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Alaska GarminPilot /ForeFlight revisited

logjam

Registered User
Alaska
I switched from Foreflight to Garmin Pilot a few years back because in Alaska the Garmin Pilot Chart portrayals seemed to be more accurate. My Garmin Pilot subscription has expired so thought id check to see if anything has changed before I renew Garmin Pilot. For those of you familiar with both in Alaska is one better than the other?
 
Still a happy GP user. No shortcomings that have motivated me to reconsider dropping Foreflight. I can’t say anything negative or positive about Foreflight since I haven’t looked at it in a few years. My feedback about Garmin Pilot is five stars.
 
I imported a .kmz file that a local guy posted on Facebook that adds CTAF boundaries as an overlay. Garmin tech told me a kmz file wouldn’t work but to our surprise, it did. It works on Foreflight, too. Just a cool add-on not many guys know about.
 

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I imported a .kmz file that a local guy posted on Facebook that adds CTAF boundaries as an overlay. Garmin tech told me a kmz file wouldn’t work but to our surprise, it did. It works on Foreflight, too. Just a cool add-on not many guys know about.

Any chance you can share that KMZ file?

Nice to see that Garmin made some improvements. They were needed. I switched from Garmin Pilot to Foreflight so I can use .mbtile files. Once you use those you just can't go back. The other problem I had was with the .gplt format for exporting user waypoints. I found that a bit annoying. Foreflight uses .csv which is a universal open format.

If you are OK with Garmin Pilot now then why switch. Learning another app was not fun for me at all and if there was not such a compelling reason to switch I would have stayed with Garmin.

Jerry
 
Garmin can import user waypoints from CSV now. For trip planning Foreflight might have the edge, but like others have previously pointed out, I too prefer the Garmin Pilot interface while flying.

Forflight is great, but the Apple tax is too high for some of us. I tend to have 3 Android Garmin Pilot devices on me for any given flight for very little $.
 
With Garmin Pilot you always could import .cvs user waypoint files. The problem was you could not export user waypoint files from Garmin Pilot in anything but the .gplt format. If that has changed then that would be an improvement. Try exporting your user waypoints and see what type of file it kicks out.

Jerry
 
With Garmin Pilot you always could import .cvs user waypoint files. The problem was you could not export user waypoint files from Garmin Pilot in anything but the .gplt format. If that has changed then that would be an improvement. Try exporting your user waypoints and see what type of file it kicks out.

Jerry

I always found that pretty annoying too. I am on Android which lags a bit behind the iOS offering for Pilot. Even worse, my tablet is on the older version of that OS. In that older OS version of the application, it attempts to send an email with the CSV template attached, but the template is devoid of the actual way points.

On the latest Android OS and Garmin Pilot version, it displays an "Export" option which seems promising until you try it. Clicking on export does absolutely nothing on my specific device. No error, no dialog, no nothing. I am able to send to a D2 watch but that is useless here.

So, I can't tell what it might export or if it is anything more useful than previous revs.
 
Thanks for that. I installed it and it looks great. For some odd reason when I get around Figure Eight Lake I go brain dead and forget the exact place I should be switching frequencies. I'm a bit paranoid in that area because I had a 207 overtake me from the rear an almost did a touch and go off my skylight. He said he never saw me.

Jerry
 
Any chance you can share that KMZ file?

Nice to see that Garmin made some improvements. They were needed. I switched from Garmin Pilot to Foreflight so I can use .mbtile files. Once you use those you just can't go back. The other problem I had was with the .gplt format for exporting user waypoints. I found that a bit annoying. Foreflight uses .csv which is a universal open format.

If you are OK with Garmin Pilot now then why switch. Learning another app was not fun for me at all and if there was not such a compelling reason to switch I would have stayed with Garmin.

Jerry

I liked the ForefFlight terrain view better than their charting but I couldn’t place user waypoints in Terrain.
I switched to Garmin Pilot because their charting seemed more accurate and I could place user waypoints as needed.
If I could place user waypoints in ForeFlight terrain I’d consider switching back even though the price makes me want to stay with GP.
 
Thank you guys for responding with the information.
I was happy to renew Garmin Pilot. Now to catch up with the new .kmz file with the frequencies, and brush up on my GP user skills. Thanks Again!
 
Bumping this topic a bit.

I am looking to getting my first tablet(i am definitely not the early adopter type)for probably Garmin Pilot and watching movies flying the smoker too and from work. I am an android guy. Not using GP for anything but vfr and am aware of possible lag in the operating system.

Sooo, the question is, what would the preferred tablet to be purchased ?
 
Nexus 7 was my absolute favorite until all the apps ran too slow.

