This is about three small apps which facilitate the information contained in a gpx flight track for (more or less) useful purposes. They are
- Log my flights: convert a flight track to a flight log that can be used as a pilot or aircraft log
- Show my flights: display the flight tracks of a couple of gpx files on a single Google Maps chart
- Track my flight: display a single flight track on a Google Maps chart for (primitive) flight analysis and debrief
All three apps are „stateless“ frontend apps. They use backend services (Google Maps for „Track my Flights“ and „Show my Flights“, a proprietary CGI service for „Log my Flights“) just for computations without any persistence. This way these apps completely respect your privacy.
Log My Flights
In a form you specify pilot, plane, VFR or IFR and the function of the pilot after which you can select any number of gpx-files which the app converts into flight log records as shown above. Selecting the „Edit“-button will show flight details and allows you to change some of the values. Additionally, in the details screen you can display some rudimentary flight statistics, derived from the gpx-files, e.g.
Finally you can export the log as an Excel-file, for which you can choose between a pilot log format or an aircraft log format. The pilot log format is EU.FCL compatible.
Show my Flights
Show My Flights allows you to display a number of flight records on a single Google Maps chart. I use it mainly for demonstration purposes. For example, the screenshot above shows all my flights in 2024. If you have a couple of flights from various years, you may select one of several years on the screen.
Track my Flights
Track my Flights allows you to track and analyze a single gpx flight track. Using the line chart at the bottom you can zoom into any detail of the flights. Clicking the „toggle display steep turns“ button will highlight those parts of the chart that contain closed loops of not more than 90 seconds. Hovering over such an area will bring some information about the „steep“ turn including average speed during the turn, maximum altitude difference during the turn, length in meters, duration in seconds, (calculated) average bank angle, as well as heading when entering and exiting the turn. A turn is determined by detecting crossings of the flight path so turns in this app don’t have equal heading at entry and exit.
Actually, this was my first app using gpx files and it dates back to the time when I was a flight student. The idea behind was to debrief my solo flights and check for the quality of my steep turns.
The source code for all three apps is available at GitHub:
- https://github.com/staski/fltlog („Log my Flights“ frontend)
- https://github.com/staski/mngfltlg („Log my Flights“ backend)
- https://github.com/staski/flightdisplay („Show my Flights“)
- https://github.com/staski/trackThisFlight („Track my Flights“)
If you like the apps or you have some comments or remarks, drop me an e-mail at staski@venus-flytrap.de.