When does ForeFlight 6 release?

JOhnH said:
I bought my Stratus at Sun-n-Fun on Saturday.
I guess I'm glad I did, but I am having some second thoughts.

My plan was to buy the stratus and sell my Zaon tcas, but when I went up yesterday, the Zaon was displaying a lot of "targets" that the Stratus didn't see. But the Stratus was reporting a bunch of targets 50 miles away.

There wasn't any weather to display so I couldn't compare it to XM on the 496.

There is a warning on the box that the unit contains a Lithium Ion battery and it is important not to let it get hot. DO NOT STORE UNIT IN AIRCRAFT OR AUTOMOBILE. One thing I like about having my own hangar is that I can just leave the toys in the airplane and they will be there when I get back. Now I have to remember to pack up the Stratus and take it with me.

And I have a question to ask about the Stratus: Where can I mount it? Does it have any "line of site" limitations? can I put it in the little storage compartment in the panel or does it need to be on the glare shield (or conversely, should it NOT be on the glare shield?).
Click to expand...

Traffic: If you don't have ADS-B Out, no ADS-B system will give you all the (squawking) traffic all the time. With a Stratus and no ADS-B out, you'll receive traffic in two ways: 1) ADS-B Out equipped traffic will show up anywhere it's in range (that's why you're seeing things that are 50 miles away). Often this traffic will have a flight number or tail number on it. 2) If you're within a hockey puck shaped chunk of sky that's within (IIRC) 3000 feet and 15nm of an ADS-B Out equipped aircraft, you'll see other aircraft that are within 3000 feet and 15nm of that aircraft. So, you may see an airplane that's 4nm away and no factor, but you may not see an airplane that's 2nm away and on a collision course if you're outside the equipped airplane's hockey puck. So - If you want to see everyone, you'll have to get ADS-B Out (in which case YOU are the guy in the middle of the hockey puck).

Storage: If you have a hangar that is enclosed and doesn't get overly hot or cold, it's OK to store the Stratus in the plane. If you're in Texas and your hangar gets up to 120ºF in the summer or Wisconsin and you're below freezing in winter, not such a good idea. I am in Wisconsin, my hangar is white and doesn't get very hot even in summer, and I have a space heater in the plane in the winter to keep the gyros happy, and I leave the Stratus in the plane, no problem. Just don't leave it on the glareshield if you're not in a hangar, and don't leave it in freezing temps. Pretty like most other portable electronics, most of which also have Li-ion batteries.

Mounting: Line of sight is better. I've used it both on the floor and up on the glareshield, and it works better on the glareshield. If you want it on the floor, they do sell external antennas. These days, I just keep it on the glareshield 'cuz I hate wires and I like being able to see the status lights on it. If I was going to put it somewhere else, I'd put it in the baggage compartment and put an antenna in the rear window.
 
I am a helicopter guy, a longtime Foreflight and Stratus user, and generally very happy with their product (particularly since they added helicopter charts about a year ago). The feature I miss most is the ability to highlight airspace, so I can easily see what I am going to pass through when doing my preflight planning (important if you are going moderately long distances at low altitudes, particularly on the East Coast). Anyone have any idea why they have not done this? Air Nav Pro has a really good implementation that lets you choose the type of airspace you want to highlight, and set altitude filters. I know Foreflight has the data, because you can click on the charts and it will show you airspace info. Thoughts?

(PS I am also waiting for 6.0 - like the look of the new vertical obstacle tool)
 
NY480B said:
I am a helicopter guy, a longtime Foreflight and Stratus user, and generally very happy with their product (particularly since they added helicopter charts about a year ago). The feature I miss most is the ability to highlight airspace, so I can easily see what I am going to pass through when doing my preflight planning (important if you are going moderately long distances at low altitudes, particularly on the East Coast). Anyone have any idea why they have not done this? Air Nav Pro has a really good implementation that lets you choose the type of airspace you want to highlight, and set altitude filters. I know Foreflight has the data, because you can click on the charts and it will show you airspace info. Thoughts?
Click to expand...

Sounds cool... Have you suggested it? Seems it could potentially be added to the profile view as well.
 
NY480B said:
I am a helicopter guy, a longtime Foreflight and Stratus user, and generally very happy with their product (particularly since they added helicopter charts about a year ago). The feature I miss most is the ability to highlight airspace, so I can easily see what I am going to pass through when doing my preflight planning (important if you are going moderately long distances at low altitudes, particularly on the East Coast). Anyone have any idea why they have not done this? Air Nav Pro has a really good implementation that lets you choose the type of airspace you want to highlight, and set altitude filters. I know Foreflight has the data, because you can click on the charts and it will show you airspace info. Thoughts?

