Definition
Computer-based programs or applications used by pilots and dispatchers to prepare flights, including selecting routes, calculating fuel burn, checking weather and NOTAMs, evaluating alternates, computing weight and balance, and filing flight plans with ATC. In commercial operations, certain functions of the software, such as alternate airport selection, must meet criteria approved by the FAA in the operator's Operations Specifications.
Plain English
A computer program or app that helps a pilot plan a flight from start to finish — picking the route, working out how much fuel is needed, checking the weather, choosing backup airports, and submitting the plan to air traffic control.
Context Anchor
Seen when pilots, dispatchers, or operators prepare an instrument flight and verify whether an alternate airport can legally and safely be used.
Derivation
Software means the instructions and programs that make a computer do a task, as opposed to the physical machine itself. In this term, it means the computer program is doing the flight-planning calculations and checks, not that the program is the legal authority for the flight.
Why Pilots Care
Accurate use ensures regulatory compliance and reduces the risk of fuel exhaustion or diversion delays during IFR operations.
Intuition Check
Do not assume flight planning software makes the flight legal by itself. It helps organize and check the plan; the pilot or operator remains responsible for using the correct information and following the applicable rules.
Example Sentence 1
Before departure, the dispatcher used flight planning software to calculate the route, fuel load, and required alternate airport.
Example Sentence 2
Flight planning software automatically adjusted the route when updated weather showed the destination would fall below alternate landing requirements.