Best aviation software for android phones?

rbhankins001

rbhankins001

Pre-takeoff checklist
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Rob
Is foreflight only for iphones? If so what is the consensus on the best aviation app for android phone?

I'm running a motorola X phone. I also would like a yoke or dash mount.

So what is everybody using??? (Please describe the whole setup so I can copy it :D)

Thanks

-Rob
 
I have Aviolution, I have no idea why. Every month a 5 buck charge appears on my account and I forget to cancel it. It'll probably get you by but in my experience the Droid X just isn't a great device for aviation, the apps aren't there and the GPS can be flaky.

I had Navzilla too, when it reported me at FL30 in my cherokee 300 miles away from where I actually was, I promptly uninstalled it too.
 
This is what I got:

WingX (all AF/Ds, weather, all approach plates, route planning, TFR database, E6B, FAR/AIM, Pilot/Controller Glossary, Aeronautical Contractions, & tail number search) - $100/year
E6B (sporty's version) - $10 (or $5 can't remember)
Open Flight GPS (Sectionals, Low-alt Enroute charts, Terminal charts, & World area charts) - $30/year
 
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The http://fltplan.com app is great little app that allows you to check weather and file a flight plan. App is free, basic membership is free. The link to to the full website, just search for the app in the market.
 
I'm running several apps on my Android.

My favorites currently include:

AreaWx
Aviation Tools Free
FlightTools E6B
GPS Essentials - great for saving tracks!
OpenFlightGPS - You can have two sectional map portions in the free version.

Ryan
 
I bought Naviator and am happy as hell with it. You can get a free trial for 30 days (which I don't believe even ForeFlight offers).

I also recommend FltPlan and MyFlightBook. I don't do a lot of other stuff with it because those 3 apps alone pretty much cover about 90% of what you'd do by hand anyway.

That is, until we can convince Jesse to come to the light side and start developing his awesome apps for Android too. Then, you'd be looking at a very small charge for some of the best software around, on the best platform.
 
Flitesoft is expected to deliver an Android app by the end of the month.

http://www.rmstek.com/index.php

It just might be the straw that sways me to get an Android phone.

I've been using Flitesoft since it came out in '85 (which once took ~12 3.5" disks to install).
 
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I second the nomination for Naviator. (Thanks Nick! ;) )
Loving it on my Asus Eee Pad Transformer and Droid. And, it keeps getting better every day - the developer is VERY responsive.
 
A cheap option, if you're just looking to try out a moving map and don't mind building it yourself is to get a program like OruxMaps or Locus(Android App Store). MOBAC(http://mobac.sourceforge.net/) to download and assemble the charts and use the charts that chartbundle(http://www.chartbundle.com/charts/) provides. I don't generally need a full fledged solution, but it's sure handy for flying around the rather complex airspace where I live until I learn it better. (Note, availability of chartbundle charts may change with the new FAA Digital Products rules over the next 6 months)
 
The apps I'm keeping my eye on are:

Avilution Aviation Maps (www.avilution.com)
Naviator (www.naviatorapp.com)
RMS Flitesoft (www.rmstek.com)

I'm really interested in seeing RMS Tech's android solution when it comes out in the next month or two. In the meantime, I'm mainly using Avilution on my Xoom tablet and also on my droid bionic (as a backup.) Here are some screenshots from my Xoom:

My Aviation Specific Xoom Home Screen with Aviation related Apps and Widgets

Avilution - Sectional with Various Overlays

Avilution - Low Altitude Chart

Avilution - Airport Info 1

Avilution - Airport Info 2

Avilution - Airport Diagram

Avilution - Flight Pad 1 - (I love the Flight Pad feature!)

Avilution - Flight Pad 2

Avilution - Flight Pad "Scribble" page


I'm not affiliated with Avilution in any way, but it just happens to be my favorite aviation android app at the moment. Naviator is doing some good things with their app as well, though. You'll notice in the first screenshot that I have several aviation related apps that I'm using. I also really like the myflightbook application.

-Clayton
 
I just signed up for Naviator. Will see how much I like it by the end of the month.

Ryan
 
p1l0t said:
Is there an FAR app? If not there should be.
Click to expand...

