Aviation Keyboard App for ForeFlight...Finally!!

rrrrr said:
OK, I'll stop continuing to out this guy as a shill. You just recently soloed? And you've been waiting how long for an "aviation keyboard app" and it "finally" happened? (your title, your words) Come on. Seriously.

He's not even in the airmen database. Yeah, I know it can take a few weeks to show up, but I'm not even sure he's telling the truth there.

:no:
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Did you miss the part where I said I did simulator flying for years before actual flight school? Just because I wasn't a real pilot then doesn't mean I didn't try to stay up to date with new technology/apps that could help pilots in general. Plus all of the apps and tablet uses were something I could easily implement on simulations.
And yes I have now learned that I am not supposed to word titles like that as it comes off as promotion like. I clarified that I was just trying to spread the word for a new product that I found useful.
 
rrrrr said:
Students still have to get a medical before they solo. That will show up in the database.
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Give the guy a break. I'm happy to assume the post was the perhaps misguided, perhaps not, interest of a new student in the attraction of an app that does things for us. I wouldn't want to scare a student away from the wealth of experience and information available here (despite the sometime silly arguments we all participate in).
 
MAKG1 said:
I don't know about that, but it's certainly part of the app culture.

Sometimes I wonder if there is an app for breathing. Wait, no I don't. FitBit.
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I bought fitbits for all of my staff members as a Christmas gift a couple years back. One employee stopped wearing hers after a couple weeks because it basically told her she died in her sleep most nights.
 
midlifeflyer said:
Give the guy a break. I'm happy to assume the post was the perhaps misguided, perhaps not, interest of a new student in the attraction of an app that does things for us. I wouldn't want to scare a student away from the wealth of experience and information available here (despite the sometime silly arguments we all participate in).
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Thank you!
 
midlifeflyer said:
The video show how it's done. I understood the process from the beginning. It's pretty much what I expected. What I am interest in is seeing it in practical use - copying a real clearance (the one in the video has elements missing) or taxi instruction as it is given in real time. That is decidedly not shown.

Here's an example of an IFR clearance from a video from a training organization. I don't expect you to do it since you only have limited experience at this point, but it gives you an idea what is involved for even a simple one like this one. But if someone here has the app, they can give it a try. I copied as it was given. The airports, procedure, etc are unfamiliar and I didn't do what I would ordinarily do to prepare. If you don't understand a part of it, well, neither did I. But clarifying portions with ATC is is part of the copying process, and clarifying doesn't mean "say again everything after 'cleared.'"

But here's one for you. Taxi instructions after landing at KORL. It's real. I recorded it from LiveATC in the past 15 minutes. Hopefully you are not training out of there because being familiar with the airport and having heard it 20 times before would be cheating. You have to copy the instructions using the app on the first try. As they are given, not memorize them and write them down later. The first voice you hear is the pilot saying he wants to go to Sheltair. Ready? Go! And no cheating!
http://midlifeflight.net/posted/TaxiInstruction.mp3
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Here is me using it while inputting directions in real time. Your example audio made it a little clunky since I had to switch to QWERTY keyboard to type Sheltair so I included two other examples.

Taxi Input

ATIS Input

Clearance Input

It really isn't that difficult once you get used to it!
 
Not bad, although "as filed" is cheating a bit. But way too much work for me compared to a pencil or even a stylus. I really wouldn't try it even if it was free, but, as they say, whatever floats your boat.

Sheltair doesn't count against you. That's where the pilot wanted to go. Even if he wrote down the clearance, he probably would not have written that.
 
midlifeflyer said:
Not bad, although "as filed" is cheating a bit. But way too much work for me compared to a pencil or even a stylus. I really wouldn't try it even if it was free, but, as they say, whatever floats your boat.

Sheltair doesn't count against you. That's where the pilot wanted to go. Even if he wrote down the clearance, he probably would not have written that.
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Yeah I see your point. I guess it just appeals more to people who want to do everything electronically on their tablet.
 
BigBadLou said:
But do you recall the hilarious multi-billion dollar NASA project to develop a space-pen that writes in 0G? :)
And remember how the Russians solved it? :D
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NASA didn't spend "multi-billion" dollars on developing a space pen.

