Best Aviation Apps for Android?

Discussion in 'Flight Following' started by kenjr, Apr 17, 2015.

  1. kenjr

    kenjr Line Up and Wait

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    ...moving over to a new phone platform and interested in what folks consider their 'go to' aviation related applications are? Specifically looking for weather/metar and whatever else folks find interesting.

    Thanks in advance!
     
  2. zaitcev

    zaitcev En-Route

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    The Naviator was the early leader that everyone used, but it was all Garmin Pilot lately. I flew with Garmin Pilot, it's okay. There's also a "free" app called Avolution or something, which finds some enthusiasts.
     
  3. oldShar

    oldShar Cleared for Takeoff

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    Some that I quickly default to include:
    Avare and
    FltPlan Go

    they tend to provide ~98% of anything you want/need (although Pilot is also used)
     
  4. FORANE

    FORANE Pattern Altitude

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    I use Anywhere Map, fltplan mobile and a Zulu time widget on the phone.

    Does anyone know if any of these offer turns only waypoint info for airway routing? I know Garmin offers the flight stream 200/garmin pilot app and airway routes may be selected then transferred to a 430. Do any of the others at least provide turns when planning along an airway?
     
  5. Fredbob711

    Fredbob711 Pre-takeoff checklist

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    Here's what I use on my Android phone & tablet...

    MyFlightbook
    FlightIntel - Basically a mobile A/FD, just make sure you update the DB occasionally.
    PilotLounge - This is my favorite even though it's old (hasn't been updated since 2012). It's got W&B, weather, and an electronic E6B. But the best part is the weather widget, it'll display the current METAR/TAF for your default station/home airport (on the homescreen of the app, hit your menu button or hold the app switcher button and it'll pop up with an option to change). When it's green, it's VFR conditions, blue is Minimal VFR (hard to read with the black background), red is IFR. You can tap on the METAR/TAF to refresh it, the refresh arrows in the bottom left corner to switch between METAR & TAF, and tap on the airplane to open the app itself.
    Screenshot_2015-04-17-09-34-47.png

    For EFB apps, I've used Avare and AvNav EFB. I really liked AvNav, but don't fly enough at the moment to justify the subscription fee. Avare is a pretty nice substitute so far though, not quite as user-friendly imo.
     
  6. tehmightypirate

    tehmightypirate Line Up and Wait

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    My tablet apps:

    Avare (charts, plates, and GPS)
    Avare ADS-B Pro and I/O plugin (puts ADS-B returns into Avare)
    AOPA FlyQ (weather and flight planning)
    PilotLounge (backup weather app, zulu clock, weight and balance)
    FlightTools E6B (does what it says on the box)
    Checklist app

    On my phone I also have a gyro app, an altimeter app, and backups of all my tablet apps.
     
  7. Badger

    Badger Pattern Altitude

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    aero weather
     
  8. wishboneash

    wishboneash Filing Flight Plan

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    Metam is a very good weather app. Has a widget which will give you the weather at your preset airport on the phone directly without having to open the app. You can access all kinds of weather charts both US and international. It also as a route feature which gives you weather along the route between two airports. If you fly that route often it can be saved and therefore can access it any time you need it.
     
  9. kgruber

    kgruber En-Route

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    ATC frequencies for pilots.
     
  10. German guy

    German guy Cleared for Takeoff

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    +1

    For navigation, I use Adventure Pilot's iFly software, which is also available for iOS.
     
  11. bkspero

    bkspero Pre-takeoff checklist

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    Naviator will do airways with bends only. Or you can set it to display all waypoints. Your choice.
     
  12. Art VanDelay

    Art VanDelay Pattern Altitude

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    What's an Android ? Seriously though, if you like aviation apps you got the wrong phone.
     
  13. Cykoguy

    Cykoguy Pre-takeoff checklist

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    All I have on my phone are...

    Aviation Tools Free
    Aviation Pocket Knife
     
  14. Challenged

    Challenged Pattern Altitude

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  15. kenjr

    kenjr Line Up and Wait

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    I hate iOS. I have an iPad w/ ForeFlight and a few things so I have the platform and have plenty running there. As a phone though, it would drive me batty using the latest iOS release.

    I bought a Samsung S6 and couldn't be happier. Killer phone.

    Really all I need on the phone are pre-flight/weather type stuff. A good METAR app, good weather (I use weathermeister.com which is just a web browser so that's easy), etc... Looks like I've got it covered.

    AVIA Weather is a great free METAR app that I found that I'm sticking with.
     
  16. bluesideup

    bluesideup Pre-takeoff checklist

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    Hi Ken and everyone.
    You may want to give Avare a try, here is a short description. TV

    Avare Aviation GPS for Android.
    Download from the Google Play Store: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ds.avare&hl=en
    Avare provides offline moving map on all FAA charts (VFR Sectional, IFR lo/hi enroute, Approach Plate, WAC & TAC); plus A/FD info, Airport Diagrams w/GPS Taxi, and Terminal Procedures.
    Also included: GPS status, Terrain/Elevation Maps, 50 Nearest airports, Obstacles, and more. Some FAA Charts cover Puerto Rico, plus parts of Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean.
    Canadian topo moving maps and unofficial airport info are also now available and volunteers may add other countries.
    Avare Advantages and Features:

    • Made by & for pilots
    • Easy to learn & use
    • Quick & responsive
    • All free FAA materials & more
    • Runs on most Android devices
    • No ads or invasive permissions
    More Features:

    • Type in any address or coordinates.
    • METAR & TAF (Internet fetch).
    • ADSB NEXRAD, METAR, TAF, PIREP, Winds (free AddOn apps).
    • Graphic & text TFRs (Internet fetch).
    • Terrain maps & Canada topo, MSL & AGL display.
    • External GPS, autopilot and flite sim (free AddOn apps).
    • Obstacles: Any over 500' AGL within 200' of GPS altitude.
    • Frequencies, runways, fuel availability, & other A/FD info.
    • 13000+ Geo. referenced approach plates and taxi diagrams
    • Landscape or Portrait display Preference, North Up or Track Up (NU/TU).
    • Draw notes directly on-screen, or Pan freely around charts (Draw/Pan).
    • Press any two points on chart for approximate distance between them.
    • Location icon can be centered or track from your placement on screen.
    • GPS compass direction, Bearing, and Distance to and FROM any point on the map by long-pressing one finger on that point. Great for your ATC and CTAF radio calls.
     
