ForeFlight Trap/observation

MyassisDragon

MyassisDragon

Line Up and Wait
Joined
Dec 18, 2013
Messages
585
Location
Michigan
Display Name
Display name:
Mr Fred
Thought I would post an error in my thinking while using ForeFlight to help others out (dont do as I do, or think like me):nono:. Of course I may be the only numbnut that did this, so consider it entertainment at my own expense if thats the case.

While flying on an IFR course above the clouds I will usually set the maps portion "VFR & Ceiling" so I can see what the ceiling is at airports around me in case I need to land. Seems logical right? But I would also get lulled into the pretty colors of VFR,MVFR,IFR, and LIFR (green, blue, red, and magenta).

Well the other day we had snow storms with 1500 ceilings so the airport was "BLUE" but visibility was less than 1/4 MI and it was LIFR. This showed up when I looked at the airport or switched the tab to "VFR & Visibility" .

So the lesson I learned was that Foreflight bases the colors on the VFR requirements just for that particular tab selection IE: Ceiling tab is only based on the VFR requirement for ceilings and Visibility tab shows colors only based on the VFR requirement for visibility.

Yes I know I can always put it on "VFR & Flight Rules" and just look at the pretty colored dots but I like to see that "big picture" of the ceilings on a map 100-200 mile area near my travels, especially when fronts are moving around.

So it would be nice if you could change this in the settings somewhere to show the actual airport conditions in colors when viewing the individual settings:dunno:.

I will attach the pictures of the same weather with the two different selections so you can see the error of my ways (at least this one) :rolleyes:
 

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I usually tune in awos or asos.
 
EdFred said:
I usually tune in awos or asos.
Click to expand...
Yes, Ed that is what I do while landing or in the local area:confused: (Im not that much of a numbnut:rolleyes:) of If I really needed to land but I also like to see if ceilings are getting better or worse 200-300 miles away en-rout or destination and my radio just aint dat good and it would be a lot of button clicking to check 10+ different airports.

You can get a pretty good picture of what weather is doing for an area using the ADSB feed and the fancy eyepad gadget. Just need to know your gadget i guess.....:dunno:
 
MyassisDragon said:
Yes, Ed that is what I do while landing or in the local area:confused: (Im not that much of a numbnut:rolleyes:) of If I really needed to land but I also like to see if ceilings are getting better or worse 200-300 miles away en-rout or destination and my radio just aint dat good and it would be a lot of button clicking to check 10+ different airports.

You can get a pretty good picture of what weather is doing for an area using the ADSB feed and the fancy eyepad gadget. Just need to know your gadget i guess.....:dunno:
Click to expand...

Gadgets? We don't need no stinking gadgets! I usually don't have anything else to do in the plane, so I radio flight service and ask what the weather is. I have no in plane weather.
 
MyassisDragon said:
Thought I would post an error in my thinking while using ForeFlight to help others out (dont do as I do, or think like me):nono:. Of course I may be the only numbnut that did this, so consider it entertainment at my own expense if thats the case.

While flying on an IFR course above the clouds I will usually set the maps portion "VFR & Ceiling" so I can see what the ceiling is at airports around me in case I need to land. Seems logical right? But I would also get lulled into the pretty colors of VFR,MVFR,IFR, and LIFR (green, blue, red, and magenta).

Well the other day we had snow storms with 1500 ceilings so the airport was "BLUE" but visibility was less than 1/4 MI and it was LIFR. This showed up when I looked at the airport or switched the tab to "VFR & Visibility" .

So the lesson I learned was that Foreflight bases the colors on the VFR requirements just for that particular tab selection IE: Ceiling tab is only based on the VFR requirement for ceilings and Visibility tab shows colors only based on the VFR requirement for visibility.

Yes I know I can always put it on "VFR & Flight Rules" and just look at the pretty colored dots but I like to see that "big picture" of the ceilings on a map 100-200 mile area near my travels, especially when fronts are moving around.

So it would be nice if you could change this in the settings somewhere to show the actual airport conditions in colors when viewing the individual settings:dunno:.

I will attach the pictures of the same weather with the two different selections so you can see the error of my ways (at least this one) :rolleyes:
Click to expand...


