iPhone aps

spiderweb

spiderweb

Final Approach
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Ben
sorry if this has been posted before, but I was wondering what are the best apps you have found for your iPhone for flying. I guess the GPS feature doesn't work, which kinda sucks. But how about weather?

And go right ahead and make fun of me for "accepting the iPhone into my heart." I can take it--I am a dedicated mac lover. :p
 
spiderweb said:
sorry if this has been posted before, but I was wondering what are the best apps you have found for your iPhone for flying. I guess the GPS feature doesn't work, which kinda sucks. But how about weather?

And go right ahead and make fun of me for "accepting the iPhone into my heart." I can take it--I am a dedicated mac lover. :p
Click to expand...

As an artist, you well should be!

Welcome back, Ben!
 
Thanks Bill! Yeah, this thing is cool, I ain't gonna lie. But I don't want to buy apps for flying before I run it buy the experts here. :D
 
spiderweb said:
What's that?
Click to expand...

LogTen for the Mac is probably the coolest Logbook software I've ever seen (even better than LogBook Pro). The iPhone version lets you log your flights, and keep your endorsements and whatnot on the phone to be synced later.
 
SkyHog said:
LogTen for the Mac is probably the coolest Logbook software I've ever seen (even better than LogBook Pro). The iPhone version lets you log your flights, and keep your endorsements and whatnot on the phone to be synced later.
Click to expand...

That sounds quite cool. Any weather apps that you know about?
 
Three I like:
1) PilotWizz is not the first thing a pilot does when getting out of the airplane...it's a pretty comprehensive flight calculator for the iPhone. The free version is great all by itself.
2) Foreflight Mobile is pricey, but has everything you could ever want before flight in one comprehensive, intuitive app. It's worth the money, AFAIC.
3) Foreflight Checklist is also a little pricey, but it's a nice, customizable checklist app with a good and growing list of checklists for different aircraft to start from. The one thing it's missing is a way to edit checklists other than on the iPhone itself, but that's supposed to be coming in the next version.
 
BEN!!! Welcome back! :) :) :) We missed you! :yes:

Here's a rundown of a few of the iPhone flying apps:

Weather+
What I've mainly done for weather is to put icons for my most-used weather web pages on my home screen:
web.jpg


* ForeFlight ($75) - This has the A/FD, approach plates, and does weather (and files flight plans - If you have this, it basically has the ForeFlight File app built in). Cool, but at the price I haven't been able to justify it as most of my sources for such things are free, except the actual A/FD and IAP books themselves. (Part of the reason for the high price is that their data updates are free.)

* AeroWeather - FREE. Very well done, but only does METAR/TAF type of stuff. However, it lets you put in multiple stations, will build a list of all the nearby airports so you can easily select new ones, and lets you easily tap to see an airport in Google Maps or Airnav, or get a listing of other nearby airports with weather.
web.jpg
web.jpg


Logbook
* LogTen Mobile, which Nick mentioned - I think you probably want LogTen Pro on the Mac to go along with this, I'm not sure if the mobile version is truly standalone. The Mac version is a SWEET logbook app. (I have the Mac version, but not the iPhone version yet.)

Flight Planning
* CoPilot - $20. This one was apparently around for years on Palm OS, but it's pretty well-done for the iPhone. I haven't set it up fully (as you can see by the missing fuel/time data below) but it appears to at least attempt to be pretty accurate. It also lets you calculate weight and balance, true airspeed, winds aloft, etc.
web.jpg
web.jpg


* ForeFlight File - A simple $5 flight plan filing app. Works very well - it even tells you whether or not the plan was filed, and if it fails will help you correct it. It also lets you pick the airplane colors as COLORS with real names, rather than trying to remember that "W/B/GD" is what you need.
web.jpg
web.jpg


* PilotWizz (free) - E6B type calculations, weight and balance, holding pattern calculator (not just entry, but also shows what the pattern will look like with wind), etc.

Flight Simulator
* X-Plane ($10). This comes in four versions: X-Plane (which is GA-focused and has the Cirrus SJ50 Vision jet, Piaggio Avanti, King Air, Piper Malibu, Columbiessna "Corvalis" 400, and Cessna 172), X-Plane Airliner (737, 747, 777, 787, A-380, MD-80), X-Plane Helicopter (R-22, Jet Ranger, Blackhawk, Sea King), and X-Plane Extreme (F-22, B-1, B-2, and SR-71). Each is $9.99. I only have X-Plane, but it's all the fun I need on my iPhone.
web.jpg


Test Prep
* There are FAA Test Prep programs for Private, Commercial, and other ratings.

Other
* ForeFlight Checklist ($15) - Airplane checklists, on your phone. Cool. (I don't have this one yet, but judging by their other software it's probably well done.)
 
