Jump to content
Sign in to follow this  
cvearl

A real General Aviation App for Android now available!

Recommended Posts

Ever wished that Skyvector www.skyvector.com (with all it's plates, charts and weather) would talk to P3D and FSX? Ya I always thought that would be cool. One option I looked at was Foreflight for ipad. It's a real aviation app (Electronic Flight Bag) but it's only available on ipad which would be fine but it is HUNDREDS of dollars initially and hundreds a year to subscribe for the charts and plates. https://www.foreflight.com/pricing/

 

Andriod apps are up and commers in General Aviation. Here is a good article on this. http://www.flyingmag.com/avionics-gear/pilot-supplies/android-aviation-apps-cockpit?page=0,1

 

Like the article states... A good one is NAVIATOR and it has been in development for years and continues chasing Foreflight as the far less expensive alternative. I think it's like $14 and $5 a month for all charts and plates. You can even use it without the subscription. You just won's have the IFR and VFR chart moving maps and plates. You will be flying over google maps. But the airports and other navdata are inlaid still as a basemap.

 

It has a 30 day free trial by the way.

 

SIMULATOR INTEGRATION: But the better news is they added simconnect option for FSX and P3Dv2.0 and I tested it last night in both platforms and it works flawless. If you have an andriod tablet or phone? You will want to check this out. In the settings within the app, you enable simulator mode and BOOM you are getting GPS data across your wireless FSX or P3D via simconnect.

 

ANOTHER NEAT FEATURE I just found was flight tracking. It keeps a 3D Google Earth compatible track you can export and play back to analyze your flight.

 

http://www.naviatorapp.com/naviatordetails.aspx

 

By the way... I also own FSWidgets GMap and this literally blows it out of the water as it has many more features as it is a real world electronic Flight Bag/moving map. It also has Synthetic View, rubber band flight planning and you can also pan and zoom the map while plane continues to track across the map. The HUD is customizable so you can select what to display in the four corners. Altitude. Speed. Distance or ETA to next waypoint. Very cool.

 

Although all Navdata, waypoints and Google Map base layer (I'm sure it's google) is worldwide! 53000 airports! However, pre-loaded Approach Plates and sectionals are only for North America though and the approach plates themselves are generally for the USA, Alaska and Hawaii included. If you want Canadian plates, you can use Fltplan.com

 

Charles. 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Very nice post Charles. Thanks.............  Doug


Intel 10700K @ 5.1Ghz, Asus Hero Maximus motherboard, Noctua NH-U12A cooler, Corsair Vengeance Pro 32GB 3200 MHz RAM, RTX 2060 Super GPU, Cooler Master HAF 932 Tower, Thermaltake 1000W Toughpower PSU, Windows 10 Professional 64-Bit, 100TB of disk storage. Klaatu barada nickto.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Very nice post Charles. Thanks.............  Doug

 

I forwarded this to some other blog sites as well. I think this developer deserves some business for having spent the time to integrate this Aviation tool with FSX/P3D. His core business is Aviation and the simullation integration was added so pilots could practice using the app sitting at their desk instead of burning $75/hr Avgas in their real plane trying to learn it.

 

Products like this and RXP GNS 530 and F1 GTN 750 are expanding the bridge between Real aviation and Simulation like never in the history of this hobby.

 

Foreflight integration to the simulator cost well over $100 and this product does it for free! And the product is $15?! Are you kidding me?

 

Charles.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Hi Charles,

 

Thanks for having purchased GMapHD for Android in the past, I hope you can still get some use out of it.

 

I also have Naviator and I agree with you, a real-world aviation navigation app will blow its dedicated FS equivalent out of the water almost every time. And there is a reason for it: the sheer volume of the sales in real aviation which are not possible in the FS market. Check out how many current installations he has (50,000-100,000). If most of those have paid at least the minimum $15 to unlock the basic app, and you add that to the fully paid up subscription customer, you get a very serious ongoing revenue stream (potentially millions over the life of the product).

 

So yes, you can invest very heavily in developing advanced (read expensive) features. The integration into FSX/P3D is actually the smallest part of it but it makes perfect sense for them to do it (we have also been asked to help other companies add this capability).

 

I hope one day our FS world enjoys that level of support.


Fermin Fernandez
FSWidgets & TweakFS Developer
Melbourne, Australia (UTC+10)
FSWidgets  logo.png

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Hi Charles,

 

Thanks for having purchased GMapHD for Android in the past, I hope you can still get some use out of it.

