Whether you're a student pilot in a Cessna 152 or a seasoned aviator flying a turbocharged Mooney, EasyVFR 4's Aircraft Profiles feature helps tailor your flight planning to your specific aircraft. By setting up accurate performance data and mass & balance details, you enhance the precision of your route planning, fuel calculations, and flight briefings.
On this page:
Accessing Aircraft Profiles
To open your Aircraft Profile:
Select the EasyVFR 4 menu (logo button at the bottom right).
Choose Aircraft Profile.
Alternatively:
Select the Route Planning menu (route button, second from the bottom left).
Tap Route Tools (top right).
Select Aircraft Profile.
Simple Mode: Quick Setup for Basic Needs
Available to all EasyVFR 4 users
When you first open Aircraft Profiles in EasyVFR 4, you'll start in Simple Mode. This mode is perfect for quickly setting up a new aircraft—ideal if you're VFR flying and just want a solid plan without getting lost in the details.
What you can do in Simple Mode
Assign an Aircraft Class and Callsign
Choose the general class—like fixed-wing, helicopter, gyrocopter, or trike—and enter your callsign. This shows up in your flight plan and TripKit.
Set basic performance values
These include:
Indicated Airspeed (IAS) for climb, cruise, and descent
Fuel burn per hour
Climb and descent rates
Use preloaded class-based presets
EasyVFR automatically fills in these values based on the selected aircraft class. They're good enough to get you going, but you can fine-tune them for better fuel and time estimates.
💡Tip: Not sure what to enter? Use the numbers from your POH—or tweak the defaults based on what you know from recent flights. Nothing's set in stone; you can always come back and adjust later.
How performance values affect your planning
EasyVFR uses your Aircraft Profile to calculate:
Estimated times per leg
Total route time
Fuel burn for the entire flight
For Pro and FFM subscribers, EasyVFR also includes real-time wind data in these calculations—giving you even more accurate planning.
While flying:
All route legs use your Aircraft Profile's performance values, except the one you're currently flying. For the active leg, EasyVFR switches to real-time groundspeed toward the next waypoint. This gives you a live, more realistic estimate of your time en route and remaining fuel.
Adjusting performance values
To update any value:
Select the value name (like Cruise IAS)
Enter the new value (for example, "120")
Tap OK
To change the unit (e.g., kts → km/h → mph → m/s):
Just tap the light blue unit —it cycles through the available units.
Speeds from IAS to TAS
All speeds here are IAS. EasyVFR automatically calculates your TAS as you climb, and even adjusts for reduced engine performance if you're flying a normally aspirated engine.
💡 Tip: Any light blue text or value in EasyVFR is tappable and usually lets you switch between units.
Saving your changes
When you're done:
Tap the checkmark in the top-right corner.
Your changes are saved locally to the device.
Tip for Pro and FFM users: Your saved Pro Aircraft Profile settings build using the below methods sync automatically to the EasyVFR Cloud when you're connected to the internet, so they're always available on your other devices. And you can even share them with other users!
🚀 Pro Mode: Advanced Customization for Detailed Planning
Are you an EasyVFR Pro or FFM subscriber? Then Pro Mode is for you! It gives you even more control over your aircraft's performance and details. Think of it as your personal flight operations center, right in the app.
With Pro Mode, you can:
Set up precise mass and balance calculations. No more paper charts after this, unless you really love them!
Save your detailed Pro Aircraft Profiles to the EasyVFR Cloud. Access them on any of your devices.
Share your profiles with fellow pilots. Perfect for flying club aircraft or sharing settings with a co-owner.
Use example profiles to get a head start if you fly a common aircraft type.
In this part of the guide, we'll explore three key areas of Pro Mode:
Creating and Customizing Your Pro Aircraft Profile
Ready to dive in and create a detailed Pro Aircraft Profile? It's easier than you might think! This is where you tailor EasyVFR 4 to perfectly match your specific aircraft. Think of it like this: you've just added a new aircraft to your personal fleet, or you're getting thoroughly familiar with a club aircraft for the first time. You'd want to note down all its particular quirks and performance numbers to fly it well and safely, right? That's exactly what we'll do here.
Tip for Pro and FFM users: Your saved aircraft profile settings sync automatically to the EasyVFR Cloud when you're connected to the internet, so they're always available on your other devices. And you can even share them with other users!
Getting Started: Use an Example or Create Anew
You have two main ways to begin creating your Pro Profile:
Use an Example Profile: Want a shortcut? In the main Aircraft Profile screen, select the Example Aircraft button. EasyVFR 4 includes a good range of example profiles for many popular aircraft types (like various Cessnas, Pipers, Robins, and more). This can save you a lot of setup time!
A little tip: The first time you open this list, it might take a moment for all the example aircraft to appear, as they might be downloading. So, a little patience can go a long way.
If your specific aircraft model isn't on the list, don't hesitate to send a quick email to our friendly team at [email protected] or [email protected]. We'll do our best to help, and sometimes we can add new examples quite quickly!
Create a New Profile from Scratch: If you prefer to build your profile from the ground up, or if there's no example for your aircraft, select the Create New Aircraft button.
When you do this, you'll see a few things change on your screen: The aircraft name will temporarily show as "New Aircraft" – don't worry, you'll name it properly in a moment! The Create New Aircraft button itself will vanish because you're now in creation mode. In its place, a Simple Mode button will appear. If you change your mind at any point and want to discard your custom Pro profile settings and go back to the very basic settings, just select this Simple Mode button.
