On the navigation display I can see only navaids and it is not easy to identify towns, rivers, lakes I see outside. I sometimes fly with my highschool geography charts on my knees, trying to recognize terrain down below. Is there some way to enter my flightplan and see my route in Google Maps for example? I don't need moving map in my cockpit, just a chart during preflight preparation with enough zoom to recognize main landmarks. There are some solutions with Google Earth, special layers etc but sounds complicated. Is there something simple and possibly freeware?ThanksDaniel.

Daniel,Suggest PlanG. Have fun,Dave Vega

Hello,go to FSWidgets and get the freeware GMap.http://fswidgets.com/shop/download_files.phpHave to scroll a bit down.It is exactly what you want: shows your aircraft on a Google Map.It is an external program.Simply install and start.

On the navigation display I can see only navaids and it is not easy to identify towns, rivers, lakes I see outside. I sometimes fly with my highschool geography charts on my knees, trying to recognize terrain down below. Is there some way to enter my flightplan and see my route in Google Maps for example? I don't need moving map in my cockpit, just a chart during preflight preparation with enough zoom to recognize main landmarks. There are some solutions with Google Earth, special layers etc but sounds complicated. Is there something simple and possibly freeware?ThanksDaniel.

FSWidgets browser edition uses Google Earth and Blue Sky Moving Map uses real charts, both are free and show you your plane in real time.

If flying in the US, http://skyvector.com/ is what you wantYou can use the vfr sectional and prominent landmarks will be displayed on the map.