It is not uncommon for air traffic control to pose this question to pilots on IFR flight plans approaching certain airports when the weather is VFR. In daylight, when the visibility is good, the winds calm, and the pilot familiar with the airport—and the approach is a straight in—the visual is no big deal.

But throw in weather, fatigue, low light, pilot unfamiliarity, and a circle to land, and it’s a different event.

Honeywell Aerospace is trying to mitigate these risks, expanding its navigation database to offer flight management system (FMS) guided visual procedures as a stand-alone option.

According to Jim Johnson, senior manager of flight technical services at Honeywell, the visual approaches are created in collaboration with Jeppesen. The instructions for the guided visuals look like Jeppesen approach plates but carry the caveat “advisory guidance only” and “visual approach only.” In addition, the symbology on the approaches differs in a handful of ways.

“The FMS-guided visual provides a lateral and vertical path from a fix fairly close to the airport all the way down to the runway,” says Johnson. “You can hand fly them or couple them to the autopilot.”

Visual into KTEB

One of the first guided visual approaches was created for the descent to Runway 1 at Teterboro Airport (KTEB) in New Jersey.

The airport sits in a very industrialized area with the runway blending into warehouses and business parks. Honeywell provides a video of the visual approach on its website that illustrates the value of having that helping hand. Having the extra vertical and lateral guidance from a mathematically created visual procedure allows pilots to better manage their approach, configuring the aircraft in an expedient manner to avoid “coming in high and hot” in an improperly configured aircraft.

• READ MORE: Going with Glass: The Mother of All Panel Upgrades

This is quite helpful when the aircraft needs to circle to land, says Carey Miller, pilot and senior manager of technical sales at Honeywell.

“Going into Runway 1 at Teterboro on the visual, you are not aligned with the VASI,” Miller says. “There is no vertical guidance, which can lead to a dive to the runway. Add a moonless night or gusty winds, and it can be quite challenging. Not being able to see the airport is a detriment to your energy management. The visual approaches, when coupled to the autopilot, eliminate the guesswork and the overbanking tendency that can lead to stalls.”

Adds Johnson: “The aircraft will fly constant radius turns, [and] you will be on the same ground track every time because the computer knows how to manage the vertical and lateral path. It gets rid of the pilot drifting down or turning early because of the winds.”

Airspace Guidance

The guided visual procedures created thus far have come from suggestions from Honeywell customers, including a visual approach to Chicago Executive/Prospect Heights Airport in Wheeling, Illinois (KPWK). KPWK is in Class D airspace, 8 nm from Chicago O’Hare International Airport (KORD). The Class B airspace for KORD sits above KPWK. There is a V-shaped cutout with various altitudes over KPWK.

The guided visual can help the pilot avoid clipping the Class B airspace during the circle to land—and the dreaded phone call with ATC that results.

The Creative Process

Each approach is created using software tools that take into account the airspace and terrain at the airport, then test flown in simulators to check for flyability.

According to Johnson, the suggestions for where to offer the guided visual approaches come from their customers.

“There are a lot of secondary and regional airports in the U.S. that have both terrain and airspace considerations that make visual approaches very challenging,” says Johnson. “For example, Van Nuys, California [KVNY], has both airspace challenges and a ridge nearby.”

• READ MORE: All Flight Jackets Tell a Story

In some cases, the team may opt to create a visual approach as an overlay to improve safety at airports where closely spaced simultaneous approaches are in use. As this issue was going to press, Honeywell was working on an approach to Runway 28R/L at San Francisco International Airport (KSFO). The visual approach has a briefing sheet with textual guidance, and Honeywell has literally drawn a picture of it.

During development each procedure is flown in a simulator, using a specific briefing sheet that is checked and double-checked for accuracy and usability. Each approach has the ability to be coupled with the autopilot.

Miller cautions it is important to recognize that the visual procedures are not considered instrument approaches in the traditional sense.

“Do not request it as an approach, because ATC will not be aware of it,” Miller says. This information is emphasized on the procedure briefing sheet that accompanies each guided visual approach.

The guided visual approach is loaded in the FMS just like an instrument approach. The pilots can access them with a few pushes of a button, just as they do Jeppesen approaches.

