Here's a look at five helicopter apps that offer everything from a checklist for the R22 to weight-and-balance calculations. These are not endorsements of any app.
Robinson R22 Beta II Pilots Guide ($9.99 in iTunes)—This iPad app offers helicopter pilots a checklist specifically tailored to the Robinson R22 helicopter. Tasks covered include walkarounds, engine starts, takeoffs and landings, shutdowns, and emergencies.
Gyronimo EC135 P2+ ($74.99 in iTunes)—Users of this iPad app can customize the features for this particular helicopter. Features include weight and balance, load manifest, performance planning, fuel flow computation, and an E6B calculator.
U.S. Helicopter Safety Team (free in iTunes and Google Play)—The U.S. Helicopter Safety Team created this free smartphone/tablet app in order to allow helicopter pilots to fly with the best safety information available. The app includes videos, operational tips, safety materials, and more.
Helibook ($24.99 in iTunes)—This iPhone/iPad app allows users to compare 40 private, corporate, and VIP helicopters. Users can compare up to six helicopters at a time on information including flight ranges, hourly and annual costs, maximum payloads, cross sections, and floor plans for current and out-of-production models.
iBal ($17.99 in iTunes)—Optimized for the iPhone 5, this app serves as a weight-and-balance tool for helicopter pilots. Users can add different helicopter types, display center-of-gravity data for loaded and with empty fuel, create and calculate predefined loads, import and export data by email or via the Web, and create aircraft-specific custom loads.
I’m still looking for your recommendations (iTunes, Google Play, and Windows) for apps in the following categories: FBOs/services, fuel, instruments, maintenance, and weather. Also feel free to send in any of your other favorite apps, here. See a complete list of apps highlighted here.