The Core Sections: Details, Performance, and Mass & Balance
Whether you start with an example or a blank slate, you'll work with three main sections to define your aircraft in Pro Mode. You'll see these as clear options on the screen:
Aircraft Details: This is where you'll keep key information like the aircraft's callsign, its type (e.g., C172, R44, PA28), installed equipment (like GPS, autopilot, or specific transponder type), and even notes about suitable runways or operational considerations.
Performance Data: This section is crucial. It's for defining the aircraft's speeds, fuel burn, and climb/descent rates for different flight phases. EasyVFR 4 uses this information for all its smart flight planning, like calculating your leg times and total endurance.
Weight + Balance (Mass & Balance): Here, you'll input all the necessary data for accurate mass and balance calculations. As every pilot knows, ensuring your aircraft is correctly loaded is super important for a safe flight! We'll cover this in its own dedicated section in a bit.
Two Essential First Steps: Before you can save your new or customized Pro Profile, you must complete two things:
Give your aircraft a unique Profile Name: Something more descriptive than "New Aircraft" will make it easy to identify in your list of profiles. We'll get to this right now.
Input some essential Performance Data: Even basic numbers will do to start. This data is vital for EasyVFR 4 to make any flight planning calculations for you.
Naming Your Pro Profile
First things first, let's give your aircraft profile a memorable and clear name. This is how you'll pick it from your list later on, especially if you have several profiles.
To set or change the name:
Select the Aircraft Details section from the main profile editing screen.
Inside 'Aircraft Details', find and select the field labelled Profile Name (or it might be 'Aircraft Name' or similar).
A box or a new screen will appear, allowing you to type. Enter a name that helps you quickly identify this specific aircraft profile. For example:
Its registration: "G-ABCD" or "N12345"
Type and registration for clarity: "C172 G-ABCD" or "PA28 N54321"
A friendly or descriptive nickname: "My Trusty Skyhawk," "The Flying Club's Warrior," or "Fast Mooney G-WXYZ"
Confirm the name, usually by selecting an "OK" or "Save" button.
This name will appear in your FlightPlan tab and in your TripKit (your collection of flight documents), so choose something that's instantly recognizable to you. You don't want to accidentally plan a cross-country flight for your nimble aerobatic aircraft's profile when you meant to use the one for your load-hauling tourer! Speaking of the TripKit, it's your digital flight bag with all your essential documents – but that's a handy feature we'll explore another day.
Once you've named your profile, you'll likely need to go back to the main screen for that aircraft profile to access other sections like Performance Data. To do this from the "Aircraft Details" screen, select the Back Bar (often a left-pointing arrow or a button labelled "Back," usually found at the top-left or bottom of your screen, depending on your device).
Choosing Performance Data Mode: Easy or Expert?
With your profile named, it's time to teach EasyVFR 4 about your aircraft's performance. From the aircraft profile's main editing screen, select the Performance Data section. Here, you have an important choice between two methods for entering this information: Easy Mode and Expert Mode.
Easy Mode: Simple and Effective
For many pilots, especially if you fly common general aviation aircraft like a Cessna 152, a Piper Cherokee, or a Robinson R22, Easy Mode is often the perfect choice. It's designed to be straightforward and quick to set up.
You'll enter basic performance figures: these include speeds for climb, cruise, and descent, plus fuel burn rates and typical climb/descent rates. These figures are usually based on your aircraft's standard performance at sea level.
EasyVFR 4 then cleverly estimates how its True Airspeed (TAS) and fuel burn will change as you climb to different altitudes. It's pretty smart!
It even considers that most non-turbocharged engines (the kind found in many popular GA aircraft) naturally become a bit less powerful at higher altitudes. This helps keep your flight estimates realistic.
In Easy Mode, speeds are typically entered as Indicated Airspeed (IAS).
Expert Mode: Detailed and Precise
If you fly a more complex aircraft – perhaps one with a turbocharger that maintains power high up (like some Mooneys, Cirrus models, or Bonanzas), a turbine engine, or even a jet – then Expert Mode gives you the detailed control you need. It's also the go-to choice if you're a pilot who loves digging into the numbers and has access to comprehensive performance charts from your Pilot Operating Handbook (POH).
You can define several different power settings for various phases of flight (e.g., "Max Power Climb," "75% Cruise," "Long Range Economy Cruise").
For each power setting you create, you'll enter detailed performance data (TAS, climb/descent rate, fuel flow) across a range of different altitudes.
This allows for very precise flight planning, especially for aircraft whose performance varies significantly with altitude, temperature, and specific power settings.
In Expert Mode, all speeds are entered as True Airspeed (TAS).
Mixing Modes? A Quick Heads-Up!
Very Important: For any single aircraft profile, Easy Mode and Expert Mode are separate paths. They do not share or mix data.
If you set up your aircraft's performance using Easy Mode data and then decide to switch to Expert Mode for that same profile, your Easy Mode data will be cleared.
The same thing happens if you go the other way: if you've entered data in Expert Mode and then switch that profile to Easy Mode, your detailed Expert Mode settings will be wiped.
So, it's best to pick the mode that suits your aircraft and needs, and then stick with it for that specific profile.
Step-by-Step: Entering Performance Data in 'Easy Mode' (for your Pro Profile)
So, you've decided to use 'Easy Mode' for inputting performance data within your Pro Profile. Excellent! This is a great way to get your aircraft's key numbers into EasyVFR 4 quickly and efficiently.
This screen might look familiar if you've ever peeked at the basic "Simple Mode" profile that all EasyVFR 4 users have access to. However, when creating a detailed Pro Profile using this 'Easy Mode' for performance, you'll often start with a blank slate. This means you'll need to fill in the values yourself. Your aircraft's Pilot Operating Handbook (POH) is your best friend for this task, as it contains all the official performance figures. Don't have it right next to you at this very moment? No worries! For any figures you're unsure about, a reasonable estimate based on your experience with the aircraft will do for now. You can always come back and fine-tune them later – perhaps after your next flight when the numbers are fresh in your mind, or when you have your POH in hand!
