Lets see how we can use Little NavMap to maintain a log and track your flight outside of the flight simulator. I am using Microsoft flight simulator 2020 and there is this software you can use to plan and track the flight. So let’s install it together! You can find the Little Nav Map Github here.
Installation
First things first, download and run the installer.
Next basically just run through the settings with it´s default values.
Once installed it´s going to pop up some default pages and notes. Go ahead and allow Little Navmap to create it´s folders in your homefolder.
Next it will want to download the Navigraph maps, this is bundled courtesy from them. This will run in the background.
Next go ahead and connect Little Navmap to the flight simulator of your choice. This software is actually a different software that is bundled together with the installer.
Next you get this warning about the elevation data will be improved if you download a different dataset so let´s do this by basically following the popup link and downloading the data from the Globe project.
Once downloaded extract into the recommended folder that you created during the installation, go to options, cache and files and select to use the offline. This will turn the prompt into “Directory and files are valid”.
To finish of the configuration you might see a red icon saying to load the scenery database for the simulator.
Go ahead and do so.
Now I´m in Europe, so I´m going to configure this app for my own liking and make some other changes because it´s complaining about too many objects and I agree.
First reduce the details until it´s not able to do so anymore using “less map detail”
And I´m in Sweden so I only need to see airspace C and G.
So now let´s make a small flight! I will adjust the default instructions some from here.
Create a flight plan
Go to flight and reset all flights and uncheck create an empty flight plan.
Create a new aircraft performance that contains an example profile. You can check all the performance values in the performance tab if you like.
I decided on a short little trip but for you just pick any two airports, one as departure and one as destination.
After you picked your destination airport the flight plan is updated.
And among other things include an elevation profile.
Now I actually found this nice little lake I want to see so I adjust my route a little bit by right clicking and select add position to flight plan.
Looking at the default cruise altitude I think this is way to high for a 40 min flight so I will change this to 6500 feet and also configure the flight for VFR.
I also don´t like the name of the waypoint so I changed it to “nice lake view” using edit flight plan by right clicking on the waypoint.
Finally go ahead and save your flight plan using the disk button.
Export, import and fly!
Now it´s time to export into the flight simulator. Go ahead and select the multi export flight plan from File and select the flight sim of your choice, select export selecteed formats and then OK.
Now it´s time to fly!
Launch your flight sim and once up and running you should notice that Little Navmap shows as connected
With the sim connected you can also select to always have the airplane in focus.
Move into the world map and select to save / load, and select your flight plan and open it up.
And there is your brand new flight plan!
With the plane on the ground in the sim you will also see it on the Little navmap.
You can also see in our in nav log that we have a waypoint towards our nice lake view.
And I was a little bit of on route but I got to see nice lakes on my way!
And here we are in mid flight. As you can see I did some small rounds before setting in the path towards my destination 🙂
On route.
So there you go! Thanks for following with me on this trip and keep flying!
DANIEL STENLUND 