Early NASA astronauts used pencils (as did the Russian cosmonaut). But the graphite in pencils is a problem when the dust from it is in a weightless environment and gets into places it shouldn't.

Fisher Pen reportedly spent about one million to develop a zero g pen. Not a dime came from NASA or the federal government. Those pens were purchased by NASA and the Russian space program.

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/fact-or-fiction-nasa-spen/
 
Taylor Murphy said:
Yeah I see your point. I guess it just appeals more to people who want to do everything electronically on their tablet.
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Like others, I think this is trying to be a solution to a nonexistent problem. I see it taking too long to bring up the keyboard and use it each time ATC provides you with an instruction. I would bet you a post checkride beer that your DPE first says that's interesting, but then fails your ipad when he observes you taking too long being heads down messing with it versus flying the airplane.

Focus on use of the kneeboard and pen/pencil. It's worked for decades and will continue to work for the future.
 
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Haha very true, I definitely would not let it take away my primary focus
 
Taylor Murphy said:
Haha very true, I definitely would not let it take away my primary focus
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That's actually one of the two things that led me back to paper and pencil for taking notes in flight. I'm actually a tech lover, been that way for almost 3 decades now. I was using the scratch pad on my iPad to write these things down and then realized that even with a stylus in my hand, I was looking down (I know styli have gotten better). Using pen and paper, I didn't even have to look at what I was writing. The other was that having to switch away from what was important - taxi diagram, whatever - added the tech equivalent of "cockpit clutter."
 
Taylor Murphy said:
You do make an excellent point. I will certainly give your challenge a try! I think the obvious way user's will increase their speed with the app is to do some practice like you just suggested and thoroughly know the layout of the app. But even then, I can still see your point being valid
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Meh I think the obvious answer is the ff key board is a Rube Goldberg replacement for a pencil and paper.

I'm glad you like it. Don't expect many pilots with experience past a private checkride to see much value in it. It's to bad really. You could have made lots in commissions if it were a popular app. <-----sarcasm. I take you at your word there is no financial interest

Now that you have shared the existence of this wonderful app ....... stop trying to sell it. Ignore this thread...... never mention this dumb keyboard again and contribute to the community here at POA. Your participation here would be greatly appreciated.
 
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donjohnston said:
NASA didn't spend "multi-billion" dollars on developing a space pen.
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I take it you didn't read the whole thread, did ya? ;)

Btw, I like your avatar. Do you really own a canard? I love them but never could find one in a good enough shape for good enough price.

Back on topic: give the kid a break. Student pilots are KNOWN for not having focus in the right place. Which one of us was any better?
We all learn from mistakes. Whether ours or others'. If he can't learn from others', he will have to make them all on his own. It will take a while but he might wisen up and grow up to be a decent pilot. So cut him some slack. Or not, this is PoA afterall. :)
 
I dig technology, have been involved with IT my entire career. Now that I clarified I'm not 'anti-tech' I just don't see the purpose of this. I can copy clearance and instructions faster than using an app. If you want to use an app just to use an app then you'll probably like this... as it stands it's a solution for something that is not a problem. Maybe you can find a following within the flight sim gamer community.
 
Has anyone tried using the apple pen? Flying into Dulles the other day gave my scratchpad a real workout.
 
rrrrr said:
Students still have to get a medical before they solo. That will show up in the database.
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Not always. My medical never made it online. Even today, I've had my PPL for 18 months and it's listed in the database, but for medical it still says "none".

As for the app, you can have it as a backup in case your pen runs out of ink.:p (I see no real practical use for it)
 
This is enough to scare anyone way... from one of the reviews...

"Be aware of the Privacy Policy. It appears to me that EVERYTHING you type will be sent to them. NOT good if you're typing your bank account number, passwords etc. I won't be typing that info while using this in Foreflight but what about my other apps?? The Privacy policy states to keep this from happening you have to remove it from the keyboard list. I would rate this higher if they defined their Privacy Policy better."
 
BigBadLou said:
I take it you didn't read the whole thread, did ya? ;)
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Not until after my post. I have CRS. If I had read the entire thread, I would've forgotten what I was thinking about responding to. :(
BigBadLou said:
Btw, I like your avatar. Do you really own a canard? I love them but never could find one in a good enough shape for good enough price.
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Yep. If you build it, then it has no "shape" when you buy it. :)
 
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