> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.flightwise.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Bookings Overview

> Understanding the FlightWise booking system for managing aircraft, simulator, and classroom reservations

The FlightWise booking system is a comprehensive scheduling platform that manages all training activities across your flight school. From flight lessons to ground school sessions, the booking
system ensures efficient resource allocation and clear communication.

## What is a Booking?

A booking represents a scheduled reservation for a training activity that includes:

* **A resource** (aircraft, simulator, or classroom)
* **Participants** (students, instructors, examiners, etc.)
* **A time period** (with optional briefing time)
* **A booking type** (defining the nature of the activity)
* **Optional lesson tracking** (linked to course curriculum)

## Core Components

### Resources

Bookings reserve one of three resource types:

**Aircraft Bookings**

* Flight training sessions
* Check rides and proficiency checks
* Aircraft rental
* Most common booking type in flight schools

**Simulator Bookings**

* Instrument training
* Procedure practice
* Emergency scenario training
* Cost-effective training alternative

**Classroom Bookings**

* Ground school lessons
* Theory sessions
* Briefings and debriefings
* Group training sessions

### Booking Types

Booking types categorize the nature of each reservation and determine:

* Color coding on the timetable
* Required participant roles
* Whether lesson completion tracking is needed
* Resource type compatibility

**Common Booking Types:**

* Training - PPL
* Training - CPL
* Check Ride - IR
* Maintenance
* Aircraft Rental
* Simulator - IFR Training

Each booking type is customizable to match your flight school's specific operations.

### Participants

Every booking includes one or more participants with defined roles:

| Role           | Description          | Common Use                             |
| -------------- | -------------------- | -------------------------------------- |
| **Student**    | Primary trainee      | Flight training, ground school         |
| **Instructor** | Training provider    | Required for most training bookings    |
| **Examiner**   | Conducts check rides | Skill tests, proficiency checks        |
| **Renter**     | Renting the resource | Aircraft rental without instruction    |
| **Observer**   | Watching/auditing    | Training observations, familiarization |
| **Other**      | Miscellaneous roles  | Flexible participant type              |

Booking types define which roles are required and whether multiples are allowed.

## Booking Lifecycle

### 1. Creation

Bookings start in one of several states depending on your organization's settings:

* **Pending Approval** - Requires administrator review before confirmation
* **Booked** - Automatically confirmed upon creation

### 2. Status Progression

Pending Approval → Booked → In Progress → Completed
↓
Canceled / Rejected

* **Pending Approval**: Awaiting admin confirmation
* **Booked**: Confirmed and scheduled
* **In Progress**: Currently active
* **Completed**: Finished successfully
* **Rejected**: Booking request denied
* **Canceled**: Booking canceled before completion
* **Canceled Late**: Late cancellation (may incur fees)

### 3. Completion

Upon completion, bookings can have:

* Attached flight logs (for aircraft bookings)
* Attached simulator logs (for simulator bookings)
* Lesson completion records (when linked to curriculum)
* Participant feedback and notes

## Time Management

### Booking Times

* **Start & End Times**: The actual resource reservation period
* **Briefing Times**: Optional pre-flight and post-flight briefing periods

Example:

* Briefing Starts: 09:00 AM (30 min pre-flight brief)
* Booking Starts: 09:30 AM
* Booking Ends: 11:30 AM (2-hour flight)
* Briefing Ends: 12:00 PM (30 min debrief)

Total block time: 3 hours
Resource reserved: 2 hours

### Scheduling Considerations

The booking system checks for:

* **Resource availability**: No double-booking of aircraft/simulators/classrooms
* **Participant availability**: User availability settings and conflicting bookings
* **Maintenance windows**: Aircraft grounding periods
* **Operating hours**: Organization-defined operational times

## Lesson Tracking

### Lesson Completion Status

Bookings can be linked to specific lessons in your course curriculum:

* **Not Required**: No lesson tracking needed (e.g., aircraft rental, maintenance)
* **Required**: Lesson completion must be recorded after the booking
* **Completed**: Lesson has been marked complete with grading

### Course Integration

When linked to a lesson:

* Tracks student progress through the syllabus
* Records objective grades and instructor feedback
* Updates course completion percentages
* Maintains training records for regulatory compliance

## Cancellations

### Cancellation Types

Organizations can define cancellation types to categorize why bookings are canceled, for example:

* Weather
* Aircraft Maintenance
* Student Illness
* Instructor Unavailable
* Student Request
* Late Cancellation (within 24 hours)

Colors are assigned to booking types and help quickly identify activity types on the timetable.

## Audit Trail

### Booking Logs

Every change to a booking is recorded with:

* **Action type**: What changed (created, updated, canceled, etc.)
* **User**: Who made the change
* **Timestamp**: When it occurred
* **Details**: Specific fields modified
* **Notes**: Optional context

**Common Log Actions:**

* Booking created/deleted
* Time changed
* Participant added/removed
* Aircraft/resource changed
* Flight log attached/removed
* Status updated
* Lesson changed

This comprehensive audit trail ensures accountability and helps resolve scheduling disputes.

## Integration Points

### Flight Logs

Aircraft bookings can be linked to flight logs containing:

* Fuel usage
* Flight hours
* Departure/arrival airports
* Technical log entries
* Landings and approaches

### Simulator Logs

Simulator bookings record:

* Session duration
* Training scenarios practiced
* Instructor observations

### Invoicing

Bookings can be connected to invoices for:

* Automatic billing
* Training package management
* Payment tracking

### Calendar Integration

Generate iCal feeds for:

* Personal calendar sync
* Mobile device integration
* Third-party calendar apps

## Best Practices

### For Administrators

* Configure booking types before starting operations
* Set up cancellation policies early
* Review pending bookings regularly
* Monitor booking patterns for resource optimization

### For Instructors

* Update booking status as activities progress
* Complete lesson records promptly after flights
* Attach flight logs to maintain accurate records
* Communicate changes to students immediately

### For Students

* Book lessons in advance
* Update availability regularly
* Cancel with appropriate notice
* Review booking details before sessions

## Reporting & Analytics

The booking system provides insights into:

* Resource utilization rates
* Instructor and student activity
* Cancellation patterns
* Revenue per resource
* Training progression rates
* Peak usage times

Use these insights to optimize scheduling, identify bottlenecks, and improve operational efficiency.