EFB's: What features/functions are we missing?

AggieMike88

AggieMike88

Touchdown! Greaser!
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The original "I don't know it all" of aviation.
We can agree that all of our favorite EFB's have come a long way in the past 4 to 5 years since thier initial versions. Adding lots of improvements to the UI and a lot of front and behind scenes improvements and features.

Keeping the discussion to the realm of all of the EFB softwares (versus devolving into drifts of "ForeFlight got it but Garmin Pilot don't" and "WingX is free to CFI's and can whip FltPlan-Go with one electron tied behind it's back"), the discussion topic is
  • What functions features are not there that you want that would increase the utility of software genre?
  • For the 121/135 Pro pilots, anything specific to what you do?
  • For military, what would you want?
 
Being able to search your logbook and pull out the flights that count. Like if you want to see just the flights that count for XC or instruments or whatever.


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Steven Untet said:
Being able to search your logbook and pull out the flights that count. Like if you want to see just the flights that count for XC or instruments or whatever.
Click to expand...
This is ForeFlight?
 
Glide to a runway ala Xavion


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Agree but after having the software that I paid for disabled in an after purchase update, I would say glide like the anywhere map pro emergency view glide arc.
 
Steven Untet said:
Being able to search your logbook and pull out the flights that count. Like if you want to see just the flights that count for XC or instruments or whatever.


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Click to expand...

Although you can't search specifically you can easily keep track of instruments, XC, etc. Using the custom fields option in logbook can be quite useful for keeping track of specific things as well (such as cross countries even if it isn't over 50NM)
 
I think the answer is, it depends. The functionality one EDB has may be missing on another. For example, the only item remaining on my ForeFlight wishlist, being able to write on the map, is there in FltPlan Go! All the others were either fulfilled or came off the list when they did something better than I had in mind. Examples of the latter were automatic approach plate binders and split screen capability to have approach plates side by side with the map. The procedure advisor and plates over maps, respectively, did everything I was looking for from those, and more.

There is one I thought of recently. Most of the EFBs have Vertical Speed Required to the ground at the destination airport but with no customization. Under IFR, we often get crossing restrictions. "Cross NXTFX at 4,000." We either mentally ball park the number with mental math, use some sort of calculator, switch screens on our panel GPS to get to the VSI calc page, or just start down and hope for the best.

I was thinking about a customized solution. I can actually picture what it would look like. Touch a fix and one of the choices in the pop-up is Vertical Speed Required. Tap on that and enter an altitude. Done. All the other data is already being captured by the app.

I do have a second - strictly a convenience item: "smart" airport search. I haven't seen a search facility in an EFB that allows searching an airport by name or city that will accept misspellings and give you a list to choose from. When planning, I usually have to go to Google and Airnav to find the identifier instead of doing it all in the EFB.
 
midlifeflyer said:
I do have a second - strictly a convenience item: "smart" airport search. I haven't seen a search facility in an EFB that allows searching an airport by name or city that will accept misspellings and give you a list to choose from. When planning, I usually have to go to Google and Airnav to find the identifier instead of doing it all in the EFB.
Click to expand...

This is in development with Aerovie.
 
AggieMike88 said:
What functions features are not there that you want that would increase the utility of software genre?
Click to expand...
In relative order from highest to least, note I am a new-ish user to Foreflight:
-better logbook management. Rather than having to pick the time frame and navigate into each flight it would be great to see a scrollable list of flights, and drill down and filter those based on various parameters
-engine out drift down (multi engine) or engine out glide angles, etc
-more robust descent planning, ability to show a top of climb arc or top of descent point
-easier ability to share routes with other pilots
-have it plot and recommend optimum cruise altitude and speeds for fuel, time, etc. based on the winds data available
-ability to store and easily access and view track log metadata (altitude, speed, etc. etc.). Would be useful in training to review altitude holding, hold maneuvers, etc., and in the case of an accident it could be useful there as well
-customizable rules that the user can set: "give me a warning X seconds before flying into class Bravo on current trajectory", etc.
 
RudyP said:
This is in development with Aerovie.
Click to expand...
Nice. I have started to do a lot of pre-flight planning with Aerovie due to it's vertical weather profile. It's not quite ready to be a replacement for my primary EFB app, but it is an excellent app that keeps getting better and better.
screenshot-vertical-weather.png
 
AggieMike88 said:
This is ForeFlight?
Click to expand...

I have aired my complaints before but FF logbook leaves a lot to be desired in this area. You can't look up and/or print individual logbook entries from a computer. I sent them a suggestion that they fix it via e-mail. They replied and said they would look into it.

If anyone else would like this feature please send them an email at team@foreflight.com
Request they add a feature where you can view, update and print individual logbook entries from the website on a computer.

You need an option to pull up and view/print/edit your individual log entries on a computer.

I am trying to print out 6 full, individual logbook entries for my checkride tomorrow. The best I can do with your program is screenshot them on my ipad, and it would take multiple screenshots per entry.

