Now that this apps-of-the-week column is gaining momentum, I’ve received some great emails from members recommending their favorite apps. This week I’m highlighting apps that can be used for flight planning, navigation, and glideslope indications. We’ve explored some well-known apps in previous weeks. These are lesser known products that folks have told me about. We haven’t flight tested these, but thought you might like to explore some apps used by your fellow AOPA members.
- AviationMap by Avilution ($74.95/year)--I’ve received a flood of emails from members begging me to include this Android app, so here it is. The app handles ground operations, flight planning route exploration, and air flight information using FAA VFR sectional charts, and IFR low-altitude and high-altitude charts along with current weather information and the ability for pilots to visualize how current conditions will impact their flight.
- Naviator for Android (free)--A member called this app the “ForeFlight” of the Android world. It offers a file builder, quick and easy route planning, FAA charts, terrain database, weather, and temporary flight restrictions.
- Flight Instruments ($4.99)--This iPhone/ Android app offers a “glass cockpit” display that covers attitude, airspeed, altitude, heading, vertical speed, and nearest airport. You do need GPS on your smartphone to use it.
- InFlight ($4.99)--This companion app to Flight Instruments offers terrain and obstacle data, a basic map with airports and navaids, and basic multi-leg navigation, a member reports. The terrain and obstacle warning shows dangerous nearby terrain/obstacles in yellow and red. It is available on Android.
- GPS_ILS_VOR (free)--This app allows users to give any runway an ILS glideslope. It has terrain awareness, accurate terrain elevation and absolute altitude above the ground. It also includes a compass dial with heading bug and projected line, relative bearing indicator and projected line, course heading with infinite projected line in both directions, runway extensions, detailed position information, airport and navigational databases, glideslope indicator, and more.
In my Dec. 18 column reviewing logbook apps, I mentioned Pro Pilot. They sent a note letting me know that the Web application of their app is available for free. Pilots can sign up here. So that’s it 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 everyone who has sent in suggestions.
