I did a poll last week on the AOPA Facebook page asking members to name one—and only one—iPhone/iPad/Android aviation-related app they could not live without and why. This will become a regular feature; below are the first five. These are not endorsements of any app.
- WingX Pro 7 (99 cents, subscription required) When multiple people send the same app as their must-have, then of course it had to be included on this list. Members waxed poetic about features including aviation moving maps, Zaon traffic integration, VFR sectionals, IFR low/high enroute charts, ADS-B Nexrad, geo-referenced approach charts, TFRs, and fuel prices. The app is free for a 30-day trial; after that, it costs $99.95 annually. Synthetic Vision is a separate $99.95 annual subscription. Viewing your aircraft's location on an approach chart requires a $74.99 ChartData subscription. Fuel Prices require a $29.95 subscription. WingX is available in Google Play.
- ForeFlight Mobile (free, subscription required)—There are a lot of Foreflight fans out there. Members lauded this app for ease of use for sectionals, flight planning, GPS tracking, weather, and filing VFR plans, among other things. The app is free, but an annual subscription starts at $74.99 a year for one pilot; ForeFlight Pro starts at $149.99 a year. The Android version is ForeFlight Weather ($9.99), which only covers weather.
- Naviator —I’ve heard from Android Nation that I need to show more love to their apps. This app is known as the ForeFlight of the Android world, according to members. It offers FAA sectional charts, FAA terminal area charts, FAA IFR enroute charts, FAA approach plates, weather updates, TFR updates, and the Naviator world-wide airports and facilities database for an annual subscription of $49.99.
- CloudAhoy —This free app gets much love from those who want to review their training flights, but it does require an iPad or iPhone with GPS. A member said he can see all the maneuvers performed while keeping a level flight. And Doug Powell was kind enough to send this link to his checkride flight from October. You must have the Google Earth plugin to see it.
- GoodReader ($4.99)—this app allows users to synchronize and read flying-related documents, notes, and checklist between the iPad/iPhone and computer. It can handle PDF and TXT files, manuals, books, magazines, and renderings.
Look for AOPA FlyQ EFB, released this week and available for a free 30-day trial, to join the list soon.
That’s what I have for this week. If you have any iPad/iPhone/Android apps you think I should review in the upcoming months, please pass them along to me here. And thanks to you all for the kind notes!