I can get flight experience and summaries online but its very limited information and not what I am looking for. Exporting to excel results in a format that is not printer friendly.
Click to expand...
 
midlifeflyer said:
Nice. I have started to do a lot of pre-flight planning with Aerovie due to it's vertical weather profile. It's not quite ready to be a replacement for my primary EFB app, but it is an excellent app that keeps getting better and better.
Click to expand...

Very cool, but how do they get tops information from TAF's? Do they take it from the Area Forecast?

I usually pull up a few Skew-T plots on my route of flight to get info on tops and layers.
 
Steven Untet said:
Being able to search your logbook and pull out the flights that count. Like if you want to see just the flights that count for XC or instruments or whatever.
Click to expand...

For this I highly recommend Pilot Pro. I have this on my iPad and it is a great logbook. I also keep paper and an Excel spreadsheet.
 
How about a screen that lets you look outside without diverting your attention from the EFB?
 
dell30rb said:
Very cool, but how do they get tops information from TAF's? Do they take it from the Area Forecast?

I usually pull up a few Skew-T plots on my route of flight to get info on tops and layers.
Click to expand...

From the developer: "RAP model to 18 hours, then GFS to 8 days. RAP is similar to pulling up a SkewT diagram which you can do by holding down and hitting SkewT"
 
I'd love to have a virtual co-pilot that could follow voice commands. i.e., you ask for pre-landing checklists and it reads off the items and checks them as you respond. Also to provide verbal reminders to check the fuel switch, based on GPS altitude prompt for gear down check, stuff like that...
 
RudyP said:
From the developer: "RAP model to 18 hours, then GFS to 8 days. RAP is similar to pulling up a SkewT diagram which you can do by holding down and hitting SkewT"
Click to expand...

Where do I invest
 
I'd think the all-in-one solution is what is missing. Pre-flight planning via web and transfer to mobile device, full functionality of FF/GP with weather and profile views, logbook entries for both pilot and aircraft as well as custom reminders for everything from annual inspections/pitot-static checks and oil changes. Perhaps even ways to add photos to logbook entries to document trips and post to social media. Add-in FBOs/fuel pricing/courtest cars/etc. from sites like AirNav.
 
I've requested that ForeFlight add altitude awareness to route suggestions. If my service ceiling is 15,000, then a route with an MEA above that should either not be offered or be flagged as inappropriate for my plane.

Having Skew-T in the app would be nice. Show them for points along the route at the estimated crossing time.

The ability to take user input of time over a waypoint on the nav log and adjust the rest of it for those times when you lose GPS and are not in radar contact so position reporting is required. Rare event but it can happen.
 
AggieMike88 said:
My hope is that with @scottd being FF's weather scientist, we will have Skew-T in FF someday. He was a big part of the improved weather briefing.
Click to expand...

Route based atmospheric cross sections ala adds flight plan tool.


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iamtheari said:
I've requested that ForeFlight add altitude awareness to route suggestions. If my service ceiling is 15,000, then a route with an MEA above that should either not be offered or be flagged as inappropriate for my plane.

Having Skew-T in the app would be nice. Show them for points along the route at the estimated crossing time.

The ability to take user input of time over a waypoint on the nav log and adjust the rest of it for those times when you lose GPS and are not in radar contact so position reporting is required. Rare event but it can happen.
Click to expand...
Hmm, do you want FF to track density altitude for you also? At some point the pilot has to actually think about the flight plan.
 
Would be good if the runway advisor would say entering runway xx, density altitude yyyy


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dell30rb said:
Very cool, but how do they get tops information from TAF's? Do they take it from the Area Forecast?

I usually pull up a few Skew-T plots on my route of flight to get info on tops and layers.
Click to expand...

I would like to see Skew-Ts along my route of flight. I figured ForeFlight would integrate something like that when they brought Scott D. on, considering his background.
 
Foreflight and Garmin Pilot are well in the lead and vying one another for incremental features. But both are missing the ability to flight plan and log on a PC and transfer data to the tablet based app seamlessly.

Also, both need to make a full port to the Android platform where iPad and Android are the same in use and functionality. Android now leads all others in number of OS clients on the net passing Microsoft last week.
 
iamtheari said:
I've requested that ForeFlight add altitude awareness to route suggestions. If my service ceiling is 15,000, then a route with an MEA above that should either not be offered or be flagged as inappropriate for my plane.

Having Skew-T in the app would be nice. Show them for points along the route at the estimated crossing time.

The ability to take user input of time over a waypoint on the nav log and adjust the rest of it for those times when you lose GPS and are not in radar contact so position reporting is required. Rare event but it can happen.
Click to expand...
Foreflight will need better altitude planning to pull that off. Which might not be a bad idea.

What I'd like to be able to do is specify multiple crossing altitudes and get appropriate VNAV profiles. FlyQ EFB tried to do that, but the interface is so bug ridden as to be totally useless. G1000 will do it, but has too many "gotchas."