“To use the visual approaches, the customer needs to have a Honeywell-equipped aircraft, and in addition to the FMS database, for an additional $2,000 per year they receive the visual approaches,” says Miller.

To request an approach, contact Honeywell at FTS@honeywell.com. It takes approximately four weeks to put one together.

Coming Full Circle

In many ways, the visual approach procedures represent a modern treatment to the first approaches created by Elrey Jeppesen—yes, that Jeppesen—who became a pilot in 1925 at the age of 18. At the time, there was no such thing as maps purpose-built for aviation. Pilots relied on road maps—which often weren’t terribly accurate, following railroad tracks from town to town or by pilotage and dead reckoning.

In 1925, Jeppesen went to work as a survey pilot and by 1930 was working for Boeing Air Transport, the precursor to United Airlines. This was decades before air traffic control and electronic navigation systems were created. Jeppesen bought a small notebook and filled it with information about the routes he flew. In it there were drawings of runways and airports and information that pilots needed to know, like the elevation of water towers, telephone numbers of farmers who would provide weather reports, and dimensions of the runway and its distance from the nearest city.

In 1934, this evolved into the Jeppesen Company and the notebook into the en route charts and terminal area procedures we know today. Much of Jeppesen’s flying was done in the Pacific Northwest. The Museum of Flight in Seattle is the keeper of the Elrey B. Jeppesen Collection, and for many years there was a replica of his first notebook on display in the Red Barn.

We think Captain Jepp would appreciate how far the approaches he inspired have come.

This column first appeared in the January-February 2024/Issue 945 of FLYING’s print edition.

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Voyager combines satellite imagery, high-resolution terrain, and live traffic data to create a real-time aviation experience. Each airport comes to life on a floating disk, allowing users to explore from different perspectives. Whether you’re curious about featured airports, searching globally, or sorting by proximity, Voyager offers a dynamic and interactive exploration of aviation hubs worldwide.

• READ MORE: ForeFlight Adds Oceanic Routing, Fleet Tracking Features to Dispatch Version

ForeFlight CEO Tim Schuetze expressed excitement about delivering a unique 3D airport exploration experience. “This exciting new spatial computing platform enables us to deliver all-new experiences that were never before possible, and the new Voyager app is a great example of our continued innovation,” Schuetze said in a release.

The app provides real-time depictions of various aircraft, from commercial jets to helicopters, with accurate altitude, pitch, and bank details. Users can access comprehensive information about each aircraft, including flight plans, aircraft type, and live speed, altitude, and heading.

ForeFlight Mobile, the company’s flagship iPad and iPhone application, seamlessly integrates with Vision Pro. Active ForeFlight subscribers can access advanced flight planning capabilities, making the aviation experience even more dynamic. Transitioning from Voyager to ForeFlight Mobile, users can delve deeper into airport details and flight information.

ForeFlight, a Boeing company, has been a pioneer in integrated software solutions for general, business, and military aviation since 2007. Voyager stands as a testament to ForeFlight’s commitment to pushing boundaries and offering innovative experiences to aviation enthusiasts worldwide.

The post Explore Airports with ForeFlight’s Voyager for Apple Vision Pro appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

MACH Conformity is designed to cut the time it takes to complete conformity inspection in half. An aircraft conformity inspection aims to verify that your aircraft conforms to its type design and is configured/bridged to your approved program and operations.

“The recent unprecedented growth of [the] Part 135 on-demand charter market has put pressure on operators to on-board additional onboard aircraft onto their certificates faster and more efficiently than ever before,” said Stuart Illian, chief operating officer and co-founder of Bluetail.

Conformity features

MACH Conformity includes features such as:

• Conformity binder builder needed for the applicable FAA Flight Standards District Office (FSDO)

• Digital paper clip-related lead documents, including Form 337s with supporting 8130-3 forms, into single units of work
• Ability to upload airworthiness directives (ADs), as well as Chapters 4 and 5 requirements
• Ability to link supporting documents to the appropriate AD and OEM requirements
• Ability to track the status of each binder chapter through a color-coding task manager
• Exporting the documents into a standard format for the FSDO’s review

“Just doing all the paper records search and conformity steps required by the FAA can add weeks to the process and cost the operator tens of thousands in lost revenue,” Illian said.

