Garmin Pilot Vs. Foreflight

[rubixcube2k3]

I'm curious to know if anyone has an opinion and current experience with the latest versions of Forefight and Garmin Pilot. My renewal for Foreflight is in the next few days, but I'm debating on whether to continue using it or if I should give Garmin Pilot a try for the next year. Last year, I staged myself with the same question, but at the time the price of Garmin Pilot for the version I would need was substantially more than a comparable version subscription to Foreflight. Since my plane was in for upgrade when my foreflight subscription came up last year, I just went ahead with what I was familiar with considering the price delta. I included a panel pic, but considering the functionality of an Ipad in flight now, I went ahead a left a blank spot on the panel to mount mine. 

 

A few factors for me in consideration are:

1.) I sold my BadElf Pro when I upgraded my panel, with the intent of buying a stratus 2 or a GDL39. Since then, it seems like AHRS and Syn Vis have become increasingly popular. But since I don't have either one, I'm not married to either system.

I will admit that the Flightstream 210 is pretty appealing, and considering that both can benefit from it, I may get one regardless of this decision. 

2.) This year, a subscription of the Foreflight Pro Plus is $199, while Garmin Pilot is $74.99 for the base subscription and an additional $74.99 for the IFR Premium package. 

3.) They both are now integrating Logbooks, documents, Synthetic Vision, Geo-referenced plates, etc. so it seems like functional features are a moot point. 

4.) The only thing I have found that is a big difference is the forefilght Web which is still in Beta, but will make for easier flight planning if I leave my ipad  or phone in the plane, car, house, etc. 

I don't have any real world experience with Garmin Pilot beyond the trial period I enrolled in last spring, which was minimal, but it seemed to be pretty friendly as well. 

Are there any limitations or advantages of one over another that I'm not considering? It looks like they are going the way of standardization, and it's quickly becoming a game of preference vs. feature set and functionality. I did notice that Garmin has the VIRB integration, which is pretty cool, but would not be a deal breaker for me. 

 

Abe L. Harper, Jr.

1R8

N7463V - '75 M20C

[M016576]

I would look into FlyQ EFB from Seattle avionics as well.  The last two years around Black Friday they have offered lifetime subscriptions for around $450.  The functionality, like you mention, is about the same.

if you're set on a flightstream 210, though, I'd start a free trial on the Garmin Pilot app and see how you like the interface.  From what I've heard, it's pretty slick.

[Marauder]

Abe - I kept both ForeFlight and Garmin Pilot for a couple of years on my iPads. It really comes down to personal preference of the interface. I found ForeFlight more difficult to use for flight planning and the user interface never grew on me for the couple of years I used it.

Garmin Pilot on the other hand looks like my GTN and I find it easier to navigate. Since both are compatible with FlightStream, I think it becomes a matter of preference. I would not buy a GDL or Stratus if you have plans on going with a GDL-88 or 84. Both will provide AHRS support to your iPad through the FlightStream.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Steve Dawson]

Like maurader I found foreflight hard to flight plan with but they do have a great weather briefing system. Garmin pilot wasn't much better for planing either but I have an Aera 796 with the GDL39 3D to work with the GP. For flight planing and ease of use I  have always used WingXPro and use GP for the majority of work when flying. 

Foreflight does have a lot of options and I liked that it had Canadian charts. Try them all if you can get their trial start up offer and see which one fits your use. 

[Mcoyne34]

I can't say anything about Garmin Pilot bc I've never used it. I have been using foreflight for about a year now and love it and find it very easy to use. I won't fly without it. I would assume each have their own cult following like bonanza vs mooney or ford vs Chevy and both are probably pretty similar. Go with what you know and you'll be happy, unless you aren't happy, then switch. I will be renewing my foreflight soon and have no plans on trying any other. Probably doesn't help much but that's my .02. Good luck. 

[gsxrpilot]

I've been using FF exclusively since I bought my Mooney. I've been given no reason to change, and love the product. I also like that FF is a local (Austin, TX) company and I'm often having a beer or two with some of the guys who create/support/run FF. 

This bit applies to all similar products. But on our recent flight from Durango to Austin, we had a very narrow window in which to get through between major weather systems. FF and the Stratus were critical in that being a safe flight. Sitting at home today looking at the weather, with the Mooney in it's hanger, if we hadn't escaped when we did, we'd probably be in Durango until Tues/Wed next week. We were prepared to stay and wait it out, but FF and Stratus helped make it a possible and safe flight..

[N601RX]

Without Foreflight, Garmin would have never developed Garmin Pilot. They were forced to due to loss of market share.  They would still be selling us their $1500 handheld devices and charging us to update each of the 3 databases on them.  Until Foreflight gives me a serious reason to look elsewhere I'll stick with Foreflight.

[cnoe]

Keep in mind that you don't have to pay Foreflight for the added features (logbook and/or synthetic vision) if you don't want or need them. On their website you can click "build your own plan" and still purchase Foreflight Pro for only $149.99/yr.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Amelia]

Add my hearty vote for FlyQ. I am quite satisfied with the list of features, the speed and stability, and especially, the easy and intuitive architecture, with no function more than two taps deep. Best of all, like WingX, FlyQ fully supports a wide list of non-proprietary portable ADS-B boxes. I bit on the first FlyQ lifetime subscription offer, and so far, with several major post AOPA updates, it has done all I needed done, with frequent updates and clever new ideas. I dropped FF and Garmin some time ago, and will have to think hard before renewing WingX next time.