I'd also like to see any EFB that has a realistic climb profile. fltplan.com will do it, with a lot of work. But a better climb model will make much of that go away. One simply does not climb at constant airspeed up to high altitude. More typically, it's at constant MP up to full throttle, and a given ROC down to Vy (and then Vy -- corrected for altitude and weight -- if I'm too high to maintain the ROC). I think most of us would like constant airspeed climbs, but that's often less than 500 FPM even at moderate altitudes.
 
dell30rb said:
Very cool, but how do they get tops information from TAF's? Do they take it from the Area Forecast?

I usually pull up a few Skew-T plots on my route of flight to get info on tops and layers.
Click to expand...
They take it from the Skew-T soundings data. A limitation is it doesn't take the stability information from the soundings. But, when on the ground with an Internet connection, you can tap anywhere on the map and be sent directly to the Skew-T chart on the NOAA website.

So, aside from the convective data, the vertical profile is, in part, a graphic Skew-T. The nice thing is, once uploaded, the vertical profile stays with you; you may have noticed it's time and specific along the route. The times are based on the departure time and TAS in your flight plan.
 
SoonerAviator said:
I'd think the all-in-one solution is what is missing. Pre-flight planning via web and transfer to mobile device, full functionality of FF/GP with weather and profile views, logbook entries for both pilot and aircraft as well as custom reminders for everything from annual inspections/pitot-static checks and oil changes. Perhaps even ways to add photos to logbook entries to document trips and post to social media. Add-in FBOs/fuel pricing/courtest cars/etc. from sites like AirNav.
Click to expand...

I agree all features of ForeFlight should be accessible from the the web (or atleast most the features).
 
A mesh of everything that is great in Aerovie and everything that is great in FF would be perfect.
 
scottd said:
We have gotten some requests for this. The problem is that 99.9% of the pilots don't know what a Skew-T is and most of those wouldn't know the first thing to do with it. Just came back from Sun N Fun and talked to many ForeFlight customers and most have trouble with some of the easy stuff...so it's quite difficult to justify spending the development time to support an extremely small number of customers for such a feature. Even a majority of those that are in the 0.1% still wouldn't be able to figure out how to use it properly and understand it's limitations.
Click to expand...

You see a problem. I see an educational opportunity :)

I've done booth bunny duty at SnF and Oshkosh have fielded more than a few softballs from folks. My experience suggested that the ones going to the booths and asking basic questions were not representative of the population in whole, but I do get your point.

I'd just love to see a weather planning layer, where I could overlay my flight plan across prog charts, forecast charts, etc., and be able to pick up skewT plots along my route of flight. Perhaps some basic animation of the charts as you slew through forecast time, to see the movement and trends of weather. There is still a ton of potential to be had from this product that enhances safety. I think the relatively new weather briefing feature is heading in the right direction.
 
scottd said:
We have gotten some requests for this. The problem is that 99.9% of the pilots don't know what a Skew-T is and most of those wouldn't know the first thing to do with it. Just came back from Sun N Fun and talked to many ForeFlight customers and most have trouble with some of the easy stuff...so it's quite difficult to justify spending the development time to support an extremely small number of customers for such a feature. Even a majority of those that are in the 0.1% still wouldn't be able to figure out how to use it properly and understand it's limitations.
Click to expand...

That's why you have to turn it into an atmospheric profile that's human readable like the adds flight path tool. The atmospheric soundings are just an input to their computer atmospheric model.


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Brad Z said:
I'd just love to see a weather planning layer, where I could overlay my flight plan across prog charts, forecast charts, etc., and be able to pick up skewT plots along my route of flight. Perhaps some basic animation of the charts as you slew through forecast time, to see the movement and trends of weather. There is still a ton of potential to be had from this product that enhances safety. I think the relatively new weather briefing feature is heading in the right direction.
Click to expand...

Some of what you ask for is available with the new GFA product at http://aviationweather.gov/gfa

No route planning component, but you can switch various product layers in and off, and use the time slider to observe what changes as the day progresses.
 
AggieMike88 said:
Some of what you ask for is available with the new GFA product at http://aviationweather.gov/gfa

No route planning component, but you can switch various product layers in and off, and use the time slider to observe what changes as the day progresses.
Click to expand...
It's good stuff. Now if Foreflight could do something similar with my route layered onto it, and aeronautical data layers, that would be very useful.
 
Works great for evaluating altitudes though. It's not either or...


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Less is more. Bury the bloatware, put the $$$ in user interface design, and fast, intutive navigation. Put the gee-whiz gadgetry somewhere the head-down-and-locked geek crowd can find and play with it, without getting in the way of practical use. Think, like, the opposite of the G-1000 experince.

Rant complete, and I do think ForeFlight does all that pretty well - not too hard to ignore the cool, but marginally useful, features.
 
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