I don't think that's a error.

Just set it to flight rules like you said.
 
I use FF with the stratus for the current weather,also check the airport meters while enroute.
 
hindsight2020 said:
LOL Bingo!:rofl:

#winning
Click to expand...

Ugh... usher in the "we hate technology" people. You can wait until you get 25 miles inbound, call up area AWOS's, take 10 minutes to get a picture of the area weather conditions, and then make some landing decisions... -OR- from initial cruise setting enroute begin monitoring the entire regional weather picture at a glance and know well before you even arrive to the area what current conditions are so when you call up the arrival AWOS you already know what you're going to get. Hmmm.. I'll take option B. AWOS, Flight Service, AND ADS-B are all great services provided by our tax dollars.

But, you never can trust those pesky gizmos that can always be wrong. Damn those gizmos! You whipper-snappers and your gizmos! Terrible pilots you are! A REAL pilot reads text weather... wait... text weather comes from gizmos... No! A real pilot looks up to the sky and SENSES the air pressure!

Rant over.
 
EdFred said:
Gadgets? We don't need no stinking gadgets! I usually don't have anything else to do in the plane, so I radio flight service and ask what the weather is. I have no in plane weather.
Click to expand...

Radio? Stinking new-fangled gadget. I bet your fancy-ass airplane even has ailerons instead of good old-fashioned wing-warping.
 
EdFred said:
Gadgets? We don't need no stinking gadgets! I usually don't have anything else to do in the plane, so I radio flight service and ask what the weather is. I have no in plane weather.
Click to expand...

I'd rather use the available technology to paint a constantly updated picture of the surrounding weather (as the OP is doing) rather than spend time tying up a briefer and a frequency while I try to paint a mental image of the weather. The times they are a changing! And for the better.
 
Dragon,
I've been trying to learn the Garmin Pilot app because I'm installing a G3X panel that interfaces with it. I still prefer ForeFlight for most everything, but in the Garmin Pilot app if you overlay "Flight Conditions" on the map, the colored dots are divided with the top half color signifying ceiling and the bottom half visibility. You still need to use separate tabs (ceiling or visibility) to get a numerical distance, but for a quick look it's helpful.

Maybe ForeFlight will crib this graphical depiction for their "Flight Rules" tab.
 
LDJones said:
I'd rather use the available technology to paint a constantly updated picture of the surrounding weather (as the OP is doing) rather than spend time tying up a briefer and a frequency while I try to paint a mental image of the weather. The times they are a changing! And for the better.
Click to expand...

FSS is free -or at least already paid for through my taxes. Foreflight - who will never see a single cent from me, is not.
 
Mr. Fred, did you relay your concern to ForeFlight? (I see the 'it would be nice if you could change..." sentence which suggests you did.)

I set mine the same as you do, but only for the big picture and will always go to the Airport tab for the full METAR or TAF (and ultimately the AWOS/ASOS/ATIS). So it hasn't been an issue, or at least one I haven't noticed.

But I agree with you. Regardless of the choice of ceiling or vis to give you a number, I think it makes more sense for the dot coloration to be indicative of overall VFR vs MVFR vs IFR vs LIFR conditions
 
EdFred said:
FSS is free -or at least already paid for through my taxes. Foreflight - who will never see a single cent from me, is not.
Click to expand...

Silly argument. FSS is free, ADS-B is free... both paid for through taxes. Both a radio and ForeFlight/iPad cost money.
 
ahkahn said:
Silly argument. FSS is free, ADS-B is free... both paid for through taxes. Both a radio and ForeFlight/iPad cost money.
Click to expand...

Am I paying a subscription cost for my radio? No. Does FSS refuse to transmit to me if my radio is a Garmin instead of a King? No.
 
ahkahn said:
Silly argument. FSS is free, ADS-B is free... both paid for through taxes. Both a radio and ForeFlight/iPad cost money.
Click to expand...
Some people like paper; others like plastic. Arguments about one being "better" than the other are just silly. On both sides.

desismileys_0100.gif
 
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midlifeflyer said:
Some people like paper; others like plastic. Arguments about one being "better" than the other are just silly. On both sides.

desismileys_0100.gif
Click to expand...

