I'd like to be able to filter airports. Example: highlight water aerodromes that sell 100LL.

I like the sliding time scale in Garmin pilot too. Watching forecast weather in relation to my extrapolated position is handy.

Electronic log book. it has to be automatic, and it can't miss a flight. If the iPad is AGL and moving at over 30 it's, it needs to be recording the flight, whether the screen is on or not, and whether Foreflight is the APP in use or not.

The nautical guys realized that digital "Layers" on a chart make it easier to read, much before aviation even had digital navigation. But, I just read about a guy who trashed a $10,000,000.00 yacht because he missed "Layering" the bathymetry scale. Paper seems to look better all the time.

I invented a new term for digital planning called "Simming" (simulating what is ahead... WX, TFRs, RAs, terrain, ... For a given path, altitude, speed and standard briefing [+user variables])

"Simming", grabbing all know data and simulating the flight...

A sliding time and position widget that would be able to read all layers i.e. TFRs, Terrain, WX etc.. Regardless of what the user sees printed on the screen. It could warn of a general hazard or set of user variables. Basically the widget would fly the theorical path/time for the aircraft. And then tells us about the trip using data that may not be visible at the moment. GARMIN has a first generation "Simming" widget, I like it and it could be greatly expanded.

Foreflight's quick flight plan search box is WONDERFUL.

KJYO KOSH 120MPH 8.8GPH 3000FT

go!

But, the search box doesnt update when I drag the route to a waypoint or add an airport via the map.
So, I have to write everything down with a pencil and paper and re-add it later if I change the current route for any reason (like another flight).
Would be nice to have the box updated as well as save it off with a friendly name as well as TXT it to someone so they can pate it into thier ForeFlight to see what I'm seeing.

As a user, I would like for the quick search box to automatically reflect the route that is graphically represented on the map at any time to make saving and sharing of the route easier.

As a user, I need a positive indication on the map that the data is current and complete. Using the same indication for 'clear below 10,000' as 'no data loaded' creates confusion and general distrust of the information. You display 10SM and 00000KT properly, give me the same for CLR.

As a pilot, I need relevant information highlighted and non relevant information minimized. In flight, relevant information may only be ground elevation, airports and airspaces. Garmin does a nice job of this with the digitized maps but they fail when you go to the details page where the important information is in smaller text than the titles.

Bagarre wrote:Foreflight's quick flight plan search box is WONDERFUL.

KJYO KOSH 120MPH 8.8GPH 3000FT

go!

But, the search box doesnt update when I drag the route to a waypoint or add an airport via the map.
So, I have to write everything down with a pencil and paper and re-add it later if I change the current route for any reason (like another flight).
Would be nice to have the box updated as well as save it off with a friendly name as well as TXT it to someone so they can pate it into thier ForeFlight to see what I'm seeing.

As a user, I would like for the quick search box to automatically reflect the route that is graphically represented on the map at any time to make saving and sharing of the route easier.

<snip>

You just need to save the revised route as soon as you've created it. Star it, then give it a different name, and you'll have both the old route and the new route saved. I've done that on the fly and in planning on the ground.

Cary

Thanks everyone, requests noted.

I meet with Foreflight in the morning so after today you can consider this thread dead. I will report back Foreflight’s general thoughts.

One last one!

How about showing airspace in synthetic vision? It could be real handy when navigating complex airspace like the L.A. basin if done right, especially where trying to go above Class D for example with an overlying Class B shelf above.

Can't wait to hear what they say. Thanks again!

So yesterday I took Mark from Foreflight for an hour of off-airport flying in the SQ2. He used to fly jump planes, 207’s and 182’s, but had never experienced anything like what we did. We now have an ambassador at Foreflight. After the flight we met for another couple of hours going over “the list” of Backcountry/Bush Flying only features you helped me put together.


This was an excellent meeting all around. Being able to either demonstrate first hand, watch videos I’ve recorded flying, or walk through things with real world examples, brought clarity and understanding to the list. Some things that seem so normal and obvious to us, are not so to pavement flyers.


A simple example is wanting our range rings with an option of statue miles. They hadn’t realized most of the planes we fly display miles per hour, not knots.


Although I really can’t do our conversation justice here, I can tell you we went over the list thoroughly and in depth, and Mark even extended some of the features in ways I hadn’t thought of.


He ended asking which two features I considered most important. I told him:


Number 1 is a hi-resolution, off-line terrain map with selectable overlays for things like airports, waypoints, nav aids, airspace, etc. Essentially what Garmin Pilot gives us with their VFR Map.


Number 2 is enhanced user waypoints, including an “airport” or “landing location” type that would always appear on the map and ideally have runway information fields. And a full modal (popup) that appears when touching a waypoint that contains the information entered when the waypoint was created/modified. Also that they be shareable via email or text (or cockpit share), plus exportable to Foreflight Web.


Mark said he would give the features on the list a weight of 100 and asked that I be available to assist with features for the backcountry/bush pilot community. That’s huge for us as an initial request is usually given a weight of 1.


I’m excited that we have the ear of Foreflight. But as a software developer myself I’ll caution that getting our features integrated will take some time. They have to be put on the roadmap, then scoped, then developed, then QA’d, then they are put into the release schedule.


Anyway, here’s to the future, and the most exciting and rewarding flying. Cheers.

This is very promising.
When was the last time someone involved with Garmin's Pilot software asked you for your top to features?

Those are some pretty large features which will make getting them onto the roadmap tricky.
But I really like that they are listening to the little guys vs Safe Taxi and synthetic vision BS.

There's nothing worse than having to compare yourself to the competition but I'd LOVE to hear the conversation shift to:
"What features do you need to stop using Garmin Pilot?"