Saving Time and Money 

The Phoenix-based company said it worked with a series of charter operators to develop the software. Those design partners include Solairus Aviation, Wheels Up, Jet It, Wing Aviation, and Mach Point Aviation.

Bluetail said feedback from these operators and management companies indicated that MACH Conformity helped reduce the conformity inspection by five days, which translates to tens of thousands of dollars in added revenue after each aircraft completed the conformity process.

“Bluetail is building an impressive customer list of charter operators, and they rely on our industry-leading software innovation team to create a way for them to handle all of their conformity requirements more efficiently and effectively,” Illian said.

“The result is MACH Conformity, purchased as a software subscription. New features include task management, an FAA binder builder, manage AD and SB lists, deep search, with the ability to digitally paperclip any FAA forms to other documents, and export the resulting binder for sharing with the appropriate FSDO.”

The post Bluetail Software Aims to Reduce Part 135 Inspection Time appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

And that would just be, well, wrong, because it may mean you’re missing functions that could not only make your planning easier, but maybe even make your entire flight run more smoothly—or more safely.

At EAA AirVenture 2022, ForeFlight is hosting a series of forums that go over new and popular features alike—and we have a round-up of those key elements here. So, whether you’re a newb or a “power user,” you may find something to like with ForeFlight that you didn’t know before.

Per Leg Altitude Planning

While it may seem like a simple thing, ForeFlight now gives pilots the ability to select multiple altitudes over a given flight, based on the leg. You know you rarely fly the single altitude you entered in your initial plan—you may need to duck around the weather, navigate airspace, or avoid terrain along the way. Now the app lets you reflect this in your planning stages.

Hazard Advisor Enhancements

One of the best parts of ForeFlight is its ability to help you foresee hazards and plan to mitigate them, via Hazard Advisor. New functions enhance this capability, including:

• Altitude preview, to manually control Hazard Advisor’s altitude before a flight, and
• Auto Hazard Advisor, which transitions HA into auto mode after you take off, following your current altitude for a view of the surrounding terrain

Global Graphical NOTAMs

Once only available in Europe, graphical notices to air missions (NOTAMs) can now be shown on the app around the world. The new NOTAMs map layer color-codes the advisories in red, yellow, or gray depending on whether they are active, and their type and severity.

Toggle Airways, Waypoints, and Navaids

A feature driven directly by user input? You can now customize your ForeFlight map display by toggling between airways, navaids, and waypoints, quickly decluttering the screen—these were formerly included in a single toggle.

Enhanced, Integrated Weight and Balance

The weight and balance planning feature in ForeFlight was once an isolated portion of the app—and now it is built into the Flights function, automatically incorporating fuel quantities and cargo loads, and instantly responding to changes.

• READ MORE: FLYING‘s Complete Coverage of EAA AirVenture ’22

New features such as Saved Loads and Standard Weights streamline the weight and balance planning process overall.

Influencers and Experts at OSH22

If you make it to AirVenture this week, ForeFlight offers a host of forums and opportunities to talk with its roster of experts and popular pilots you may follow on social media channels, such as Steve Thorne, aka “Flight Chops,” and Emily Norman, from “Between Two Wings.” Catch the full schedule here.

The post Did You Know ForeFlight Did This? appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Aircraft Performance Group (APG) revealed its latest aviation software product for business aviation—iPreFlight Genesis Pro—at the National Business Aviation Association’s Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition (NBAA-BACE).

The product was developed through a collaborative effort between APG, Seattle Avionics, and RocketRoute.

“APG’s runway performance system is the industry leader in business aviation. Now, with global route optimization and flight plan filing from RocketRoute and global charts from Seattle Avionics, iPreFlight Genesis Pro brings together the many data, calculations, and performance considerations into a seamless interface that is powerful, easy to use and integrated in both mobile and web applications—no matter where in the world a mission takes you,” said Shawn Mechelke, president of the Aviation Group at AFV Partners.

