Built by a pilot for practical flight planning
About Aero Companion
Aero Companion is a set of browser-based planning tools and pilot guides for the small decisions that matter before the engine starts: crosswind practice, Zulu time, glide options, VFR route planning, and diversion thinking.
Why the site exists
The site started from a pilot's practical problem: it should be easier to find a runway with the crosswind component you want to practice, and it should be easier to see whether a cross-country route leaves you with real glide options. Aero Companion turns those questions into simple tools you can use before a flight, during a lesson brief, or while comparing possible routes on the ground.
What Aero Companion is, and is not
Aero Companion is a planning aid. It is not an official weather briefing, flight release, airworthiness determination, aircraft performance calculator, or substitute for a pilot's own judgment. The pilot in command remains responsible for the safe conduct of the flight, including the official preflight action required by 14 CFR § 91.103.
Editorial standards
- Practical first. Guides are written around cockpit-useful questions, not abstract definitions.
- Primary sources where possible. Regulatory and weather topics link to official FAA, eCFR, Aviation Weather Center, or Flight Service sources when those sources are the right authority.
- No keyword stuffing. If a topic is worth covering, it should help a pilot make a clearer decision even if it never appeared in a search query.
- Clear limits. Articles explain assumptions, caveats, and when to use an official source or instructor instead of a web page.
Useful starting points
- Runway crosswind calculator — find nearby runways by crosswind component using METARs or TAFs.
- Glide-aware VFR flight planner — compare route options with glide range in mind.
- Pilot UTC / Zulu time converter — keep local, destination, and Zulu time on one clock.
- Pilot guides — scenario-based guides for crosswind, Zulu time, VFR planning, glide range, and diversion decisions.