An enhanced emergency glide feature on foreflight

[MountainDude]

 

[Rick A]

The glide range feature has been a cool addition to ForeFlight's display presentations, and used by a number of pilots I fly with. As a screen clutter minimalist, at this point I don't feel the glide feature worth it (for me).

I've set up the moving map on a Garmin GNS-430 to show airports, and travel in the Track Up mode zoomed at the 35 mile range showing paved airports. I've established a good feel to self determine the distance / altitude / winds combination needed to instantly show which direction to turn if/when the engine acts up and if there's a good chance to make an airport (IMO) with enough altitude remaining to maneuver onto a runway.

When the ground is not visible for much of a flight (flying IMC, night or above a cloud deck), or when overflying mountains and/or very desolate areas, combined with an iPad display showing terrain features, with minimal amounts of textual aeronautical information shown is what I prefer (haven't used a sectional chart in years)showing airports (with weather color codes), mountains, valleys, rivers, interstate highways, restricted areas, TFR's etc., clearly displayed to help identify where you don't want to overfly with an engine problem.

Once the startle and adrenaline rush delay settles down enough for the brain to transition into clear thinking survival mode, potentially the most important decision you can make first is to determine which way to point the plane. And that may, or may not be in the direction of an airport that's not, or only potentially reachable.

IMO it's better to point the aircraft to overfly more survivable terrain, than a knee-jerk response to first turning and flying towards an airport that has any widespread hostile terrain displayed within the Garmin's circle of reachable places located between the plane, and a runway. If that's the case then selecting, and surviving an off airport landing should become the overwhelming priority. Seems a lot more pilots die when landing on a runway became the focus and priority, while passing up very survivable fields that are easy to reach, and set up for an easy landing.

Also assume that a rough running or problematic engine condition could completely quit in a nano-second, so fly in the initial direction you decide is best that hopefully has some acceptable survivable off-airport sites. Altitude is golden, make a survival plan and go for it. With or without Garmin's helpful Glide Advisor feature.

 

[robin ardoin]

I have Smart Glide available on my all Garmin panel/autopilot. I occasionally, during flight, check to see what airport it would guide me to if activated. On a few occasions, it would fly me over fairly hostile terrain to reach a suitable airfield without regard for safer off airfield terrain that had more open fields. I see your concern @Rick A

 

[bonefishpete]

Should in training we start rethinking the gliding to a nearest airport and instead concentrate on gliding to a suitable landing area instead? Should we instead accept the fact the aircraft is totaled and pick the most survivable set down area instead of gambling on making the runway and crashing short in a very undesirable area?

 

[delta13]

Do you train with SmartGlide?

I have Smart Glide available on my all Garmin panel/autopilot. I occasionally, during flight, check to see what airport it would guide me to if activated. On a few occasions, it would fly me over fairly hostile terrain to reach a suitable airfield without regard for safer off airfield terrain that had more open fields. I see your concern @Rick A

Robin, I recently got checked out in a C172 with smartglide, but we did not train on the feature. I am afraid to try it in case it squawks emergency, although I read it only offers a shortcut to 7700. Have used it to simulate a full training scenario?

 

[robin ardoin]

Do you train with SmartGlide?

Robin, I recently got checked out in a C172 with smartglide, but we did not train on the feature. I am afraid to try it in case it squawks emergency, although I read it only offers a shortcut to 7700. Have used it to simulate a full training scenario?

I have not trained with it.

 

[flyingcheesehead]

The glide range feature has been a cool addition to ForeFlight's display presentations, and used by a number of pilots I fly with. As a screen clutter minimalist, at this point I don't feel the glide feature worth it (for me).

I'm not sure you're thinking of the correct feature here - The new Emergency Glide mode is different from the glide range ring, and the only thing it shows on the screen is the number of airports which are currently within your glide range, and that's also the button you push to go into Emergency Glide mode.

I've set up the moving map on a Garmin GNS-430 to show airports, and travel in the Track Up mode zoomed at the 35 mile range showing paved airports. I've established a good feel to self determine the distance / altitude / winds combination needed to instantly show which direction to turn if/when the engine acts up and if there's a good chance to make an airport (IMO) with enough altitude remaining to maneuver onto a runway.

You'd be surprised how far off your intuition can be compared to a gadget calculating everything in real time, all the time. Both of ForeFlight's features, Glide Advisor and Emergency Glide, are calculating how far you can go based on current groundspeed, winds aloft, terrain, and more. There's no way you can do all of that in real time in your head, especially once the SHTF and you're in survival mode.

Once the startle and adrenaline rush delay settles down enough for the brain to transition into clear thinking survival mode, potentially the most important decision you can make first is to determine which way to point the plane. And that may, or may not be in the direction of an airport that's not, or only potentially reachable.

So why wouldn't you want to know instantly whether or not you can make it to an airport?

IMO it's better to point the aircraft to overfly more survivable terrain, than a knee-jerk response to first turning and flying towards an airport that has any widespread hostile terrain displayed within the Garmin's circle of reachable places located between the plane, and a runway.

Again, this is where it's important to be able to instantly know whether it's going to be easy to make an airport, borderline, or whether there's no way, combined with a map showing the terrain most conducive to an off-field landing.