 

I also have Naviator and I agree with you, a real-world aviation navigation app will blow its dedicated FS equivalent out of the water almost every time. And there is a reason for it: the sheer volume of the sales in real aviation which are not possible in the FS market. Check out how many current installations he has (50,000-100,000). If most of those have paid at least the minimum $15 to unlock the basic app, and you add that to the fully paid up subscription customer, you get a very serious ongoing revenue stream (potentially millions over the life of the product).

 

So yes, you can invest very heavily in developing advanced (read expensive) features. The integration into FSX/P3D is actually the smallest part of it but it makes perfect sense for them to do it (we have also been asked to help other companies add this capability).

 

I hope one day our FS world enjoys that level of support.

 

Blown out of the water was a little bit exaggerated obviously. The only thing GmapHD was missing was rubberband flight planning and Plates. GmapHD was my go to tablet app for a long time. I seriously tthink Naviator is priced way too low for what it is.

 

When it comes to dedicated FS apps, you guys are still the kings.

 

C. 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Hey no sweat, we're all entitled to use colorful hyperbole every now and then. :)

 

Thanks for your support though, much appreciated.


Fermin Fernandez
FSWidgets & TweakFS Developer
Melbourne, Australia (UTC+10)
FSWidgets  logo.png

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

 

 


Foreflight integration to the simulator cost well over $100 and this product does it for free! And the product is $15?! Are you kidding me?

 

Not trying to take away from this app, as it looks very good for the cost... but you don't need to pay $100 to integrate ForeFlight as there are several low-cost and no-cost options to do this.  Mine is fully integrated with FSX, and that integration was also free.  See: http://www.flightsimgps.com/ .  Been using this for about a year now and it works flawlessly.

 

Again, not trying to hijack this discussion as ForeFlight isn't even available for Android devices.

 

Scott

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Not trying to take away from this app, as it looks very good for the cost... but you don't need to pay $100 to integrate ForeFlight as there are several low-cost and no-cost options to do this.  Mine is fully integrated with FSX, and that integration was also free.  See: http://www.flightsimgps.com/ .  Been using this for about a year now and it works flawlessly.

 

Again, not trying to hijack this discussion as ForeFlight isn't even available for Android devices.

 

Scott

 

That's fantastic. Especially if you are a (US) Private Pilot that already owns Foreflight and uses the simulator as well. Then there is really no cost consideration. Foreflight sets the bar for tablet app for real pilots in real planes. If I could justify the cost, I would just simply use Foreflight.

 

For simulator folks, NAVIATOR gives you most of what foreflight offers but you would need an Andriod Tablet or phone. The app uses Google Map as your basemap if you only want to use it in that fashion and it's only $15. If you want Approach Plates and Sectional overlays (like Skyvector) you only pay $34.99 per year and this includes all of North America. $34.99 for charts and plates versus $149.99 per year Foreflight is a pretty huge leap for most people. Thing that ticks me off about Foreflight if I bit the bullet... It's an additional $149 per year if I want Canada included. That's $300 per year. That's almost 10 times the annual price. Yikes!

 

All iPad versus Andriod discusssions aside, I'm just glad there is a less expensive option out here for those of us that don't want to invest $500 in a tablet and $149 per year for an app. For less than half we get most of the same experience. Make no bones though. Once I have my license and own my own plane, you will find me in my cockpit with an iPad and paying $300 a year for US/Canada data. um.... Now that I see that in writing though... Wow. I might just buy the best Andriod I can get my hands on and get NAVIATOR. Tough to say. I need to start taking NAVIATOR up in a real plane more to see how well it does up there.

 

C.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Hey no sweat, we're all entitled to use colorful hyperbole every now and then. :)

 

Thanks for your support though, much appreciated.

 

Ever thought of making that cross over into the real aviation apps? You have a head start!

 

C.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Yes we have thought about it, but there are serious implications in taking that step (aside from technical, that's the easy part). The day we do we will have to dedicate ourselves only to one or two apps (not the 15 we have now). The level of attention to detail and the update schedule required for the data means you can really only focus on one or two products if you are to do them justice.

 

As you mention above, for real-world pilots something like Foreflight or in our case OzRunways is a very small outlay, less than an hour in a Warrior. I spent a small fortune on maps and manuals when getting my PPL, if only iPad had been around then!


Fermin Fernandez
FSWidgets & TweakFS Developer
Melbourne, Australia (UTC+10)
FSWidgets  logo.png

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

 

 


As you mention above, for real-world pilots something like Foreflight or in our case OzRunways is a very small outlay, less than an hour in a Warrior. I spent a small fortune on maps and manuals when getting my PPL, if only iPad had been around then!

