ForeFlight Mobile 4.2 for iPad and iPhone is now available in the App Store. This is a big release that revamps our mapping engine, adds more map interactivity than ever before, takes ForeFlight global, and adds support for in-flight weather via XM. Video after the jump:
[vimeo http://vimeo.com/30436977]
A summary of enhancements is below.
✣ Support for the Baron Mobile Link device for XM WX in-flight with detailed device status view for Mobile Link
✣ Extra zooming for charts
✣ New overlays for Maps: TFRs, AIR/SIGMETs, PIREPs
✣ Ability to overlay markers, TFRs, radar, satellite, etc. on all charts with adjustable transparency
✣ New World Map providing in-flight access to a clean and simple, global geo-political and physical map
✣ Flight planning integrated with the ForeFlight Global Winds engine.
✣ Performance improvements for the File & Brief view
✣ Ability to print a NavLog to any AirPrint-capable printer
✣ Refinements to airway processing for routes
✣ True headings provided for routes near poles
✣ Location marker now pulses on Maps for better visibility
✣ Notice when Maps are being viewed that are not saved for offline use
Click here for instructions on updating to this latest version. We recommend that all users install this update.
XM Weather on iPad
XM weather lands on ForeFlight Mobile and iPad! We’re quite ecstatic about this new capability, and we believe it is the most robust implementation of XM weather for iPad available today. We’ve flown with XM on our iPads for the past few months and we are really pleased with the results. ForeFlight Mobile has passed all the meteorological integrity tests required by our partner Baron Services and all of the service integrity tests required by SiriusXM. It is quite fun to see XM weather light up the iPad the first time you fly with it.
We have done a number of things in our XM weather support to make the experience unique. ForeFlight color-matched the XM radar and ForeFlight’s traditional internet-based weather so that the presentation is consistent before and during flight. We also integrated the XM data feed with all of the ForeFlight’s maps: flight rules, TFRs, AIRMETs and SIGMETs, temperature, dew point, and more. A pilot familiar with ForeFlight’s existing visual weather maps will be right at home when getting XM weather when airborne. Finally, you can layer your XM weather on top of the world map or sectionals, and even overlay TFRs or AIRMETs/SIGMETS on top of those. It’s pretty darn cool, and incredibly helpful.
Interactive Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFRs)
We’re especially happy with the new interactive TFRs map. Pilots now have the option of displaying TFR graphics on top of any of our maps: the new data driven world map, sectionals, or even an Internet-only street map. TFRs are downloaded and stored locally, making them available for reference in flight. Tap on a TFR and see details including description, purpose, active/inactive status, and effective times. TFRs that are active or becoming effective within 24 hours are shown as red shapes, and TFRs becoming effective more than 24 hours from now are shown in yellow.
ForeFlight Mobile’s TFR feature also understands TFRs that will be active at different times over a range of days, nicely merging all the times together and presenting you with a clear picture of when the TFR will be active over the scheduled period.
Pilots flying with ForeFlight Mobile should find steering clear of TFRs simpler than ever before.
Interactive Airmets and Sigmets
Ultimately, we’d like to do away with the old text briefings most pilots have used over the years. One more step towards that goal is ForeFlight Mobile’s new interactive AIRMETs and SIGMETS map. Like the TFR map, all AIRMET and SIGMET shapes are interactive, allowing you to see active and forecast hazards such as IFR conditions, mountain obscurations, icing, convective activity, turbulence, and more. Tap on any of the AIR/SIGMET shapes and elegant artwork helps you visually associate the textual information with the shapes that appear on the map.
ForeFlight Global Winds Engine
ForeFlight Mobile is now fully integrated with the ForeFlight Global Winds Engine (the “GWE”). The ForeFlight GWE will provide wind, turbulence, and icing forecasts up to FL540 and up to 18 hours in advance. All flight plans that include a true airspeed and an altitude will now use the GWE to compute wind effects. More wind, for more areas of the world, resulting in more accurate flight planning.
PIREPS
An interactive PIREP map is now available in ForeFlight Mobile, too. This new interactive PIREP map includes reports made by automated reporting systems (such as ACARS) installed in commercial aircraft. Select the PIREPs map and see reports for turbulence, winds, icing, and more.
Nav Log Printing
Want to take your nav log with you? With ForeFlight Mobile 4.2, you can now print your navigation log to any air-print enabled printer.
Enjoy!
We’re already galloping towards our 4.3 release. 4.2 was a big update, requiring approvals from multiple new partners including SiriusXM. With 4.2 out of the way, we’re in clear air and throttles up.