Also assume that a rough running or problematic engine condition could completely quit in a nano-second, so fly in the initial direction you decide is best that hopefully has some acceptable survivable off-airport sites. Altitude is golden, make a survival plan and go for it. With or without Garmin's helpful Glide Advisor feature.

Glide Advisor is ForeFlight and is what they call the ring that you can display on the map. Emergency Glide is the new feature they have that keeps track of how many airports are within the ring and allows you to go into a mode showing the most relevant data about those airports and a map of landable terrain.

Garmin's feature is called Smart Glide.

 

[Rick A]

Emergency Glide is the new feature they have that keeps track of how many airports are within the ring and allows you to go into a mode showing the most relevant data about those airports and a map of landable terrain.

I watched the video... excellent information! Thanks for sharing.

I've never seen anything from ForeFlight about Emergency Glide. Just checked my large iPad and it's not there. I auto-renewed to ForeFlight Premium USA (which I'd had) back in May and now I'll have to determine whether this new feature is included in my present service which doesn't expire until 20 MAY 2027.

Also recently become aware that the approach plate upgrade that lists relevant information neatly in a column is now missing. I've just reverted to the familiar standard plate presentation (which is OK) but it got me wondering if ForeFlight's features have become more expensive.

I suspect some of ForeFlight Premium USA subscription's features have moved up to a higher cost. If that's the case, the Emergency Glide feature is (IMO) worth the extra money, and I'll buy it. That may reinstate the simplified approach plate presentation too.

 

[flyingcheesehead]

I watched the video... excellent information! Thanks for sharing.

I've never seen anything from ForeFlight about Emergency Glide. Just checked my large iPad and it's not there. I auto-renewed to ForeFlight Premium USA (which I'd had) back in May and now I'll have to determine whether this new feature is included in my present service which doesn't expire until 20 MAY 2027.

Also recently become aware that the approach plate upgrade that lists relevant information neatly in a column is now missing. I've just reverted to the familiar standard plate presentation (which is OK) but it got me wondering if ForeFlight's features have become more expensive.

I suspect some of ForeFlight Premium USA subscription's features have moved up to a higher cost. If that's the case, the Emergency Glide feature is (IMO) worth the extra money, and I'll buy it. That may reinstate the simplified approach plate presentation too.

They just renamed all their plans not too long ago, so I had to go and look it up. It used to be Basic, Pro, and Performance in increasing cost/features. Now, it's Starter, Essential, and Premium.

I would suggest that you first go to the App Store and make sure ForeFlight is up to date. As of today, the current version is 18.6.2. You may need to update your iOS/iPadOS as well. Emergency Glide is a pretty new feature, so if you don't have the most up-to-date version, you might not have it yet. Emergency Glide is part of *all* ForeFlight plans, so once you're up to date you should have it.

Dynamic Procedures (the "simplified approach plate upgrade that lists relevant information neatly in a column") has been around for just a few months as well, and is part of both the Essentials and Premium plans, so you should have it. If you get your iPadOS and your ForeFlight both updated and you don't see them, send a message to [email protected] and let them know, they can check and make sure something didn't get jumbled up with your account and keep you from accessing new features.

 

[Rick A]

They just renamed all their plans not too long ago, so I had to go and look it up. It used to be Basic, Pro, and Performance in increasing cost/features. Now, it's Starter, Essential, and Premium.

I would suggest that you first go to the App Store and make sure ForeFlight is up to date. As of today, the current version is 18.6.2. You may need to update your iOS/iPadOS as well. Emergency Glide is a pretty new feature, so if you don't have the most up-to-date version, you might not have it yet. Emergency Glide is part of *all* ForeFlight plans, so once you're up to date you should have it.

Dynamic Procedures (the "simplified approach plate upgrade that lists relevant information neatly in a column") has been around for just a few months as well, and is part of both the Essentials and Premium plans, so you should have it. If you get your iPadOS and your ForeFlight both updated and you don't see them, send a message to [email protected] and let them know, they can check and make sure something didn't get jumbled up with your account and keep you from accessing new features.

Done! I really appreciate your bringing the Emergency Glide to my attention.

This past weekend I used AI and learned you are absolutely correct. I had to retire the 11" old iPad because Apple no longer supports it beyond the iOS version that accepts some of the new ForeFlight updates and Apps, which includes Dynamic Procedures and Emergency Glide. My newer mini iPad (for flying use only) is now updated and both of these two new apps are installed and operational.

I'm not particularly fond of the smaller mini's screen and the amount of pinching necessary for me to read the fine print on approach plates and the map, so after learning new iPads are on sale at Costco I just purchased a new 11" one.

I plan on continuing bringing both sized iPads along on all cross-country flights for viewing various types of information. IFR charts, approach plates, weather views, etc., on the big one will still be kept in arms reach to pick up and view when needed. The mini will remain mounted on a homemade stand positioned on the floor while enroute to glance on progress and route relationships to weather up ahead, and strategize changes in route and/or diversions to other airports for possible initiation of a plan B, C, etc.

The mini is a great platform to quickly punch the Emergency Glide button if needed.

Current floor mounted mini and the 11" iPad in reach