[PTK]

Abe, since you've already used ff it would make the most sense to give pilot a try and see for yourself which you prefer. 

I have used both and my opinion is that ff can't hold a candle to Garmin Pilot. Which is to be expected from Garmin. You'll never know what you're missing until you see it yourself! It's night and day!

[Ned Gravel]

Foreflight.  3 years now and I love it.

 

[Hector]

FF since I bought the Mooney. Wonderful product with great customer support and it keeps getting better.

[Andy95W]

I get Foreflight for free from work (backup for Jeppesen electronic flight bag).

I gladly pay the $74.99 for Garmin Pilot for my Mooney.  I hate using Foreflight, it is difficult to use for flight planning, and it's a memory hog.

Edited December 27, 2015 by N1395W

[csarles]

I have tried both and had concurrent subscriptions for a while. 

Flightplanning is much easier on Garmin. 

Garmin has dynamic maps for both IFR and VFR so you get the info you need no matter the zoom level. Unless FF has added that too, they only have copies of the charts so your zoom level is determined for you as you can't zoom out and read anything.  This is the deal breaker for me, in a Mooney flying cross country you need to be able to see more of the big picture.  FF kept me zoomed in so I could read the chart which requires lots of scrolling.  Garmin does give you the option of copies of government charts if you like that.

Garmin looks like the 750 so it's easy to use. 

I also really liked the latest version of Jepp but can't justify the cost. 

[SpeedyJoe]

I have been using FF for years. With any complex gadget you need to use it often and keep reading up on it to be able to take advantage of all the great functions built in. I'd hate to switch to another app and have to relearn everything. 

I have a G500, GNS530 and 430 installed in my Ovation2. I just got the Flightstream210 installed last week because entering long flight plans and then getting an amended clearance is a b!tch. I only tested it on the ground once - seemed to work as intended so I can't wait for the weather to clear up and check it out in the air.

i always thought flight planning on FF is really easy - at least compared to paper and pencil  - so I probably don't know what I might be missing from the Garmin app. But again, with years of usage and a Stratus 2 I am invested too deep to seriously conspired a switch at this point 

joe

[ryoder]

I use Garmin pilot for VFR and it kind of feels like the gold standard to me.  I have it on my phone and iPad.  My second iPad is running the free Flight Plan go. Since it is free I would recommend trying it.

[CJpilot316]

Foreflight. No question. I've tried them both, and nothing compares to it. i use it for work, on both my phone and iPad. Heck, the FAA approved it for our EFBs.

[JohnB]

Foreflight. I had both for a while, and always came back to foreflight, but Garmin pilot seemed to have some things that I wished foreflight had like a timer you could use to count up or down or give reminders (how difficult could that be to program??) and the maps tended to look a lot clearer, and airspace restriction information a bit more accessible on Garmin Pilot.  You might get better target trend (From Garmin's TargetTrend (tm)) lines if you stay with Garmin Pilot and flightstream compared to foreflight (I don't know this, but I will have this combo shortly and ill check it out) But the flight planning, changing routes was far better on foreflight for me, and integration of weather, terrain profile and a whole host of other features made me stay with Foreflight.

The cost of either one of these subscriptions was not a consideration at less than $200 a year for either one is absolutely nothing compared to the cost you would pay if you got this same info from a panel mounted solution (>$25,000 installed and >$1,200 per year subscription!)

[N601RX]

I asked them to add a timer a year or so ago.  I keep hoping to see it soon.  It would be a nice addition. 

[donkaye]

From reading the above, it seems that whatever you have been most used to is what you will recommend.  Most of these programs require extensive use if you are to understand all of their benefits.  I have FF, WingX, Garmin Pilot, and have tried FlyQ.  It was taking too long to get into FlyQ so I let the 30 day trial period expire.  FF is OK, but that too didn't have an interface to learn quickly.  I never could get into WingsX.  Since all of my panel is Garmin, the interface of Garmin Pilot was simple for me to learn.  In fact there was no learning, the interface it was so simple.  If you have the Flight Stream 210, you'll get the most bang for your buck with Garmin Pilot, since it interfaces with the GDL 88/84, the GDL 69A, the GTNs and the GNSs.  I'm finding I really use it a lot for tuning, station information, and controlling the volume on the GDL69A.  Flight plan changes on the GTN in flight are immediately transferred to the iPad, and on the Ground the reverse is true.  Touching the map anywhere brings up a donut that gives you anything available about and surrounding the point touched.

I still use JeppFD as the approach chart backup to the Aera 796.  Unlike what someone said above, the cost of Jepp on the iPad is minimal at $299/yr for 2 iPads I think, and an additional $60/yr to have charts on the 796.  I just like Jepp Charts better than NACO.

