jlknolla
Well-Known Member
As I discussed in another thread a few weeks back, I have been using my Acer Iconia A500 10.1" android tablet as an Electronic Flight Bag (EFB) when flying and have found a series of what I feel are very good and useful apps. Almost all of them are free, with a few being one-time purchases of $5 or less, and the navigation/weather apps requiring a subscription which currently runs $4.95 monthly.
I say currently for the nav data subscription because FAA has been floating a proposal to charge for the digital data it currently gives away – suggested costs have ranged to as high as $150 per user, per year – so any potential user should be aware of that possibility, along with the other attempt to soak fliers with a new $100 per flight charge for the ‘privilege’ of using ATC.
With all that negativity out of the way, I offer the following snapshots of the screen of my A500 running Avilution’s AviationMaps, current beta version which offers splitscreen functionality, and the stock LumiRead PDF viewer. I use the Running Applications button in the lower status bar to switch between apps.
I have found that with a matte finish screen protector, the daylight legibility is good but requires the screen to be set at 100% brightness. Beware if you wear inexpensive polarized sunglasses, as they can have an interference with the screen protector.
Here is the homescreen, I use the GO Launcher EX launcher app, and a combination of HD Widgets, Widgetsoid, and the App Folders from Go here, it is clean and works very nice.
Here is the App Folder launch screen for my Flying App Folder
Here is the AvMaps app in Landscape
Here is AvMaps with an Approach Plate in split screen
AvMaps with Airport Data page in split screen
AvMaps with Runway Data in split screen
C-182 Pilot’s Operating Handbook using LumiRead
Another page from C-182 POH
All in all, I am very happy with this current approach, it is usable in the cockpit, and provides enhanced situational awareness when compared to flying with charts and a stopwatch like I learned to fly 25 years ago.
For a small or tight cockpit I would recommend a 7” tab vs. the 10” A500 for comfort.
AvMaps is a fantastic app, especially since it is free. Even with the nav data subscription it is cheap and extremely useful. My wish list for this app is to add rubber-band flight planning, and geo-referenced Approach Plates and Airport Diagrams – other than that this is a great app. With a live data connection it will display METARs for the airports on the chart, and will show NEXRAD. The developer is working on XM weather functionality.
Other apps I keep installed and use as needed while flying or on the ground:
The A500 makes a great EFB, and should only get better as more Android apps are developed.
I say currently for the nav data subscription because FAA has been floating a proposal to charge for the digital data it currently gives away – suggested costs have ranged to as high as $150 per user, per year – so any potential user should be aware of that possibility, along with the other attempt to soak fliers with a new $100 per flight charge for the ‘privilege’ of using ATC.
With all that negativity out of the way, I offer the following snapshots of the screen of my A500 running Avilution’s AviationMaps, current beta version which offers splitscreen functionality, and the stock LumiRead PDF viewer. I use the Running Applications button in the lower status bar to switch between apps.
I have found that with a matte finish screen protector, the daylight legibility is good but requires the screen to be set at 100% brightness. Beware if you wear inexpensive polarized sunglasses, as they can have an interference with the screen protector.
Here is the homescreen, I use the GO Launcher EX launcher app, and a combination of HD Widgets, Widgetsoid, and the App Folders from Go here, it is clean and works very nice.
Here is the App Folder launch screen for my Flying App Folder
Here is the AvMaps app in Landscape
Here is AvMaps with an Approach Plate in split screen
AvMaps with Airport Data page in split screen
AvMaps with Runway Data in split screen
C-182 Pilot’s Operating Handbook using LumiRead
Another page from C-182 POH
All in all, I am very happy with this current approach, it is usable in the cockpit, and provides enhanced situational awareness when compared to flying with charts and a stopwatch like I learned to fly 25 years ago.
For a small or tight cockpit I would recommend a 7” tab vs. the 10” A500 for comfort.
AvMaps is a fantastic app, especially since it is free. Even with the nav data subscription it is cheap and extremely useful. My wish list for this app is to add rubber-band flight planning, and geo-referenced Approach Plates and Airport Diagrams – other than that this is a great app. With a live data connection it will display METARs for the airports on the chart, and will show NEXRAD. The developer is working on XM weather functionality.
Other apps I keep installed and use as needed while flying or on the ground:
- Aircraft Lookup – great for checking N numbers
- AirWx – great for checking AWOS/ASOS info for any airport in the US, can cache approach plates, airport diagram, AFD page, etc., has contact numbers for services and tower at field, provides one-push dialing for AWOS/ASOS
- Antipaper Notes – I use this for notes and such, also use DScribble for touchscreen sketching
- Appventive Weight & Balance – great app for wt & bal, but is paid app
- Aviation Weather from NOAA/NWS – good weather app, includes forecasts, radar, winds aloft, etc.
- E6B Flight Computer
- Flight Plan Creator
- Flight Plan Mobile
- Flight Timer Lite
- GPS Essentials
- GPS Status
- GPS Test
- LumiRead
- Mobile Aircraft Encyclopedia
- Naviator – a solid competitor to AvMaps, similar subscription base, offers rubber-band flight planning on the map and recently added geo-referenced approach plates and airport diagrams (shows aircraft as it moves on the referenced chart/plate) – very cool
- Stopwatch & Timer
The A500 makes a great EFB, and should only get better as more Android apps are developed.