There are FAR and AIM eBooks available for at least the Nook and Kindle Android eBook reader software.

(Disclaimer: chartbundle is the creator of at least one of the versions for sale.)
 
This is all fine, but what do you use to write down clearances?

I already have moving map in my Aspen PFD, I don't need that in my EFB/tab. I just need management functions, planning (with upload to Aspen), notepad, perhaps W+B. Moving map would need GPS inputs anyway, which I won't have in the tab.
 
chartbundle said:
A cheap option, if you're just looking to try out a moving map and don't mind building it yourself is to get a program like OruxMaps or Locus(Android App Store). MOBAC(http://mobac.sourceforge.net/) to download and assemble the charts and use the charts that chartbundle(http://www.chartbundle.com/charts/) provides. I don't generally need a full fledged solution, but it's sure handy for flying around the rather complex airspace where I live until I learn it better. (Note, availability of chartbundle charts may change with the new FAA Digital Products rules over the next 6 months)
Click to expand...
Just how do you get the maps into Orux? It doesn't seem to recognize them. I'm using the FAA geotiffs.
 
Cap'n Jack said:
Just how do you get the maps into Orux? It doesn't seem to recognize them. I'm using the FAA geotiffs.
Click to expand...

There are several options.

Current versions of Orux Maps should offer sectionals and similar for on-line mode and let you save them for off-line use.

There is a Orux Desktop app that can handle the GeoTiffs I believe, check the Orux forums off their website for more on that.

You can use MOBAC to download tiled maps, including aviation charts, and load them into Orux.
 
chartbundle said:
There are several options.

Current versions of Orux Maps should offer sectionals and similar for on-line mode and let you save them for off-line use.

There is a Orux Desktop app that can handle the GeoTiffs I believe, check the Orux forums off their website for more on that.

You can use MOBAC to download tiled maps, including aviation charts, and load them into Orux.
Click to expand...
I'll look at a newer version, I last tried it around May. I also know about the desktop app. The app seems to do something, but the Orux app doesn't recognize the generated file. I'm probably doing something wrong but I have no idea what.
 
Note that we made the flight to WV62 today using Naviator until the battery in my eeePad died (my fault, I didn't charge it last night).

The GPS is really touchy in that if the tablet isn't put in just the right position in a Cessna 172, it loses GPS signal. I think its just a matter of finding the right place to mount it.

The new "split screen" functionality makes all the difference in the world. You can look up procedures, frequencies, weather, etc., without ever losing sight of the map.
 
SkyHog said:
Note that we made the flight to WV62 today using Naviator until the battery in my eeePad died (my fault, I didn't charge it last night).

The GPS is really touchy in that if the tablet isn't put in just the right position in a Cessna 172, it loses GPS signal. I think its just a matter of finding the right place to mount it.
Click to expand...

I also use the eeePad Transformer, but I have not had problems like you mention with GPS reception. I have used it quite a bit in the last two months, both on the yoke, and on my knee. One thing I do as part of pre-flight is turn on the tablet and let it get a GPS lock while still outside the airplane. The only time that it looses GPS is during turns where the bank angle is over 20 degress or so, but once level it comes back pretty quickly.

The battery life is pretty amazing. The longest flight so far was 5 1/2 hours, and it was good the whole time. I figured that if I needed to I could have docked it to the key board to get more battery life, but that ended up not being neccesary.

By the way I am running Avilution.
 
SkyHog said:
I bought Naviator and am happy as hell with it. You can get a free trial for 30 days (which I don't believe even ForeFlight offers).

I also recommend FltPlan and MyFlightBook. I don't do a lot of other stuff with it because those 3 apps alone pretty much cover about 90% of what you'd do by hand anyway.

That is, until we can convince Jesse to come to the light side and start developing his awesome apps for Android too. Then, you'd be looking at a very small charge for some of the best software around, on the best platform.
Click to expand...


When I search market I come up with dozens of "navigators" . Can you be more specific?
 
Geico266 said:
Duh! :rolleyes:

Thanks! I got it and it works great!
Click to expand...
Naviator and Avilution are currently the two top contenders in the Android category (Even though I have an iPad with ForeFlight, I load one or another into my Droid periodically to see how they are coming along). But it will be interesting what FliteSoft comes up with when they roll out theirs. They've been doing electronic planning for Windows since at least 1996.
 
