ForeFlight 5.3 Released

[Marauder]

Some pretty cool features added:

 

ForeFlight Mobile 5.3 – our sixth significant release of the year – is now available for download from App Store. The team has put out some amazing updates this year, with a solid backlog of additional features lined up for releases throughout the rest of the year.

This app update includes:

• Plate and taxi diagram map overlays: you can now overlay any of ForeFlight’s own 13,000+ geo-referenced diagrams and 700+ geo-referenced airport diagrams on the moving map.
• Flight Alerts: when filing IFR through ForeFlight, you’ll be updated when your expected route clearance is available. Then view it directly on the moving map or see your flight track on FlightAware after landing.
• A new Aerial map layer, providing a birds eye view of your route and lets you preview the terminal area.
• An enhanced instruments panel that shows eight instruments (on iPad in landscape) and has an improved design.
• Updated direct-connect drivers for Bad Elf and DUAL GPS devices, improving GPS performance and stability.
• Updated Stratus 2 firmware, which includes an enhancement that improves WiFi and high-altitude GPS performance.

Plates on a Map and Taxi Diagrams on a Map (Pro Feature)

This feature is one of the many products of our semi-annual Hack Week we held in Austin earlier this summer. With this feature, you can display any geo-referenced approach plate or taxi diagram right on the map. That means you get five fantastic new benefits:

1. Track-up or north-up approach plates! When plates are on the map, you can fly them in track-up forward, track-up centered, or north-up modes.
2. The ability to overlay both internet and airborne ADS-B or XM weather on approaches! Overlay flight rules, NEXRAD radar, and see weather conditions at nearby alternates.
3. Approach plate hazard awareness for terrain and obstacles! If Hazard Advisor is active, terrain and obstacles are colored, raising situational awareness.
4. Traffic information displayed on approach plates! If you have a Stratus or Stratus 2 portable ADS-B receiver and an ADS-B out equipped aircraft, see traffic targets displayed on the approach.
5. Route overlay on top of approach plates! With the approach plate on the map, it is easy to add approach waypoints to your route that line up with the selected approach path.

 

[orionflt]

My subscription just ran out, guess i need to update it

[bnicolette]

It just keeps getting better and better. A real cockpit resource.

[midlifeflyer]

If you look at the new approach chart overlay, it's really incredible.

[wishboneash]

Anywheremap (Freedom) had the overlaid approach plates on the moving map when they introduced their app on the iPad about 9 months ago?. Unfortunately, that company has gone nowhere since and are floundering without a vision or a plan. 

[Cabanaboy]

love fore-flight !!!! game changer....

[Hector]

Shot the ILS 32 at CRG today with the overlay. I like it!!! And they have now incorporated one of my favorite features of fltplan.com. They will send you your clearance as soon as the FAA gets it into their computers. No last minute surprises.

[fantom]

Some pretty cool features added

ForeFlight Mobile 5.3 – our sixth significant release of the year

Very nice overview...thanks.

Does this mean you've given up on your Wing X test?

[Marauder]

Some pretty cool features added ForeFlight Mobile 5.3 – our sixth significant release of the year Very nice overview...thanks. Does this mean you've given up on your Wing X test?

I'm in a wait and see mode. My ForeFlight sub was up a month ago and I renewed it at that time. Not because I liked it better than Garmin, but because it had features Garmin didn't have. And with the additions of 5.3, it looks better all the time. I tried WingX hoping that it would convince me to not renew my Garmin sub that comes up this month for renewal. Other than the open hierarchy for supported antenna, there just wasn't enough wow factor for me. If ForeFlight worked on my Nexus 7 like my Garmin Pilot does, I would not renew Garmin. Since I have the hardware (Aspen MFD) to support panel mounted ADS-B, I may just wait and see what Santa brings. ForeFlight and WingX are supported on the Aspen interface. Although I would love to have a portable solution now, I am having a hard time dropping over a grand to get it (Stratus 2 with SkyGuardTWX or Garmin GDL-39 and a SkyGuardTWX). You know, as the President of the Mooney Cheap Bast$rd Club, I got a standard to live up to...

[M016576]

I'm in a wait and see mode. My ForeFlight sub was up a month ago and I renewed it at that time. Not because I liked it better than Garmin, but because it had features Garmin didn't have. And with the additions of 5.3, it looks better all the time. I tried WingX hoping that it would convince me to not renew my Garmin sub that comes up this month for renewal. Other than the open hierarchy for supported antenna, there just wasn't enough wow factor for me. If ForeFlight worked on my Nexus 7 like my Garmin Pilot does, I would not renew Garmin.Since I have the hardware (Aspen MFD) to support panel mounted ADS-B, I may just wait and see what Santa brings. ForeFlight and WingX are supported on the Aspen interface. Although I would love to have a portable solution now, I am having a hard time dropping over a grand to get it (Stratus 2 with SkyGuardTWX or Garmin GDL-39 and a SkyGuardTWX). You know, as the President of the Mooney Cheap Bast$rd Club, I got a standard to live up to...

I thought panel upgrades (A$pens) and the mooney cheap Ba$tard Club were mutually exclusive!!!