 

Agreed.  Back in the day I paid for sectionals plus a Jepp subscription for approach and IFR enroute charts for a modest region in the US.  It cost a LOT, even for a limited region, plus I had to deal with the odious task of updating the binder every cycle.  Compared to that, my ForeFlight subscription (for all of NA, something I simply couldn't have afforded with paper) is a bargain and the features and useability are leaps and bounds ahead of what I used to do with paper.

 

But I think Fermin hit it right on the head when he mentions the difference between what's required for sim customers and what he'd have to do for RW pilots.  Products like ForeFlight and Jepp Flightdeck, and I'm sure Naviator as well, are held to a VERY high standard by their users.  Support for these products is amazing, updates (and I'm not talking about charts, but the apps themselves) come at a rapid pace with significant new features appearing almost monthly and customer feedback is taken very seriously.  Lives are quite literally at stake with this stuff, so the developer commitment is at a whole 'nother level.

 

Scott

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

There's another Android app that I've used for a while called PilotWxChartJr. Although it doesn't have the inter-connectivity with the Sim like the others, it's a nice reference tool for flying around the US.


COSIMbanner_AVSIM3.jpg

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Foreflight costs $74.99 for a standard subscription for the United States. $149.99 is for the "Pro" version. The most notable difference between it and the standard subscription is that the pro version offers georeferenced plates, meaning that a little airplane icon is super-imposed on the SID's, STAR's, approach plates, and taxiway diagrams. It's very cool!

 

Canadian airport information is still available without the Canada subscription. Canadian approach plates are also viewable, but there is a transparent black text box blocking the center of the plate. The entire world can be viewed as a street, "world map," and terrain overlays in additon to the aviation sectionals available for the subscription area. You can also check global weather in real time just by touching the airport in question from the map view. There are too many features to list, but my point is that the subscriptions only apply to sectionals and charts for that area, not flight planning tools, weather etc.

 

For those with iPads, Foreflight is indipensible for flight sim flight planning, especially if you happen to use it as a RW pilot. Nothing I have seen for Android comes close to what Foreflight and other Apple-based apps offer. Wingx Pro and Garmin Pilot are 2 other options available for iOS platforms, though I am unfamiliar with their features and pricing.

 

Regards

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Lives are quite literally at stake with this stuff, so the developer commitment is at a whole 'nother level.

 

So true, and even though many of the real-world apps have disclaimers about not using it as a primary means of navigation, that sobering thought alone means you have to dedicate yourself solely to that one product, that and hire a phalanx of software engineers.


Fermin Fernandez
FSWidgets & TweakFS Developer
Melbourne, Australia (UTC+10)
FSWidgets  logo.png

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Foreflight costs $74.99 for a standard subscription for the United States. $149.99 is for the "Pro" version. The most notable difference between it and the standard subscription is that the pro version offers georeferenced plates, meaning that a little airplane icon is super-imposed on the SID's, STAR's, approach plates, and taxiway diagrams. It's very cool!

 

Canadian airport information is still available without the Canada subscription. Canadian approach plates are also viewable, but there is a transparent black text box blocking the center of the plate. The entire world can be viewed as a street, "world map," and terrain overlays in additon to the aviation sectionals available for the subscription area. You can also check global weather in real time just by touching the airport in question from the map view. There are too many features to list, but my point is that the subscriptions only apply to sectionals and charts for that area, not flight planning tools, weather etc.

 

For those with iPads, Foreflight is indipensible for flight sim flight planning, especially if you happen to use it as a RW pilot. Nothing I have seen for Android comes close to what Foreflight and other Apple-based apps offer. Wingx Pro and Garmin Pilot are 2 other options available for iOS platforms, though I am unfamiliar with their features and pricing.

 

Regards

 

Standard Foreflight has Approach Plates? Ahhh I thought you had to buy Pro for those too. So the $75/yr is actually pretty good then. Especially since it now integrates to FSX/P3D free per the other post above.

 

$35/yr or $2.92 per month for Naviator

$75/yr or $6.25 per month for Foreflight

 

Great to have options. I might have to steal my iPad back from my daughter next cycle and try life on the other side for a year. Thanks for the clarification.

 

C.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
Sign in to follow this  

  • Tom Allensworth,
    Founder of AVSIM Online


  • Flight Simulation's Premier Resource!

    AVSIM is a free service to the flight simulation community. AVSIM is staffed completely by volunteers and all funds donated to AVSIM go directly back to supporting the community. Your donation here helps to pay our bandwidth costs, emergency funding, and other general costs that crop up from time to time. Thank you for your support!

    Click here for more information and to see all donations year to date.
×
×
  • Create New...