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Create Your First Trip

Trips are the core of the Operations module. A trip represents a planned flight (or series of flight legs) with an origin, destination, aircraft, crew, and passengers. In this tutorial, you will create a trip from scratch using the multi-step trip creation form. By the end of this tutorial, you will have a scheduled trip visible on your operations calendar and dispatch board.
Who should do this tutorial? Dispatchers, operations managers, and pilots who need to create and plan trips. You will need at least one aircraft in your fleet to complete this tutorial. If you have not set up your fleet yet, see Set Up Your Fleet first.

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Before you start

Make sure you have:
  • An active PlaneConnection account with access to the Operations module
  • At least one aircraft added to your fleet
  • Logged in to your workspace (see the Quickstart if you need help)

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Creating the trip

The trip creation form uses a multi-step wizard with four steps: Route and Dates, Aircraft and Crew, Passengers and Notes, and Review. You will work through each step in order.
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  • Make sure you are in the Operations module. Check the module switcher at the top of the sidebar — it should show “Operations.” If it shows “Safety,” click the switcher and select Flight Operations.
  • In the sidebar, click Trips.
  • On the Trips page, click the New Trip button.
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    You are now on the trip creation wizard. You will see a stepper at the top showing four steps. You start on the first step: Route & Dates.
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    Step 1: Set the route and dates
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    This step defines where the trip goes and when.
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    Departure airport: Enter the departure airport. You can type an ICAO code (e.g., KTEB), IATA code (e.g., TEB), or the airport name. The field will auto-suggest matches as you type.
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    Arrival airport: Enter the destination airport in the same way.
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    Trip type: Select the type of trip from the dropdown:
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    TypeDescriptionCharterA revenue charter flight for a clientOwnerAn owner flight (aircraft owner or shareholder)MaintenanceA maintenance or ferry flightPositioningA repositioning or deadhead flightTrainingA training or proficiency flight
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    Departure date and time: Select the planned departure date and time.
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    If this trip has multiple legs (e.g., KTEB to KMIA to KFLL), you will create the first leg here. Additional legs can be added after the trip is created.
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    Once you have filled in the route and date, click Next to continue.
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    Step 2: Select aircraft and crew
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    Aircraft: Select the aircraft for this trip from the dropdown. The list shows your fleet aircraft with their registration numbers and make/model. Only aircraft with an “active” status appear.
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    Crew assignment: Assign crew members to the trip. The form shows your available crew members. For each crew position:
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  • Select the Pilot in Command (PIC) from the crew list
  • Select the Second in Command (SIC) if applicable
  • Add any additional crew (Flight Attendants, other personnel) as needed
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    The crew list shows each person’s name and role to help you make the right assignment.
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    Crew availability is shown based on existing schedule data. If a crew member is already assigned to another trip on the same date, you will see a scheduling conflict indicator.
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    Click Next to continue.
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    Step 3: Add passengers and notes
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    Passengers: Add passengers to the trip manifest. You can:
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  • Search for existing passengers by name in the autocomplete field
  • Select multiple passengers from the list
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    Each selected passenger appears as a chip below the search field. Click the “X” on any chip to remove a passenger.
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    Notes: Add any trip notes in the rich text editor. This is a good place for:
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  • Special instructions for the crew
  • Catering requests or ground transportation details
  • Client preferences or requirements
  • FBO information
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    Notes support rich text formatting including bold, italic, and bullet lists.
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    Click Next to continue.
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    Step 4: Review and submit
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    The review step shows a summary of everything you have entered:
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  • Route: Departure and arrival airports
  • Date: Departure date and time
  • Trip type: The type you selected
  • Aircraft: Registration and make/model
  • Crew: Assigned crew members and their positions
  • Passengers: Passenger manifest
  • Notes: Any notes you added
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    Review each section carefully. If you need to make changes, click Back to return to the relevant step.
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    When everything looks correct, click Create Trip.
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    Make sure the aircraft and crew assignments are correct before submitting. While trips can be edited after creation, changes may trigger notifications to assigned crew members.
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    View your new trip
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    After submission, you are redirected to the Trips list page. Your new trip appears in the list with a status of Scheduled.
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    Click on the trip to open the trip detail page, where you can:
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  • View the Trip Summary with all route and assignment details
  • Access the Flight tab for flight-specific information
  • View the Estimate tab for cost estimates
  • Edit trip details if changes are needed

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    Where your trip appears

    Once created, your trip shows up in several places across the Operations module:
    LocationWhat you will see
    Trips listThe trip in the main trips table with status, route, date, and aircraft
    ScheduleThe trip on the operations calendar for the departure date
    Dispatch boardThe trip on the dispatch board, linked to its assigned aircraft
    Crew schedulesEach assigned crew member sees the trip on their personal schedule
    My TripsAssigned crew members see the trip under Trips > My Trips

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    Trip lifecycle

    After creation, a trip moves through several statuses:
    1. Scheduled — The trip is planned and on the calendar
    2. Confirmed — The trip has been confirmed with all parties
    3. In Progress — The trip is underway (aircraft has departed)
    4. Completed — The trip has been completed (aircraft has arrived, logs filed)
    5. Cancelled — The trip has been cancelled
    Your operations team manages these status transitions as the trip progresses.

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    Next steps

    Set Up Your Fleet

    Add and configure aircraft in your fleet.

    Manage Your Crew

    Add crew members, assign roles, and manage certifications.