mjburian
Cleared for Takeoff
Heard on twitter that the latest download (available as of today) has 400 new georeferenced airport diagrams. "The FAA doesn’t make ‘em so we did!" Here's the list: https://t.co/3kdOHDWRzr
400 New Foreflight Georeferenced Taxi Diagrams
- Thread starter mjburian
- Start date
Yep...just downloaded then. Very nice.
azure
Final Approach
It seems my home field is one of them. Though I'm not sure why an untowered airport with a single runway and one parallel taxiway needs one. KOZW, which is a lot more confusing despite also having only one runway, doesn't have one. (And KONZ, which has two runways doesn't have one either.)
I'm guessing this is just a start.
MarkZ
En-Route
I may have to upgrade my subscription, this is great!
Martymccasland
Pre-takeoff checklist
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M.McCasland
The geo-referenced taxi diagrams have turned out to be a much bigger benefit the of the Pro version of Foreflight than I'd ever guess.
I used the standard version for years and only upgraded when buying a new plane (so as to use as a cross-check on approaches as I got used to the new instruments, switches in different places, etc...).
About a year later, I still really could take of leave the geo-referenced approach plates, but the taxi diagrams repeatedly are wonderful!
To me, one of the hardest parts of flying a plane is getting taxi directions right at a bigger/complicated airport. With the Pro version, I have the taxi diagram up, use the annotation tool to highlight the route Ground gives, and then just follow the highlighted route... Wonderful!
The chart overlay on maps is worth the iPad's weight in gold.
MarkZ
En-Route
I've been slumming along with the basic subscription. Had no idea what I was missing.
Flymeariver
Pattern Altitude
The pro version proved itself once I got serious with my IR training. It is nice to have additional positional reference to the hold/approach etc, as well as the taxi guides
Probably because unintentional runway incursions and pilots getting lost and bumping into things are are not limited to towered airports.
At night and periods of low visibility, knowing where one is is important, especially for transients.
Personally, I find taxi diagrams extraordinarily useful at any airport I'm not completely familiar with.
ARFlyer
En-Route
My home airport is on the list. The diagrams are very nice, however I wish they included the taxiway letters. I know there is most likely some legal stuff involved.
Although, I do wish they would have gone through and spot checked the drawings. It looks like they got the data via aerial overlay because of how some of the buildings are drawn. Also some of the buildings are bad shape files that five minutes of double checking would have fixed.
However the above ^ is my mapping background coming out. I tend to notice things most of the user won't even see.
Overall I do like the upgrade it will help with spatial awareness!
Although, I do wish they would have gone through and spot checked the drawings. It looks like they got the data via aerial overlay because of how some of the buildings are drawn. Also some of the buildings are bad shape files that five minutes of double checking would have fixed.
However the above ^ is my mapping background coming out. I tend to notice things most of the user won't even see.
Overall I do like the upgrade it will help with spatial awareness!
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Since you noticed that, I'm curious. The few I've looked at look like they are taken from the same source as the thumbnails in the AFD rather than being some completely independent undertaking.
What do you think?
ARFlyer
En-Route
If you look closely a lot of the buildings and taxiways are not proportional. Buildings have odd angles and bad corner connections. Some of the taxiways are not spaced evenly, the ones going into row hangers. Also the shapes get larger/smaller along their length. Row hangers that are the same size and shape in real life are drawn with different sizes and shape alignments.
A lot of it can be fixed with some shape smoothing, alignments and spacing. It can be assumed that the diagrams are not based or intended to be survey quality. So some artistic license could be made to sharpen up the look.
On average you have 5m/15' resolution with most standalone market GPS units.
However, this is just my opinion. The diagrams get the information across that they are intend to give.
Also, It took a lot of time to get most of these diagrams drawn in the first place.
So if anyone from FF is reading please regard this as just my "review".
Martymccasland
Pre-takeoff checklist
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M.McCasland
Maybe I'm using it wrong and am not seeing full-benefit.
While en-route and told to "expect ILS 1", I overlay ILS1 and get an idea how far away from the procedure I am. When closer, I pinch to zoom the plate in to fill the screen, get a little annoyed, and just load the plate directly (instead of in overlay).
After repeated use, I get where I never overlay the plate as it's pretty obvious when you're close enough to switch to plate view.
Is there some "auto-zoom" or like feature I'm missing that would make for a better experience?
Many thanks in advance.
Not that I know of, but what to you is an annoyance is to me a simple gesture with a benefit.
Even before the overlay capability, I was zooming the IAP in plate view after briefing it - I no longer needed all the info on top, but wanted my minimums to be at the very bottom, to be easily seen with a small glance. Do the same thing in the overlay, but can see the underlying chart (I like the sectional rather than the en route) and the weather.
But that's what's nice about a good interface — recognizing that people are different. There are features in FF I don't care much about either.
jkgoblue
Pre-takeoff checklist
My home airport is on the list. The diagrams are very nice, however I wish they included the taxiway letters. I know there is most likely some legal stuff involved.
Although, I do wish they would have gone through and spot checked the drawings. It looks like they got the data via aerial overlay because of how some of the buildings are drawn. Also some of the buildings are bad shape files that five minutes of double checking would have fixed.
However the above ^ is my mapping background coming out. I tend to notice things most of the user won't even see.
Overall I do like the upgrade it will help with spacial awareness!
Some airport diagrams show the taxiway letters but you are right, most do not.
ARFlyer
En-Route
I use it as you do and find it valuable knowing where I am in relation to the IAF. As I get closer I gradually pinch to zoom for more detail. I almost never have to switch to the plate view.
I also rubberband my course line to add each of the fixes to my route, giving me an additional time/distance reference for each fix. It's a great backup to the certified navigator on the approach.
gismo
Touchdown! Greaser!
IMO the geoRef'd taxi diagrams are far more valuable/useful than geoRef'd approach charts although I can see a benefit WRT developing spatial awareness during approach training. However the flip side of that is the potential for a newly trained pilot to become totally confused during an approach procedure if the iPad fails.
CodeMonkey
Pre-Flight
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CodeMonkey
Independent undertaking. We have a team of folks 'capturing' the airport surface to produce a result that complies with the airport moving map guidance outlined in AC 120-76B Change 1. We then have a suite of automated programs that compose the final depiction.
Lots of improvements planned to these. We'll be sweeping back through to add taxi labels where applicable and other layers of information.
Any and all feedback welcomed!
Flymeariver
Pattern Altitude
Totally agree with you. That is why was nice to use as only an added resource, on checkride dpe killed gps and wanted stuff flown with using basic instruments.Although, I have the Iphone as my Ipad backup
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azure
Final Approach
No argument there, my point was there seems to be no rhyme or reason to the airports they singled out for this feature. Unless, as someone suggested, it's just a start and they'll eventually have them for every or nearly every airport in the database. (If so though, I wonder how much additional space they'll end up taking up.)
CodeMonkey
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CodeMonkey
There is a method. The ordering is a combination of airport operation count and frequency flight plans are filed to the airport. Excluded are those airports for which the FAA already has a diagram. Then, we override the order if we have some reason to bump up the priority (eg we get a bunch of requests for a specific airport, fly in coming up, other). We will release a new batch every two weeks until they are all done.
ChrisK
En-Route
Good on you. The community appreciates it. I will admit that I've been annoyed at the lack of georeferenced taxi diagrams for unfamiliar airports, and I'm with the others who seriously appreciate this new data.
Very cool! Was there any thought to trying to purchase info from the Flight Guide folks?