Never said one was better, just making the point that the newfangled technology isn't the devil's work and may actually enhance safety by providing as good of or a better picture of the environment.
 
EdFred said:
Am I paying a subscription cost for my radio? No. Does FSS refuse to transmit to me if my radio is a Garmin instead of a King? No.
Click to expand...

Yes, that is a common criticism of FF specifically, but not of EFBs in general. So would you use WingX in that case?
 
petrolero said:
Yes, that is a common criticism of FF specifically, but not of EFBs in general. So would you use WingX in that case?
Click to expand...

Clearly he doesn't use charts either, as you need to update those regularly for a fee; kind of like a subscription.
 
petrolero said:
Yes, that is a common criticism of FF specifically, but not of EFBs in general. So would you use WingX in that case?
Click to expand...

Isn't the not ****ty version of WingX only for iCrap ?
 
Katamarino said:
Clearly he doesn't use charts either, as you need to update those regularly for a fee; kind of like a subscription.
Click to expand...

Wrong answer. I use a company that doesn't force me to use Apple.
 
scottd said:
You are correct. Each element such as visibility and ceiling will display their respective colors. When you choose "Flight Rules" (now more accurately called Flight Category in version 6.7 just released), you will see the color of the marker represents the lowest of the visibility and ceiling combined, hence, flight category.
Click to expand...

In 6.7 Is it possible to see the flight rules combined AND the visibility or ceiling in numerical format at one glance.

FWIW the whole reason for this post was to make sure others using FF know the flight rule color is based on only one condition when viewing independently.
 
ahkahn said:
Silly argument. FSS is free, ADS-B is free... both paid for through taxes. Both a radio and ForeFlight/iPad cost money.
Click to expand...


So which is it? Free or paid by taxes? LOL.

(Sigh. Ron White is correct... And that's a bummer.)
 
ahkahn said:
Never said one was better, just making the point that the newfangled technology isn't the devil's work and may actually enhance safety by providing as good of or a better picture of the environment.
Click to expand...
Agreed. Although I used your post as the staring point, the comment was more generally intended.
 
EdFred said:
Gadgets? We don't need no stinking gadgets! I usually don't have anything else to do in the plane, so I radio flight service and ask what the weather is. I have no in plane weather.
Click to expand...

So I'll just ask it. Why not? Forget FF or Apple (or whatever else you may have a vendetta against). Are you opposed to in-flight wx? Gadgetry? Both? Neither?! Or are you just opposed to FF's closed hardware compatibility?

Just curious if you're against EFB's (one of your posts makes it sound like you actually use one) or just specific ones?
 
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petrolero said:
So I'll just ask it. Why not? Forget FF or Apple (or whatever else you may have a vendetta against). Are you opposed to in-flight wx? Gadgetry? Both? Neither?! Or are you just opposed to FF's closed hardware compatibility?

Just curious if you're against EFB's (one of your posts makes it sound like you actually use one) or just specific ones?
Click to expand...

Yes to the bold. I currently use one that is neither Apple, nor Android. Actually runs on Windows and fits IN my panel. Though they offer the Apple option as well for people that like having stuff on their lap or yoke - which I don't understand at all. You're IMC, looking down causes SD, but lets have something that sits on our lap, or better yet covers up instruments by clipping it to the yoke. Fly on, brainiacs!

And yes, I will spend 3-4x the money just to not deal with Apple or ForeFlight because they have lazy programmers.
 
EdFred said:
Yes to the bold. I currently use one that is neither Apple, nor Android. Actually runs on Windows and fits IN my panel. Though they offer the Apple option as well for people that like having stuff on their lap or yoke - which I don't understand at all. You're IMC, looking down causes SD, but lets have something that sits on our lap, or better yet covers up instruments by clipping it to the yoke. Fly on, brainiacs!

And yes, I will spend 3-4x the money just to not deal with Apple or ForeFlight because they have lazy programmers.
Click to expand...

Gotcha.