  17. Approach_controller

    Approach_controller Pre-takeoff checklist

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    It's a cellular telephone for people who know how to use computers, but that isn't important right now. :rofl:
     
  18. SixPapaCharlie

    SixPapaCharlie May the force be with you

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    I have a lot of apps for flying on my android.
    I find myself consistently going back to "Pilot Lounge"
     
  19. txflyer

    txflyer En-Route

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    Fly it like you STOL it ♦


    Garmin Pilot
    Aviation Weather.gov (NOAA site)
    Metam
    Appventive W&B

    ..these are my go to android apps on my S5. There are many more. You just gotta shop. :wink2:
     
  20. jaybee

    jaybee Cleared for Takeoff

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  21. DFH65

    DFH65 Pattern Altitude

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    Have an S5 love it.

    I Use Avare mostly.
    Fltplan Go
    E6B
    Duats
    Gyro
    Compass and a few others installed incase I need them.

    Personally I wouldn't own an IOS phone. Foreflight is a great product. I have played with it a little and if I flew IFR (I don't) I would consider buying an iPad that was just dedicated for that purpose. Although to be fair I have not tried Garmin pilot for the android and would give that a shot first on a nexus 7.

    My wife and kids have iPhones and I just can't do the things I need to do as easily with an iPhone. I want to tell my device what I want it to do not have my device tell me how it wants me to do it.
     
  22. retpd2001

    retpd2001 Line Up and Wait

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    But if your looking for a courtesy car after using all those apps......
     
  23. JohnAJohnson

    JohnAJohnson Cleared for Takeoff

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  24. JohnAJohnson

    JohnAJohnson Cleared for Takeoff

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    Glenn, the play store lists Airport Courtesy Cars as incompatible with all my devices. Any idea why?
     
  25. merlin3

    merlin3 Pre-Flight

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    Garmin pilot, flyq, takeoff, weatherbomb are just a few i like. I have tried most of the moving map apps such as avare and naviator but after using garmin the others just seem too clunky. Garmin is so intuitive, want to go to an airport? Just find it on the map, touch it and hit direct to or pull up all the airport info instantly. All the other apps seem to make this too complicated.
     
  26. eman1200

    eman1200 Touchdown! Greaser!

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    Who else would ATC frequencies be for?
     
  27. Silvaire

    Silvaire En-Route

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    What is it with apple people? Are they compelled by some unseen force to storm into parties and conversations they aren't even invited to. :dunno:
     
  28. kenjr

    kenjr Line Up and Wait

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    I know right? All the more reason to hate on the platform. :D

    I'm sure this guy will be showing everyone METAR's on his iWatch or whatever the hell it's going to be called. Lame.
     
  29. retailguy

    retailguy Line Up and Wait

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    Just trying to educate all of us on what a "smart" choice they made....:nonod:
     
  30. darthnomster

    darthnomster Pre-takeoff checklist

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    Garmin Pilot, and Takeoff. Looks like I need to go experiment with some of the suggestions in this thread!
     
  31. retpd2001

    retpd2001 Line Up and Wait

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    Your doing a search from a phone and not a tablet? Have no idea. 7000 downloads and I have never heard that one before.
     
  32. Jim_R

    Jim_R Cleared for Takeoff PoA Supporter

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    I've been using iFly for years, and it's been great.
     
  33. JoeSelch

    JoeSelch Pattern Altitude PoA Supporter

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    I fly with Naviator on my tablet.

    I also use the following on my phone:
    FlightIntel
    Skew-t
     
  34. CT4ME

    CT4ME Cleared for Takeoff

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    WingX just announced an Android version is imminent...
    But IFly is nice, too.
     
  35. retpd2001

    retpd2001 Line Up and Wait

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    Story in today's Wall Street Journal on security states the Android phone records a persons location every 20 minutes....scary.
     
  36. Fredbob711

    Fredbob711 Pre-takeoff checklist

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    If you think your iPhone doesn't you're in for a shock. (Unless you turn off location services, which you can do on Android as well.)

    It's a scare-article for page views, they could have written the same thing about Apple and/or Microsoft.
     
  37. retpd2001

    retpd2001 Line Up and Wait

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    I didn't even say I use an iPhone, just sharing what I just read in the paper this morning over coffee.
     
  38. Fredbob711

    Fredbob711 Pre-takeoff checklist

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    Fair point. Sorry for the assumption.
     
  39. retailguy

    retailguy Line Up and Wait

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    Turning this off on my phone was the second thing I did after stopping my google account from syncing.

    Yes, it is scary. We are surrendering too much data to anyone that asks, and we're doing it willingly... (well, some of us anyhow.)
     
  40. zaitcev

    zaitcev En-Route

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    It's the name of the app. And yes, it's an immense PITA to find the sector frequency for a given airport if you're a VFR pilot. Of course IFR guys get those frequencies for free, but not us mortals.