An Example: Setting Your Climb Speed
Let's imagine your POH says your aircraft climbs best at an Indicated Airspeed (IAS) of 80 knots.
Check the Units First: Look for the Climb IAS field on the screen. It might show something like "0 KTS" or "0 km/h" by default. EasyVFR 4 is very flexible with units! If the displayed unit (e.g., km/h) isn't the one your POH uses (e.g., knots), simply select the unit text itself (like "km/h" – it's often blue and tappable). It will cycle through available options (KTS, km/h, mph, m/s). Stop when it shows your preferred unit, for instance, "KTS".
Enter the Value: Now that the unit is correct, select the Climb IAS label or the "0 KTS" value next to it. An input box or a number pad will appear. Type in "80" and then select OK or confirm the entry.
See the Result: Voilà! Your aircraft's climb speed should now proudly display as "80 KTS" in that field.
💡 Pro Tip: Quick Unit Conversion on the Fly!
After you've entered a value, say "80 KTS", do you want to see what that is in km/h or mph just out of curiosity? Simply select the "80 KTS" text itself. It will instantly convert the value and cycle through the different units, showing you the equivalent. This handy trick works for most numerical values and their units throughout EasyVFR 4 – if it's blue, it's usually selectable and interactive!
Remember: When you type in a numerical value, EasyVFR 4 always assumes it's in the units that are currently displayed on the screen right next to that input field.
Complete All Performance Settings
You'll typically find about eight core performance settings to fill in when using this 'Easy Mode' within your Pro Profile. These usually include:
Climb Indicated Airspeed (IAS)
Cruise Indicated Airspeed (IAS)
Descent Indicated Airspeed (IAS)
Rate of Climb (e.g., in feet per minute)
Rate of Descent (e.g., in feet per minute)
Fuel Burn during Climb (e.g., in Litres/Gallons per hour)
Fuel Burn during Cruise
Fuel Burn during Descent
Go through each one and enter the appropriate value from your POH, or based on your best knowledge and experience with the aircraft.
As we've said, if you're unsure about any specific number right now, a good, honest estimate is perfectly fine to start with. You can always (and should!) refine these numbers after your next few flights by comparing your planned figures with your actual in-flight performance. This is how you truly dial in your aircraft profile for maximum accuracy and make EasyVFR 4 an even more powerful co-pilot!
Saving, Syncing, and Managing Your Pro Aircraft Profiles
Once you've invested time in entering the essential details for your Pro Aircraft Profile (like its name and crucial performance data, whether you used Easy Mode or dived into Expert Mode for performance), it's vital to save your work. Here's how to do that, plus a bit about how EasyVFR 4 helps you manage your profiles.
Saving Your Hard Work
When you're done editing a specific section of your profile (like Performance Data or Aircraft Details), you'll usually select a Back Bar or a clearly marked Back button. This typically returns you to the main overview screen for that particular aircraft profile you're working on.
To save all the changes you've made to this Pro Aircraft Profile, look for a prominent Save Bar or a Save button on this main profile overview screen. Select it to securely store all your settings.
Changed your mind or made a mistake you don't want to keep? No problem. There's usually a Cancel button available too. Selecting this will discard any changes you've made since the last save, letting you revert to the previously saved version or start that editing session fresh.
Cloud Sync: Your Profiles, Available Everywhere!
Here's a fantastic benefit for EasyVFR Pro and FFM subscribers: Once your profile is saved on your device AND your device is connected to the internet, EasyVFR 4 automatically attempts to synchronize it with the secure EasyVFR Cloud.
Why is this so incredibly useful? It means your meticulously crafted aircraft profile – whether it's for your cherished vintage aircraft, the family tourer, or the flying club's newest addition – becomes available on all your other devices that are running EasyVFR 4 and logged into your account. Imagine setting up a complex profile on your large tablet at home, then finding that exact same profile perfectly mirrored and ready to use on your phone when you get to the airfield!
EasyVFR 4 will usually show a small, discreet message on screen to let you know if the sync to the cloud was successful or if there were any issues (like no internet connection).
Loading a Saved Profile for Your Next Flight
Ready to use one of your carefully prepared Pro Profiles for your next flight plan?
Navigate to the main Aircraft Profiles screen. You can usually access this from the main EasyVFR 4 menu (often a logo button) or via the Route Planning tools.
Select the Load Aircraft button (or it might be labelled something similar, like "Select Profile" or "Manage Profiles").
A list of all your saved Pro Aircraft Profiles will appear, identified by the names you gave them. Simply select the name of the profile you want to use for this flight. It'll load up, and EasyVFR 4 will use its data for all subsequent planning.
Automatic Cloud Check: If your device is online, EasyVFR 4 also smartly checks the cloud for any new or updated profiles you might have saved from another device. If it finds any, it will download them for you. This helps keep everything consistent and up-to-date across all your gadgets.
Deleting a Profile You No Longer Need
Want to tidy up your list and remove an aircraft profile you no longer use?
First, you need to load the specific profile you wish to delete, so it becomes the "Currently Selected Aircraft." You can do this using the "Load Aircraft" steps described just above.
Once that profile is loaded and its name is displayed as active, look for a Delete Aircraft button (or it might be "Delete Profile") and select it. You might be asked to confirm.
Poof! It's removed from that specific device. If this profile had been successfully synced to the cloud, this deletion action usually signals for it to be removed from the cloud as well, and consequently, it should disappear from your other synced devices during their next sync. It's always a good idea to verify on another device if you want to be absolutely sure it's gone everywhere.
