Aviation Planning Websites Have a Showdown

[wconkle]

I like to use the flight chart website Runwayfinder.com to follow aviation charts when I fly (in sim), but today I was very sad to find that they are shut down due to a patent conflict with Flightprep.com.

There seems to be someone telling a lie, as both claim that the other wouldn't respond to any of their inquiries or attempts to work it out before taking legal action.

I for one, after reading a little bit from both sides and a couple of the weblogs (linked to by the flightprep website), agree with the prevailing opinion that flightprep is being a bully. Very interesting reader comments can be found on the GA News website here: http://www.generalaviationnews.com/?p=33198

Has anybody else used either of these sites or know any more about the conflict?

 

[pilottj]

I suggest www.skyvector.com They have sectionals and enroute charts online, a flight planning tool, great airport info including the actual published AFD data as well as approaches.

Cheers
TJ

 

[srgalahad]

http://www.avweb.com/avwebbiz/news/Runway_Finder_Shuts_Down_Over_Patent_203793-1.html

Sure there's a lot of confusing press releases and claims, but that's what happens when two roomfuls of accountants massage $$ to justify their contracts and then pass it to two buildings full of lawyers to drag it through the courts until someone pays up or the legal costs outweigh the return on investment.

Eight years for the patent process, during which several companies probably kept saying "they'll never get the patent" and went on with business-as-usual. Now they start carving the carcass and not everyone will get a drumstick...