Samsung? Ipad? GarminPilot? Foreflight?

[Rcmutz]

What would motivate you to change ?

It really depends on the preflight weather information and briefing that is available. I like the FF preflight weather charts, but I wish they had temporal route weather like one of the other apps. I wanted to see what GP offers at this point, but I had a trial subscription last year that ran out, and now I can’t reop for another trial. The cost is not a motivator. I also like the app WeatherSpork which might be a better value for preflight weather information.

I may contact GP and see if they will let me renew a trial for one month without having to provide a new email address.

 

[Nathan Miller]

It really depends on the preflight weather information and briefing that is available.

Interesting. I've only used 1800wxbrief.com. I should check out GP (and my new trial of FF) to see how it compares to Leidos... thanks for the (indirect) tip.

 

[Rcmutz]

Interesting. I've only used 1800wxbrief.com. I should check out GP (and my new trial of FF) to see how it compares to Leidos... thanks for the (indirect) tip.

I think you will like what FF offers. You might try out the app WeatherSpork. It was created by the guy who used to be the main weather guy for FF, and is an ex-NOAA guy, as well as a current pilot.

 

[WannFly]

another vote or WeatherSpork - pretty neat tool

 

[FightingJioux]

Bumping and hopefully not hijacking this post. Just closed on a new to me Comanche 250. Older panel but IFR certified and has a UAvionix beacon for -Out. Narrowed down my search for an -In solution to the ForeFlight Sentry and the Appareo Stratus 3. Curious to get some thoughts on both from those that have them. I'm a big FF fan, and like that the Sentry has a built-in CO detector as well as better battery life (also is smaller). But the Stratus is compatible with more apps and has been around longer than FF's own in-house product. Any thoughts before I burn some more money than I already have getting established in this ownership world?!?

 

[sarangan]

This may have bee covered many times before, but I am just in the market for getting started with some kind of flight computer.

My desires are leaning toward Samsung/Garmin Pilot. Reading somewhere that Garmin Pilot was created for aviation, whereas Foreflight was created to sell IPads, I like the Garmin Pilot idea better. I understand that Garmin Pilot will run on IPads(?) and IPads are supposed to be faster. I am going to purchase a Garmin glass cockpit in the plane I wish to purchase and want something that can interchange with the flight computer. I don't know what kind of connections I will need. Do I need wifi, bluetooth, cell phone?

Thanks

I have used Garmin Pilot and FF, but eventually settled on Avare. It is true that it is not as rich in features, but it has everything I need and it is free. It doesn't need an expensive tablet either.

 

[EdFred]

Been using TrueFlight since before FF or GP or iFly existed - tied into the L3 flawlessly.

 

[Salty]

I am debating about switching from FF to Garmin pilot. Just not sure I want to buy a different ADSB in portable and then sell my Stratus 2s.

I was a garmin pilot user that tried to like foreflight for a year and then went back to garmin pilot. For vfr, garmin pilot is a much better interface, imo. However, I recently started IFR training and I have learned to hate GP when flying IFR. I’m back on foreflight again.

 

[WannFly]

I was a garmin pilot user that tried to like foreflight for a year and then went back to garmin pilot. For vfr, garmin pilot is a much better interface, imo. However, I recently started IFR training and I have learned to hate GP when flying IFR. I’m back on foreflight again.

Interesting. What did you not like about GP while training for IR?

 

[Rcmutz]

I was a garmin pilot user that tried to like foreflight for a year and then went back to garmin pilot. For vfr, garmin pilot is a much better interface, imo. However, I recently started IFR training and I have learned to hate GP when flying IFR. I’m back on foreflight again.

Interesting. I have been using FF consistently for the last 6 years. Really like it. Just wish they had the geo-referenced IAP plates and plates on maps in the basic IFR package for $99 versus having to spend and extra $100 and ending up with a lot of other capabilities I don’t need. Of course $100 over the year ain’t much considering the cost of flying, but I am a CSOB.

 

[pigpenracing]

This may have bee covered many times before, but I am just in the market for getting started with some kind of flight computer.

My desires are leaning toward Samsung/Garmin Pilot. Reading somewhere that Garmin Pilot was created for aviation, whereas Foreflight was created to sell IPads, I like the Garmin Pilot idea better. I understand that Garmin Pilot will run on IPads(?) and IPads are supposed to be faster. I am going to purchase a Garmin glass cockpit in the plane I wish to purchase and want something that can interchange with the flight computer. I don't know what kind of connections I will need. Do I need wifi, bluetooth, cell phone?

Thanks

I like Wing X the best. I like simple.....
I hate Foreflight!
Opinions vary....

 

[Salty]

Interesting. What did you not like about GP while training for IR?

It was constantly glitching when syncing flight plans back and forth to the gps, and always when 10 other things were going on and I needed it to just work so I could focus on other things. Foreflight has yet to do that once. Ironically, it’s a garmin gps.

Not being able to take a quick note without switching apps or screens meant I had to use a knee board as well. FF allows you to do annotations on the map so you can write a freq or clearance down quickly If you need to.

Also, Pre flight briefing is much better in FF.

 

[WannFly]

It was constantly glitching when syncing flight plans back and forth to the gps, and always when 10 other things were going on and I needed it to just work so I could focus on other things. Foreflight has yet to do that once. Ironically, it’s a garmin gps.

Not being able to take a quick note without switching apps or screens meant I had to use a knee board as well. FF allows you to do annotations on the map so you can write a freq or clearance down quickly If you need to.

Also, Pre flight briefing is much better in FF.

Hmm I haven’t come across flight plan syncing issue yet. Didn’t know about annotations on the map, that’s definitely handy. I agree the preflight brief has lot of room for improvements

 

[Salty]

Hmm I haven’t come across flight plan syncing issue yet. Didn’t know about annotations on the map, that’s definitely handy. I agree the preflight brief has lot of room for improvements

When I’d choose an approach or a direct to in the gps sometimes it wouldn’t sync to the iPad. Usually the approach would load, but not the direct to or active leg. Not a huge deal, but it annoyed me enough to switch back.

 

[AlphaMike]

I wish FF or GP would find a way to give you ATIS information. That would be super helpful! They give you METAR info but ATIS would be really nice!

 

[EdFred]

I wish FF or GP would find a way to give you ATIS information. That would be super helpful! They give you METAR info but ATIS would be really nice!

Just out of curiosity how would you expect them do that?
(The ATIS wx is the METAR wx)

 

[Hang 4]

Just out of curiosity how would you expect them do that?
(The ATIS wx is the METAR wx)

Everything but "Alpha" or whatever ATC wants you to say you have.

 

[flyingcheesehead]

Everything but "Alpha" or whatever ATC wants you to say you have.

ATIS also will have things like taxiway closures, local procedures, bird or other wildlife warnings, etc...

Some airports do have D-ATIS, and ForeFlight *does* give you that - But only on the ground, because it has to come through the Internet, it is not part of the ADS-B feed nor the SiriusXM feed. I guess if you have an Internet connection in your airplane it'd work for that, but again, only at airports that have D-ATIS.

Those airports are the same ones that have PDC (Pre-Departure Clearance), where we get our official IFR clearance via text message and email. I sure hope that the FAA expands that to at least all towered airports soon, and adds the D-ATIS to the ADS-B feed. There has been some experimentation at a particular airport in Virginia, IIRC, using a different text-based clearance system so it's certainly something the FAA has considered.