Foreflight

[dave_091]

I have been doing a lot of research and I am still undecided whether I should buy an Ipad and buy a Canadian subscription to Foreflight to go along with it.

I have a Garmin Aeara 500 but I like that Foreflight comes with ALL VNC and VTA charts all across Canada, along with airport diagrams plus much more.

Are there any Foreflight users out there that have some input with regards to the programs effectiveness for VFR Navigation and flight planning? Is the program intuitive?

In your opinion, is it worth the 800 dollar investment to buy an Ipad and use it for the primary purpose Foreflight?

Cheers!

[cgzro]

first an ipad mini is a superb investment with or without foreflight, you need the version with gps of course which is a hundred bucks more.

For flight planning its fantastic, for in flight i find the screen hard to read and i find touch screen hard to use in turbulence. If you plane is large and stable with good shade its great but a small plane with bubble canopy and bright sun with sun glasses its more challenging.

For me its a great tool but not for primary, for that its a map and an old magellan 315 gps that has huge bearing, track and g/s in liquid crystal readable in full on sunlight with sunglasses.

But you should still get one...

[Genetk44]

Why dont you check on some of the US flight forums and get opinions/answers to your question....Americans have been using FF and the iPad combination for a few years now

[dave_091]

Why dont you check on some of the US flight forums and get opinions/answers to your question....Americans have been using FF and the iPad combination for a few years now

Ive read tons of American reviews. The Canadian version is a bit different than the American version so therefore I am seeking Canadian opinions of the Canadian version of the program.

I just found a lightly used IPAD3 with retina display on Kijiji for 325 bucks. I don't think I'll find a better deal than that!

[dave_091]

first an ipad mini is a superb investment with or without foreflight, you need the version with gps of course which is a hundred bucks more.

For flight planning its fantastic, for in flight i find the screen hard to read and i find touch screen hard to use in turbulence. If you plane is large and stable with good shade its great but a small plane with bubble canopy and bright sun with sun glasses its more challenging.

For me its a great tool but not for primary, for that its a map and an old magellan 315 gps that has huge bearing, track and g/s in liquid crystal readable in full on sunlight with sunglasses.

But you should still get one...

Ipad mini vs. the full size Ipad? what would you prefer?
How do you like the digital charts?

I have a piper Cherokee 140 so it does have a bit of protection from the sun. I'll try to yoke mount it as well. The Cherokee 140 is already a bit short on room when your pulling the yoke back on the landing flare - or when practicing slow flight and stalls - and having a Ipad on top of it will make it that much more of a squeeze. I'm sure I'll manage though.

[Genetk44]

Sorry Dave..li guess I wasnt clear...i wasnt referring to the FF program per se but the actual combination of using it on an ipad or ipad mini Or even on the iphone...i believe you can also use FF on other non-Apple devices that might not have the sun/visual problems that Apple devices have

[CpnCrunch]

I have an ipad 2 and a galaxy note phone, and I find them both very easy to read in sunlight. I use the galaxy note with air navigation pro in the cockpit, and it works incredibly well (and is much cheaper than foreflight). However if you want the actual VNC charts you would need to use Foreflight.

[vrrotate]

I vote for the Mini. Hands down. Without question. I've used both an Ipad3 and the Mini in airplanes and the Mini is so much nicer. I was forever knocking the 3 on everything. Just too big. The mini is only slightly bigger than a CFS or CAP. Regardless of which one you get, if you are flying IFR, you may need the 32gb option as the 16gb can fill up pretty quickly. Especially when you have angry birds and jewel mania on there as well. Foreflight is an excellent app. Has made flying so much easier the last couple years. Not to mention way cheaper than buying the paper charts. When you download the app you get a 30 day trial before you have to start paying so give it a shot now. Even if it's just on an iPhone.

No I do not work for Apple or Foreflight haha.

Oh also the 16gb Mini is only $329 and the 32gb is $429. Why not just buy new.

[cgzro]

I think the mini is better, its exactly the right size imho and you can actually just attach it to your knee rather than the control column.

[AirFrame]

I suggest looking at the Nexus7 tablet too. They just released a new version with faster processor and higher resolution screen, and it's cheaper than the iPad mini. Air Navigation Pro is an amazing app, it just doesn't have "actual" VNCs or VTAs. The free base maps it does have, coupled with the free airspace data that comes from the Designated Airspace Handbook, make it more than adequate for VFR pilots.

[skymarc]

Ipad / Foreflight combo is great. It as all you need for IFR/VFR and flight planning. Thats all I use for IFR. Now its even better with full Canadian VNC/VTA, Caps, IFR high and low charts and just released the CFS.

[jpilot77]

Have been using Foreflight for about 6 months now and it just keeps getting better for Canadian pilots. I use it with an iPad 3 which is a little big, but its not the end of the world. You can buy a glare reducing sheet that fits over the screen that makes it a lot easier to read in high glare conditions.

[Rookie50]

Like to hear more opinions on FF with the ipad Mini.

I use it with a full Ipad, it is too big but more readable for flight planning, and is not primary for me. It would be great to have yoke mounted if FF ever supported Geo - Referenced plates in Canada.

Is there a favourite yoke mount for the mini ( for a 182)? Don't want it on my knee....