And that's how you create, save, load, and manage your Pro Aircraft Profiles! With these powerful yet user-friendly tools, your flight planning becomes even more tailored, accurate, and reliable. Next up, we'll dive into two very important and powerful aspects of Pro Mode: setting up detailed Mass & Balance calculations, and fine-tuning every aspect of performance with Expert Mode Power Settings. Let's continue to the next level of precision!
Mass & Balance: Keeping Your Flights Safe and Legal
The Mass & Balance (M&B) section in EasyVFR 4 – you might also know it as Weight & Balance (W&B) – is a super useful tool. It helps you quickly and accurately prepare M&B calculations for your aircraft. You can see the results right on your screen as a clear graph, and these calculations can also be printed as part of your TripKit. This is very handy for staying safe, legal, and organized!
Before we dive in, it's a really good idea to have the Mass & Balance section of your aircraft's Pilot Operating Handbook (POH) or Flight Manual nearby. You'll definitely want to refer to it as we go through this guide, as it contains all the official numbers for your specific aircraft.
Getting to the Mass & Balance Section
First things first, you need to be working with a Pro Aircraft Profile. If you haven't created one yet, or need a refresher on how to open or create a Pro Profile, please check out the "Creating and Customizing Your Pro Aircraft Profile" part of this guide before you continue here.
Once you have your Pro Aircraft Profile open and selected in EasyVFR 4:
On the main screen for that aircraft profile, you'll see sections like "Aircraft Details," "Performance Data," and, importantly, Weight + Balance (or it might be labelled "Mass & Balance").
Select the Weight + Balance button. This will take you into the dedicated M&B setup and calculation area for your chosen aircraft profile.
Initial Setup: Loading Schedule and Envelope
The very first time you open the M&B section for a brand-new aircraft profile (or one you haven't configured M&B for yet), you'll need to set up a few key things. This setup involves telling EasyVFR 4 about your aircraft's specific "loading schedule" (things like seats, baggage compartments, and fuel tanks – where you can put weight) and its "limiting points" or "envelope" (the safe operational boundaries for weight and center of gravity that your aircraft must stay within).
If these terms sound a bit technical, don't worry! If you've ever done a paper W&B calculation with your instructor or for a flight, these concepts will become very clear as we go. You're essentially teaching EasyVFR 4 what's in your POH.
Setting Up the Loading Schedule
Let's start by defining all the places you can put weight in your aircraft. This is called the loading schedule.
Select the Edit loading schedule button (or similar wording like "Setup Load Stations").
Units and Fuel Type: The Basics
First, decide on the units you want to use for your W&B graph and entries. At the top of this screen, next to a label like "Set the default unit for weights:", you can typically choose between kilograms (kg) or pounds (LBS). Just select the currently displayed unit (e.g., "KG") to switch to the other ("LBS"), and back again, until your preferred unit is shown. This will be the primary unit for weight entries.
Next, tell EasyVFR 4 about your fuel. EasyVFR 4 is clever and can let you enter fuel amounts by volume (like litres or US gallons), instead of just by weight. But to do this conversion from volume to weight accurately, it needs to know what kind of fuel your aircraft uses (e.g., Avgas 100LL, Mogas, Jet A1), because different fuels have different densities (weight per volume). Simply select the button that matches your aircraft's fuel type. This is important for correct calculations later!
Customizing Load Positions (Stations)
To help you get started, EasyVFR 4 often provides a sample loading schedule with a few common positions (like "Front Seats," "Rear Seats," "Baggage"). Each row in this schedule usually has a name for the position, its "arm" (distance from datum), a maximum weight for that position, and a delete button.
Let's look at a typical entry, which might be "Basic empty weight" (or your POH might call it "Empty Weight" or "Basic Weight"). This is the starting point – the weight of the aircraft itself with standard equipment and full operating fluids like oil and hydraulic fluid, but no usable fuel or payload.
Name: You can (and should!) change the name of any sample position to exactly match your POH. For example, if the sample says "Front Seats" but your POH calls it "Pilot & Co-Pilot," just select the button with the current name (e.g., "Front Seats"), type in your preferred description from the POH, and select "OK."
Arm: The "arm" is a crucial number. It's the distance, usually in inches or millimetres, from the aircraft's reference datum (a specific point chosen by the manufacturer, like the firewall or the tip of the spinner) to the center of that specific loading position (e.g., the center of the front seats). You absolutely must find these arm values in your aircraft's W&B schedule in the POH. To change an arm value, select the button showing the current arm for that row, type in the correct value from your POH, and select "OK." Accuracy here is key!
Max Weight Value: This "Max Weight Value" field might be new if you're only used to paper-based W&B. It's not usually found directly in your POH for every station in this way. It refers to the heaviest weight you realistically expect to ever carry in that specific loading position. For example, if your baggage compartment is rated for 50 kg, but you know you'll never put more than 30 kg in it, you could enter "30 KG" here. However, it's often best to use the POH limit for the station if available, or a sensible maximum.
Why is this useful? Later, when you're doing a W&B calculation for an actual flight, EasyVFR 4 can provide a slider to adjust weights for each station. This "Max Weight Value" you set here will define the upper limit for that slider, making it quicker to input weights for common loads.
For now, don't stress too much about making this perfect. Just set it to what you think is the largest figure you'll ever need for each load position. You can always come back and change it later. If you enter "0" as the max weight for a station, no slider will be available for that position during calculations. This is often appropriate for the "Basic empty weight" station, as that weight itself rarely changes (unless the aircraft is modified or re-weighed).
To change the maximum weight for any position, select the relevant button for that row, enter your chosen value, and select "OK."
