~ Is Foreflite worth it ? Navigation Questions

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Tips Up
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Re: ~ Is Foreflite worth it ? Navigation Questions

Post by Tips Up »

And don't forget the goodies with ForeFlight one can add... throw in a stratus and a sxar1 and now you have synthetic vision with a backup ahrs you can fly all the way to the runway, adsb traffic(more useful in the US but even here fun to see WJ crossing over you at 40k ft and 400kts on the screen), and xmweather right on your iPad for live weather,winds,metars etc...
Oh the toys we can get now.
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photofly
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Re: ~ Is Foreflite worth it ? Navigation Questions

Post by photofly »

has anyone found a way to get an sxar1 subscription without a US credit card?
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DId you hear the one about the jurisprudence fetishist? He got off on a technicality.
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AirFrame
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Re: ~ Is Foreflite worth it ? Navigation Questions

Post by AirFrame »

Cat Driver wrote:Do glass cockpit airplane's such as modern computerised jets use north up on the display?
I haven't seen one that isn't user-selectable, but my exposure is mostly to the Amateur-Built market... Dynon, Grand Rapids, Garmin G3X, etc. I don't know what Aspen or any of the systems in Boeing/Airbus do.
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Spokes
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Re: ~ Is Foreflite worth it ? Navigation Questions

Post by Spokes »

7ECA wrote:Most panel mounted GPS units have the option to configure North Up or Track Up on the moving map. I remember getting into a FTU aircraft where someone had configured the '430 to track up... There's a reason the default is North Up.

As for using Foreflight, yes it is worth it, if you are going to use it - and fly regularly enough to make it worthwhile. The subscription is expensive if you only use it a couple of times a year, but the free updates are a great value.
If your paying a subscription fee, then those updates are not free. You have payed for them.

For myself I have been using FltPlan.go. It does everything I need, and truly is free. Sadly it only has North American data. If you want to work elsewhere, then a different choice is needed.
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Re: ~ Is Foreflite worth it ? Navigation Questions

Post by CpnCrunch »

photofly wrote:There's also the iPad Pro. Personally I think it's too big to use handily, but it's an option.
Well there are two sizes: 10.5 and 12.9. I think the 12.9 is too large, but the 10.5 is about right.

Also bear in mind that only the iPad Pro has the anti-reflective coating, and the mini is 2 generations behind (it has the A8 rather than A10 chip).
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7ECA
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Re: ~ Is Foreflite worth it ? Navigation Questions

Post by 7ECA »

Spokes wrote: If your paying a subscription fee, then those updates are not free. You have payed for them.
One could argue that the updates are included within the subscription fee, but then we are arguing semantics.

Regardless, Foreflight has a better pricing model than say Garmin. Buy a ~$1000 CAD Garmin portable GPS, and then pay $30USD every 28 days for Nav Data, $50USD every 56 days for Obstacle Data, and $75USD every couple of years for Terrain. Now, that's assuming you want to keep your databases up to date, you could of course just update a couple of times a year...
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Re: ~ Is Foreflite worth it ? Navigation Questions

Post by waterdog »

I used paper while doing my ppl, but also started playing with ForeFlight. Since my flight test I haven't looked at a paper map, still in my flight bag tho. It's worth it just for an updated CFS every 56 days! I think being able to import all of the documents into ForeFlight is the best part. I can't imagine buying a new CFS every 56 days.........did people really do that? Or just fly with outdated info?
The other app I used during my flight training and still do is cloud ahoy. Great to debrief afterwards and see where you are struggling.
I think because ForeFlight is on my iPad and phone, I end up looking at it all the time and therefore stay current. I've got everything paired with a bad elf and it works great.
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boogs82
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Re: ~ Is Foreflite worth it ? Navigation Questions

Post by boogs82 »

Interesting about the ipads. I've been looking at the refurbished ones. Still have one year warranty and significantly less expensive. Has anybody bought one yet? It seems the refurbishment can be anything from a misplaced button to new hardware.
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jg24
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Re: ~ Is Foreflite worth it ? Navigation Questions

Post by jg24 »

boogs82 wrote:Interesting about the ipads. I've been looking at the refurbished ones. Still have one year warranty and significantly less expensive. Has anybody bought one yet? It seems the refurbishment can be anything from a misplaced button to new hardware.
Nothing wrong with refurbished units. Make sure you buy a certified refurbished one FROM Apple on THEIR online store. It's just a unit that got sent back for whatever reason, it got repaired if there was a defect, and went through all the quality controls and tests all over again prior to boxing it. Doesn't come in the fancy white box which basically costs you 200$. You get all new accessories, charger, cable etc. And it works perfectly fine, along with the same warranty as a new unit.

