Android apps

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ATC_av8er

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ATC_av8er
I downloaded two Android apps: Garmin Pilot and DroidEFB. I plan on playing around with them both and deciding which I like better. I'm new to the nav apps thing. The biggest question I need to know is will either app allow the GPS feature to work without a WiFi connection? Thanks for your input.
 
I liked Garmin pilot, ended up with WingX and like it a lot (I went against everything I believe in and got an ipad to give foreflight a chance). No experience with droid EFB. There are some good free ones like Avare too worth checking out. Despite being a guy that prefers android, I'm not an expert here. Having GPS feature should have nothing to do with a WiFi connection. If the device is GPS capable, it will work no matter if you have a wifi/data connection or not. If the maps are downloaded, it will work, even in airplane mode. With an ipad, you have to have one that is cellular capable to have the GPS function, i think Android devices vary by manufacturer.
 
I’m not sure this answers your question since you don’t say which tablet you are using.

It’s not the app, it’s the tablet.

If the Android tablet has a GPS chip, the app will use it. An active WiFi connection to the internet is not required for the internal (or an external) GPS to be functional in the tablets I’m familiar with.

Happy hunting. Exploring apps and deciding which is best for you can be fun.
 
Give fltplan go a shot too. It's similar to the other efb apps, but I'm able to plan and store flights well in advance and get printable nav logs, airport info, weather etc for any of them on demand. It's nice then refreshing the app and having everything I did on their website present for whatever flights I have coming up. I'm not sure what other apps can do that, but it's really nice to have instead of doing it one at a time. It also had w/b profiles built into the app which is great as well and motivates you to do it every flight.
 
Garmin Pilot will use the tablet's GPS independently of wifi. If wifi is available it is used by the tablet to assist in location...but not required.

All Android tablets should have internal GPS. About the only issue you might run into is loss of GPS signal to the tablet if the tablet is in a poor location in the cockpit.

We have over 150 hrs of GP use. There was a stretch this summer where it would crash, ironically when the obstacle alert was been shown or cleared...I forget. It's been great ever since.

Keep in mind that Android version of Pilot lacks several features of the iOS version.
 
Try Avare, too. I've been using it for years.

A phone without a SIM card works as a "tablet" so in a cockpit with limited space I use an old Android phone equipped with Avare. (Allthe other nonphone features work, too.)
 
The app will work without wifi but you need to download any charts or other data when you're on the ground with a wifi connection.

I too use (and recommend) Avare. My tablet has an internal GPS (most but not all tablets do), but I use a separate bluetooth GPS receiver to provide location information to the tablet as I can place it where it gets a better signal than the tablet down inside the cockpit.
 
I'm a big fan of Droid EFB. It will work with the internal GPS in my Android tablet without WiFi or Bluetooth. I have ADS-B in through a Dual XGPS 170 receiver and that requires the tablet to have Bluetooth to get weather, traffic and position data from the ADS-B receiver.
 
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