The latest version of Naviator has a great toggleable feature, in which you can view the chart side by side with other nav info in a list, or you can view either in full screen.

Makes it much easier to get information without having to leave the map view. Good stuff.
 
I'm a software developer for Zappos, and work on their mobile team - specifically Android.

I have both an Android phone, which I love the UI of and the apps for (Foreflight!) as well as an Android phone which I love the customization and the ability to swap out operating systems.. </geek>

I wish that I could quit iOS and go to the Android full time. I really do like it better - but the apps just aren't there yet. iOS has a much more mature market of apps.

I wouldn't be against working with some of you if you wanted to get an Android flight planning/etc app going. We could do it open-source style. Or start a company. Or.. I just want to be able to flight plan and get winds and estimated fuel burn and all that fancy stuff on my Android!

(I had not seen Naviator - just installed it. Looks promising!)
 
inktomi said:
I have both an iOS phone, which I love the UI of and the apps for (Foreflight!) as well as an Android phone which I love the customization and the ability to swap out operating systems.. </geek>
Click to expand...
FTFY! :)
 
inktomi said:
I'm a software developer for Zappos, and work on their mobile team - specifically Android.

I have both an Android phone, which I love the UI of and the apps for (Foreflight!) as well as an Android phone which I love the customization and the ability to swap out operating systems.. </geek>

I wish that I could quit iOS and go to the Android full time. I really do like it better - but the apps just aren't there yet. iOS has a much more mature market of apps.

I wouldn't be against working with some of you if you wanted to get an Android flight planning/etc app going. We could do it open-source style. Or start a company. Or.. I just want to be able to flight plan and get winds and estimated fuel burn and all that fancy stuff on my Android!

(I had not seen Naviator - just installed it. Looks promising!)
Click to expand...

There are a few FAR/AIM apps out there.. but none that work on my Galaxy S.. I may just get the eBook but I want a good inuitive way to search through it.

<---<^>--->
 
I don't know "Sam;" however, he's a regular on a regional forum here in the Northeast. Below is a memo he posted:

"I wrote a simple application for Android devices I call Pilotage Assistant. It provides a moving map display using FAA scanned raster images of VFR sectional charts.

The application is standalone; it does not use cell or 3G or a connection to a data or license server, so it could be used with an out-of-contract smartphone. It runs in "airplane mode" on my Droid.
The device must have external memory (an SD card), a USB port, and a GPS receiver. You must build your own raster cache from the FAA files using a graphics program.

I am releasing the application under a GNU General Public License. The application is free, as is the source code. If anyone is interested in a copy please contact me directly for details (sams@ieee.org)."

- Sam
 
Lawreston said:
I don't know "Sam;" however, he's a regular on a regional forum here in the Northeast. Below is a memo he posted:

"I wrote a simple application for Android devices I call Pilotage Assistant. It provides a moving map display using FAA scanned raster images of VFR sectional charts.

The application is standalone; it does not use cell or 3G or a connection to a data or license server, so it could be used with an out-of-contract smartphone. It runs in "airplane mode" on my Droid.
The device must have external memory (an SD card), a USB port, and a GPS receiver. You must build your own raster cache from the FAA files using a graphics program.

I am releasing the application under a GNU General Public License. The application is free, as is the source code. If anyone is interested in a copy please contact me directly for details (sams@ieee.org)."

- Sam
Click to expand...

Sam is awesome. Although I don't see it up in the market.. yet.

<---<^>--->
 
I'm not a representative for "Sam;" however, he wrote to contact him directly for details.

HR
 
Just found a great weight & balance app, called CFI Tools Weight and Balance. Unlike most other W&B apps this one is very user-friendly and lets you customize everything for your particular aircraft.
 
rbhankins001 said:
Is foreflight only for iphones? If so what is the consensus on the best aviation app for android phone?


-Rob
Click to expand...

The best aviation app for Android is iOS5 of course!


Stop torturing yourself, drink the kool-aid and get an iphone.

Sincerely
Smug, self-righteous and intellectually superior apple users everywhere.;-)


Sent from my iPad
 
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