You can find some sweet deals on the refurbished section.
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Re: ~ Is Foreflite worth it ? Navigation Questions

Post by AirFrame »

waterdog wrote:I can't imagine buying a new CFS every 56 days.........did people really do that? Or just fly with outdated info?
Very few private pilots carry a current CFS in their aircraft. More carry current charts, but still, it's nowhere near 100%. Some of us know people who get their CFS free through their work, and then hand them off to friends when they expire. So some of us are only an issue or two out-of-date at any one time. Still, I have a free copy of the current editions without any subscription fees thanks to FltPlanGo. A one- or two-generation old CFS and Chart is just fine when you have an up-to-date digital copy handy and have made note of any significant changes that affect you on the paper ones.
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lhalliday
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Re: ~ Is Foreflite worth it ? Navigation Questions

Post by lhalliday »

My digital CFS (in ForeFlight) is current. I buy a fresh paper CFS twice a year. If an important update has happened, like the recent changes to procedures at Boundary Bay, I'll buy a new CFS so I have it on paper. I always have current local paper charts, Vancouver VNC and VTA.

...laura
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Re: ~ Is Foreflite worth it ? Navigation Questions

Post by 7ECA »

lhalliday wrote:If an important update has happened, like the recent changes to procedures at Boundary Bay...

...laura
Speaking of which, were those changes announced anywhere? I was looking at the VTA on Foreflight last week, and wondered when Newton, Court House, Auto Mall, etc, were introduced. Low and behold, new arrival and departure procedures. :roll:
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Re: ~ Is Foreflite worth it ? Navigation Questions

Post by AirFrame »

7ECA wrote:Speaking of which, were those changes announced anywhere?
Yes, they were published in the latest CFS...
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lhalliday
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Re: ~ Is Foreflite worth it ? Navigation Questions

Post by lhalliday »

This was discussed at the PrepAir seminar at Boundary Bay, but I didn't hear anything more until the new CFS and VTA were published.

When I got my new VTA I flew over to check out the new procedures. Automall arrival, touch and go on 25, Courthouse departure. Plus some other messing around. The weird curving approach back in to Langley was to stay out of the way of a first solo. :-)
automall.png
automall.png (394.07 KiB) Viewed 1553 times
...laura
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7ECA
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Re: ~ Is Foreflite worth it ? Navigation Questions

Post by 7ECA »

AirFrame wrote:
7ECA wrote:Speaking of which, were those changes announced anywhere?
Yes, they were published in the latest CFS...
Thank goodness we all read the CFS at bedtime, eh? :lol:
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Re: ~ Is Foreflite worth it ? Navigation Questions

Post by CpnCrunch »

7ECA wrote:
AirFrame wrote:
7ECA wrote:Speaking of which, were those changes announced anywhere?
Yes, they were published in the latest CFS...
Thank goodness we all read the CFS at bedtime, eh? :lol:
Aren't things like this meant to be NOTAMd? There doesn't appear to be any NOTAM for it.

I don't look up the CFS entries for airports I regularly fly to, I assume any important change will have a NOTAM, as per the AIM.

"A NOTAM is originated and issued promptly to disseminate
information concerning any of the conditions listed below:

(f) establishment of, withdrawal of or significant changes
made to procedures for air navigation services;
(o) establishment or discontinuance of areas or routes or
portions thereof; "
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lhalliday
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Re: ~ Is Foreflite worth it ? Navigation Questions

Post by lhalliday »

My understanding was that since the changes took effect when the CFS and VTA were published, no NOTAM was necessary. If the changes had taken effect earlier in the year there would have been a NOTAM until the new CFS came out.

...laura
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Tips Up
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Re: ~ Is Foreflite worth it ? Navigation Questions

Post by Tips Up »

photofly wrote:has anyone found a way to get an sxar1 subscription without a US credit card?

They will happily take your money if you call instead of trying to subscribe online. Canadian credit card works fine. If the person needs a zip code, simply sign up for an American address. Lots of different online companies to do this with in order to provide Canadians with a US mailing address and then either pick up the mail or have it forwarded to you. The sxar1 works great. Especially for long xcountries.
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Re: ~ Is Foreflite worth it ? Navigation Questions

Post by rvdungen »

Buy Foreflight and put it on your iPhone and iPad. Comments on batteries dying are overrated as there are several ways to create redundancy with power adapters and supplies. The enhancement to your situational awareness is worth the cost. Trips become more enjoyable. Planning becomes more efficient.
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Deves
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Re: ~ Is Foreflite worth it ? Navigation Questions

Post by Deves »

Recently did a Trip through the mountains from Edmonton to Vancouver Island. Foreflight was worth every penny! I did have my ipad crash due to 33C direct sunlight on the dash mount. So always be prepared . Get good at the paper map, have Foreflight as a backup. I use a Bad Elf as the gps receiver , its nice. Good Luck in your flight training

Deves
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