Tom Martin
Well Known Member
This is going to sound like a commercial but if you have not tried an ipad with ForeFlight installed you are really missing out, especially if you are a VFR pilot.
When I travel VFR in my rocket I have lots of information, Garmin 496, Garmin 430, and an AFS 3500 with moving map, and I use these tools to tell me where I am. I always want to know where I am, especially when flying alone and I also have my map on my lap for reference. To find my position on the sectional I check for nearest airports with the 496 and then see where I am relative to them. It works but does mean a bit of heads up and down, sometimes more down, time to get my position.Using the ipad, and ForeFlight, none of that is necessary as a nice little airplane picture is shown on the VFR sectional showing exactly where you are. If you look closely at the picture, and zoom in, you will see the little airplane on the ?joins Lake Huron? map symbol that is just off the shore south of Kingston. The unit was able to keep a gps signal while resting on my left knee. I am going to get a strap for it and let it reside there during flights.
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Even after almost 2000 hours of VFR cross country flight this situational awareness is a breath of fresh air. And better yet; all this can be done without any data charges or cell link ups. You simply purchase the $75 yearly ForeFlight app and download the charts and airport information that you will be using. When you get to your destination take the unit with you and it becomes your laptop and if the hotel has WiFi, and most do, it is your connection to the world. It can beautifully store all your pictures and also be your music source.
When I travel VFR in my rocket I have lots of information, Garmin 496, Garmin 430, and an AFS 3500 with moving map, and I use these tools to tell me where I am. I always want to know where I am, especially when flying alone and I also have my map on my lap for reference. To find my position on the sectional I check for nearest airports with the 496 and then see where I am relative to them. It works but does mean a bit of heads up and down, sometimes more down, time to get my position.Using the ipad, and ForeFlight, none of that is necessary as a nice little airplane picture is shown on the VFR sectional showing exactly where you are. If you look closely at the picture, and zoom in, you will see the little airplane on the ?joins Lake Huron? map symbol that is just off the shore south of Kingston. The unit was able to keep a gps signal while resting on my left knee. I am going to get a strap for it and let it reside there during flights.
Uploaded with ImageShack.us
Even after almost 2000 hours of VFR cross country flight this situational awareness is a breath of fresh air. And better yet; all this can be done without any data charges or cell link ups. You simply purchase the $75 yearly ForeFlight app and download the charts and airport information that you will be using. When you get to your destination take the unit with you and it becomes your laptop and if the hotel has WiFi, and most do, it is your connection to the world. It can beautifully store all your pictures and also be your music source.