(PS I am also waiting for 6.0 - like the look of the new vertical obstacle tool)
Click to expand...

Yeah, I had the same thoughts.
 
Did anyone get "hands on" time with it at SNF, or was it just playing a demo video/behind glass?
 
Archammer said:
Wahooo!! Probably going to be buggy as hell, but I can't hold off.
Click to expand...

Where do you get that idea? It's impossible to catch every bug, but I'm part of a good team of testers that beats on it until we wring everything out that we can find prior to release. The 6.0 betas have been very stable for probably a month now, it's mostly been little UI tweaks and small bugs getting squashed.

There's often a maintenance release a week or two after the initial release that fixes maybe 3-5 additional bugs discovered by people who have unusual setups that we didn't find, but I've never personally seen any bugs even in an x.0 (or x.y.0) release from ForeFlight. They (ForeFlight), and we (ForeFlight Beta Team), work hard to ensure a quality product.

No need to hold off at all... :no: Have fun! :goofy:
 
Profile view looks great. I really wish AOPA hadn't disappeared that functionality from their flight planner.
 
Profile view is fantastic. It takes into account the Obstacle Database as well as terrain, and also you can tap and hold on terrain on the profile view to display it on your actual route. Can tell a lot of work went into that feature!
 
What happens in the profile view if the aircraft leaves the planned route? Will it still show whatever lies 50nm ahead on your current track?

Also, we have audio runway alerts, how about optional audio terrain alerts?
 
dans2992 said:
What happens in the profile view if the aircraft leaves the planned route? Will it still show whatever lies 50nm ahead on your current track?
Click to expand...

It can, and does by default.

The Profile view, when you're on the ground, is always in "Route" mode and shows the highest points within 1nm of the centerline of your route. When you're in the air, it can be in Route mode, but it defaults to Aircraft mode, which shows everything that's in your way on your current track.

In the air, a control will appear allowing you to switch between Aircraft mode and Route mode.
 
So far it's looking pretty good. The iOS7 tweaks are nice. I wonder how long before they incorporate an HSI "look" to the AI screen?
 
I do like Profile View. Although seeing the phrase "first strike" displayed near my route for every flight seems a bit unnerving.

I like being able to rubber band the route various ways and see whether I will clear terrain if I fly this way or that way.
 
Last edited:
But Profile only works with the Pro subscription. So I just spent 3 hours upgrading the iPad to v7 in order to download & install a version of ForeFlight that has no additional features for me. Would have been nice if the additional requirements had been explained on the blog before I did the upgrade.

bah humbug.
 
murphey said:
But Profile only works with the Pro subscription. So I just spent 3 hours upgrading the iPad to v7 in order to download & install a version of ForeFlight that has no additional features for me. Would have been nice if the additional requirements had been explained on the blog before I did the upgrade.

bah humbug.
Click to expand...

Profile is a ForeFlight Pro and iPad only feature.
Click to expand...

http://blog.foreflight.com/

Hmmmm. :dunno:
 
Interestingly, I've been checking the ap store all day for the update. It finally showed up about 15 minutes ago. :dunno:
 
murphey said:
But Profile only works with the Pro subscription. So I just spent 3 hours upgrading the iPad to v7 in order to download & install a version of ForeFlight that has no additional features for me. Would have been nice if the additional requirements had been explained on the blog before I did the upgrade.
Click to expand...

Lately it seems like just about every new FF feature requires the "pro" subscription. I'm not so sure that hazard avoidance is a concern exclusive to the "pro" users of the app.


JKG
 
timwinters said:
Interestingly, I've been checking the ap store all day for the update. It finally showed up about 15 minutes ago. :dunno:
Click to expand...

We had them hued it from you til just now. :D

I sometimes think they throttle these roll outs to balance load.
 
The pro version is only about $75 more. A huge bargain compared to everything else in aviation (and still cheaper than paper charts ever were).

Why not just upgrade?
 
Just installed 6.0 going to fly with it today.
 
dans2992 said:
The pro version is only about $75 more. A huge bargain compared to everything else in aviation (and still cheaper than paper charts ever were).

Why not just upgrade?
Click to expand...

:yeahthat:

For the cost of 11 gallons of avgas....barely an hour of flight for most, you can have it all and stop whining.
 
Argh. I was hoping in vain that this release would finally bring charts at retina resolution. Ah well. Maybe a switch to Garmin Pilot is in order... I assume those vector charts are sharp... Do any of the big players have the raster charts (normal sectionals) at retina resolution?

