iPad 3G Flight Test and First Impressions

Posted on May 27, 2010 by foreflight

Jason Miller, one of the ForeFlight co-founders and principal developer on ForeFlight HD, prepared a video report of his overall impressions of iPad 3G and GPS performance after a series of test flights recently conducted in ForeFlight One, our SR22 GTS and test-bed platform.

During this flight, Jason took the SR22 up to 11,500′ and monitored iPad 3G GPS performance during climb, cruise, and descent, comparing the iPad’s readings to those displayed by the 430s and a Garmin GPSMap 296 mounted on the co-pilot’s window. Jason -as is the case for just about everything he does – has done an excellent job comparing and contrasting iPad 3G performance.

As a result of our testing, we’ve drawn some conclusions for the time being: we do not want to show GPS position on plates, as we’ve seen accuracy drop to as low as 50M. That’s nearly 200′ of deviation – the difference between being shown as positioned on the taxiway when you’re actually on the runway, and vice-versa. We see the most deviation during descents and climbs – phases of flight where accuracy of your avionics is important, especially in IMC. But, the GPS, during our tests, worked well during cruise. Your mileage may vary.

On your iPad? Go here to view the video using HTML5. Debuting in the video are some yet-to-be-seen features that will land on your iPad shortly!

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Are EFBs Legal for Use? Are they safe?

Posted on May 23, 2010 by foreflight

We receive a lot of email inquiries asking about the legality of using an iPad in aviation and as an EFB in cockpit to replace paper plates and charts. We typically point to the relevant advisory circulars and publications by experts to help customers determine for themselves if the type of flying they do allows legal use of the iPad as a replacement for paper charts and terminal procedures (we’re not lawyers). This month, we get some additional guidance from an FAA editor in answering the question.

Susan Parson – a flight instructor, pilot, and Editor of FAA Aviation News magazine  - penned an article in this month’s FAA News Magazine titled “Flying Paperless Airplanes“.  It provides more guidance for Part 91 pilots:

Other part 91 operations—including those of us who fly light general aviation aircraft for business or pleasure—do not require any specific authorization for EFB operations, as long as the EFB does not replace any system or equipment required by the regulations. Yet, even if the EFB conditions and restrictions outlined in the AC don’t apply to the kind of flying you currently do, it is still useful to know how the FAA defines and classifies these devices.

So, can or should you fly with an iPad (running, ForeFlight of course) as an EFB? The bottom line:

The bottom line: EFB technology is available here and now, and proper use of any class of EFB system can improve efficiency and safety while eliminating considerable weight in paper. Sounds like I need to shop for my next gadget.

We think this article is a good thing for iPad aviation and helps ForeFlight customers make some more sense of the regulations. Download the article here: ‘Flying Paperless Airplanes’.

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ForeFlight at Cirrus Migration 8

Posted on May 19, 2010 by foreflight

ForeFlight’s Jason Miller will be attending this year’s Cirrus Migration, the annual get-together for Cirrus owners.  This year’s Migration will be held June 17-19 in Dayton, OH.

ForeFlight will also be a bronze sponsor of the event, providing a “Migration 8″ t-shirt for all attendees as part of their welcome package.  If you’ll be there, please let us know at team@foreflight.com!

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iPad Flight Plan Filing and Briefing, Version 3.4

Posted on May 15, 2010 by foreflight

ForeFlight Mobile HD 3.4 has landed in the iTunes App Store and brings full-screen flight plan filing and briefing to the iPad. Customers who have enjoyed filing flight plans on their iPhones will be delighted to find ForeFlight 3.4 on the iPad importing all previously filed plans. Download your plans, copy a favorite, update the departure time, brief it, and you’re off.

In designing filing and briefing for the iPad, we stepped back to create a feature that compliments the iPad’s remarkable screen size and user interface patterns. Gems include:

  • popovers for aircraft selection, departure time, time enroute, and fuel aboard;
  • optimized experience that reduced the number of taps and touches required to complete a plan by a factor of two;
  • developed a full screen briefing view with page controls for navigating through briefing sections; developed an integrated aircraft management function so you can stay on the form and manage your aircraft list;
  • intelligent organization so you can see plans you filed today, last week, last month, or those that are upcoming;
  • support for flight planning more than 24 hours in advance.

We wanted the experience of briefing and filing to be frustration free and fast. We measured taps and touches, put the new interface in the hands of nearly a dozen pilots to identify hangups and wrinkles that needed ironing out, and ended up with a feature we think you will enjoy.

As an added benefit, we tied the iPad and iPhone to your ForeFlight account so that no matter which device you file from – an iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad – your flight plans are always safely on file with ForeFlight, DUATS, and the FAA.  Triple protection and peace of mind.

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Version 3.4 included a couple of other minor enhancements, including:

✣ A new refresh button on the iPad’s Maps view, allowing you to refresh weather more frequently when desired.
✣ Support for ADDS/NWS G-AIRMET imagery.
✣ Fixed a bug where plates would clip after rotation.
✣ Fixed a bug that would allow maps to over-zoom.
We’re taking time with each iPad feature to ensure that it looks right at home and also raises the bar for what you expect an iPad aviation app to do

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iPad Aviation, AOPA, and FSDO Approval

Posted on May 8, 2010 by foreflight

Sarah Brown of the AOPA pushed a piece about iPad aviation on Friday titled “How will the iPad change the GA cockpit?” featuring ForeFlight Mobile HD. Some interesting nuggets and links from the article about iPad aviation and the FAA advisory circulars that apply:

  • “The iPad has not—or at least not yet—gone through the process of being certified as a Class 1 EFB, but Part 91 operators of smaller aircraft do not require any specific authorization for EFB operations provided the EFB does not replace any system or equipment required by the regulations.”
  • A link to the 2003 advisory circular (AC 120-76A) that provides information about the certification, airworthiness, and operational approval of EFBs.
  • A link to the 2007 advisory circular (AC 91-78) that discusses that pilots are allowed to replace some paper information with electronic sources.

Part 91 drivers have a lot of latitude to replace paper with digital sources, so long as you stay within the bumper rails outlined in the two circulars. Our favorite sentence from AC 120-76a is in section ’1. Purpose’: “Other part 91 operations do not require any specific authorization for EFB operations provided the EFB does not replace any system or equipment required by the regulations.”

One ForeFlighter in Virginia Beach, VA succeeded in getting Part 91 approval for use of ForeFlight Mobile HD and the iPad from his local FSDO head. Visit our Facebook page to follow the thread.

Other operators will need to run the “Operational Approval Process” gauntlet outlined in section 12 of AC 120-76a and ultimately seek an OpSpec from an FAA POI. If you’re operation is interested in learning more about the use of ForeFlight within your operation or flight department, contact Eric Hake (eric at foreflight dot com) for more information.

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