Edited December 28, 2015 by donkaye

[M016576]

11 minutes ago, donkaye said:

From reading the above, it seems that whatever you have been most used to is what you will recommend.  Most of these programs require extensive use if you are to understand all of their benefits.  I have FF, WingX, Garmin Pilot, and have tried FlyQ.  It was taking too long to get into FlyQ so I let the 30 day trial period expire.  FF is OK, but that too didn't have an interface to learn quickly.  I never could get into WingsX.  Since all of my panel is Garmin, the interface of Garmin Pilot was simple for me to learn.  In fact there was no learning, the interface it was so simple.  If you have the Flight Stream 210, you'll get the most bang for your buck with Garmin Pilot, since it interfaces with the GDL 88/84, the GDL 69A, the GTNs and the GNSs  I'm finding I really use it a lot for tuning, station information, and controlling the volume on the GDL69A.  Flight plan changes on the GTN in flight are immediately transferred to the iPad, and on the Ground the reverse is true.  Touching the map anywhere brings up a donut that gives you anything available about and surrounding the point touched.

I still use JeppFD as the approach chart backup to the Aera 796.  Unlike what someone said above, the cost of Jepp on the iPad is minimal at $299/yr for 2 iPads I think, and an additional $60/yr to have charts on the 796.  I just like Jepp Charts better than NACO.

Whatever the OP chooses, I think it's smart to try to increase the functionality while reducing the total number of devices in the cockpit.  I have these visions of my early days in my first mooney trying not to be without information so bringing EVERYTHING with me.  Trying to get out of the left seat, I must have looked like I was caught in a giant spider web of devices, cables, charts and antennas!

what I like about Don's approach is he has identified a brand that he is comfortable with and has a common interface with his current equipment, which should (at least, in theory) allow for more effective use of his systems.

personally, I think the best iPad or EFB or handheld is the one you know how to use, and can use effectively.

for those concerned that I might be eaten by a giant spider, I can happily say that I'm now down to a single iPad running FlyQ EFB (lifetime susbsciption has already paid itself off), and a stratus 2 mounted in the hatrack attached to external GPS and ADSB antennas.  Oh and a small navbag with some "emergency" paper charts and plates.

[flyboy0681]

My partner and flight instructor/friend both use ForeFlight and it does appear to be more feature rich than Garmin Pilot, and the updates seem to come by the week versus Garmin's semi-annual updates. The only reason that I use Pilot is ease of use and familiarity, since I did my instrument training using it and it's second nature to me. If I were to start out fresh at this point I'd probably choose FF.

[M016576]

6 minutes ago, flyboy0681 said:

My partner and flight instructor/friend both use ForeFlight and it does appear to be more feature rich than Garmin Pilot, and the updates seem to come by the week versus Garmin's semi-annual updates. The only reason that I use Pilot is ease of use and familiarity, since I did my instrument training using it and it's second nature to me. If I were to start out fresh at this point I'd probably choose FF.

I'm not certain, but I think foreflight gives a special flight instructor rate that is heavily discounted. Smart move- gets their product into the line of sight of potential future customers.

[kortopates]

6 minutes ago, flyboy0681 said: My partner and flight instructor/friend both use ForeFlight and it does appear to be more feature rich than Garmin Pilot, and the updates seem to come by the week versus Garmin's semi-annual updates. The only reason that I use Pilot is ease of use and familiarity, since I did my instrument training using it and it's second nature to me. If I were to start out fresh at this point I'd probably choose FF.

I'm not certain, but I think foreflight gives a special flight instructor rate that is heavily discounted. Smart move- gets their product into the line of sight of potential future customers.

Foreflight gives NAFI members a 33% discount but WingX gives us 100% off!

I never got into Foreflights interface, and prefer WingX and Garmin Pilot. Garmin is the only one that supports vector graphics (marketing calls it Dynamic maps) which I find superior to raster graphics of sectionals and the like - especially if you like Track Up orientation as I do. I also like its now integrated with Lockheed FSS and it works both north and south of the border in addition to the other pluses Don mentioned. But we're both fans of Garmin products. But the reality is, which ever interface works best for you is most likely going to work best for you.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Oldguy]

I've been using FF since it came out and have seen it improve over time with new features, and I have been one of the FF Web beta-testers for a year or so. I use it on an iPad Air, iPad Mini Retina and iPhone 6S all with a single subscription. My wife uses the mini while we fly, the iPad is mounted on the pilot's yoke and the iPhone is emergency use (hopefully never) only. My CFII and I have done iPad/FF partial panel flying and it works well enough I feel I could get us safely down with it. With a Stratus 2, KT 74 and FF, I have WX, ADS-B/R traffic, SV and flight track recording. The FF WX has been extremely useful and, after a year of comparing with my WSI-provided weather during flights, it is all I use.

Early in my use, I tried Pilot, but just could not get comfortable with the user interface. My GPS is a 430W, so I can't make any comparison to the similarities to the 650/750 UI. Maybe having one would lead to quicker adoption of the other.

To add on to earlier comments, the best one for you is the one you can use in a stressful time without getting focused on the program/device and miss something critical. I'm more of a "command line" than an "icon" guy, so for me, FF works better than Pilot, but everyone is different.

John