For the past two decades, APG has developed runway performance data for more than 350 aircraft types at more than 9,000 airports.

RocketRoute has become known for its global routing and filing capabilities, a process that is particularly complex overseas.

A specialist in global chart data, Seattle Avionics completes the partnership under the parent organization AFV Partners.

The program connects dispatchers and pilots through the app to optimize:

• Routing
• Runway performance
• Weight and balance
• Flight plan calculations and filing

This happens with aircraft specific data—not just type specific, but specific to the actual tail number.

The runway analysis provides intuitive green, yellow, and red highlights to quickly show the pilots and dispatcher whether a runway at the destination is viable for the aircraft under the current conditions. Once weight and balance data has been entered, a graph is available to show where the aircraft is within the weight and balance envelope.

Data in the app and on the web are continuously synchronized, allowing both dispatchers and pilots to make modifications. Dispatch can control which data the pilots are able to modify.

Charting, routing, and filing capabilities are available for the global database of airports and routes, and weather data can be incorporated as well.

The flight plans can be uplinked to the aircraft, provided the aircraft can receive such data.

The post Partners Combine to Deliver Integrated Flight App appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Collins Aerospace has announced plans to buy FlightAware, which provides the world’s largest flight tracking and data platform.

FlightAware will join Collins’ Information Management Services portfolio within the company’s Avionics strategic business unit, according to a news release.

Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

“Global connectivity now shapes and impacts every segment of aviation,” said Dave Nieuwsma, Collins Aerospace’s head of Avionics in a statement. “[The deal] will help Collins unlock the full power of the connected ecosystem for our customers. FlightAware’s flight tracking and data platform, the largest in the world, has the potential to deliver new capabilities and innovations across our entire business.”

“The world’s aerospace companies and aircraft operators are looking to digital aviation to provide the next revolution in aviation efficiency and reliability,” said Daniel Baker, CEO of FlightAware.

“We are excited to join Collins Aerospace and Raytheon Technologies at this pivotal time to continue to lead that revolution at an even broader scale.”

Collins is a part of Raytheon Technologies, which was formed in 2020 through the combination of Raytheon Company and United Technologies Corp.

Pratt & Whitney, Raytheon Intelligence & Space, and Raytheon Missiles & Defense make up the remainder of the company, which has 195,000 employees globally.

Closure of the acquisition is subject to the completion of customary conditions and regulatory approvals.

The post Collins Aerospace To Acquire FlightAware appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

We have all been there on a preflight: You come to the point in the checklist when it calls for a check of the tire pressure. Be honest. How many times have you just eye-balled the tire and considered it safe for flight?

Most of the time, that’s been good enough.

But there have been countless incidents—and a handful of accidents each year—that stem from runway excursions. Many of them come down to a tire failure of some kind, and most likely a few would be prevented with foreknowledge of inadequate tire pressure.

Beringer-Aero has built upon its knowledge of wheels, brakes, and landing gear for light aircraft with the SensAir tire pressure monitor and app. The French company—with its US headquarters and service in Greenville, South Carolina—built its reputation serving high-performance cars and motorcycles beginning in 1985, but transitioned over to focusing exclusively on aircraft in 2009.

According to company founder Gilbert Beringer, “Using technology similar to automotive TPMS systems, we have developed a balanced, lightweight module that can fit into any Beringer wheel and communicate with your smartphone.” And it gets you past the hurdles introduced by wheel pants, restricted movement in the parking area or hangar, and lack of time.

Installation comes readily, said Beringer: “Split your modular Beringer wheel and slip the sized and balanced band on. Then reassemble. The encapsulated batteries last for two to three years; change them when you change tires.”

A single wheel assembly weighs 3.3 ounces, including the batteries.

Once installed, the app will show the tire’s pressure and internal temperature, in degrees F or C.

The STC for experimental and light sport aircraft is pending approval, and the kits will fit all 4-inch, 5-inch, 6-inch, and 8-inch Beringer wheels.