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I have the Air Check checklist app on my iTouch. It's ok, you have to make your own checklists if you want thm right. Plus side is that can be done online, minus side is it is VERY cumbersome to do so. I might spend the $15 on the ForeFlight checklist deal.
 
jmaynard said:
Kent, how do you get those screenshots? I'll post some from ForeFlight Checklist.
Click to expand...

Hold down the home button and momentarily press the sleep button. You should hear the normal iPhone camera shutter sound and the screen should blink. The photo will be in your default camera roll in your photos and can be synced as normal.
 
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alaskaflyer said:
Hold down the home button and momentarily press the sleep button. You should hear the normal iPhone camera shutter sound and the screen should blink. The photo will be in your default camera roll in your photos and can be synced as normal.
Click to expand...

What Richard said, though I've always heard it (and do it) as just a quick simultaneous press of both the home and power buttons. Also, I have mine set up so that I can upload the pics directly to an album on my MobileMe account, so I don't even have to sync the phone with the computer. Tap the picture, tap the "share" button (like a square with an arrow coming out of it on the lower left), and choose "Send to MobileMe." That is, if you have an account.

BTW, the links I put in my original post are actually iTunes store links, if you have iTunes installed they should open directly in iTunes and you can see the screenshots the developer posted there as well. :yes:
 
AWACSEng said:
I have the Air Check checklist app on my iTouch. It's ok, you have to make your own checklists if you want thm right. Plus side is that can be done online, minus side is it is VERY cumbersome to do so. I might spend the $15 on the ForeFlight checklist deal.
Click to expand...

Hmmm... There's another one called Tanja's Checklist that's non-aviation specific and only costs $1.99 that looks like it might do the trick too. There's some other cheapies, just do a search for "Checklist" and there are several that could be useful.
 
That's similar to a To Do type app that I have. It was fee and is pretty easy to use. I think the appeal of the FlightCheck app is the preloaded checklists. I've already put in the effort to build checklists for the airplanes I fly, so I'll probably save the $15 for random other things, like the FAR/AIM apps available.
 
I like AeroWeather for quick updates on the weather. I also use FlightPlan, mostly for conversions (pounds or gallons to liters). I don't know why they named it FlightPlan since it's not a flight planning program at all. It has a lot of interesting calculators, though.
 
AWACSEng said:
That's similar to a To Do type app that I have. It was fee and is pretty easy to use. I think the appeal of the FlightCheck app is the preloaded checklists. I've already put in the effort to build checklists for the airplanes I fly, so I'll probably save the $15 for random other things, like the FAR/AIM apps available.
Click to expand...

I was on the lookout for and trying a ToDo list app for the iPhone that would sync to the desktop. I was about to settle on OmniFocus ($$$)....

I'm enjoying Things for the iPhone ($9.99) and for the Mac ($49.99 not purchased yet. You can try it free for 15 days.). It syncs over WiFi!

http://culturedcode.com/things/
 
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Thanks for all of the replies! One more question for those of you who have an iPhone or other smartphone: How much and in what way do you use these devices while actually flying?
 
None while airborne. I honestly find the touchscreen to be too sensitive to be usefull in the airplane. I've used mine more in a planning capacity.
 
I can't say that I use the aviation apps when airborne although I can see myself using the AIM or FAR apps when having an argument (um, I mean "discussion") with the other pilot about something. It just hasn't come up yet. I do use the calculator though.
 
AWACSEng said:
None while airborne. I honestly find the touchscreen to be too sensitive to be usefull in the airplane. I've used mine more in a planning capacity.
Click to expand...

I used it in the air once, to pull up some weather, but that was over the northwoods on the way to 6Y9. Normally, over an area that has a population of more than zero, it'll *show* full signal but it's not usable because it's coming from many different towers and the system becomes confused. (True of any cell phone).

I'm not sure what you mean about the touchscreen being too sensitive. I doubt I could type effectively in moderate turbulence, but I had no problem using it that one time. I doubt I would use it in the air very much with any of the apps mentioned so far anyway. :dunno: Maybe with CoPilot on the nav log, if I brought it up before takeoff... But doubtful.
 
I really mean my fingers are too fat to effectively type while stationary, let alone while in a moving vehicle. I am constantly tapping the wrong letters/numbers while inputting data on the iTouch.
 
AWACSEng said:
I really mean my fingers are too fat to effectively type while stationary, let alone while in a moving vehicle. I am constantly tapping the wrong letters/numbers while inputting data on the iTouch.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I don't think I'd be able to type on the keyboard in any turbulence at all.

I have fat fingers too. What I discovered is that to be effective on the iPhone keyboard, I have to leave my mistakes there, and the phone is really good at correcting them. I should copy down sometime what I type in and what it corrects to - I know I've had a word where I only got two of the nine letters correct, but the iPhone still knew what word I meant and corrected it. Amazing.
 
