Logbooks, fuel calculations, artificial glideslopes for short-field approaches—there's an app for that. Actually, there are apps for all of those functions in the five apps highlighted this week. These are not endorsements of any app.
Air Navigation Pro ($49.99 in iTunes and $26.99 in Google Play)—This smartphone/tablet app imitates aircraft instruments and gathers information from the GPS to create realistic images. Features include moving maps, navigation planning, 3-D synthetic vision, an auto-logbook, and maps. Some features cost extra.
AvConnect—Pilot & Aircraft Management ($19.99 in iTunes)—Users of this iPhone app offers GPS tracking and flight confirmation, Google Earth 3-D flight path map, automatic data-to-Web account synchronization, complete pilot logbook record-keeping, currency warnings, and automatic FAA flight download. It also tracks use hours.
Flightwise Flight Tracker Pro ($9.99 in iTunes)—This iPhone/iPad app allows users to track commercial or general aviation flights anywhere within U.S. airspace. The app also allows users to create a flight history, use the airspace navigator, produce an airport summary, set flight alerts, compose a fleet watch, and set an area track. Flightwise Flight Tracker Free is supported by ads.
Pilot Wizz Pro ($9.99 in iTunes)—Users of this iPhone/iPad app can do basic conversions, calculations, and other functions needed to fly safely, including weight and balance, fuel, holding patterns, crosswind components, and route planning. It also provides access to a mini Web page. The free version of Pilot Wizz does not include route planning and access to a mini Web page.
GPS ILS (free in Google Play)—Users of this smartphone app get help flying shortfield VFR approaches into runways with no vertical guidance. It is designed to mimic an ILS on an HSI in almost every respect, and it can be used in VMC as a training aid to a runway where an ILS is not available.
I thank all of you who have sent in Android apps. Please continue to send them, along with your iTunes recommendations, here. And developers—if you’ve made any updates to your apps, please send them in for a future column. The complete list of apps I’ve reviewed is in AOPA’s online archive.