Copying from Your POH and Adding/Deleting Positions
Now, carefully go through your aircraft's POH. You need to copy all the loading positions (stations) and their respective arms from your aircraft's W&B tables into EasyVFR 4. For each one, choose a sensible maximum weight for the slider feature.
⭐ Crucial Tip for Fuel Stations: When EasyVFR 4 draws your W&B graph later, it needs to know which of your loading stations contain fuel. This is because it often shows your W&B at takeoff (with fuel) and also your W&B with all usable fuel burnt off (Zero Fuel Weight). For EasyVFR 4 to correctly identify a fuel station, the name of that load position *must* include the word "Fuel". It's not case-sensitive, and you can have other text around it (like "Main Wing Tanks Fuel" or "Auxiliary Fuel"). Just make absolutely sure "Fuel" is in the name somewhere for any station that holds usable fuel!
If the sample schedule EasyVFR 4 provides has too many rows for your aircraft, simply select the "Delete position" button (often an 'X' or a trash can icon) for each unneeded row.
If you need more rows than the sample provides (e.g., your aircraft has multiple baggage areas or many fuel tanks listed separately), just select the Add load position button (or similar, like "+ Add Station") to create new blank rows. Then fill in their Name, Arm, and Max Weight as needed.
Once you're happy that your loading schedule in EasyVFR 4 perfectly matches all the stations and arms from your POH, select either the red Back Bar or the main Back button to return to the main Weight & Balance screen for this profile.
Defining the W&B Envelope (Limiting Points)
Now for the second part of the initial setup: telling EasyVFR 4 the safe operating limits for your aircraft. This is done by defining the "W&B envelope." This envelope is a graph that shows the range of weights and Center of Gravity (CG) positions within which your aircraft is safe to fly. Your loaded CG must fall within this envelope.
From the main Weight & Balance screen, select the Edit limiting points button (or similar, like "Setup Envelope").
You should find these points or a graph of the envelope in your aircraft POH. Often, there's a graph, but the precise data for the corners (vertices) of that envelope graph will usually be in a table or listed in the text in the POH's W&B section. We are essentially trying to digitally recreate that envelope shape from your POH.
Imagine the W&B envelope graph from your POH. The limiting points are the corners or vertices that define the boundary of this safe operating area. To add the first point (corner) of your envelope in EasyVFR 4, select the Add limiting point button.
For each point you add, you'll need to enter two values from your POH:
CG Position (Arm): Select the "CG position" button (or "Arm" or "Moment Arm"). Enter the Center of Gravity value (the arm or horizontal axis value) for this specific corner point from your POH and select "OK." For example, if the bottom-left corner of your envelope graph in the POH is at a CG of 84.5 inches, you'd enter "84.5". Make sure you're using the same units as your POH (e.g., inches, mm).
Weight: Next, you need to enter the corresponding aircraft weight (the vertical axis value) for that same CG point. Use the default weight units you set earlier (kg or LBS) when you started the M&B setup. Select the "Weight" button for this point, enter the value from your POH (converting it if your POH uses different units than your default setting), and select "OK." For instance, if that same bottom-left point is at 1400 LBS, and your default unit in EasyVFR 4 is LBS, you'd enter "1400".
Repeat this process – select "Add limiting point," then enter the CG position, then enter the weight – until you have entered all the points that define the complete outline of your aircraft's W&B envelope. You must enter them in order, as if you were tracing the outline of the envelope shape. For complex envelopes, like those with different categories (e.g., a Normal Category and a Utility Category envelope for an aerobatic aircraft), you are just defining a series of connected points. You can trace the outline, even if it means the line "doubles back" on itself to define different sections or cut-outs of the envelope. Just enter the points in the order they appear as you trace around the perimeter of the valid area(s).
Once all your limiting points are entered correctly and you're satisfied they match your POH, select either the red Back Bar or the main Back button to go back to the main Weight & Balance page for this profile.
Good job! If you've entered these loading schedule items and the limiting envelope points correctly from your POH, you probably won't need to touch this setup part again for this aircraft profile, unless your aircraft is officially re-weighed or modified in a way that changes its empty weight or CG.
Performing a W&B Calculation for a Flight
Now for the fun and practical part! When you want to do a W&B calculation for a specific flight, this main Weight & Balance page (that you returned to) is all you need. You'll see that for each loading station you defined in the "loading schedule" setup, there are now controls to input the actual weight for your upcoming flight.
For each station, you'll typically see:
The station name (e.g., "Front Seats," "Fuel - Main Tanks").
A field showing the current weight for that station.
If you set a "Max Weight Value" greater than zero during setup, you'll often see a convenient slider control.
To change the weight for any position for your flight:
Using the Slider: The easiest way is often the slider (if available). Just place your finger on the slider's knob and slide it left or right. As you do, you'll see the weight value for that position change in real-time. More importantly, the W&B graph on the screen will update instantly to show the new balance point! This makes it really easy and visual to see the effect of adding or removing weight from different parts of the aircraft.
Direct Entry: The second way to change a weight is to select the button that shows the station name or its current weight value. A pop-up (often a numeric keypad) will appear. Type in the new weight value you want for that station for this flight, and select "OK." Remember, any values you type here are assumed to be in the units currently shown next to the weight (which you can often tap to cycle, e.g., KG to LBS, or Litres to Gallons to KG for fuel).
Adjust the weights for all relevant stations: pilot, passengers, baggage, and, of course, fuel. For fuel, if you set it up correctly with the right fuel type, you can often enter the fuel quantity in volume (e.g., Litres or US Gallons using the direct entry method and unit cycling), and EasyVFR 4 will automatically calculate the correct weight for the graph based on the fuel density you selected earlier. This is super handy!