AWACSEng said:
I really mean my fingers are too fat to effectively type while stationary, let alone while in a moving vehicle. I am constantly tapping the wrong letters/numbers while inputting data on the iTouch.
Click to expand...

If you turn the phone sideways before you bring up the keyboard, the keys are a little bigger. Mostly, it's just getting used to letting the phone correct your mistakes and I agree - it's pretty amazing. I switched from a Treo with a keyboard to the iPhone and I like the softtouch keyboard just fine.
 
Thanks!

How is x plane on the iphone?


flyingcheesehead said:
BEN!!! Welcome back! :) :) :) We missed you! :yes:

Here's a rundown of a few of the iPhone flying apps:

Weather+
What I've mainly done for weather is to put icons for my most-used weather web pages on my home screen:
web.jpg


* ForeFlight ($75) - This has the A/FD, approach plates, and does weather (and files flight plans - If you have this, it basically has the ForeFlight File app built in). Cool, but at the price I haven't been able to justify it as most of my sources for such things are free, except the actual A/FD and IAP books themselves. (Part of the reason for the high price is that their data updates are free.)

* AeroWeather - FREE. Very well done, but only does METAR/TAF type of stuff. However, it lets you put in multiple stations, will build a list of all the nearby airports so you can easily select new ones, and lets you easily tap to see an airport in Google Maps or Airnav, or get a listing of other nearby airports with weather.
web.jpg
web.jpg


Logbook
* LogTen Mobile, which Nick mentioned - I think you probably want LogTen Pro on the Mac to go along with this, I'm not sure if the mobile version is truly standalone. The Mac version is a SWEET logbook app. (I have the Mac version, but not the iPhone version yet.)

Flight Planning
* CoPilot - $20. This one was apparently around for years on Palm OS, but it's pretty well-done for the iPhone. I haven't set it up fully (as you can see by the missing fuel/time data below) but it appears to at least attempt to be pretty accurate. It also lets you calculate weight and balance, true airspeed, winds aloft, etc.
web.jpg
web.jpg


* ForeFlight File - A simple $5 flight plan filing app. Works very well - it even tells you whether or not the plan was filed, and if it fails will help you correct it. It also lets you pick the airplane colors as COLORS with real names, rather than trying to remember that "W/B/GD" is what you need.
web.jpg
web.jpg


* PilotWizz (free) - E6B type calculations, weight and balance, holding pattern calculator (not just entry, but also shows what the pattern will look like with wind), etc.

Flight Simulator
* X-Plane ($10). This comes in four versions: X-Plane (which is GA-focused and has the Cirrus SJ50 Vision jet, Piaggio Avanti, King Air, Piper Malibu, Columbiessna "Corvalis" 400, and Cessna 172), X-Plane Airliner (737, 747, 777, 787, A-380, MD-80), X-Plane Helicopter (R-22, Jet Ranger, Blackhawk, Sea King), and X-Plane Extreme (F-22, B-1, B-2, and SR-71). Each is $9.99. I only have X-Plane, but it's all the fun I need on my iPhone.
web.jpg


Test Prep
* There are FAA Test Prep programs for Private, Commercial, and other ratings.

Other
* ForeFlight Checklist ($15) - Airplane checklists, on your phone. Cool. (I don't have this one yet, but judging by their other software it's probably well done.)
Click to expand...
 
spiderweb said:
Thanks!

How is x plane on the iphone?
Click to expand...

It rocks! There are occasional bugs in the incremental releases, but they're generally fixed quickly, and they're minor when they do occur.

You control the airplane by tilting the phone. There are throttle and flap controls on the left and right hand sides of the screen and gear and brake buttons at the bottom (all can be seen if you look carefully at the screen shot I posted).

What you can't see is that when you tap anywhere else on the screen a bunch of buttons show up on top so that you can get various different views or get into the settings. On the settings page, you can look at a map, switch regions, switch airplanes, set up for a takeoff or landing on a particular runway, change weather or weight and balance, etc.

As far as the views go, you can get the HUD view like I posted, or a "behind the plane" view that you can actually pan and zoom anywhere you want by moving your finger around the screen (pan) or pinching (zoom). There's also an instrument panel only view, complete with radios, so you can look at the map, tune the VOR's or localizer, and fly instruments. I actually find it easier to tune the radios and twist the OBS on this version than on the computer version.

It's good for hours of fun - Or until you fry your battery, whichever comes first! :rofl: X-Plane is the quickest way I know of to burn up the iPhone battery, after a few hours it's toast. Not too surprising, given the level of processing that occurs.

