The International Cessna^® 170 Association

I'm looking to upgrade to a smart phone/tablet, and want to get the most utility out of one. I'm not looking for a discussion of Apple vs Google, but more of apps that apply to general aviation like flight planning, weather, and of course electronic charts. There seems to be more apps available for the iphone/ipad, but tell me what you use, and why you like or dislike it. Thanks.

I have been using an iPad for a couple years now, using Foreflight for maps & planning. FltPlan.com has a nice app that integrates with their free web service that I use to file and download briefings to the iPad (it stores them for retrieval in-flight). I just downloaded AeroBalance for weight and balance calculations (it is probably more than most 170 drivers would want to use, but I use it mainly for my work airplane).

Garmin has also launched Garmin Pilot, which seems to do a lot of what the other vendors do. As they charge a $9.99/month subscription, it is pricier than Foreflight ($75/yr for all VFR & IFR charts, A/FD information, etc). I know some other jet drivers that use WingX Pro, but it's also more expensive and I don't care for the way it presents the data (personal preferences).

Many vendors are now offering their wares on both platforms. I have not used Google=based tablets or phones, but from what I have seen, I don't care much for their presentation (another preference; I'm sure there are many who prefer it to Apple).

My 2¢.

I am using navmonster on my Iphone and just subscribed to ForeFlight for my Ipad. Both are useful by many other pilots that I have talked to and I am just starting with ForeFlight. I like that the all charts are for a 79 dollar subscription rather than 1 paper chart for 9 dollars.

I have Foreflight WX on my droid phone and foreflight on my IPAD. I have the IPAD mounted in the Cub and others have reported that at typical Cub altitudes (below 3K) they have been able to receive a 3G signal in flight allowing for real time wx while airborne without utilizing XM. I have not tried the 3G option yet myself.

We had an interesting discussion with the Foreflight folks at their booth last summer at OSH: we asked them when they were going to release the full version for Android phones similar to their I-phone version. Currently only the WX function is available for Android phones. They told us that they had no plans to release a full Android version because of the many differences in android hardware on the market. They said that when they release an apple version, they are 100% confident that it will work on every IPAD or Iphone out there. Unfortunately with the multitude of Android hardware devices available and the subtle differences between each, there was no guarantee that their product would work as advertized on every device. They did not want to release something that was not 100% so there would likely not be a android version. FYI.

BTW, Twinks, good to hear from you again!

I program Ipad and Android for a living, if you want to use it for flying go Apple hands down. Apple devices have the apps for it, and are also more stable...

I have an old retired Navy Chief Petty Officer, Signalman, teaching me how to use wig wag flags to correspond. It's a little like Morse Code only visual.

blueldr wrote:I have an old retired Navy Chief Petty Officer, Signalman, teaching me how to use wig wag flags to correspond. It's a little like Morse Code only visual.

Wig-Wag? WIG-WAG

Do you mean "Semaphore?
.
. (Wig-Wag IS Morse-Code sent by a person using ONE flag..by alternating from one side to the other, senders left for dash, senders right for dot. We used it in Boy Scouts. Semaphore was faster and primarily used by the Navy and maritime signallers and Sea Scouts.)

Something like that. It tends to keep your communications with the tower somewhat limited, and you never even have to think about flight following.

OK, basic question (maybe J3pup can help me out here). Should a user buy an ipad with G3 service or just one with wi-fi? Which does a pilot need for aviation use?

You have to by one with the 3g because it has the "assisted GPS" in it. If you don't you won't get GPS capability without attaching something to it. Now here is the trick, you DO NOT have to buy a data plan for the ipad. Just buy the more expensive one either, (Verizon or ATT, it doesn't matter). You can still use the Ipad on Wifi when you are in range, and if you want to be really tricky like me, you can use the hotspot on your Iphone to connect the IPAD to the internet via its WIFI. Call me if you want to discuss, 717-579-9432

j3pup wrote:You have to by one with the 3g because it has the "assisted GPS" in it. If you don't you won't get GPS capability without attaching something to it. Now here is the trick, you DO NOT have to buy a data plan for the ipad. Just buy the more expensive one either, (Verizon or ATT, it doesn't matter). You can still use the Ipad on Wifi when you are in range, and if you want to be really tricky like me, you can use the hotspot on your Iphone to connect the IPAD to the internet via its WIFI. Call me if you want to discuss, 717-579-9432

So what happens when you lose the cell signal while flying. Don't you lose your GPS position when you loss signal on the phone or IPad.

N2255D wrote:So what happens when you lose the cell signal while flying. Don't you lose your GPS position when you loss signal on the phone or IPad.

No. The GPS unit inside the iPad is independent of the 3G cell service.

The only connection between them is that only iPads with 3G capability have the built in GPS. If you want a built in GPS you have to buy a model that is 3G (maybe 4G now) capable.

You can use a iPad that is only WIFI to locate your position while it is in a hot spot because it uses the IP address to find you general location. Or you can use a Bluetooth GPS unit such as the Dual Electronics XGPS150 Universal Bluetooth GPS Receiver or the Bad Elf GPS receiver which plugs into the bottom of the iPad to find your location anytime.

The built in GPS receiver in those iPads that have them are not WAAS enabled but seem to work pretty well. If you care to have WAAS accuracy you can use the BAD Elf or Dual Electronics receivers to get it.

Thanks guys for the info. Makes sense. Guess it's way past time I go spend some money and upgrade to some new gizmos.

Bruce is right on... As for the "don't I get charged for the data on my iphone". The question is yes and no... When I had unlimited data on my ATT Iphone I had it jailbroken to do the "Personal Hotspot" at no charge to me. (This is a whole other discussion) Now I have a Verizon Iphone which my company pays for, and they also pay for my hotspot.

SIDE NOTE RANT BEGIN HERE
1. ATT's data service is horrible, because they cheap out on their back end internet connections. You get a 3g connection to the tower and then I swear (jokingly) they have dial up modems providing your data. This allows them to keep costs low, because your data rarely ever works right, at all or fast.

2. Verizon's data much faster, and mostly they give you what you are paying for, however Verizon's network although superior in many ways will not let you hold a call and have data at the same time. (unless you are on wifi of course)

3. Carriers charging separately for text messages and internet hot spots really burns me. From a technical standpoint from someone who knows how all this works, they are charging you for the same thing three times. Once for the data for the phone, once for the data for the text messages and once for the personal hotspot data. How they can do this legally is beyond me, and it seriously torques me up. So now it gets better yet, ATT realized they should have never offered unlimited data because they could make more money, and decided to limit peoples speed that hit a certain data amount monthly.

So basically the cell carriers are scamming you times 10.....

j3pup wrote:.... From a technical standpoint from someone who knows how all this works, they are charging you for the same thing three times.

That's what 3-G stands for....three Greeds. (Can't wait for 4-G)

Here's my rant: Jamie's touch-screen on her Motorola Droid quit working this week. She took it in to Verizon (our carrier) and they asked here when she bought it....?? 53 weeks ago.

Of course!

One year free replacement warranty had just expired.