The company produces wheel kits for a wide range of aircraft makes and models, including:

• Piper
• Cirrus
• Van’s
• Kitfox
• CubCrafters
• Just

The post Tire Pressure Monitor Puts Data to a Smartphone App appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

With their Summer 2021 update to version 13.5, ForeFlight has added several new features that will enhance safety while also making one of IFR flying’s most demanding tasks easier. The app has also added support for several jet makes and models to their Runway Analysis product, including the Bombardier Global 5000, Global Express, Global XRS, Learjet 60R, and Learjet 70, the Gulfstream GVII-G500, and the Embraer Phenom 300 and 300E.

The new Hold Advisor feature is included with the Pro Plus subscription plan and above, and it allows the set-up of any type of hold, making one of IFR flying’s often-frustrating procedures much easier. Like most all of ForeFlight’s features, pilots can access Hold Advisor with just a few taps, and the app will then automatically select the appropriate pattern entry based on the course to the fix, which can be a waypoint along the route, outside the route, or any arbitrary lat/long coordinate.

Another new feature is Augmented Procedures, which allows a pilot to quickly find the appropriate minimum for an approach procedure and display it as part of their route to supplement the plate and reduce the risk of errors. ForeFlight uses Jeppesen procedure data to recreate the information displayed on the plate itself, narrowing down the available minimums for each approach type based on your aircraft category and airport equipment status. Augmented Procedures is available with ForeFlight Performance Plus plans.

With support for more jet makes and models, Foreflight’s Runway Analysis tool now can directly display the various engine-out procedures (EOPs) available for a given runway directly on a preview map, simplifying comparisons between multiple EOP options. Foreflight works closely with major OEMs to enable support for the most widely flown jet aircraft in business and general aviation, with many more models coming in the near future. See a full list of currently supported models here. The Runway Analysis tool and EOP feature are available in ForeFlight’s Performance Plus subscription plan.

“ForeFlight’s June release broke ground on some amazing new technology,” said Tyson Weihs, ForeFlight co-founder & CEO. “Augmented Procedures represents the logical next step in the progression from paper charts to digital charts, in which we leverage Jeppesen’s high-quality data to enhance how pilots engage with procedures; in this case by helping them quickly find the appropriate approach minimum as a supplement to the plate. The other major feature, Hold Advisor, is a long-time customer request that we’re thrilled to finally be able to fulfill. With this in their toolkit, IFR pilots will never again have to deal with the mental gymnastics required to set up a holding pattern.”

ForeFlight can be downloaded for free in the Apple Store, with subscription plans starting at $99 per year for the Basic Plus plan, which includes the essential feature set for VFR and IFR flying. Their Pro Plus plan starting at $199.99 per year adds more safety and situational awareness features like geo-referenced charts and synthetic vision. The top-tier Performance Plus subscription at $299.99 per year  adds more support for jet aircraft but has been swiftly growing in utilization amongst a broad spectrum of GA pilots. Devices that are compatible with the latest version of ForeFlight Mobile are any iPad or iPhone that can update to iOS 13, including iPad Air 2 and newer, iPad Mini 4 and newer, and iPhone 6S/6S Plus and newer. Each annual subscription grants license to one individual to use ForeFlight on two iPads and one iPhone, or one iPad and two iPhones. One geographic region is included (United States, Canada, or Europe), with additional regions available for purchase for $100.

The post ForeFlight’s Latest Update Includes New Hold Advisor Feature appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Your instructor will often guide you to the apps that will best correspond with the training syllabus and course outline. However, your learning style can also determine which program will work best for your needs.

Over the years, we have found that the companies listed within this article have provided quality aviation training materials and have now delivered the same quality in mobile formats. The apps in this roundup should get you started navigating the aviation training landscape.

Quick Look: Best Apps for Pilots in Training

• Best for mobile access to online courses: King Schools
• Best for test prep: Sporty’s Pilot Shop
• Best for online ground school: Gold Seal
• Best for comprehensive aviation library: ASA
• Best for modern aviation training: Angle of Attack
• Best for flight simulation: X-Plane Flight Simulator
• Best for post-flight debriefs: CloudAhoy
• Best for digital aviation training content: Boldmethod
• Best for digital logbook: Smart Logbook (iOS/Android)
• Best for pilot proficiency: Pilot Workshops

10 Top Pilot App Options

Kings Schools

Best for: Mobile access to online courses

The King Schools KING Ground School Companion App enables students to download and watch videos plus answer the video lesson questions for most of the King Schools ground school courses. Students can download their next lessons while connected to a Wi-Fi service and then interact with them offline. Once they reconnect, all their progress is synced with the servers and available the next time they access their course. The app is compatible with iOS devices.

