a survey i guess

Camera's, GPSs and other Gizmos (please let me know if you find an existing thread to be moved into this NEW section)
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captnkirk
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a survey i guess

Post by captnkirk »

My Foreflight subscription is coming up for renewal. My question to the group do any of you use other products for your flight planning and what do you like /dislike about them. At work we have Jeppeson Pro I am under whelmed by it but some of that maybe due to the constraints we have for it's use. I've used Foreflight for a while like it well enough just wondering if there is something better. I've used Voyager on my windows desktop but since the last upgrade I've had some issues signing in. On thing I do like about Voyager is the ability to load to a Garmin handheld gps route and waypoints. I've downloaded a trial of Garmin Pilot going to play with it for a bit see how that works. Anyway your 2 cents will be appreciated.
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TomD
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foreflight etc

Post by TomD »

I have been using Garmin Pilot for a year now and other than a few minor quibbles I am happy with it.

I don't fly IFR so the basic VFR package works well for me.

The inability to modify the terrain warning other than turning it off is annoying when flying in canyons and around the big hills we have out here.

TD

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Post by VA Maule »

I'm quite satisfied with Garmin Pilot and it's associated GDL39 the geo-reference approach plates are great for additional situational awareness .
However version 7.2 has a glitch in split screen panel mode, I'ave called them about it, they're working on it so they say. Hopefully they'll get it fixed before I need to shop around too.

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Post by Flyhound »

I tried several apps wound up with an Android app called Avilution. It was great, the tech support was superb and it was constantly being improved. Last year, the app was bought by AMS and was rebranded as Flight Pro. The core of the app was still great, but updates slowed down. Earlier this month they missed an update for the charts and procedures. It was a pissing contest between the original developers (they were still providing tech support and updates) and the new owners. It took a court order to get the update released, but the two entities have sued and countersued. It is a mess! I tried several more apps, and settled on iFly GPS, but I don't like the interface as well, and the ADS-B weather doesn't overlay the sectional image. It is also missing the split screen option where you can see your position on the chart and airport info or an approach plate at the same time. I wish FlightPro hadn't devolved into a legal wrestling match because I really liked the product. Sigh.
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Post by stick_rudder »

I use Foreflight on iPad minis for work along with Jepp FD. Forelight is better in all respects expect if you want Jepp charts, that's the only reason we have the Jepp app, is for the Jepp charts. For personal use on my iPad mini I have both foreflight and FlyQ. FlyQ is good and they work hard to update and add features. This past week they added support for the Stratus 2 receiver (now they have support for 6 or more ADS-B receivers, portable and two certified installed units). Through today (Wednesday) FlyQ is offering an extra free 12mo subscription with a one year purchase, $69 VFR and $119 IFR. FlyQ has a lot of great features just like Foreflight. And they came out with synthetic terrain at least a year before Foreflight. My biggest complaint about FlyQ is the flight planning portion is not user friendly to me. Maybe I just don't get it but I find it difficult, where as Foreflight is a snap. So which app do I use in reality, I use Foreflight on a daily basis because of the flight planning but I like to use FlyQ when I think of it to help support them (competition is a good thing here). FlyQ was originally developed in support with AOPA.

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Post by Njacko »

In Europe, Garmin Pilot was released less than a year ago, so it is still a work in progress. The current database is somewhat IFR oriented, with no mention of glider winch sites, etc. That may not be the case in North America.

Pilot's saving grace is two-way flight plan communication with Garmin's panel mounted systems, so you can plan your route in an armchair and upload it to a GTN/GNS in half the time it takes to read this sentence. And if a controller invites you to go look at a different bunch of clouds to the ones on your FP, you only need to tap the change into one or other device before turning your attention back to the aesthetic attributes of your cabin staff - or whatever real IFR pilots do to pass the time while computers fly their aeroplanes...

Despite the iPad's dim screen, it works well with GP operating as an MFD for moving map, NOTAMs, WX, controlling a VIRB, etc., and a GTN650 showing the "default nav" page.

