ForeFlight 12.4 includes Internet Traffic, Multitasking support on iPad, major design enhancements, and more.
Internet Traffic Via FlightAware
Stream live global aircraft traffic directly in ForeFlight with the Internet Traffic feature. In partnership with FlightAware, ForeFlight allows you to view airborne traffic around the globe, and ground traffic at thousands of airports worldwide, to help you gauge airport activity like active arrivals and runways, see how ATC vectors traffic around weather, or assist with plane spotting on the ground.
Turn on the Traffic layer by tapping Map layer selector (button in the top left corner) > Traffic. Internet Traffic is associated with the same map layer as ADS-B traffic and is selectable when connected to the internet on the ground or via inflight Wi-Fi like Gogo and Satcom Direct. When you connect to an ADS-B receiver, the Traffic layer will automatically switch to displaying only ADS-B traffic received from the device and stop showing Internet Traffic unless you’re connected to inflight Wi-Fi. The timestamp in the top-left of the map displays the source of traffic any time the Traffic layer is enabled.
Like ADS-B traffic, Internet Traffic displays both airborne and ground targets with at-a-glance altitude and tail number or callsign, if available. Unlike ADS-B traffic, which shows each target’s altitude relative to your own, Internet Traffic shows each target’s pressure altitude directly. Tap on any traffic target to view more information about it, including its distance and bearing from your position, its heading, speed, aircraft type, the source of the aircraft’s position report, and a timer indicating the age of the last report.
Position reports for Internet Traffic are less frequent compared to ADS-B traffic, so ForeFlight uses the last-reported position, heading, and speed of airborne traffic to interpolate its movement and smoothly animate it on the map. Aircraft that are turning or changing speed causes the icons to race to catch up to the actual position from the expected position. For this reason, Internet Traffic should not be used for inflight traffic avoidance or tactical decision making.
ForeFlight filters out what traffic it displays to minimize clutter and excessive data usage. Zoom far out to only show the highest-altitude traffic, and zoom in to view progressively lower altitude traffic. Ground traffic fades into view with ForeFlight’s embedded airport diagrams, while high-altitude traffic is hidden at this level. Position reports for ground traffic are delivered more frequently than for airborne traffic, so ForeFlight doesn’t animate movement on the ground.
With the ability to stream live global traffic from your home, hangar, or FBO, Internet Traffic opens new avenues for enhancing your flight planning, checking on airport activity, or simply enjoying the view of what’s going on overhead. Internet Traffic is included in all ForeFlight subscription plans.
View our in-depth blog post for more information about Internet Traffic.
Multitasking Support on iPad
ForeFlight Mobile supports iOS Multitasking on iPad, allowing you to use ForeFlight in Split Screen or Slide Over view with other apps at the same time.
To open ForeFlight in Split Screen, first open either ForeFlight or another app that supports iOS multitasking. Swipe up slowly from the bottom of the screen to reveal the iOS dock that houses apps that you use most frequently or have used recently. Drag the other app’s icon from the dock to either side of the screen and the open app will move over to make room for it. If an app doesn’t respond this way, it likely means that one or both of the apps you’re trying to use don’t support multitasking. Release the app and your iPad will display both apps simultaneously side by side.
Drag the separator between the two apps to change their relative sizes, dismiss one app by dragging the separator all the way to one side of the screen, or switch the app’s positions by dragging the top of one app to the other side of the screen.
You can also open other apps on top of ForeFlight and vice-versa via Slide Over view. Like Split Screen, start by opening ForeFlight or another app that supports iOS multitasking, then drag the other app’s icon from the iOS dock to the center of the screen instead of the side. You can then tap and drag the top of the app to reposition it on the screen, or swipe it to the side of the screen to dismiss it.
You can disable iOS Multitasking in your Device Settings > Home Screen & Dock > Multitasking > Allow Multiple Apps. Multitasking requires at least iOS 11 and is available for all ForeFlight users.
Slide-Out More Menu, Edit Tab Order, and “Dynamic” Tab
The More tab in ForeFlight Mobile now displays a compact menu on the right side of the screen so you can view it without leaving the tab you’re on.
Tap More to open the menu over any tab you currently have open. Downloads and Settings are now at the top of the More menu and appear as modals that you can quickly dismiss by swiping down from the top. Below Downloads and Settings are a list of views that now open in full screen, with new double-column layouts on iPad that better utilize the available space.
Tap Edit Tab Order and drag the three lines next to each view to organize the tabs. Tap Save to keep the changes, Reset to Default Order to revert back to the original organization, or tap Cancel to exit without saving the order. The order set here will be reflected in the tab bar, and you can find additional views in the More menu. Changing your iPad’s orientation or using ForeFlight in Split Screen will change how many tabs are available at once and the rightmost tabs are pushed into the More menu as available space shrinks. Tab order does not sync between devices, allowing you to have different setups on iPad and iPhone to match how you use them.
The last tab you opened from the More menu is always available just to the left of More with a new “Dynamic” tab that allows you to quickly jump between that and your other tabs.
The Slide-Out More menu, the ability to edit your tab order, and the new “Dynamic” tab allow you to quickly switch between your most used views, and utilize more screen space for all of your views.
Other Notable Enhancements
ForeFlight on iPhone
- Now supports the FPL “Bubble Editor” on Maps
- Dedicated Plate and Scratchpad views
- All other previously iPad-only features (with the exception of Profile View)
- Looks and functions exactly like the iPad 1/3rd view in Split Screen
Airports
- Frequencies, Services, A/FD, and More tabs have been combined into a single “Info” tab.
- Forecast Discussion is now under the TAF section which opens up in a much larger view for easier reading.
- The cells in the Runway tab and the airport header contain more details than before.
- Airport popup on Maps now uses the same layout as the Airports view, providing faster access to Procedures, Runways, and more.
Maps
- The Edit, Navlog, and Profile buttons are on the right edge of the FPL editor
- Hide or show the Aeronautical Map’s quick filter buttons on the left side of the screen by tapping Map Settings (cog button on the Maps view) > Quick Filters.
Support
- A support tab is available just above About in the More menu, with links to support resources on ForeFlight’s website and the in-app Pilot’s Guide.
Aircraft Type Restrictions in Procedure Advisor
Procedure Advisor displays aircraft type restrictions for SIDs and STARs so you can quickly identify suitable procedures for your aircraft. Colored tags for Piston, Turboprop, and Jet aircraft appear beneath procedures that are restricted to the aircraft types shown.
