Entries by John Zimmerman

How to use CloudAhoy with Sentry Plus track logs

While the Track Logs page in ForeFlight is a great way to get an overview of your flight, for detailed post-flight analysis we like to use CoudAhoy. This powerful app (available for iPad and in your web browser) adds some helpful tools and even automatic scoring. Here’s an example from a recent training flight.

Tips for flying to Canada with your iPad

Canada is an easy flight for many pilots in the United States (especially now that most Covid restrictions have been lifted), and summer is the perfect time to visit. Fortunately, there are a number of iPad apps that make it easier than ever to plan and fly your flight to Canada. Here’s a review of the options.

Flying with datalink weather—webinar recording

Datalink weather has the potential to make your flying safer and more comfortable – but only if you know how to use it properly. Join Air Facts editor John Zimmerman for an in-depth look at ADS-B, SiriusXM, and how to use them in flight. Topics include 5 key weather rules, the differences between ADS-B and SiriusXM, and real world weather flying scenarios.

New roll-up organizer contains your charging accessories

The growing popularity of portable electronic devices means a growing stash of charging cables, cigarette lighter plugs, and battery packs. Before long, the bottom of your flight bag can look like a giant bowl of spaghetti. A new roll-up organizer is a simple but surprisingly helpful tool to combat this disorganization. 

Podcast: ForeFlight’s Tyson Weihs talks app development

ForeFlight is one of aviation’s biggest success stories, growing from a hobby to an industry-leading business in less than a decade. Tyson Weihs was there at the beginning, and in this episode of Sporty’s Pilot’s Discretion podcast, he shares some early memories and some lessons learned about aviation and business. He also explains how he uses ForeFlight both for pre-flight planning and for in-flight navigation, plus tips for using datalink weather to stay safe. 

New charging cables include status screen

Charging cables used to be simple: buy one with a Lightning connector and plug it into your iPad. But since the early days of tablets, things have become much more complicated. We’ve recently been flying with some new cables that finally solve this problem, and add some helpful features as well.

ForeFlight launches next generation Sentry ADS-B receiver

Now there’s a new top dog in the portable weather receiver market, with the introduction of Sentry Plus. While slightly larger than the original Sentry, it’s still a compact and lightweight device that easily mounts on a side window via a suction cup. In addition to popular features like datalink weather and traffic, Sentry Plus includes some thoughtful upgrades and performance enhancements. Here’s a look at some of the new features.

Top 10 aviation weather apps

There are thousands of weather apps for the general public, from free to quite expensive. These are great for deciding whether you need a jacket tomorrow, but when it comes to aviation weather—looking at thunderstorms, ice, turbulence, visibility and so much more—these apps just aren’t enough. So we’ll focus on apps that offer more for pilots, both free and paid.

Five essential iPad skills for pilots

A good pilot should know how to “aviate, navigate, and communicate,” no matter what airplane they are flying. For anyone flying with an electronic flight bag, there isn’t a simple phrase to remember but there are still some essential skills to master. Are you proficient at all five of these?

Using the Garmin D2 Mach 1 smartwatch with Garmin Pilot and inReach

Garmin’s latest smartwatch for pilots, the D2 Mach 1, is loaded with all the advanced features you’d expect from an industry-leading avionics company: GPS, moving map, pulse oximeter, altimeter, fitness tracking, and smartphone notifications. But the watch also is another node in Garmin’s Connext platform, which ties together multiple devices in the cockpit, from iPad apps to panel avionics.