Interpreting the W&B Graph
As you adjust the weights, keep an eye on the W&B graph displayed on this screen. You'll typically see:
The Envelope: The safe operating envelope you defined earlier from your POH will be drawn clearly.
Your Aircraft's State: A line or a set of points will represent your aircraft's current loading.
The top of this line (or a specific point) usually represents your aircraft's Gross Weight & CG at takeoff (with all payload and fuel).
The bottom of this line (or another specific point) often shows your W&B with zero usable fuel loaded (Zero Fuel Weight). This is important to ensure you're within limits even as fuel burns off.
Your goal is to ensure that both the takeoff point and the zero fuel weight point (and often the line connecting them, representing fuel burn-off) remain entirely within the defined safe envelope. If any part goes outside, you're out of balance or overweight – a situation to avoid! Adjust your load (passengers, baggage, or fuel) until everything is safely inside the envelope.
Remember, EasyVFR 4 figures out the zero fuel weight by taking any loading position that has "Fuel" in its name (as per our earlier tip!) and reducing its weight to zero for that part of the calculation. So, it's really important that your fuel stations are named correctly in the loading schedule setup!
W&B in Your TripKit and Flight Plan
The beautiful W&B graph you prepare here, along with a table of all the weights, arms, and moments, will also appear in your digitally generated TripKit. This makes for a very professional and easy-to-review part of your pre-flight documentation.
Plus, the total fuel load you enter in this W&B section will typically be used by EasyVFR 4 to estimate your aircraft's endurance if you use EasyVFR 4 to file an electronic ATC flight plan. Of course, you can usually adjust that endurance value directly in the flight plan section itself if needed, but starting with the W&B fuel load is a good practice.
Saving Your Mass & Balance Setup and Calculations
The initial setup of the loading schedule and envelope is part of your Pro Aircraft Profile. Once you've done that initial setup:
To get back to the main Aircraft Profile screen (where you see "Aircraft Details", "Performance Data", etc.), select either the red Back bar on the left (common on some devices) or the main Back button at the bottom or top of the screen.
Finally, to save all your M&B setup changes (the loading schedule and envelope points) to the aircraft profile itself, make sure to select the main Save bar or Save button for the entire aircraft profile. As mentioned before, once the profile is saved and you are connected to the internet, EasyVFR 4 will attempt to sync it to the PocketFMS Cloud, making your M&B template available on all your devices. You'll usually get a message confirming if the save to the cloud was successful.
If you just made changes to the *weights for a specific flight* but didn't change the underlying M&B setup (like arms or envelope points), these flight-specific weights are typically used for the current session or if you generate a TripKit. Some versions might auto-save these current weights with the profile, or you might need to explicitly save the profile if you want those specific load values to be the new default next time you load the profile. Check how your version behaves if this is important to you.
If you decide you don't want to save changes to the M&B setup (the schedule or envelope), you can usually select a "Cancel" button before saving the main profile. Any changes you made to the setup since the last save won't be kept.
That's it for the Mass & Balance setup and use! The initial POH data entry is the main task. After that, for each flight, it's just a quick and easy job of adjusting the sliders or numbers for your current load (pilot, passengers, bags, fuel), and your W&B graph is instantly ready. EasyVFR 4 really does make this critical part of VFR flying easier and more visual!
Expert Mode Power Settings: Ultimate Performance Control
Want to fine-tune exactly how EasyVFR 4 calculates your aircraft's performance across different altitudes and power settings? Expert Mode for Power Settings is where this detailed magic happens. If you haven't yet set up a basic Pro Profile for your aircraft (with things like its name and details), it's a good idea to quickly review the "Creating and Customizing Your Pro Aircraft Profile" section first. That lays some groundwork for what we're about to do here.
Once your main aircraft profile is active, you'll recall from our earlier discussion that when you go to the Performance Data section, you have a choice: tell EasyVFR 4 about its performance using the simpler 'Easy Mode' or the more detailed 'Expert Mode'.
'Easy Mode' is fantastic for many pilots. You give it some basic performance numbers, usually at sea level (like typical speeds, fuel use, and climb/descent rates). EasyVFR 4 then cleverly figures out how things like True Airspeed (TAS) and fuel flow change as you go higher, even considering how most normally aspirated (non-turbocharged) engines lose a bit of oomph with altitude.
But what if you want super-precise calculations for every phase of flight? Or maybe you fly an aircraft with a turbocharger that maintains its power high up into the flight levels? Or perhaps you operate a turbine aircraft, or you just love having ultimate control over the numbers from your POH performance charts? That's when you'll want to roll up your sleeves and use Expert Mode. It lets you provide much more detailed and nuanced information about how your aircraft performs.
One very important thing to remember (we mentioned it before, but it's worth repeating!): in 'Easy Mode' for performance, speeds are usually entered as Indicated Airspeed (IAS). In 'Expert Mode', all speeds you enter are True Airspeed (TAS). Also, you can't mix and match these modes within a single profile's performance data. If you've put data into 'Easy Mode' and then switch to 'Expert Mode' for the same aircraft profile, the 'Easy Mode' info will be cleared (and the other way around too). So, it's best to pick the mode that suits your aircraft and needs, and then stick with it for that specific profile.
Let's get you started with the powerful features of Expert Mode!
Getting to Expert Mode for Performance Data
First, make sure you're on the main editing screen for your chosen Pro Aircraft Profile. If you need a quick refresher on how to get there (either by loading an existing Pro Profile or creating a new one), just hop back to the "Creating and Customizing Your Pro Aircraft Profile" section.
Once your Pro Profile is loaded or newly created and you're on its main editing page:
Select the Performance Data button.
