What iPad apps do you use when you fly?

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Tom

Administrator
Staff member
I use ForeFlight and Xavion.

ForeFlight is what I use most of the time. Xavion is primarily used as a tool for engine failure.

Xavion was created by Austin Meyer, who created the Xplane 11 flight simulator. He's an aeronautical engineer and a pilot. The biggest feature of Xavion that I love is the red EMER button.

Xavion is constantly running simulations of power-off glides from your current position to every runway that it thinks is within gliding range. It picks what it considers the best destination and shows you a series of "hoops" to fly through.

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Xavion asks you for specific glide data for your airplane. A fast, slow and configured glide speed. It uses these three speeds and descent gradients to land you at the optimum point on the best runway. The touchdown location is calculated like a glide pilot does it:

  • Runway length minus your landing distance = extra runway amount
  • Extra runway amount divided by two
  • Add extra runway amount to the threshold
This gives you the maximum buffer for your glide. If you are coming down a little too fast or a little too slowly, you have the proper buffer built in.

This is a potential life saver with engine failure in IMC or night.

Xavion is $10/month and includes updated charts in the subscription price.
 
J

Jeff Bonvallet

New member
ForeFlight now has “Glide Advisor” and factors in best glide, glide ratio, winds, and terrain. I like the “hoops” on Xavion. Xavion picking what it considers the best destination sounds great, especially in an emergency. However, the final decision is always PIC. I need to practice with this new feature. Should really help in mountain flying.
 
T

Tom

Administrator
Staff member
I saw the glide advisor in Foreflight but I'll have to compare with XPlane how the two compare.
 
F

Flying108

New member
Controller92 said:
I am definitely a power-user of Foreflight, I just need an iPhone so I have a backup. Overheat is probably the biggest drawback of an EFB so I really need a backup.
Click to expand...
I agree. I have had my iPad mini shut down twice from heat.........while transiting DEN Class B......while the GNS430 started to have the screen washout from the 82 degF day (not a Club plane). I have back up paper charts that are expired, but in a pinch they never fail. Had my iphone too if needed. I hope the next gen iPads don't overheat as readily.
 
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dwcarter

New member
I have been running ForeFlight on an iPad Mini as a kneeboard for a few years now. I have been quite pleased with App, but the price increases have been a little disappointing. I recently upgraded from a Scout to a Sentry ADS-B receiver to go with the package. I have only had the Sentry up once, but it seemed to work great. A friend had the CO detector in his newly purchased Sentry fail and had to return it for repairs. He had a positive experience with the company's customer service.
 
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