ForeFlight Mobile 5.6 is now available for download at App Store. The highlights of this update include enhanced flight plan filing options – including ICAO flight plan form support – as well as complete worldwide coverage for military pilots and all supplemental DOD/DFLIP/DAFIF data.
ForeFlight Mobile 5.6 requires iOS 6 or later.
Filing Smarter with ForeFlight Mobile and Lockheed Martin AFSS
We are always looking for ways to make you more productive and efficient during every flight, and modernized briefings and flight plan filing is an important goal of ours this year. With this update we continue to build a foundation that streamlines those activities.
ForeFlight now primarily files flight plans directly via the modernized Lockheed Martin Flight Services AFSS interfaces (we also continue to file via DUATS if that is your preference). One of the benefits when using the AFSS interface is that Flight Service specialists will see flight plan details and can therefore more quickly provide you briefings and open VFR flight plans. Another benefit is faster search and rescue response times in the event they are needed.
Due to FAA policy and technical limitations, when you file flight plans via the DUAT or DUATS systems, flight service is not able to easily obtain that plan information (it may already be ‘gone to Center’ and unavailable). That limitation results in your having to regurgitate your entire flight plan in order to get a briefing or open a VFR flight plan – that is frustrating on the ground, and even more frustrating when airborne, in turbulence, and busy. We worked around the limitation to improve service to ForeFlight customers by collaborating with Lockheed Martin and taking advantage of modernized AFSS interface capabilities.
You don’t need to do anything special to take advantage of the AFSS interfaces. Whether you have entered your DUATS credentials or not, the ForeFlight servers always send a copy of your flight plan to Flight Service whenever you file via ForeFlight Mobile. If you haven’t filed via ForeFlight Mobile before, take it for a spin. When you file with ForeFlight Mobile, you get better Flight Service support, flight alerts, and recorded briefings that prove you comply with Part 91.103.
What’s New in File & Brief
Once you have planned your route using the Airport and Maps view, you are only a few taps away from filing your plan via the app. Simply tap the Send To button on the Nav Log and select File & Brief. Or, go to the File & Brief view and tap “New Flight Plan”. On the flight plan form is a new field labeled ‘Form Type’ that allows you to choose between FAA/Domestic or ICAO flight plan forms.
Besides being immediately integrated with Flight Services, filing directly through ForeFlight gives you digital notifications, aircraft profile management, and stored access to previously filed flight plans. Email notifications from ForeFlight document and timestamp the filing process so you know your request is in the system. You will receive three emails after you Brief then File your plan:
-
One is a summary and confirmation of your filed flight plan.
-
The second email contains your weather briefing. This briefing contains much of the same information you would receive calling 800-WX-BRIEF and speaking with a Flight Service Specialist. You can also revisit the briefing anytime within the app by tapping ‘Brief’ in the File & Brief view.
-
If you filed IFR, you will receive an email alert with your expected route of flight, if available, or a note that an expected route was not received from ATC.
iOS technology also allows us to deliver Flight Alert push notifications directly to all your iPads and iPhones. Flight Alerts notify you when an expected route is issued by ATC. Tap on the notification to automatically update your Nav Log and your in-flight moving map is ready to go with the changes.
Managing your aircraft profile(s) in the app is easy, and once established, your default values are automatically copied into your next flight plan. Previous flight plans may also be stored so you can copy, edit, and re-file without having to start from scratch.
It’s all about refining and streamlining the steps to get you in the air. There is more to come, but it starts with using mobile technology to do more of the work so you can focus on flying the plane.
File ICAO for US Domestic Flights
When flying internationally or crossing foreign airspace (common in the great lakes regions), you must file ICAO flight plans to be compliant with the regulations. However, there are reasons you may be required to file using the ICAO format for US Domestic flights, like Performance Based Navigation, RVSM, or ADS-B.
If you normally file using the FAA/Domestic format, we encourage you to consider the benefits of filing ICAO. The ICAO format collects additional bits of information about your flight and aircraft profile that increase safety and may help with potential search and rescue efforts. If you are flying over remote areas, you can indicate what survival gear or emergency radios you have onboard. Flying over the Great Lakes? You can report details about dinghy equipment.
By filing ICAO, you can note special flight status, such as medical flight, medical evacuation, fire-fighting, search and rescue, or humanitarian. Communicating these extra details to Flight Service before you even depart can make your flight handling go more smoothly.
File ICAO for IFR Flights to Canada, Caribbean, Mexico, and Everywhere In Between!
As we expand our geographic coverage, so does our flight plan filing support. Our support for filing ICAO flight plans lets you file IFR flights to and from the US and within Canada, Caribbean, Bahamas, and Mexico.
Complete Worldwide Coverage for Military Flight Bag with DOD Data
ForeFlight Mobile 5.6 introduces the completed worldwide coverage of Department of Defense DFLIP data including: approach plates, enroute charts, and DAFIF nav data. In addition to Central and South America, Pacific, Australasia, and Antarctica, ForeFlight’s Military Flight Bag now offers: Africa, Canada, Europe, Asia, Middle East, and United States.
Military Flight Bag is a service available to military, state and federal agencies, and DOD contractors who have approval to access the Department of Defense Flight Information Publications (FLIP) and who have an active ForeFlight Mobile subscription. For information on adding Military Flight Bag to your ForeFlight subscription, please email sales@foreflight.com.
Enable Ownship Setting
One final note for our customers with limited approval for use of the Ownship feature, we have modified the “Disable Ownship” setting to “Enable Ownship” and added an option for Ownship location to automatically be shown on the airport diagram when traveling at 40 knots or slower.
5.6 is a free update for current subscribers. Click here for instructions on updating to the latest version.