The King Schools KING Test Prep App provides students with three ways to prepare to ace their FAA written test, including question reviews, flashcards, and practice exams. Preparation materials can be downloaded, allowing students to use the app when offline. The app is compatible with KING Ground School and Test Prep courses for most certifications and ratings. The app is compatible with iOS and Android devices.

Sporty’s Pilot Shop

Best for: Test prep

The Sporty’s Pilot Shop Sporty’s Pilot Training app brings various aviation training courses to one location. The Learn To Fly Course, for example, covers private pilot certification, while the Instrument Rating Course focuses on the instrument rating prep. All courses provide comprehensive content and tools to enhance the student learning experience. Sporty’s Study Buddy apps offer learning, flashcard, and test modes to prepare students for the private, instrument, sport, and remote pilot FAA written tests. All apps are compatible with iOS and Android devices.

Gold Seal

Best for: Online ground school

Gold Seal offers online ground school training with a revolutionary approach. They offer courses for private, instrument, and remote pilots. Their approach provides fully interactive lessons, industry leading amination, integrated ground and flight training, true knowledge transfer, and guaranteed success.

After certification completion, Gold Seal also provides a flight review course to help pilots renew their credentials every two years and a means for “rusty” pilots to get current again. Courses can be accessed from any desktop, laptop, or mobile device, anytime, and anywhere.

Aviation Supplies & Academics (ASA)

Best for: Comprehensive aviation library

Aviation Supplies & Academics (ASA) hosts a wide range of pilot training apps, from FAA knowledge exam prep (i.e., Prepware apps) to practical exam prep for each certificate and rating. Geared toward those who want a comprehensive system, with digital and printed versions of most titles, ASA is a great starting point to orient a potential pilot. ASA apps are compatible with iOS and Android devices.

Angle of Attack

Best for: Modern aviation training

Angle of Attack offers a new, fresh, and modern spin on aviation training. They focus on blending the latest in learning technology, visual learning, and modern flight techniques to make every student’s study time exceptionally efficient. They offer private pilot and instrument online ground schools, as well as checkride prep. The Angle of Attack app is compatible with iOS devices.

X-Plane Flight Simulator

Best for: Flight simulation

In late 2019, Laminar Research, parent to the well-known X-Plane flight simulator software, released a mobile app called X-Plane Mobile. The app gives pilots the flexibility to choose from any of 30,000 different airports around the world, 11,000 of which Laminar says come with rich, locally realistic scenery. For a monthly fee, the app also offers pilots the chance to fly a variety of airplanes, including a Beech Baron, a King Air, a Boeing 737, military fighter jets, and more. The X-Plane app is compatible with iOS and Android devices.

CloudAhoy

Best for: Post-flight debriefs

CloudAhoy is a flight debriefing app for pilots. CloudAhoy’s newest version of the software offers the CFI Assistant feature that scores students’ maneuvers based on Airman Certification Standards. Each flight is also automatically analyzed and broken down into segments to easily evaluate student performance. A free trial is available to help users determine if the system is useful for them. The CloudAhoy app is compatible with iOS devices.

Boldmethod

Best for: Digital aviation training content

Boldmethod specializes in shareable digital aviation training content, with a sharp focus on flight training. The power behind its programs lies in the daily engagement, quizzes, video stories, and instructor tools to supplement their lesson plans. A series of apps features content from their online courses, covering VFR publications, aviation weather, airspace, and more. Course progress uploads to the Boldmethod cloud for users of the program. The Boldmethod app is compatible with iOS devices.

Smart Logbook

Best for: Digital logbook

Smart Logbook makes logging flight hours fast and easy. When applying for a new rating or attending a job interview, pilots can easily access their flying totals, over any span of time, in any type of aircraft. The first 50 logged hours constitute a free trial, with in-app purchases to give pilots the customization they need for their unique missions. The Smart Logbook app is compatible with iOS and Android devices.