::sigh:: and it would be such a simple fix... There must be memory or speed issues on older iPads or something.
 
LDJones said:
:yeahthat:

For the cost of 11 gallons of avgas....barely an hour of flight for most, you can have it all and stop whining.
Click to expand...

I don't need truly "pro" features, like the ability to receive clearances and even taxi diagrams. Obstacle and terrain avoidance, however, is something that should be a "basic" feature and not a "pro" feature, although it's almost useless without alerting, which I'm not sure if Hazard Advisor even provides. Having to keep my eyes glued to the screen to self-alert the hazards isn't all that helpful when it really matters.

If FF is going to relegate what should be basic functionality to the "pro" subscription, perhaps they should just sell one subscription level. There are less expensive chart viewers.

Although I've been a big advocate for FF, I really think that Garmin is presenting a serious threat to these guys, and from what I see in FF 6, they either don't realize it or aren't able to effectively respond to it.

And the cost of an hour of flying is an hour of flying.


JKG
 
JGoodish said:
Lately it seems like just about every new FF feature requires the "pro" subscription. I'm not so sure that hazard avoidance is a concern exclusive to the "pro" users of the app.


JKG
Click to expand...

Its not like they are nerfing the standard version. If you like the new features available under the pro subscription, pony up my parsimonious friend.
 
I just installed it this morning. The thing that got my pee pee hard was the split screen AHRS display. Alas, it requires a Stratus receiver. I was hoping they would be able to integrate it using the Ipad internal sensors but I guess I see why they don't.
 
Sac Arrow said:
I just installed it this morning. The thing that got my pee pee hard was the split screen AHRS display. Alas, it requires a Stratus receiver. I was hoping they would be able to integrate it using the Ipad internal sensors but I guess I see why they don't.
Click to expand...

Your eloquence is astounding as always...

Just a note that it requires a second generation Stratus receiver...
 
Sac Arrow said:
I was hoping they would be able to integrate it using the Ipad internal sensors but I guess I see why they don't.
Click to expand...

A full AI depiction using internal sensors would depend on a lot of things being "just so". You couldn't have it on your lap (what if it fell on the floor?), you couldn't mount it on the yoke, etc.

The Stratus 2 AHRS requires you to align the Stratus with the longitudinal axis of the airplane, and it can be calibrated from there. Using the iPad's internal gyros would not only require a non-moving mount, you'd have to somehow calibrate not only where straight and level is, but also which way the iPad's axes are related to the airplane's axes.

The PFD depiction can be enabled sans Stratus, but it won't show attitude - It'll just show GPS-derived speed, altitude, and track. You can display those in the HUD, though, and use a lot less screen real estate.

The only thing that could potentially be added without insane complexity would be a needle (a turn coordinator senses bank as well as turn rate, and that has the same problems as the AI would with internal sensors). Like the other PFD depictions, though, this can already be done somewhat - just enable the Track Vector in settings.
 
Archammer said:
Wahooo!! Probably going to be buggy as hell, but I can't hold off.
Click to expand...

Hmmm. Was hoping otherwise, but 6.0 has puked on my iPhone 5 three times in the last 30 minutes, while scrolling around on the sectional view map screen.
:no:


ForeFlight has always been stable for me prior to this upgrade.
 
ElPaso Pilot said:
Hmmm. Was hoping otherwise, but 6.0 has puked on my iPhone 5 three times in the last 30 minutes, while scrolling around on the sectional view map screen.
:no:

ForeFlight has always been stable for me prior to this upgrade.
Click to expand...

Hmmm. Odd.

If you reboot the phone and launch ForeFlight first, does this still happen? (It shouldn't happen anyway, but that'll give some indication of whether other apps are part of the problem as well.)

Then, do this: http://www.foreflight.com/support/crash-logs

If you do that, I bet there'll be a maintenance release within a couple of weeks that fixes it. If you don't do that, no telling whether others are experiencing the same thing - Certainly none of the beta testers were still having that happen at release time.
 
flyingcheesehead said:
Hmmm. Odd.

If you reboot the phone and launch ForeFlight first, does this still happen? (It shouldn't happen anyway, but that'll give some indication of whether other apps are part of the problem as well.)

Then, do this: http://www.foreflight.com/support/crash-logs

If you do that, I bet there'll be a maintenance release within a couple of weeks that fixes it. If you don't do that, no telling whether others are experiencing the same thing - Certainly none of the beta testers were still having that happen at release time.
Click to expand...

Can't sync now, but I'll do that later for the crash logs.

Did an upgrade to iOS 7.1 prior to the 6.0 upgrade, and rebooted after the first crash. Then saw two more crashes.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top