[vrrotate]

Sporty's pilot shop has a universal mount that says it fits a mini. Also RAM makes about a million products. Surely one of them must work for your desired airplane application. I've never used a yoke mount for two reasons.
1) my airplane has charts on the MFD. iPad is backup for a paperless cockpit so it's put away most of the time and

2) when you mount something like that it turns in to an installation and you need all the legal stc paperwork nonsense to make certain people happy. Either that or never have it mounted when you are parked and susceptible to being ramped...

[dave_091]

Well I bought the Ipad 3 today and so far so good.

I downloaded the 30 day trial version of FF and so far its amazing! SO many things that I can do in literally 5 seconds that would have taken me 10-30 minutes with a VNC chart laid out on a table. It instantly corrects for winds aloft for your flight! The program is nothing less than stellar and I haven't even flown with it yet.

For you guys that use the Ipad while flying, what Bluetooth GPS do you use? I read the Garmin GLO overheats often and malfunctions while in flight. I also read that it turns itself on while in your flight bag and it drains the battery before you even get into the cockpit, not good.

[L1011]

dave_091, I don't have an iPad or use Foreflight but I do fly a Cherokee 140 with an Asus Transformer using the Flight Plan Mobile app. Keep us posted with which mount you go with!

I know some airlines already use iPads for charts, but has TC given approval to private operators to use Foreflight as a legal substitution for required charts in flight?

[200Above]

I just purchased the Bad Elf Pro Bluetooth External GPS. Fits in the palm of your hand and you can connect up to 5 devices to it. It will be here in a couple days. It's also compatible with many other apps. I didn't get the cellular iPad 4. Don't see the benefit for the extra $$ when you can just tether a iPhone.

I haven't bought a subscription yet but I probably will once the trial is up.

[cgzro]

Ive not tried an external gps, why bother? The gps in the iPad seems by far the most sensitive ive had. Even work at the back of a 777!

[CpnCrunch]

Ive not tried an external gps, why bother? The gps in the iPad seems by far the most sensitive ive had. Even work at the back of a 777!

One reason would be so that the gps receiver is in a better position to pick up the satellites. My galaxy note regularly loses gps signal sitting on my kneeboard (and it has a much better gps receiver than the ipad, as it picks up the Russian satellites too). However I agree that if your ipad already has a gps and it works for you, it might be overkill to get an external one.

[Rockie]

I have to ask, do they teach people how to navigate using a map anymore? Do new pilots know how to do that without a GPS?

[Rookie50]

It is a good point, I submit.

Everyone should be equally comfortable programming a GPS but also be able to fly a decent length trip at 1000 agl or less, with only a VNC, compass and a clock, without following a road, power lines or anything else, accurately.

True DR, and its a good excercise, in case one needs that skill one day.

[dave_091]

It is a good point, I submit.

Everyone should be equally comfortable programming a GPS but also be able to fly a decent length trip at 1000 agl or less, with only a VNC, compass and a clock, without following a road, power lines or anything else, accurately.

True DR, and its a good excercise, in case one needs that skill one day.

+1, I've found myself .. running once before. An interesting PLANNED experience over known terrain. I did have a GPS to back up my chart reading though. 1100 foot ceiling with min. vis makes it seem like your flying in a jet! Things come at you pretty quick and you options are very limited should something happen.

I'm sure there are many bush pilots with lots of .. running experience.

[dirtdr]

I swear by the Ipad Mini and this yoke mount:

http://www.gpscity.ca/ram-mount-apple-i ... ap14u.html

I fly a Cherokee 140 and a C172 and this mount fits nicely in both.

With the VNC's and CFS data now added, the paper charts are just ballast that I carry around. The CFS still comes in handy for hammering flies.

I have only used the built in GPS, and have not had the GPS signal cut out in either plane while on the yoke mount. I have had intermittent GPS coverage when using the ipad in my lap.

The mini does use battery faster than the 3. If not plugged in, expect 3-4 hours with data and GPS sensors turned on. I always have mine plugged in while flying, and one of these external battery backups along with me:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/190862710011?ss ... 1497.l2649

I find it easy enough to see in the cockpit, even when bright. It does get hard to press the correct spot when in turbulence tho...

[Beefitarian]

I bought a "My clip" leg strap. Very happy with it. You can use it to clip a VNC or paper for notes/flight log. You can take the ipad out and replace it with one hand if you needed to. Here's the website.

http://www.tietco.com

[MikeGolfEcho]

I vote for the Mini. Hands down. Without question. I've used both an Ipad3 and the Mini in airplanes and the Mini is so much nicer. I was forever knocking the 3 on everything. Just too big. The mini is only slightly bigger than a CFS or CAP. Regardless of which one you get, if you are flying IFR, you may need the 32gb option as the 16gb can fill up pretty quickly. Especially when you have angry birds and jewel mania on there as well. Foreflight is an excellent app. Has made flying so much easier the last couple years. Not to mention way cheaper than buying the paper charts. When you download the app you get a 30 day trial before you have to start paying so give it a shot now. Even if it's just on an iPhone.

No I do not work for Apple or Foreflight haha.

Oh also the 16gb Mini is only $329 and the 32gb is $429. Why not just buy new.

So can your average VFR pilot get away with just 16GB on the Mini? How much space does Foreflight (with all the associated bells and whistles) take-up?

Cheers,
MGE.