Story ID: 
FlightAware offers free flight-planning software 
By: Roger A. Mola
Caption: Daniel Baker, CEO of FlightAware (Booth No.
Word Count: 218
Daniel Baker, CEO of FlightAware (Booth No. 4077), promised to “save operators a ton of money” by developing a cost-free tool via the FlightAware.com Web site.Baker announced the free software on Monday, saying that “the need to manage costs is particularly acute,” and that the online application will help to optimize the flying time, routing, fuel burn and cost of operation. Some 120,000 users are now registered and obtain more than two million reports per month via FlightAware’s flight tracking and reference data.With the online tool, “aircraft operators use a Web browser to enter minimal information and are presented with an optimized routing matrix from which they can click to file their flight plans and print for the cockpit,” said Baker. The free online package can provide route maps combined with Nexrad weather information, along with a matrix of routes and altitudes to allow the operator to choose from goals such as the shortest flight versus the lowest cost. Once chosen, operators can file the plan directly with the FAA and receive real-time predictive routing based on current data from ATC as well as archival information from FlightAware’s database of airports, runways and navaids. The application also presents the latest fuel prices from FBOs en route as well as any Metars, TAFs or significant weather.