You'll then see clear choices, often buttons, for Easy Mode and Expert Mode. Since we're going for the detailed approach here, select the Expert Mode button.
A little warning message might pop up. It's just politely letting you know that if you continue into Expert Mode, any performance data you might have previously put into 'Easy Mode' for this specific profile will be cleared. This is to avoid confusion, as the data types are different. Select "Yes" (or "OK") to confirm and dive into Expert Mode.
Your First Power Setting: Creating and Naming
One of the really useful and powerful features of Expert Mode is that you can set up several different power settings for your aircraft. Think of it like having different performance configurations or "gears" for different phases or styles of flight. You could have settings for:
"Full Power Climb" or "Max Continuous Power Climb"
"75% Cruise" or "Normal Cruise Power"
"Economy Cruise" or "Long Range Cruise"
Or you could even name them by RPM settings like "2500 RPM Cruise" or "2300 RPM Economy".
It's totally up to you how you name them and what they represent, based on your POH and how you fly! You only need to define one power setting to make Expert Mode work, but having a few common ones can be very handy for accurate planning for different flight conditions or objectives.
To make your very first power setting:
Select the Create New Power Setting button (or similar wording like "+ Add Power Setting").
You'll likely see two new buttons appear on the screen. One is for the actual power setting you just started (it'll probably have a generic name at first, like "Select to edit new power setting" or "Power Setting 1" because you haven't named it yet). The other button is usually a way to delete this power setting if you decide you made it in error or don't need it.
Now, select the button that represents your new, unnamed power setting (e.g., "Select to edit new power setting"). This opens up the screen where you'll enter all the detailed performance numbers for this specific power setting.
The very first thing to do here, before you forget, is to give your power setting a clear, descriptive name. Let's say you want to call this one "75% Cruise Power".
Select the Change Name button (or it might be "Edit Name" or similar, usually at the top of this power setting's detail screen).
Type in "75% Cruise Power" (or whatever name makes sense to you and matches your POH or operational use).
Select "OK" or confirm the name. You should see the new name now displayed for this power setting.
Setting Up Performance Details for a Power Setting
Now we get into the real nitty-gritty: telling EasyVFR 4 exactly how your aircraft performs when using this specific power setting (e.g., "75% Cruise Power") at various altitudes.
Choosing Units and Defining Altitudes
First, as always with performance figures, pay attention to units! On this screen for editing a power setting, you'll usually find options to set your default units for different parameters. For example:
Next to a label like "Set the default unit for TAS:", you can select the green or blue text (e.g., "KTS") and it will cycle through options like KTS, km/h, mph. Stop when it shows your preferred choice for True Airspeed. All TAS entries for this power setting will use this unit.
You can often do the same for units related to altitude (e.g., feet or meters), your rate of climb or descent (e.g., feet per minute or meters per second), and fuel consumption (e.g., litres per hour, US gallons per hour, or even pounds/kilograms per hour). Set these to match your POH or preference for easier data entry.
In Expert Mode, the core idea is that you'll enter performance data for this power setting at several different altitudes. EasyVFR 4 will then cleverly fill in the gaps (interpolate) if your actual flight plan uses an altitude that falls between the ones you've specifically provided data for. So, the more relevant altitude data points you provide from your POH, the more accurate the calculations will be.
Entering Performance Numbers: TAS, Climb/Descent Rate, Fuel Burn per Altitude
Let's add your first set of performance data for this power setting. This is usually for sea level (an altitude of 0 feet or 0 meters).
Select the Add data button (or "+ Add Altitude Data" or similar). A new group of input fields will appear, ready for you to define performance at a specific altitude. The layout might shift a bit depending on your screen size, but all the necessary options for Climb, Cruise, and Descent phases at that altitude will be there.
Set the Altitude: First, tell EasyVFR 4 which altitude this data is for. Select the "Altitude" button or field for this new data set. Make sure "0" (for sea level) is in the box (or enter it if it's not the default), then select "OK." (It's often "0" by default for the first entry, but now you know how to change it when you add data for higher altitudes!)
Enter Climb Performance at this Altitude:
Find the "TAS" (True Airspeed) button or field under the "Climb" section for this altitude. Select it, type in the TAS value for climb at this power setting and altitude from your aircraft's POH or performance charts, and select "OK." Remember, you don't type in units like "knots" here; the system uses the default unit you set for TAS for this power setting earlier (e.g., KTS).
Next, do the same for the "Rate of altitude change" (that's your climb rate) under the "Climb" section for this altitude. Select its button, enter the value (e.g., 700 for 700 ft/min), and select "OK." Again, the units will be what you chose as your default for climb/descent rate.
Then, repeat this for "Fuel Consumption" (or "Fuel Flow") under the "Climb" section at this altitude.
Enter Cruise Performance at this Altitude: Once you've entered these three values (TAS, Rate of altitude change, and Fuel Consumption) for the Climb phase at this altitude, do exactly the same for the "Cruise" section (TAS for cruise, rate of altitude change which is usually 0 for level cruise, and fuel consumption for cruise).
Enter Descent Performance at this Altitude: Finally, do the same for the "Descent" section (TAS for descent, rate of altitude change which will be a negative number or a positive rate of descent, and fuel consumption for descent, which might be lower if power is reduced).
Adding Data for More Altitudes
Now you need to give EasyVFR 4 performance data for this same power setting but at other altitudes. For example, after sea level, you might add data for 2,000 ft, 4,000 ft, 6,000 ft, 8,000 ft, 10,000 ft, and so on, covering the typical operating range of your aircraft with this power setting.
