what more
efficiently then AOPA Real Time Flight planner.

Can't give a PIREP on the EFB portion, since I don't have a tablet PC.

Allen