Pilot Workshops

Best for: Pilot proficiency

Pilot Workshops provides pilots with courses and manuals that enhance their VFR and IFR flying skills, while maximizing the utility of their pilot certificates. Of particular interest are the company’s courses and tips on flying on instruments and using flight simulation at home to supplement training and flight currency. Pilot Workshops courses and manuals are available through Sporty’s Pilot Training app, which is compatible with iOS and Android devices.

Train on the Go With the Best Flying Apps

We’ve explored several aviation apps that can enhance and accelerate your flight training. From completing ground school on the go to logging flight training in real-time, there is an app to assist you along each step of your journey. To stay informed on all the latest aviation apps, subscribe to FLYING Magazine today.

FAQ

What apps do pilots use for weather?

Aviation apps such as ForeFlight, Garmin Pilot, FltPlan Go, WingX, Stratus Insight, and FlyQ offer great options for weather briefings. Pilots can overlay their flight plan route on different weather maps for enhanced situational awareness.

What apps do most pilots use?

Most pilots use apps such as ForeFlight Mobile, Garmin Pilot, MyRadar, Sporty’s Pilot Training, StationWeather, FlightAware, Infinite Flight, ForeFlight Passenger, Sporty’s E6B, CloudAhoy, FlyQ EFB, LiveATC Air Radio, LogTen Pro, AOPA, X-Plane, FltPlan Go, Skytimer, SkyDemon, Cloud Topper, and RadarScope.

What is the best flight companion app?

ForeFlight Mobile is an all-in-one pre-flight and in-flight app that includes moving maps, approach charts, terrain awareness, weather graphics, weight and balance, fuel planning assistance, flight plan filing, a digital logbook, flight playback, and a whole lot more. The app has even replaced paper chart resources and portable GPS units for a lot of pilots.

The post 10 Best Mobile Pilot Apps for Training appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

How many times has it happened to you? Having your mobile device fall asleep or you need to cycle through to another app in the midst of a big Airport Data download to ForeFlight? The app will now continue to download the charts and data selected when the app shifts to the background, so pilots can use other apps without interrupting the stream. The ability to drag and drop multiple files at the same time has also been added—and it works with any Document Drive docs or folders.

New features in the late-April release include special capabilities to help pilots prep for night flight—the app toggles between Day and Night modes, and shows “realistic” Runway Lights in its Airport 3D mode, for those users on the ForeFlight Performance plan. The edge lighting is the basic lighting shown for most airports open at night, with additional lighting available, such as centerline and touchdown zone lighting, functional PAPIs/VASIs, and end light flashers. The daytime mode is the default mode for the first time an airport is viewed in 3D, but ForeFlight will retain the mode you last selected when toggling back to 3D mode—so it will stay in night mode if that’s how you last viewed the airport. Not only does this reinforce the sight picture, but it will also help reduce blue light on the flight deck if you view the app prior to the approach after darkness falls outside.

The app’s new Dynamic Winds and Temperatures features land alongside a new color legend poised just above the time slider on graphical weather pages. The legend appears any time the following layers are activated: Radar (Composite, Lowest Tilt, ADS-B, Sirius XM), Enhanced Satellite, Color IR Satellite, Icing and Turbulence (US, Global, ADS-B, Sirius XM, 557WW), Clouds, and Winds (Temps) and Winds (Speeds) layers—the last two being the latest weather additions.

ForeFlight has a new interactive series of features within its ForeFlight Labs section, with the first being Taxi Routing. By using the feature and giving feedback to the developers at the company, pilots can improve functionality. Taxi Routing allows pilots to chart a path to or from the active runway with an interactive and “contextually aware” taxi route bubble editor. ForeFlight also just finished its compatibility testing between the app and iOS/iPad 14.5.1 and users have the “all-clear” to proceed under the new operating system. The latest release joins recent updates to the app that include improved aircraft tracking features.

The post ForeFlight Update Includes Dynamic WX, Background Downloads appeared first on FLYING Magazine.