Whether you’re a pilot shopping for another aviation enthusiast or you’re a non-pilot desperately trying to figure out what to buy the (slightly weird?) aviator on your list, iPad apps and accessories are a good bet. Here’s our list of the top 10 things any iPad pilot would like this Christmas.
Even with all of our modern aviation databases, sometimes you just can’t beat a lat/lon coordinate. Maybe you’re visiting a private airport that isn’t in the database, or you want to circle a landmark not on the sectional, or you need to plan a flight around a TFR. Let’s review the basics of latitude and longitude and the different types of coordinates.
It didn’t take long though for app developers to offer the ability to add annotations and markups directly on charts. With the latest generation of Apple Pencil (or even a “dumb” stylus), it’s even easier. Here we’re going to show you how to use this feature in several apps and offer tips on how to make make the most of them during your flying.
We’ve used screenshots to store Google Earth images of new airports, fly-in procedures, detailed weather graphics that aren’t available via ADS-B, and much more. Anything that is useful in flight but isn’t available offline is a candidate for a screenshot. With Apple’s release of iOS 11 last year, screenshots have moved from a hack to a fully developed tool. Here’s how to take advantage of the latest features.
There’s little question that the digital chart revolution and subscription-free ADS-B weather led to the iPad’s success in aviation. But in addition to weather, today’s iPad apps can also provide you with a wealth of data to assist in fuel planning.
When ForeFlight introduced its Performance Plus subscription level last year, many pilots assumed it was aimed at professional pilots flying turbine airplanes. In fact, ForeFlight’s most expensive plan has found a lot of fans among private pilots flying piston airplanes too. Here’s a look at the growing list of features, and how they work.
When Garmin bought Fltplan.com and the companion Fltplan Go apps, it seemed like a complementary pairing – one company has strength in mobile apps and panel avionics, the other has strength in online tools and handling services. At NBAA this week, Garmin announced the first step on its road to integrating the pieces, and as you would expect they are pursuing the most popular features first.
ForeFlight’s weight and balance tool allows you to quickly analyze last minute loading changes and will alert you if any parameters are outside your airplane’s envelope. To help you get going we’ll show you how to use this feature to create a custom aircraft profile and work through a typical weight & balance calculation.
We first reviewed the X-Naut Cooling Case in 2016, finding it to be a thoughtfully-designed solution to a persistent problem: overheating tablets in the cockpit. While the original two models accomodate the iPad Pro 9.7″, iPad Air, and iPad Mini, there was no option for our preferred iPad model in the cockpit – the iPad Pro 10.5″. Now the company has introduced a solution made just for that.
Last year we did an extended test with the inReach satellite communicator, an established product from Delorme that Garmin had recently acquired. Overall we liked it, as it offered a relatively affordable and portable way to add some connectivity in the cockpit. Now there’s a new, smaller option: the inReach Mini.
The latest generation of portable ADS-B receivers has proven to be quite reliable in the cockpit, but as with any technical product there is a learning curve. Since all of these devices wirelessly transmit data to your tablet, one of the first areas to consider is the WiFi or Bluetooth connection. Let’s look at how to troubleshoot potential connection problems with a Stratus 3.
A new generation of portable weather receivers has hit the market over the last year, with new hardware from Appareo, Garmin, and uAvionix offering new features and (in general) lower prices. ForeFlight recently announced support for the latest receivers from Garmin, which means new options for pilots – especially in the world of satellite weather.
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