Entries by John Zimmerman

Panel-mounting an iPad: what’s legal and what’s available?

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Panel mounts for portable products have lived in a bit of a gray area for years now, going back to Garmin 396 GPSs in the early 2000s. Many pilots concluded that such mounts are only allowed in experimental airplanes, which is not necessarily true (a field approval is an option, although not necessarily an easy one). Fortunately, some new rules are clarifying the options for certified airplanes and some new mounts are making it easier to install an iPad in the panel.

Video: flying with Garmin Connext and Garmin Pilot

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Garmin’s Connext platform wirelessly integrates a host of portable and panel-mount avionics, from transponders and video cameras to satellite messengers and apps. In this video PIREP, you’ll go flying to see Connext in action, including how the Garmin Pilot app works as the hub for everything.

FltPlan Go tips for power users

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In this article, we continue our regular series on the finer points of popular aviation apps to help you get the most out of your Electronic Flight Bag. This week, we dive into FltPlan Go to explore some of the hidden features that can save you time or enable new functionality. Best of all, the app is free so you can follow along.

Video review: SiriusXM SXAR1 vs. Stratus ADS-B Receiver

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Pilots flying with ForeFlight have access to more weather information than ever before, including options for both ADS-B and SiriusXM weather in flight. The variety of options is great, but it can be confusing. In this test flight video, we explore the differences between these two systems, and compare Stratus (ADS-B) with SXAR1 (SiriusXM). Which system is better? Can you use them both? Come flying with us as we explain.

5 ways to get more out of Garmin Pilot

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The more often you use an app, the more you learn about it. And so it is with Garmin Pilot, a powerful electronic flight bag app that packs in a lot of features – but only for those who know where to look. If you’re already a pro at the basics like flight planning and chart downloads, check out these five tips to take your skills to the next level.

5 weather reports you should be using in ForeFlight

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Pilots have always been obsessed with weather, and the iPad makes it easier than ever to view a wide variety of forecasts and observations. That means the average general aviation pilot has powerful tools to make better preflight weather decisions – but only if you know where to look. Here are 5 weather products you should review in ForeFlight that go beyond the basics.

App developer survey: what feature is under-appreciated?

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Modern electronic flight bag (EFB) apps are jammed with so many features that a lot of pilots don’t even know about some of the less popular options. That doesn’t mean these features aren’t valuable, though, so we recently asked four top app companies for their insight. The question was: “what feature is under-appreciated in your app?”

ForeFlight vs. Garmin – what are their unique strengths?

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We often get asked to compare aviation’s most popular two apps, or to suggest which one might have an advantage in one area. New pilots often struggle to choose which one they should use during training. Some experienced pilots have been flying with one app for a number of years and are wondering if the grass is greener on the other side. Here’s our opinion.

Garmin Connext flight test – using SiriusXM and Flight Stream

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Garmin has spent the last 18 months rapidly building out their Connext platform, which is the name they give to all the wireless links between apps and avionics. The goal is to integrate all avionics into one synchronized flow of information, whether it’s weather, flight plan information, or GPS position. With the company’s dominance of certified avionics, it’s a smart move, and there are real benefits for pilots.