Foreflight flight plan filing iPad question

imwithtuxedo

imwithtuxedo

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Question about filing a VFR flight plan. Recently started using an iPad with my flying. My iPad does not have a data subscription but connects to Stratus wifi for traffic and weather.

I'd like to use Foreflight to file and activate my flight plan, but without a data subscription it won't connect to anything to file. Instead of calling on the radio to open and close the flight plan, if I use the Foreflight app on my phone to activate and close my flight plan will the iPad recognize that I've started and ended the trip?

Any tips?
 
Is it a WiFi only Ipad? Then file while at home or in range of the FBO's router.

Also, you can tether to your mobile phone and the iPad should have internet access.

0DE9AF1E-B87F-47FE-945C-E698279BAD19.jpeg
 
Leidos Flight Service also has some really good tools to file and manage flight plans. I encourage you to check those out.

www.1800wxbrief.com
 
Hotspot your phone and run your iPad through that.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Yeah, Leidos will email you a link to open and another to close your plan within an hour of your flight start and end. Just click the link and confirm and it’s done. Thru your phone.

If I remember right...
 
imwithtuxedo said:
Question about filing a VFR flight plan. Recently started using an iPad with my flying. My iPad does not have a data subscription but connects to Stratus wifi for traffic and weather.

I'd like to use Foreflight to file and activate my flight plan, but without a data subscription it won't connect to anything to file. Instead of calling on the radio to open and close the flight plan, if I use the Foreflight app on my phone to activate and close my flight plan will the iPad recognize that I've started and ended the trip?

Any tips?
Click to expand...
WiFi.

I am on my third WiFi-only iPad since I started using ForeFlight in January 2011. Never had a problem filing using it. And, while I use a hotspot from my phone for a bunch of other things, I have never needed to do that to file a flight plan.
 
You need internet access in the device the you can open and close your flight plan from the device but it has to be done manually as far as I know.

I generally just do it as soon as I’m ready to go from the FBO in their WiFi.
 
I have never gotten tethering to work. Am told they disable it.
StraightTalk using Verizon's network.
 
Let'sgoflying! said:
I have never gotten tethering to work. Am told they disable it.
Click to expand...
Look at the image I thumbnailed on your iPad when it is in range of your phone and see if you see something similar.

Tethering is the word I used for establishing the hotspot link and it does work.
 
AggieMike88 said:
Look at the image I thumbnailed on your iPad when it is in range of your phone and see if you see something similar.

Tethering is the word I used for establishing the hotspot link and it does work.
Click to expand...
Another data point - I was grandfathered in on AT&T’s old, unlimited data plan and the “personal hotspot” option was greyed out on all our phones. I switched to the newer family plan with “sort of” unlimited data that gets throttled if too much is used. The hotspot option was available on my phones as soon as I switched plans. Some carriers do turn it off depending on your plan. I like having the hotspot. I have landed, used it from the taxiway to file. It is handy to have. I have cellular capable iPads for the gps but don’t have cellular plans for them. The few times I need data on the iPad with no WiFi available, the hotspot does the trick.
 
Let'sgoflying! said:
I have never gotten tethering to work. Am told they disable it.
StraightTalk using Verizon's network.
Click to expand...
@AggieMike88

Don't know about StraightTalk, but a number of prepaid wireless plans do not include hotspot capability.

But that shouldn't matter unless you are using an FBO which doesn't have WiFi access, and that's pretty rare in 2019.
 
midlifeflyer said:
But that shouldn't matter unless you are using an FBO which doesn't have WiFi access, and that's pretty rare in 2019.
Click to expand...
Yup... and many of their wireless networks have enough range to cover a good part of the ramp area too.
 
midlifeflyer said:
Don't know about StraightTalk, but a number of prepaid wireless plans do not include hotspot capability.
Click to expand...

The phone says, To enable personal hotspot, call 611.
I called; “We do not offer hotspot connecting.”
(StraightTalk ie TFW)
 
Let'sgoflying! said:
The phone says, To enable personal hotspot, call 611.
I called; “We do not offer hotspot connecting.”
(StraightTalk ie TFW)
Click to expand...
Some googling provided more info about hot spotting with straight talk. And I found what you shared that "hotspotting" to your phone from your tablet isn't something they do.

If you need this style of data connectivity, you might need to acquire a stand alone hotspot device that is supported by a different carrier.
 
Our hangars are well out of reach of the FBO’s WiFi. I had to call AT&T today about potential changes to my daughters phone. I can add the iPad for $20 per month with unlimited data. I will probably do it at some point. For now - I will use the hotspot.
 
OP: Did you get your question answered?

I connect to the iPad using a hotspot. Alternatively, if you can’t do that then you could file at home (assuming you are connected to a WiFi router) and activate it the old fashioned way via phone call at the airport.
 
I bought my ipad from Verizon, I got a $300 discount at the time on the ipad, 10.5 pro and it was $15 a month to add it to my plan. I can file from most airports without wifi. I love it.
 
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