Scroll down if you need to (on screens with lots of data), and select the Add data button again. This will create a new blank space for another set of altitude-specific performance data.
You'll notice something very helpful: EasyVFR 4 often pre-fills the new altitude (perhaps 1,000ft or 2,000ft higher than your last entry, but you can change this) and it might also copy all the performance numbers (TAS, rates, fuel flows) from your previously entered altitude settings as a starting point. This can be a real time-saver! You then only need to change the figures that are actually different at this new, higher altitude, based on your POH.
Let's say you want to enter data for 2,000 ft next. If the new altitude box appeared as, say, 1,000 ft by default, just select that altitude button (e.g., the one showing "1000"), change the value in the pop-up to "2000," and select "OK."
Then, meticulously go through and adjust the TAS, rate of change, and fuel consumption values for all three phases (Climb, Cruise, and Descent) at this new 2,000 ft altitude, using your aircraft's specific performance data from the POH for this power setting.
It's a good idea to provide data for a range of altitudes that your aircraft commonly flies at. If EasyVFR 4 needs performance information for an altitude you haven't specifically entered (for example, you put in data for 0 ft and 2,000 ft, but your flight plan has a leg at 1,000 ft), it will make an educated guess (interpolate) by looking at the data points you did provide above and below that altitude. The more points you provide, the more accurate these interpolations will be.
Keep adding data sets for different altitudes. What if you get to an altitude where your aircraft can barely climb (or can't climb anymore) at this particular power setting? You generally can't enter zero for climb rate if you expect to plan flights that might still climb through that altitude, as EasyVFR 4 wouldn't be able to calculate a climb. So, for the highest altitude where climb performance is very low but still positive, it's best to enter a tiny positive climb rate, like "1" (e.g., 1 ft/min).
If you make a mistake with a whole altitude data set or want to remove the data for a specific altitude layer you added, just find the "Delete" button (often an 'X' or trash can icon) associated with that particular altitude data set and select it. Poof, it's gone!
Managing Multiple Power Settings
You've now successfully entered all the detailed performance data in Expert Mode for your first power setting (e.g., your "75% Cruise Power" setting). What if you want to add another one, like a "65% Economy Cruise" setting?
First, you need to go back from editing the details of the current power setting to the screen that lists all your power settings for this aircraft profile. To do this, select the red Back Bar on the left (if your device shows one) or the main Back button (usually at the top or bottom of the screen). This takes you back to the list of power settings (e.g., where you see "75% Cruise Power" listed, and the "Create New Power Setting" button).
To add another power setting, just select the Create new power setting button again.
Then, just like before, select the new "Select to edit new power setting" button that appears, give this new power setting a unique and descriptive name (e.g., "65% Economy Cruise"), and then go through all the steps above to enter all its specific performance details (TAS, rates, fuel flows) for various altitudes and flight phases (Climb, Cruise, Descent).
You can create as many power settings as you find useful for your type of flying and aircraft. When you later plan a flight, EasyVFR 4 will often allow you to choose which of your defined power settings to use for different phases of flight, giving you incredible control over the accuracy of your plan!
If you ever want to get rid of a complete power setting that you've created (e.g., you realize you don't need that "2200 RPM setting" anymore), simply go to the screen that lists all your power settings, find the one you want to remove, and select the "Delete" button (or 'X' icon) next to its name on this power settings list screen.
Saving Your Expert Mode Profile
And that's it! You've now successfully set up your aircraft's detailed performance data using the powerful Expert Mode. This will make a big difference in the precision of your flight planning, especially for complex flights or aircraft.
To save all your hard work:
First, make sure you've backed out of editing the individual power setting details. Select the red Back Bar or the main Back button until you return to the main Aircraft Profiles screen for this aircraft (the one showing "Aircraft Details", "Performance Data", etc.).
Then, on this main screen, select the red Save Bar or the main Save button (usually at the bottom or side of the screen) to save the entire Aircraft Profile, including all your new Expert Mode performance data.
Just like with other profile saves, if you're connected to the internet, EasyVFR 4 will then try to sync this updated and highly detailed profile to the PocketFMS Cloud. This is fantastic because it makes your meticulously crafted profile available on any other devices you use EasyVFR 4 on. You'll usually see a message letting you know if the cloud save was successful.
And of course, if you decide you don't want to save these Expert Mode changes (or any other tweaks you just made to the overall profile), you can usually select a "Cancel" button on the main profile screen (before hitting Save). If you do that, the profile will revert to how it was last saved, and your recent Expert Mode edits won't be kept.
Wrapping Up Expert Mode
Well done! You're now a pro at setting up detailed aircraft power settings in EasyVFR 4 using Expert Mode! This investment of time in accurately inputting your aircraft's POH data will pay off with much more accurate and reliable flight planning, fuel calculations, and time estimates.
Remember, the more accurate your input, the more accurate EasyVFR 4's output will be, helping you fly more safely and efficiently. For more tips on other settings within Aircraft Profiles and how to get the most out of this powerful feature, please have a look at the other tutorials or sections in this comprehensive guide.
🧳 Final Thoughts
Setting up your Aircraft Profile in EasyVFR 4 enhances the accuracy of your flight planning and ensures that your mass and balance calculations are precise. Whether you're using Simple Mode for quick setups or Pro Mode for detailed planning, EasyVFR 4 provides the tools you need for safe and efficient flying.
Pro Tip: Regularly review and update your Aircraft Profile, especially after any changes to your aircraft's configuration or performance characteristics or after maintenance or modifications to your aircraft. This ensures that your flight planning remains accurate.
For further guidance on other settings in Aircraft Profiles and getting the most out of the Aircraft Profiles function, see the other Aircraft Profiles tutorials available on the EasyVFR website.