I fly with my iPad on the yoke with it in landscape flipped upside down so that the only thing it blocks is carb temp which is blocked by the yoke in my 182 anyway. There is no more looking down than you would have looking at the yoke-mounted paper approach plates pilots have used since the dawn of yoke-mounted paper approach plates... or to look at the turn coordinator or timer or to tune a radio, or to operate switches or the trim wheel or cowl flaps, all of which require varying degrees of looking down.

Anyway, FF is a tool like anything else. I don't find the yoke mounting to be a problem. YMMV.
 
ahkahn said:
Ugh... usher in the "we hate technology" people. You can wait until you get 25 miles inbound, call up area AWOS's, take 10 minutes to get a picture of the area weather conditions, and then make some landing decisions... -OR- from initial cruise setting enroute begin monitoring the entire regional weather picture at a glance and know well before you even arrive to the area what current conditions are so when you call up the arrival AWOS you already know what you're going to get. Hmmm.. I'll take option B. AWOS, Flight Service, AND ADS-B are all great services provided by our tax dollars.



But, you never can trust those pesky gizmos that can always be wrong. Damn those gizmos! You whipper-snappers and your gizmos! Terrible pilots you are! A REAL pilot reads text weather... wait... text weather comes from gizmos... No! A real pilot looks up to the sky and SENSES the air pressure!



Rant over.
Click to expand...


LMFAO

Well put.
 
EdFred said:
Am I paying a subscription cost for my radio? No. Does FSS refuse to transmit to me if my radio is a Garmin instead of a King? No.
Click to expand...


You're paying for outdated paper sectionals and AF/Ds...you have to get your frequencies from somewhere.
 
MyassisDragon said:
Thought I would post an error in my thinking while using ForeFlight to help others out (dont do as I do, or think like me):nono:. Of course I may be the only numbnut that did this, so consider it entertainment at my own expense if thats the case.

While flying on an IFR course above the clouds I will usually set the maps portion "VFR & Ceiling" so I can see what the ceiling is at airports around me in case I need to land. Seems logical right? But I would also get lulled into the pretty colors of VFR,MVFR,IFR, and LIFR (green, blue, red, and magenta).
Click to expand...
I was under the impression that once airborne, that information was no longer updated. But I'm guessing that with Stratus and FF perhaps the ADSB collected information is shown in FF?

Or am I missing something really big about FF?

(I have FF and a Navworx ADSB box but they don't connect except thru my GRT EFIS.)
 
Bill Watson said:
I was under the impression that once airborne, that information was no longer updated. But I'm guessing that with Stratus and FF perhaps the ADSB collected information is shown in FF?

Or am I missing something really big about FF?

(I have FF and a Navworx ADSB box but they don't connect except thru my GRT EFIS.)
Click to expand...

The ADS-B information seamlessly replaces the information in ForeFlight that is gathered through the Internet when on the ground. Of course, it does not supply ALL of the information (weather charts, satellite pictures, winds aloft, and a few others), but it does fill in all METARs, TAF's, Radar (more pixelated than when FF is connected to the Internet), NOTAMs, and TFR's. It's actually very nice to gather weather information at and around your destination real-time well before you even arrive to the area. You know in ForeFlight whether or not you are receiving ADS-B where it says how old the METAR is it will also report that it received it via ADS-B.

Great system that is reliable and helpful. I wouldn't fly without it.
 
scottd said:
Yes, weather information from an Internet connection can be "packed" for later viewing, but it doesn't update unless connected to a Stratus that is receiving FIS-B data. You are correct that the radar data is different. It's from a totally different source and resolution than the Internet radar. While connected to ADS-B there's a low resolution national mosaic available, but a higher resolution regional radar close to your position. Also, winds aloft are provided through ADS-B. They aren't as high of a resolution as the winds you get via the Internet.
Click to expand...

Thanks, Scott!

Interesting point about Winds Aloft. There have been a number of times where my ground speed is not as attractive as originally anticipated and I have tried to see if there may be a better altitude to cruise at. When I try to hit the altitude advisor, it just sits there and displays blanks for times enroute/fuel burn. I just figured it was because winds aloft were not being transmitted. Is there a better way to do this rather than pulling out ye old E6B?
 
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