PDA

View Full Version : Free Android GPS app?



JohnSBA
10-12-2012, 02:09 PM
Hi,
I'm a VFR GA pilot who's dreamed of ultralight flying for decades, and still hope to get into it. I have a question for all you lucky ultralight owners and pilots: Do you ever use GPS?

I'm in California helping my friend Zubair who's in Boston, to find testers and get feedback for the free open-source Android aviation app named Avare that he's developing. While the focus of the Avare app is VFR pilots, I wondered if it might also be helpful for ultralight pilots. If anyone here would be willing to answer some questions or offer suggestions, I'll pass your replies on to Zubair who like me is donating his time to the aviation community.

For details on Avare, see the Avare website (http://apps4av.com/avare-overview/) I built and/or do the free Install on the Google Play or Amazon Android store. FYI, the smallest chart Download for just seeing what the Avare chart display looks like is Seward, though getting the chart for your area will enable playing with the moving map and navigation features.

Questions:
1. Would you ever use a moving map GPS on your Android in flight?
2. Would you ever use VFR Sectionals for flight planning or ATC frequencies?
3. Is it helpful to have GPS speed, altitude and ground track in flight?
4. Is there any information on an FAA VFR Sectional chart that's useful for you?

If any of you would like to Install and check out Avare, I'd very much appreciate some hands-on feedback from an ultralight pilot. We hope to eventually add topo charts, street maps, and any other types of free maps we can find. If there are features that would make Avare more useful for ultralight pilots, it's quite possible they could be added in future releases because the app is improving very rapidly. Of course, if you'd like to help with development or getting the word out, that too would be quite welcome. :)

rosiejerryrosie
10-13-2012, 07:37 AM
Although I no longer own or fly an ultralight, I'd be happy to answer your questions based on previous experience. Yes! A moving map would be most useful in an ultralight. Sectionals are used frequently in flight planning and getting ATC frequencies. An electronic moving map/sectional would be most useful in an untralight which, in most cases, is open to the elements and very restricted spacewise. Reading a paper sectional while it is blowing around in the wind is not as easy as it may seem :). While speed, altitude and ground track are not as important as knowing where you are, they would definately be helpful, and may be able to replace instruments that are otherwise used to provide that information, again saving space in a rather crowded environment. Size and resistance to vibration are of primary importance.

jedi
10-13-2012, 09:09 AM
Hi,
Do you ever use GPS?

Questions:
1. Would you ever use a moving map GPS on your C in flight?
2. Would you ever use VFR Sectionals for flight planning or ATC frequencies?
3. Is it helpful to have GPS speed, altitude and ground track in flight?
4. Is there any information on an FAA VFR Sectional chart that's useful for you?
:)
Number 4 - Yes, all the information plus more. The problem with ultralights is not so much knowing where you are as it is knowing what is around you. This is what the Sectional Chart is useful for. The problem is that it is designed for aircraft traveling much faster so it covers a much larger area than is needed and does not have the detail needed by UL pilots. The Terminal Area Chart at half the scale is much more useful where available. The ability to overlay Google maps for additional detail would be very useful.

No. 3 - Yes. Ground speed in particular when fighting a head wind. The change in ground speed with altitude will allow flight at the optimum altitude.

No. 2 - Yes.

No. 1 - Yes Provided it worked well and was reliable. Also provided I had an Android. I do not have an Android but frequently use a GPS. The GPS alone is of no use in an UL. It is the MAP overlay and ground velocity (direction and speed) that make the GPS useful.

Dana
10-15-2012, 11:04 AM
1. Would you ever use a moving map GPS on your Android in flight?

Yes, if I'm going out of my local area.


2. Would you ever use VFR Sectionals for flight planning or ATC frequencies?

Absolutely.


3. Is it helpful to have GPS speed, altitude and ground track in flight?

Speed yes, altitude no (I have an altimeter), ground track only when going XC.


4. Is there any information on an FAA VFR Sectional chart that's useful for you?

Yes, just about everything there.

I currently use a Garmin 60Csx handheld GPS for flying. I have an airport directory and airspace overlay on it, both of which are useful... but the screen is really too small. I'd use my Droid X if I could, but the GPS in it is broken (a common problem), waiting for my contract to be up to get a new one.

JohnSBA
10-15-2012, 11:33 AM
Thank you all for the helpful feedback. I've passed it on to Zubair, and we'll be keeping your feedback in mind with future updates. He's added Terminal Area Charts (TACs) to the latest update, and while those would presumably be of little interest for ultralights the mechanism for adding other types of maps is now in place. So once a source of free topo charts or street maps is chosen, those can now more easily be added.

Happy Flying -j

Mike M
10-21-2012, 09:18 AM
I loaded the avare app on my samsung galaxy tab 2 10.1. downloaded appropriate charts and checked it out on a road trip from ohio to florida last week. works fine in a uhaul truck cab, does just what they said it would do at speeds up to sixty knots and the screen is readable. i haven't found a download of the airport facility directory on the "download charts" page so i haven't figured out yet how to get AFD info "in flight". thank you, JohnSBA, for directing me to this app.