It was big news last month when Jeppesen and ForeFlight announced a deal to collaborate on charting data and app development. Now it’s a reality, with the release of ForeFlight version 9.2. Here’s what Jeppesen charts look like in the app, and how to get set up.
Many airlines and corporate flight departments require pilots to carry fire containment systems on all flights. After all, in a pressurized airplane at 37,000 feet, you can’t exactly throw the tablet out the window. Fortunately, there’s a new option that is both portable and far less expensive than traditional systems.
For the last two years, Appareo’s Stratus 2S and Garmin’s GDL 39 3D have dominated the market for portable ADS-B receivers, but Dual Electronics has carved out a successful niche as well. Their strategy has been to offer affordable receivers that work with a wide variety of apps, making them our top picks for pilots flying with Aerovie, FltPlan Go, WingX, and FlyQ.
For pilots using a tablet as their primary chart reference, keeping an iPad charged isn’t just a convenience – it’s a safety of flight issue. Fortunately, there are a whole host of solutions that can keep your battery topped off; unfortunately, many were developed for cars and not airplanes. Now there’s a new option that is made for aviation but inexpensive.
For some pilots, being disconnected is one of the joys of a pilot certificate, as you get to escape earthly annoyances; for others it is a major drawback. While high speed internet isn’t available for light airplanes, Garmin’s new inReach products offer an affordable option for staying connected in the air. We tested the inReach Explorer+ on 10 different flights recently, and found a lot to like.
The SXAR1 receiver has been a popular accessory for pilots flying with ForeFlight over the last year, providing high quality in-flight weather with coast-to-coast coverage from SiriusXM’s satellites. While the weather is the most important feature, many pilots have also come to enjoy a little music during long flights. That option came to ForeFlight earlier this year, and it’s a surprisingly nice upgrade.
It’s important before each flight to properly configure the iPad’s wireless radios, especially when using a Bluetooth or WiFi accessory. Here are our recommended wireless settings for various iPad and accessory combinations.
One of the biggest upgrades in ForeFlight version 9.1 (released earlier this month) is the availability of highly detailed performance profiles. These pre-loaded aircraft data sets allow the app to calculate extremely accurate numbers for time en route and fuel burn, which is a critical feature for high performance and turbine airplanes. Just how accurate are these profiles? We tested it out on a long trip recently – here’s what we found.
Mounts and kneeboards are the two most popular ways to secure an iPad in the cockpit. The options for kneeboards in particular have expanded in recent years, which can make the buying decision a little complicated. In this Product PIREP video, we take four of the most popular iPad kneeboards up for a test flight in a Cessna 172. See the different models in action, and learn what their unique advantages are.
Pilots are uniquely equipped to join in the fun on August 21, since they can quickly fly to an airport that’s in the path of the eclipse (and save the hassle of finding a hotel the night before). They can also adjust plans at the last minute to make sure their destination has clear skies. As usual, a little technology can help make this planning process easier. Here’s what Weekend Flyer is doing.
ForeFlight has held a dominant position among piston airplane pilots for a few years now, but they have not been quite as successful in the world of flight departments and jet operators. The competition is definitely heating up, though, as ForeFlight introduced a whole new tier of service today, called Performance Planning. Here’s a look at the new features.
A few carefully chosen accessories can make the iPad so much more powerful and easy-to-use. Here’s our list of the accessories you should consider, and our top recommendations.
RECENT COMMENTS