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captnkirk
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Post by captnkirk »

Peter there was a time I could ring the cabin staff and she would bring me a cup of coffee then I married her and now... Just kidding she still has those aesthetic attributes. Any way back on topic I think I'm going to give Garmin pilot a try they have a short term subscription so I can use it for a while see how I like it. I do have the virb camera so it will interface with it also. At one time I had used the Voyager software with a windows tablet but it was a little finicky. Now Flyq is run by Seattle Avionics the same people there was a lot I like about Voyager on the desktop but it never played well in the cockpit. Not saying the apple version is bad just have never used it. I loaded a trial of Avialution on my wife's little Samsung tablet seems a lot like Foreflight so far. If I every get that dream avionics up grade with the gtn 650 , gdl 88 and the connex 210 then th Garmin pilot will be the choice for sure. Thanks for all the input I like hearing the real world reviews.
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Post by Undaunted »

I use Foreflight on my ipad. I love the way it is continually updated. As my subscription (basic mode not the Pro version) was up I looked at the synthetic vision option. Well I decided for another 20/year I would try it. It is pretty cool I will say. I can't compare it to what Garmin has I have not tried theirs, but I like what I get for $99/year.

On my phone (Samsung) I use fltplan.com This is free and I have used it for years, even before Foreflight allowed one to file thru them. Now they have added even more features.

Often I will use a combination of fltplan and fore flight to plan a flight looking at all data

I suspect the right answer is just like flying a plane, get very familiar with what you use and then use it to it's full capacity.
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Post by andy »

I use ForeFlight Pro with Synthetic Vision on my iPad and iPhone along with the Stratus 2. I like the combination but haven't tried anything else. ForeFlight does an excellent job of integrating data from the cell phone network and ADS-B/AHRS/GPS data from the Stratus 2. My one gripe with ForeFlight is that you can't import routes or tracks created in another software app as KML files. It will import waypoints only.

We have Garmin GTN 650 GPS/NAV/COMM units in most of our scout planes, including the Cessna 185 that I fly at work. I asked Garmin if custom user waypoints could be imported into the GTN 650. They said "yes" but only if you have firmware version 5.13 or later. You save the file on the SD card that goes in the GTN 650. Ours have firmware version 5.00. Only an avionics shop is allowed by Garmin to update the firmware. Costs about $90 - $100 for a minimum of 1 hour shop time. The CSV spreadsheet file format is very detailed and picky. PM me if you want it.
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captnkirk
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Post by captnkirk »

Thanks Andy but first I need the 650. What I should do is come look at those units in one of your planes at work. See if it is worth all the day dreaming but with this weather we've been having I maybe better off with a trained duck. Talk to you soon.
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Post by andy »

Kirk, I got an "opportunity" to fly with the 650 in moderate turbulence today. It confirmed what I've always known - touch screens are hard to use in turbulence. On the plus side, you can provide more features with touch screens. I'd rather have a touch screen 650 than a G-1000 with what seems like 1000 buttons and switches.

Drop by the hangar and I'll give you a tour of the 650.
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Post by captnkirk »

Will do .My wife and I did a little wine tour today up to Hendersonville the wind was howling so if you where out flying I know it was rough. Maybe if that front gets thru here we'll have some nice weather this weekend. My vacation ends Monday so I hope the weather gives me a break to do a little fun flying.
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Post by zamfire »

IFly / Adventure pilot.

Hands down the best thing I ever used. About $70 a year for the subscription.
Download the free app onto phone, tablet, whatever or they have a standalone unit. 30 days free trial convinced me.

Super easy to use and all the features you could possibly want, including a kind synthetic vision.

I have it on my phone that gets velcroed to my instrument panel and on my tablet which is better for planning.
1965 M-4 Jetason, O-300 Ser.no 089. Flabob CA.

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captnkirk
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Post by captnkirk »

Well I’ll respond to this blast from the past. Since I installed the Appaero ESG transponder and Stratus I have fallen into the ForeFlight family. We have iPads at work so the change was easier. It would be nice to have the Connext so my Garmin 430 could talk to the iPad but that’s not a big deal. The iPad serves as an EFB and the 430 is for flying.
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Post by TomD »

If Garmin Pilot would talk to my Freeflight ADS-B IN/Out system, I would never have looked elsewhere. However Garmin being Garmin they don't play with others.

I got a Foreflight subscription and then got an FlyQ EFB subscripton both running on my miniPad 5. Both have their strong points, but bank for the buck FlyQ wins.

Now Foreflight is part of Boeing I am going to bet they go more towards the big iron. They are definitely slanted towards IFR and having to purchase multiple options to equal Garmin Pilot's features really grates on my nerves.

FlyQ is supposed to be intuitive and most of the time it is. I really prefer the "targets" in the AFB-IN display over the ForeFlight. Both are pretty perky in the mini pad 5. One trick the Foreflight system has or had was when in areas with no cell signal.....read backcountry.... is that when it comes up after shutdown the screen is a bunch of dot squares with "no data" showing while Pilot and FlyQ both come up w/ the sectional fully populated. A pretty big deal for those of us that fly in and out of airports that are not paved and in BF nowhere.

TD

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