Advanced Tips

There are certainly important differences in how features are implemented in different apps, but there haven't been many truly new app features over the past few years. One exception is Garmin's Emergency Mode. It's simple, but thoughtfully designed and very useful. Here's how to use it.

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.

Confused by ADS-B traffic? We'll explain why traffic is sometimes complete and sometimes quite limited, with this series of graphics. Whether you're flying with just a portable receiver or a full avionics stack, you'll know what to expect.

There's a lot of confusion surrounding the ICAO flight plan form and the FAA's move to stop accepting the FAA/domestic form. Here we'll break it down in plain English and help you make the transition to filing ICAO flight plans from your favorite app on your iPad.

ForeFlight has gained a loyal following in part by continuously adding features, so the ForeFlight of two years ago looks almost unrecognizable today. That's great news for pilots, who get powerful new tools seemingly every month, but it does mean that some features occasionally get lost in the shuffle. Here's a look at five helpful features in ForeFlight that you may not be using.

Ok, you’ve been flying with the iPad for several years and the thought of manually calculating the time en route to your destination or unfolding a sectional chart in the cockpit makes you cringe. But like everything in aviation, it pays dividends to spend some time to brushing up on the basics to keep your knowledge and skills sharp. Take our latest quiz to see where you stand.

More and more pilots are going completely paperless in the cockpit, but that requires some paper documents to be scanned first. Fortunately, thanks to the advanced scanner capabilities in the standard Notes app, it takes just a few steps. Here's how to do it.

On a recent flight we got to try Fltplan Go when connected to a Garmin Flight Stream 510, and came away impressed. While Fltplan Go is not as polished and powerful as the Garmin Pilot app, it still packs a number of useful features into a free app, including weather and flight plan transfer. 

Garmin's GTX 345R transponder adds ADS-B in and out capabilities to legacy G1000 glass cockpit systems and includes Connext to wirelessly connect your iPad to the panel. Here's how it all works when flying with the ForeFlight or Garmin Pilot apps.

Garmin's top-of-the-line portable weather receivers, the compact GDL 51/52, receive more than just GPS, traffic, and weather. With an active SiriusXM subscription, pilots and passengers can also enjoy music and live sports in flight. Once you've configured all your devices, it's very easy to listen to SiriusXM Radio, but the first time you do it there are a few steps to follow - and they are probably a little different than what you expect. Here's a step-by-step explanation.