Probably the best part - It's $10. That's pocket change. Go have fun! :yes:
 
One more question: Is there any way to get weather while in flight with the iPhone?
 
spiderweb said:
One more question: Is there any way to get weather while in flight with the iPhone?
Click to expand...

Not reliably. If you can get data service to work, you can use any old web site. If not, you can't get anything. Only time I've gotten it to work properly was over the north woods. Out your way, there are probably way too many cell sites to have it work at all.
 
ah that's too bad. That would have been a real plus!
 
spiderweb said:
ah that's too bad. That would have been a real plus!
Click to expand...

You don't want thw iPhone to not be in airplane mode during flight. The GSM "Help me! I can't get out!" signal is a powerful thing. I just read that it can make a cordless POTS phone TURN OFF!
 
I know a lot of geek boaters who have satellite internet service, and setup wifi lans on the boat for laptops, iphones, etc.

I've never really given this much thought, but I wonder how feasible this would be on an aircraft? I guess the main questions are the antenna and the service charges. I think that some of the older in-flight satellite weather services were based on 2-way communication, no?
-harry
 
mikea said:
You don't want thw iPhone to not be in airplane mode during flight. The GSM "Help me! I can't get out!" signal is a powerful thing. I just read that it can make a cordless POTS phone TURN OFF!
Click to expand...
Out of curiosity, is there a button you can hold down while powering up the phone so it'll turn on in airplane mode?
 
No. You have to wait for it to power on, as far as i know.
 
It isn't *THAT* big of a deal. You're looking at like a maximum of 1.5 watts at about 1900 MHz (or like .4 watts at 850 MHz). It is fairly unlikely that it is going to cause an significant interference in your avionics/nav radios.

I've never observed any interference from a GSM phone with the exception of the "clicking" you may get in your headset when it is sending data. Which sounds like this:
 
jesse said:
It isn't *THAT* big of a deal. You're looking at like a maximum of 1.5 watts at about 1900 MHz (or like .4 watts at 850 MHz). It is fairly unlikely that it is going to cause an significant interference in your avionics/nav radios.

I've never observed any interference from a GSM phone with the exception of the "clicking" you may get in your headset when it is sending data.
Click to expand...

We hear it ALL THE TIME when one of our cow-orkers leaves the iPhone near his phone on a phone conference (Yeah. and fails to mute the phone) Otherwise we just get to hear him (always) breathing.
 
mantakos said:
I know a lot of geek boaters who have satellite internet service, and setup wifi lans on the boat for laptops, iphones, etc.

I've never really given this much thought, but I wonder how feasible this would be on an aircraft? I guess the main questions are the antenna and the service charges. I think that some of the older in-flight satellite weather services were based on 2-way communication, no?
-harry
Click to expand...

There are a host of companies installing Iridium compliant equipment in aircraft for voice comm and flight tracking...and you can subscribe to data access through the Iridium system (in our case - at work - we use a handset, a laptop, and a proprietary link) so I can't imagine why you couldn't use capability for internet access. Though I haven't seen anyone doing it.
 
alaskaflyer said:
There are a host of companies installing Iridium compliant equipment in aircraft for voice comm and flight tracking...and you can subscribe to data access through the Iridium system (in our case - at work - we use a handset, a laptop, and a proprietary link) so I can't imagine why you couldn't use capability for internet access. Though I haven't seen anyone doing it.
Click to expand...

:D Looks like AirCell went from the ground-based towers to Iridium.
http://www.aircell.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=133&Itemid=368

I know the cell phone compaines hated the idea of the upward-aimed cell antennas.

Scott, you know how that went down?
 
mikea said:
Scott, you know how that went down?
Click to expand...
I do, it was my doing. Aircell was running on spare analog (AMPS) capacity for the longest time and wanted to convert to digital since 'some guy' finally had the FCC sunset the analog requirement. If AirCell wanted to use analog they would have had to pony up some big $$$ to keep the AMPS systems up and running. They did not actually own any ground station instead they leased from other carriers and installed their own antennas that would favor airborne operations.

AirCell did try several attempts at terrestrial based digital but the aircraft speeds and signal path lengths made it very difficult to impossible to actually work. So they turned to iRidium.

See your PM for more.
 
smigaldi said:
I do, it was my doing. Aircell was running on spare analog (AMPS) capacity for the longest time and wanted to convert to digital since 'some guy' finally had the FCC sunset the analog requirement. If AirCell wanted to use analog they would have had to pony up some big $$$ to keep the AMPS systems up and running. They did not actually own any ground station instead they leased from other carriers and installed their own antennas that would favor airborne operations.

AirCell did try several attempts at terrestrial based digital but the aircraft speeds and signal path lengths made it very difficult to impossible to actually work. So they turned to iRidium.

See your PM for more.
Click to expand...
Musta been *nice* for the customers who had sunk the $n000s into the equipment to have it go silent.
 
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