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Foreflight for GA flying

Posted: Mon Sep 26, 2022 3:26 pm
by TwinOtterFan
Good morning all, hope everyone is doing well.

Just curious how many of you all use Foreflight when just flying GA for fun? I decided to try it out yesterday just quick flight from CZVL to CER3 and back, bout a 30 minute flight each way. I lost GPS signal half way for a few minutes but other than that seemed okay? I still have lots of learning to do with it and some setting up to do but other than the little GPS glitch it seems okay.

Before the Colenol asks, I did have my trusty VNC, with my course plotted and my frequencies were written on my knee board. That is how I realized the GPS was out.

Re: Foreflight for GA flying

Posted: Mon Sep 26, 2022 3:32 pm
by digits
I've never lost GPS signal with foreflight. The newer apple chips didn't always like to work with pressurized aircraft, but that's probably not an issue for the GA flights you're mentioning.

For me it's mainly an IFR chart library, but it does contain all VNCs.

A bit of a shame that the 2 nicest features (switching from in flight to ground taxi chart and the vertical airspace profile plotting) are only available in the premium subscription which inlcudes a lot of stuff you'll never need. Marketing 101 I guess?

But generally I'm happy with it.

Flightplan.com has a free app as well, but that drains battery like crazy. Not sure if they have VFR stuff in there.

Re: Foreflight for GA flying

Posted: Mon Sep 26, 2022 3:46 pm
by Slick Goodlin
I’ve used it for light VFR flying and liked it quite a bit, but lately I’ve been too cheap to bother.

I don’t go anywhere though so consider that when mulling over what my opinion means to you.

Re: Foreflight for GA flying

Posted: Mon Sep 26, 2022 6:38 pm
by Nark
I live and die by foreflight both GA and mil flying (conus).

Super awesome product.

IFR planning on minutes. No paper charts anywhere.

Re: Foreflight for GA flying

Posted: Mon Sep 26, 2022 6:45 pm
by TwinOtterFan
Nark wrote:
Mon Sep 26, 2022 6:38 pm
I live and die by foreflight both GA and mil flying (conus).

Super awesome product.

IFR planning on minutes. No paper charts anywhere.
Are you using a 3g IPad or not, mine is a non 3g model with an external GPS module, maybe that was my problem.

Re: Foreflight for GA flying

Posted: Mon Sep 26, 2022 7:24 pm
by digits
TwinOtterFan wrote:
Mon Sep 26, 2022 6:45 pm
Nark wrote:
Mon Sep 26, 2022 6:38 pm
I live and die by foreflight both GA and mil flying (conus).

Super awesome product.

IFR planning on minutes. No paper charts anywhere.
Are you using a 3g IPad or not, mine is a non 3g model with an external GPS module, maybe that was my problem.
Ugh. Those ipads without built in GPS are junk. They should be burned.

Re: Foreflight for GA flying

Posted: Tue Sep 27, 2022 1:04 am
by Scudrunner
I used it on my iPhone and iPad to take the Pitts from Ontario to Vancouver and now navigating around in the 337, I don't have any paper charts.

At work we have recently switched to it because Boeing owns Jeppeson and Foreflight and they decided you need to have Foreflight to get the Jepp plates and ended the standalone Jeppview App. Smart business Id say but.......

I think its a great platform, we will be ditching Arinc for our flight planning as soon as they get the second segment data and runway performance for us Bizjet folks.
I have few complaints about it, love all the features.

As for the older ipads I had a Bad Elf blue tooth GPS reciever that I would chuck up on the dash and paird to the old ipads and it would display position flawlessly in the bizjets.

The new ones I navigate around with it and never had an issue.

PM me Ill send you my old Bad Elf to try out with the 3G ipad

Re: Foreflight for GA flying

Posted: Tue Sep 27, 2022 4:14 am
by Nark
TwinOtterFan wrote:
Mon Sep 26, 2022 6:45 pm
Nark wrote:
Mon Sep 26, 2022 6:38 pm
I live and die by foreflight both GA and mil flying (conus).

Super awesome product.

IFR planning on minutes. No paper charts anywhere.
Are you using a 3g IPad or not, mine is a non 3g model with an external GPS module, maybe that was my problem.
My company iPad is 5G ? I find I get a position about 85% of the time in the cockpit. Not sure the rhyme or reason. It’s mounted in the same spot on every aircraft.

My personal iPad is wifi only. I use a Century that pulls power from an (aircraft) USB-C power source.
Routinely 2-3meters of accuracy.
I use it to see ADS-B traffic on the iPad. By virtue of Apple, I also have my iPhone, which taps into the same century. I use my iPhone more than the iPad. I have a panel mount that I can glance at. I’ll use the iPad to brief the approach plate.

Foreflight is the best thing since sliced bread.

Re: Foreflight for GA flying

Posted: Tue Sep 27, 2022 4:59 am
by TwinOtterFan
My buddy is running the bad elf on his IPad and hasn't mentioned any issues.

I'm using this one currently

https://www.dualgpssolutions.com/explor ... t/xgps150a

I know it's on their approved list, maybe I'll take it on a few more flights and see. If it was just a fluke.

I haven't really explored much yet. I know they just started giving the low end users like myself the ability to do weight and balance and setup more performance data so I want to get all that input. It seems like an amazing tool, I will enjoy while time building I think.

Also going to be doing my night rating soon and I do like the added security it has for towers and such. Not that I plan on putting myself in a scenario where I am near one but still. Extra situational awareness does not hurt.

Re: Foreflight for GA flying

Posted: Tue Sep 27, 2022 11:53 am
by Colonel
External power is a must. Plumb to aircraft or use a Lithium brick. IPhone does all I need for VFR.

Do people use the full size Pad? When we updated the Mini I thought it was perfect for the cockpit. Uses a phone SoC:

https://www.apple.com/shop/buy-ipad/ipad-mini