Each year we publish a plain-language review of the FARs and Advisory Circulars pertaining to the use of iPads and electronic flight bags in the cockpit. This is great information for pilots looking to make the transition from paper charts to an iPad, but should also be reviewed by experienced iPad pilots as well.
For most pilots, a circling approach is not a part of regular flying, so it’s definitely worth practicing with a flight instructor. To get the most out of that practice session, we like to record our flights with a data logger (Stratus 3, Garmin G1000, etc.) and then use an app like CloudAhoy for a detailed debriefing. With some recent updates, it’s easier than ever to grade your performance on those three key components.
Airline pilots have rarely had access to ADS-B on their tablets, mostly due to app limitations and company restrictions. That is beginning to change with version 4.3.3 of Jeppesen FliteDeck Pro, the most popular app for airline pilots. FliteDeck Pro is powered by ForeFlight, and the partnership is obvious in the growing feature list, which now includes support for Sentry and Sentry Mini.
Garmin continues its rapid pace of updates in 2021, and the release of version 10.4 of its Pilot app is the latest evidence. This adds some nice updates to NOTAM map layers and preflight weather briefings, but the biggest news is full support for Microsoft Flight Simulator. Now you can fly an approach on your home sim and learn to use Garmin Pilot at the same time. Here’s how it works.
Join ForeFlight’s Phil Inman for an in-depth look at the latest features in aviation’s top app, plus some advanced tips for safe flying. Topics include: daily weather forecasts, cloud layer, marked positions, new plate binder options, and more.
Garmin Pilot is loaded with features, and these go far beyond the basics of charts and airport information. In fact, it seems like the team at Garmin adds a handful of unique features with every update, sometimes without mentioning them in the release notes. Here are three we’ve been using recently that can make your preflight planning better.
It seems like there are two types of pilots: those who have never heard of Skew-T log (p) charts and true believers who know they are the source of all truth and knowledge about weather. The second group is overstating things just a bit, but the first group is definitely missing out on some helpful weather information. With a little training—and the affordable SkewTLogPro app—it’s easy to integrate Skew-T diagrams into your normal preflight routine. Here’s how to get started.
One of the standout features in Garmin Pilot is its traffic page, which looks like it’s right off a panel-mount GTN navigator. This is a decluttered view so it appears simple, but we’ve noticed many pilots don’t notice all the customization options. Here’s a look at what you can adjust.
Screenshots are one of the most useful built-in tools in iOS, whether you’re ordering takeout or planning a flight. It’s particularly handy for saving web pages that won’t be accessible in flight, so we find ourselves using all the time it for radar images, flight plan routing, and fly-in procedures. A new option in Safari makes this tool even more powerful.
Similar to the routine of having your airplane undergo an annual inspection, we recommend that you take the time to review the following items once a year to keep your iPad, apps and accessories performing at their best.
The iPad may be called an Electronic Flight Bag, but most pilots still need a real flight bag to stay organized. Fortunately, a slew of new designs offers some great options for staying organized and protecting your aviation gear, without breaking the bank.
One year after the mandate, ADS-B Out has gone from a nuisance to a reality. Capitalizing on this new avionics environment, ForeFlight released new traffic features in version 13 of their popular app, making in-flight alerts more helpful. The app also offers an improved weather forecast view and a new approach minimums feature.
RECENT COMMENTS