A few days ago Foreflight came out with it's latest update and I was wondering if any of you with a Pro subscription have had a chance to play with it. This feature allows you to enter in known items like tents, sleeping bags, etc. and select them to be included in a certain baggage area if your taking them with you. You can even drag them to different areas if you pack them in a different location then the norm.

This is a feature I've patiently been waiting for someone to include. And I'm glad it was Foreflight. So, before I spend the money to upgrade, I thought I'd see if anyone has played with it yet.

Thanks,
Cory

Grassstrippilot wrote:A few days ago Foreflight came out with it's latest update and I was wondering if any of you with a Pro subscription have had a chance to play with it. This feature allows you to enter in known items like tents, sleeping bags, etc. and select them to be included in a certain baggage area if your taking them with you. You can even drag them to different areas if you pack them in a different location then the norm.

This is a feature I've patiently been waiting for someone to include. And I'm glad it was Foreflight. So, before I spend the money to upgrade, I thought I'd see if anyone has played with it yet.

Thanks,
Cory

I haven't seen this yet! It might be time to upgrade to the Pro version, then. You also get the vertical profile, terrain and obstacles with the Pro... Hmmm

I've been using this app for a couple of years now - I had to build the templates for the Bush Hawk and the 185, but it is really easy and very user-friendly.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/aviation-w-b-calculator/id484865920?mt=8

I played with it last night after reading your post. Yes, you can enter standard items like "tent", "sleeping bag", and "keg". You can also move them from one area to another. I don't see where you can make a list of standard items and simply add them from the menu into a certain area. If I'm not taking a keg on this particular flight (not sure how that scenario would happen), then you have to delete that item. To add it to the next flight you have to recreate the item name and weight. Creating the item was simple, but I don't think it works quite like you described.

Of course, it could be that I'm not smart enough to pick it up in the 30 minutes I played with it.

Brett

I think it's awesome! If you aren't a pro subscriber then you should spend the extra $75 a year for the full package that has so many amazing features!

Thanks for the feedback guys. Now, keep in mind I've not been able to play with it, but from reading the guide, it sounded like you can create multiple load profiles, kind of like aircraft profiles. Then I thought that after you had created an item within the profile, you can select it as active or not. If that isn't the case, then that is unfortunate.

Maybe some of you Pro users can play with this and give us the info. Up to this point, I can live without the other features in Pro, but this one I'd like if it works the way I hope it does.

From the guide that is available in the Foreflight documents:

"On the Load page you can save frequently used “loads” and then add or remove
them simply by tapping the blue check button to the left of the load. For example, if
Mike, Jim and Mary regularly fly the plane, and James and William are frequent passengers, you can save them each as an entry. Tap an entry to customize it, or tap
the “Edit” button then tap the green “+” to add a new Load. Then simply tap the circle
at the left to add that Load to the planned load."

Grassstrippilot,

I played around with it this morning after seeing this post and it seems like a neat program. You can indeed load different aircraft. It looks like when you enter the N number initially it tries to load the aircraft type and a basic W&B for that aircraft. You can then manually adjust all settings. You can enter multiple PAX and cargo loads. Then you can select any of those loads from the list you have created. or you can enter an arbitrary weight. example: You enter in each piece of equipment and it's weight individually OR you can just enter total weight for gear in the cargo area as 250#. It then outputs your T/O and landing weight(off of the fuel used on your trip) on a graph. If something doesn't look correct, there's an audit tab that allows you to see the calculations including moments and arms so you can see where the issue lies. Pretty cool.

Hopefully all that makes sense

Also, here's the instructions from FF on using it
http://cdn.foreflight.com.s3.amazonaws. ... 20size.pdf

Cool. Thanks for checking it out. I think I'll upgrade and, if I do, I'll post what I think about it.

I've had FF Pro now for about 1 1/4 years, coupled to a Stratus II. What really amazes me is that the improvements keep coming, and only once so far in that time has there been an issue with an update, which FF corrected in less than 48 hours.

In addition to the W&B feature just added, now there is a track log which tracks both the route and the altitude, which will be interesting. Apparently (haven't tried it yet), it'll be downloadable to other apps and computer programs so that you can show folks where you've been, perhaps store in the computer for later analysis.

Cary

Hey Cory, I've messed around with the new weight and balance feature and it works just like you hope it will. It just takes a little time to set up but so far it's pretty cool! I'll have to take some time and record actual weights for items we frequently use. Then just select it from the list and you're ready to go. I like it.

I just entered the Wagon and the SQ-2. Didn't read the instructions first of course so took a bit of time. But really like feature. Much better then Aviation W&B Calculator I've been using. Very pleased.

Foreflight does it again.

I really like the log feature - something they stole from the garmin portable gps. It tracks your wheels up time. For me I have no recording tach and no hobbs in my no electric antique cub so I hope it will make it a lot easier to track my engine times - which I've been estimating at 0.5hr levels. On long cross countries it's pretty easy to lose track of your engine times.

Pro feature also adds geo referenced approach plates and taxi diagrams. I don't care so much about approach plates - but it's nice to know where you are on the bigger airports you've never been to.

I wish they would couple the W&B to a density altitude reporting and give you performance prediction (takeoff and landing distance estimation) based on your aircraft, the field conditions, and your weight. Seems like we are getting close.

I was a pro subcsriber for a year or 2 - then downgraded - I think I'll go back now. WingX is dead.

They did destroy me with that quick 48 hr fix. I made the mistake of upgrading immediately - then I had to delete the app and reinstall it because it was hung. I lost all my user waypoints. Not the end of the world - but there were some gems there that I don't know how to get back.

Sorry if I gave some misinformation. I'll have to spend a little more time figuring it out.

Brett

I played with it last night on the way to ANC. Yup! Works like I had hoped. Unfortunately, the 205 isn't included in their data base, so I'll have to manually set it up. I've done it before on another app. The POH doesn't have the station info, so I'll have to dig a little to find the info I needed and to double check those I used on the other app.

Looks like a very well done feature.

I got mine upgraded to the Pro version and am now trying to get it configured. I'm having an issue with the load entered showing further aft in the envelope than where it should be. Thet are working with me to get it configured correctly. It's kind of a pain having to manually set it up compared to having a plane in their data base, but once its set up right, it should be really good.

As far as the entering of loads go, it works as I had hoped and will make doing W&B really fast and simple. It would be cool if they could tie in the book performance numbers and the like, but I wonder if that would be too much liability. It would be pretty cool just for FYI.

Finally spent some time figuring it out. It works like you hoped. Certainly a nice feature. I was sold on Foreflight already, but this doesn't hurt.

Just a quick update. Ends up that their app was correct. The older app I have been using showed me further forward in CG, which makes sense by how it flies and with no gear in the back and another adult up front with me. Ends up I've been further aft than I thought. Good thing, I guess, is I know it flies nice with an aft CG!

Really like this feature!