[Marauder]

I'm in a wait and see mode. My ForeFlight sub was up a month ago and I renewed it at that time. Not because I liked it better than Garmin, but because it had features Garmin didn't have. And with the additions of 5.3, it looks better all the time. I tried WingX hoping that it would convince me to not renew my Garmin sub that comes up this month for renewal. Other than the open hierarchy for supported antenna, there just wasn't enough wow factor for me. If ForeFlight worked on my Nexus 7 like my Garmin Pilot does, I would not renew Garmin.Since I have the hardware (Aspen MFD) to support panel mounted ADS-B, I may just wait and see what Santa brings. ForeFlight and WingX are supported on the Aspen interface. Although I would love to have a portable solution now, I am having a hard time dropping over a grand to get it (Stratus 2 with SkyGuardTWX or Garmin GDL-39 and a SkyGuardTWX). You know, as the President of the Mooney Cheap Bast$rd Club, I got a standard to live up to... I thought panel upgrades (A$pens) and the mooney cheap Ba$tard Club were mutually exclusive!!!

LOL! Only if you paid full price for the Aspens. You can still be a cheap Ba$tard and own an Aspen. A good cheap Ba$tard can negotiate a cheap price.

[fantom]

LOL! Only if you paid full price for the Aspens. You can still be a cheap Ba$tard and own an Aspen. A good cheap Ba$tard can negotiate a cheap price.

 

Not can, but WILL

[midlifeflyer]

Shot the ILS 32 at CRG today with the overlay. I like it!!! And they have now incorporated one of my favorite features of fltplan.com. They will send you your clearance as soon as the FAA gets it into their computers. No last minute surprises.

Did you try rubber-banding your route on to the approach chart fixes? Very cool.

[Hector]

Did not, but indeed very nice feature. Look forward to using it. This product continues to get better and it's obvious the developers are quite busy improving the performance and functionality.

[bd32322]

LOL! Only if you paid full price for the Aspens. You can still be a cheap Ba$tard and own an Aspen. A good cheap Ba$tard can negotiate a cheap price.

Thinking of installing an aspen soon .. where do you guys get these deals?

[The201pilot]

Booooooo! this update for the charts only works in the U.S. of A.....oh, woah is me...us Canadians always waiting !

 

by the looks of things i'm the only canadian concerned here......."cue the crickets".....

[midlifeflyer]

Did not, but indeed very nice feature. Look forward to using it. This product continues to get better and it's obvious the developers are quite busy improving the performance and functionality.

Here's an example (ignore the "steep turn" at OZOPE; just playing)

[Marauder]

LOL! Only if you paid full price for the Aspens. You can still be a cheap Ba$tard and own an Aspen. A good cheap Ba$tard can negotiate a cheap price. Thinking of installing an aspen soon .. where do you guys get these deals?

Aspen is running a rebate now. Here are my suggestions: 1) Look for a volume dealer of Aspens. Call Aspen and ask who are the high volume installers and speak to one of them. Hopefully you will find one close. Be point blank with them and ask what is the lowest price they can offer it. 2) Be flexible on when you want it installed. Many of these shops slow down in the winter a bit and will work with you a bit if you give them some winter work. Just make sure they don't screw you on the installation costs. Some of us can give you an idea on the time it takes. 3) Work off of quotes not estimates. Research the shop before you commit. Some have a history of giving low prices, only to find additional costs while they are doing the work. Quotes are legally binding, estimates are guesses. There were no surprises during my installation. And my installed price matched the quotes. 4) Think ahead on the install. Are you looking for just the Aspen PFD now or is there a chance you will want the MFD? Bundling them will save on installation costs and you can negotiate a good deal on the second unit. Hope this helps.

[Marauder]

The only thing I don't like much is the white on white for IFR work. VFR charts underneath work great, little harder with an IFR one underneath.

[bnicolette]

Chris you know that you can change the opacity of the plate?

[midlifeflyer]

The only thing I don't like much is the white on white for IFR work. VFR charts underneath work great, little harder with an IFR one underneath. ImageUploadedByTapatalk1375875429.570339.jpg

Good point. I switched mine to IFR to take a look. At my opacity setting (less transparent than yours) it was still usable but definitely more crowded. Bumping it up slightly took care of that and still allowed me to see weather.  But given the IFR approach workload, perhaps the opacity for this plate should be further up in the settings group.

 

Edit: I made the suggestion to FF to move the chart opacity setting "above the fold" in the dropdown.

[Marauder]

The good news is just one tap on the plate itself you can make the switch to fullscreen without the map underneath.

[Marauder]

Chris you know that you can change the opacity of the plate?

 

 

I do Brett. I think it is the white on white thing. Maybe it will grow on me.

[midlifeflyer]

I do Brett. I think it is the white on white thing. Maybe it will grow on me.

since using FF, I find myself spending more time on the sectional than the en route charts on IFR flights since 2 taps takes me from one to the other. More general situational awareness for me. The's probably why I didn't notice it.

[Piloto]

Check my math

 

I went to the Foreflight website and found that to make this works you need the following:

 

Foreflight Subscription    $150

iPad                                $400

Bad Elf GPS                   $100

Yoke Mount                    $400

Stratus 2                        $900

Total                            $1950

 

You can get a Garmin 796 (Americas) for $1900 and will include worldwide geography, the approaches and airways for South America. What would be the advantage of the Foreflight if you fly on both continents.

 

José