If they got me off Garmin, they could double their yearly subscription price and I'd still save money.

I wish I had read this sooner.

ForeFlight does have great terrain resolution, but it's only useable with an Internet connection, and it's not technically an aviation layer.

Zoom into Johnson Creek with the Terrain map selected, and you can't see a whole lot of detail.

Now, without moving the map, select 'Street Map'. Bam! Awesome terrain display.

Why the street map has FAR superior terrain resolution has always baffled me. Inexplicably I can't download the very good and useful (for backcountry flying) street map database, but I can d/l the low res aviation version. Not helpful.

See below. The difference is massive.

Chris

ForeFlight Terrain image of Johnson Creek:



ForeFlight Street Map of the same:



Garmin Pilot VFR map view of the same:

Cannon wrote:ForeFlight does have great terrain resolution, but it's only useable with an Internet connection, and it's not technically an aviation layer...Why the street map has FAR superior terrain resolution has always baffled me. Inexplicably I can't download the very good and useful (for backcountry flying) street map database, but I can d/l the low res aviation version.

Hence the feature request.

In order to have Off-line Hi-Res terrain maps the data must be vector based, not raster. This is an over simplification but Vector images are based on math, storing image information based on coordinates, kinda like paint pixel X1 thru X100 blue. Whereas Raster images store the actual image for pixels X1, X2, X3, X4, X5, X6, X7, etc.

The terrain data the FAA has is in vector format, they convert it to raster and that's the data they provide to Foreflight (and others) which is why the resolution is so poor when zoomed in to a useful level.

Garmin is using a vector product, from where I don't know. Maybe from the same company that provides terrain data to the FAA. Perhaps a company like Delorme? Garmin's VFR map has much better definition in Alaska then in the Lower 48. I'm sure for the obvious reasons. The vector data remains much sharper when you zoom in because the image redraws itself (math). Garmin could provide that same high resolution in the Lower 48 if they wished.

Foreflight's street map is a raster image, which is why an internet connection is required to use it. The file sizes are too large to be stored locally.

The good news for us is the vector data exists. We just need it implemented in high resolution, in the Lower 48 as well as Alaska. With an "Aviation Layer" over it. That is my top feature request to Foreflight.

Barnstormer-

Thanks for leaning forward and getting in front of Foreflight! I appreciate it!

gunny

Thanks for the explanation, and especially for the work involved getting this to ForeFlight.

It'd be nice to be able to consolidate down to one app.

I believe Garmin, Jeppeson - and others get their their aviation chart databases from Seattle Avionics. And it costs - a lot. That is how they are able to separate the layer databases. The FAA-supplied databases are cheaper (free?) and official. I thought it came down to cost. At least it has been a couple of years since I talked to Foreflight about some of these ideas. Maybe Garmin has their own - but they won't license it to a competitor to improve their product. Either way it would be very expensive to develop -and I for one would not want to pay more for foreflight to make it look like Garmin. I recall when i was evaluating WingX - I had to purchase Seattle ChartData subsrciption separately as well.

http://seattleavionics.com/ChartData/Default.aspx?TargetDevice=Aspen

Tomahawk49 wrote:

fredy wrote:I'd love to see a profile view of the weather/winds aloft and not just the terrain. Something similar to this: I input my waypoints, takeoff time, ETE, and in one look I can see ceilings, winds, icing, turbulence, etc. The best cross country weather planning tool I've used.

Woah that's pretty good. Where did you get this?

My only comment on new foreflight features is I hope they keep it simple and intuitive. I'm good with technology but so many apps now have become overloaded with features to the point that it takes a lot of time just to figure out how to use them.

This tool is courtesy of the Air Force, so it's not available for general use. It uses data that is readily available (Global Forecast System) from NOAA, so the data is there to be turned into a great planning tool.

Terrain databases are rapidly becoming a commodity item, with 10m imagery and excellent rendering engines available for free. This is putting a big squeeze on the vendors, who are trying to add value added services to maintain high customer pricing. It isn't working. I expect more ubiquitous integration in the near future. The geolocation data is where the money will continue to develop, and access to sub-10m point cloud, image, and geolocated vector data.

I really like that Air Force depiction...tells me 70% of what I want to know at a glance...a switch for prog forecasts in the same window would raise that up to 90% for the weather picture. What a great product.

Thought you might be interested to know that the same time I sent Foreflight the feature requests, I also sent them to Garmin, except the first two which Garmin already has. I got a response this morning:

Mr. Whittemore

The highest compliment a customer can give a company is to be concerned enough to offer suggestions for improvement of a product. We appreciate your comments & opinions regarding our products.

I have forwarded your email to our Garmin Pilot development team as they are always interested on customer feedback. Many of the comments/suggestions we receive (such as yours) are often evaluated towards potential implementation into future Garmin products or current unit software releases. We cannot guarantee that what you have suggested will occur, however we do appreciate you passing along your opinions.

Additionally, you can submit your idea to http://www.garmin.com/ideas. This is where our engineers look for customer suggestions.

Thank you,

Mark T.

Hey! I just noticed that the distance measuring now shows feet next to the decimal format of miles! They must have snuck that in one of the recent updates.

Grassstrippilot wrote:Hey! I just noticed that the distance measuring now shows feet next to the decimal format of miles! They must have snuck that in one of the recent updates.

Awesome! Thanks for letting us know.

They just added a logbook feature. 3 days after I signed up for a 3 year deal with log ten pro. Doh!

Yeah I wish they had done this a while ago. When my subscription to Logbook Pro comes due, I'll look more closely at theirs. That will give it some time to mature and get the bugs worked out...and see what its capabilities are.