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ForeFlight Mobile 3 HD Lands on iPad App Store

Today we are announcing a remarkable upgrade to ForeFlight Mobile 3 as well as a slight name change that conveys the strength of this update. Many of you have asked us over the past few weeks if ForeFlight Mobile 3 would work on Apple’s iPad. Well, we’re finally ready to announce what we’ve been working on!

ForeFlight Mobile 3 High Definition (HD)

ForeFlight Mobile 3 HD showing HD NEXRAD and Airport Information

Why the HD? The HD label means ForeFlight Mobile 3 runs gloriously on the new Apple iPad.  True to ForeFlight style, we’ve designed ForeFlight Mobile 3 HD from the ground up for iPad, carefully crafting every screen to support this remarkable new device.  iPad Aviation has arrived!

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How do I get ForeFlight Mobile 3 HD?

If you already have ForeFlight Mobile 3, all of the new iPad features come as an update to your existing ForeFlight Mobile 3 app.  Simply download the latest version (v3.2.2) on your phone via the ‘Updates’ tab in the App Store.  This automatically upgrades your current version from ForeFlight Mobile 3 to ForeFlight Mobile 3 HD.  On your iPhone, the app will run exactly like before. But launch it on an iPad, and you’ll see ForeFlight Mobile in full HD!

What’s the cost?

For existing ForeFlight Mobile 3 subscribers, this is a free upgrade.  You can run ForeFlight Mobile 3 on one iPhone and one iPad without needing to buy any additional license or subscription.

For new customers to ForeFlight Mobile 3, the app is a free download from the iTunes App Store and includes the first month of your subscription.  This download runs on both your iPhone and iPad.  You can purchase a subscription extension inside the app: $24.99 for 3 months or $74.99/year. Customers upgrading from any version of ForeFlight Mobile 2 pay only $49.99 for the first year of their subscription.

Never before have you been able to download airport data for 27,000 airports; NACO plates for the entire US; airport data from UVTripPlanner, the FAA, and the AOPA; plus get HD NEXRAD, satellite and other weather maps and more for only $74.99 a year. Not only can you preview plates and airport data on your iPad, but you can listen to a little Rock and Roll from your music collection while you do.

If you don’t yet have an iPad yet, you can still purchase a subscription from within ForeFlight Mobile 3 HD running on your iPhone.

What’s Next on the iPad

Redesigning for iPad was a huge task, so we first focused on features that take advantage of the big display: plates, maps, weather, downloads, and airport data. Some features aren’t yet available when running ForeFlight Mobile 3 HD on the iPad:

  • routes screen
  • flight plan filing and briefing
  • animation for radar and satellite
  • aircraft management

We’re working to add those in a future update, so stay tuned! All of this functionality is still available when running ForeFlight Mobile 3 HD on the iPhone – we didn’t take anything away.

Is iPad + ForeFlight Mobile 3 HD the ‘Holy Grail’?

For years pilots have longed for a device that is light weight, readable, bright, sips power, and can comfortably hold an entire set of plates, charts, airport data, weather, and more. The iPad plus a copy of ForeFlight Mobile 3 HD is definitely that. We’re not striving for the ‘Holy Grail’ – that’s a bit too much for our small team to tackle. We’re striving for great productivity features at an affordable price.

We’ve intentionally focused on features that make the most out of the iPad’s great features, and minimized focus on those that aren’t ready for prime-time aviation use. For example, ForeFlight Mobile 3 HD is the perfect app for viewing airport information, terminal procedures, charts, and weather. Since the WiFi-only version of the iPad has no GPS receiver (and the 3G iPad’s GPS only works when not in “airplane” mode), we advise against using the iPad as a replacement for avionics or for navigation.

We believe that saving iPad-owning pilots money on terminal procedure, sectional charts, and airport data subscriptions is a great first step, and we believe ForeFlight Mobile 3 HD is an elegant solution for doing just that. Download the plates, charts, and airport data you need via ForeFlight Mobile 3 HD’s download manager; pinch, zoom, and pan your way across charts; manage your favorite airports; quickly access plates; and more.

Is the iPad the ‘Holy Grail’ for aviation? That remains to be seen and you won’t hear us using that label, but as software developers we are blown away by this device and its potential.  We’re inspired and excited that our focus on Apple devices has provided us the opportunity to bring ForeFlight Mobile 3 HD to you.

Infrastructure

We invested in our digital content delivery network to ensure a fast, reliable download experience. ForeFlight uses 22 servers placed around the globe for efficient delivery of digital data. Our goal is for you to have confidence that when you are at home or in the FBO, our network of servers will speedily deliver the data you need to access when you are away from a network connection.

Want to be Listed?

Would you like your business or FBO to be listed in ForeFlight Mobile 3 HD? Please fill out this form and we’ll update you when our premium listing service is available!

Enjoy!

ForeFlight Mobile 3 HD is a step forward, and the future is bright! Aviation has changed, and you’re pocket book is a beneficiary. It’s been a pleasure applying our craftsmanship to this new version. We hope you enjoy using it as much as we’ve enjoyed building it.

Blue skies!
The ForeFlight Team