The day scheduler is the main planning board in Schedule. It shows a single day at a time, with every aircraft, flight instructor, and resource arranged in rows along a horizontal timeline. Existing reservations, blocked periods, and availability indicators are all visible at a glance, making it the fastest way to understand what can still be planned and what is already occupied.
What you see on the planning board
When you open Schedule, you land directly on the day scheduler. The board combines several layers of information into one view.
| Element | Description |
|---|---|
| Selected day | The date currently displayed. By default this is today. |
| Timeline | The horizontal axis divided into equally sized planning cells (e.g., 15 or 30 minutes depending on configuration). |
| Rows | Each row represents a single aircraft, flight instructor, or other bookable resource. Grouped by type within the active schedule group. |
| Existing reservations | Bookings already placed appear as coloured blocks on the relevant row, spanning their start and end times. |
| Blocked periods | Time ranges where a resource cannot be booked. Distinct visual indicators on the affected rows. |
Filter bar and navigation
The top of the scheduler contains a filter bar with controls for moving through dates and selecting what you see.
Schedule group selector
The group selector lets you choose which set of resources is visible. Each schedule group contains a defined collection of aircraft, flight instructors, and resources. Only the resources belonging to the selected group appear on the board.
- Click the group selector to see all available groups.
- Select the group that matches the operation you are planning for.
- The board reloads immediately with the resources from the chosen group.
Important
If your organisation uses only one group, this selector may already be pre-set. Always confirm you are viewing the correct group before creating bookings.
Date picker
The date picker lets you jump to any specific date.
- Click the date display to open a calendar.
- Select the target date.
- The board updates to show the chosen day.
Previous, Today, and Next day buttons
For quick day-to-day navigation, use the dedicated buttons.
- Previous day -- moves the board back by one day.
- Today -- returns the board to the current date, regardless of which day you were viewing.
- Next day -- moves the board forward by one day.
These buttons are the fastest way to step through consecutive days when reviewing upcoming schedules.
My bookings link
The filter bar also includes a link to My bookings, which opens a personal list view of your own upcoming active bookings. See Groups and My bookings for details.
What the scheduler shows on rows
Depending on the row type and your organisation's configuration, you will see different types of information.
Bookable aircraft time
Aircraft rows show the time windows during which the aircraft can be booked. Open time appears as available space on the row. Existing reservations fill the booked portions.
Flight instructor availability and unavailability
Flight instructor rows reflect availability blocks. Depending on the configuration approach used:
- If a flight instructor is available by default, the row shows unavailability blocks marking the times the flight instructor cannot be booked.
- If a flight instructor is unavailable by default, the row shows availability blocks marking the specific times the flight instructor can be booked.
See Flight instructor availability for how to create and manage these blocks.
Aircraft unavailability
When an aircraft is marked as unavailable in Fleet (for example due to maintenance or an inspection), that period appears as a blocked range on the aircraft row. You cannot create a reservation in a blocked range.
Booking blocks
Some time ranges may be blocked by administrative rules or schedule configuration. These appear as non-bookable segments on the timeline.
Current time marker
A vertical line on the timeline indicates the current time. This helps you quickly see how much of the day has already passed and what remains for planning.
Sunrise and sunset markers
The scheduler can display sunrise and sunset markers on the timeline. These are useful for operations where daylight hours affect flight planning. The markers appear as vertical indicators at the appropriate times for the current day and location.
How the timeline is configured
Two important settings control the appearance of the day scheduler. Both are managed in Settings > Scheduler.
| Setting | Effect |
|---|---|
| Cell duration | Determines the width of each planning cell. A shorter duration (e.g., 15 minutes) gives more precision but requires more horizontal space. A longer duration (e.g., 30 minutes or 1 hour) provides a more compact view. |
| Visible timeframe | Determines the earliest and latest time shown on the timeline. Should cover at least your operational hours (e.g., 07:00 to 21:00). |
Note
If the scheduler does not show the time range you expect, or if the cells seem too wide or too narrow, check these settings or ask your administrator to adjust them in Settings > Scheduler.
Common tasks on the day scheduler
Checking availability for a specific aircraft
- Select the correct schedule group.
- Navigate to the desired date.
- Locate the aircraft row.
- Scan the row for open (unblocked, unreserved) time slots.
Finding an available flight instructor
- Select the correct schedule group.
- Navigate to the desired date.
- Look at the flight instructor rows.
- Identify flight instructors whose rows show available time in the period you need.
- Verify the flight instructor does not have an unavailability block covering that time.
Reviewing the full day before a busy period
- Navigate to the day you want to review.
- Select each schedule group your organisation uses and scan the board.
- Note any gaps in flight instructor availability that should be filled.
- Check for aircraft with maintenance blocks that may reduce capacity.
Creating a reservation from the scheduler
- Navigate to the correct day and schedule group.
- Click or select a free time range on the desired aircraft or resource row.
- The reservation form opens with the date, start time, and end time pre-filled.
- Complete the remaining fields and confirm. See Reservations for the full booking workflow.
Understanding what you see at a glance
Tip
The day scheduler is designed to give you a complete operational picture in one view. Before creating or modifying any booking, take a moment to read the board: scan all rows (not just the one you plan to book), check the current time marker, note sunrise/sunset markers, and look for blocked periods.
Good practice
- Always start from the correct day and schedule group. Planning in the wrong group is the most common source of scheduling errors.
- Review the full row before creating a reservation. Do not only look at the specific time you want to click -- check what comes before and after to avoid conflicts.
- Use the visual board for planning decisions first. Open the reservation form only after you have confirmed the time slot is suitable.
- Step through the next few days using the Previous/Next buttons when planning ahead. This gives you a sense of upcoming capacity.
- If the timeline feels cramped or important hours are missing, ask your administrator to review the cell duration and timeframe settings in Settings > Scheduler.