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.
Portable ADS-B receivers for the iPad can receive ADS-B traffic in addition to weather. But unlike weather, which is broadcast continuously, traffic is only transmitted in response to specific prompts. This can make ADS-B traffic very confusing – when does it work and when doesn’t it work?
ForeFlight introduced Sentry at EAA AirVenture 2018, and the small ADS-B receiver has found a following since then. At $499, it’s a good value and packs a lot of features into a small device. We took it flying in a Cirrus SR22 to see how it performs, and to compare it to Stratus 3, the other popular ADS-B receiver for ForeFlight.
The aviation app market has been consolidating over the last few years. That trend looks set to continue, or even accelerate, as Garmin announced they have acquired Fltplan.com, including the popular flight planning website and EFB apps. Here’s what that could mean for pilots.
The number of features available in ForeFlight is truly staggering, with everything from basics like moving maps to advanced performance planning. But beyond the flashy tools, ForeFlight has a number of time-saving features that can make your next flight safer and easier. Here are five of our favorites.
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