Currently running two Lenovo Tab 4s, 8" with 16GB each. They were cheap enough and are still running Garmin Pilot strong, but if you can swing the $ get 32GB as it fills up with sectional/terrain data pretty quickly.

As long as you find something running clean Android without all of the bloatware, Garmin Pilot will run great.
 
For Christmas I would like Foreflight to be available on Android. I resisted a long time, but as a fairly active flight instructor, it is the path of least resistance - and we really like the Content Pack ability of Foreflight which Garmin does not have a similar function yet. I also converted to the logbook. They made it really easy to import 20 years of excel spreadsheets.

Navigationally, I think they are both great, FF may have more whistles and bells.

sj
 
For Christmas I would like Foreflight to be available on Android. I resisted a long time, but as a fairly active flight instructor, it is the path of least resistance - and we really like the Content Pack ability of Foreflight which Garmin does not have a similar function yet. I also converted to the logbook. They made it really easy to import 20 years of excel spreadsheets.

Navigationally, I think they are both great, FF may have more whistles and bells.

sj
So much so you now carry an iPhone?
 
So much so you now carry an iPhone?

Yes, an old hand me down from Billy. I don't communicate on it, but it does have cell service, so I end up with two phones (or one phone and an ipad) on a flight.

Probably going to spring for the new iPad mini since my old iPad since my old iPad mini mysteriously started to get really slow right after the release of the new mini.... :bad-words:

sj
 
I am in the same boat. Everyone keeps showing me the neat things ForeFlight does. I am surrounded by Apple users.
 
I use FlyQ, not quite as many bells and whistles as foreflight, but less expensive, and if you are a CFI, great discounts on lifetime subscription.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
Come on guys, (Steve & Steve) get over it, just go with FF on an iPad. Done. The Best. Period. 8)
 
Both apps are great. Which one you prefer usually comes down to which you’re familiar with using. Like a Garmin GPS it takes time and practice to navigate the pages smoothly. If you prefer Foreflight? Don’t buy an Android. Users I know who’ve used GP on both operating platforms say it works better on iOs. To me that makes the tablet question simple. Get over your Apple attitude and get the best equipment for the job. With the newer Plus size iPhones I use my phone in the Cub and iPad in the Cessna. With auto updates I never think about expired charts or supplements. Both auto connect to my GDLs so they know position and display ADS-B in. I still prefer cell model iPads for internal GPS capability but with the GDLs I’ve never needed it. I do occasionally turn GP on when flying commercial and while it takes a minute to initialize it works in that environment so I can figure out where I am and how long it’ll take to get where I’m going. Not important but entertaining.
 
Last time I talked to Seattle Avionics, (FlyQ) they no longer were offering lifetime subscriptions.

That said, I have one and use FlyQ for most of my stuff.

On a ver positive note, they recently sent an email to users asking what could be better. I not only got a return email, but invited to call and discuss how to implement the suggestion to the best use of pilots.

Bottom line after using both GP, (Canadian charts) and FlyQ, it is more about learning what you have and how to quickly navigate through it. FlyQ is super responsive when sent questions on how to do something. Once they get their Canadian charts added I probably won't be using GP again.
 
I really like the weather features and the flight planning on FF, my thing is I want it on my phone as well because I don't always have the iPad with me. Now I need to change phones and operating systems. Teaching an old dog a new trick.
 
Android users should perhaps consider Avare. It's free and also has free updates of all charts and plates. A donation is suggested. I run it on a Galaxy Tab A and on my Android phone so I have 2 set of current charts and approach plates in the airplane.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ds.avare&hl=en_US&gl=US
I contributed defect reports and enhancement suggestions but have no financial interest.

I'm a sucker for "free" so went with Avare several years ago.
Bought an 8" samsung (android) tablet specifically for in-airplane use.
Avare's not the greatest, not as many bells & whistles as FF or GP,
and you have to manually update your charts every month,
but it works well for me.
I'm not much of an IT guy, so a big part of being content with it
is that I don't want to have to relearn a different system.
FWIW I make a courtesy donation to Avare every year so it's not really free.
 
Often seems the Apple fan club seems to push their inflated prices and sub-par-over-heating hardware awfully hard on the Android Garmin Pilot users....but I don't often see it the other way around? <sarcasm>Wonder why that is.</sarcasm>

I like both Avare and FlyQ as well fwiw. No Apple tax required for either of those either which is fab.u.lous. A glass panel MFD can now be had for $125 + a subscription to your favorite app - what a great time to be a pilot!
 
Thank you for the disparaging comments. It reinforces everything I’ve come to dislike about the website. Mike was right. Social media really does suck.
 
Often seems the Apple fan club seems to push their inflated prices and sub-par-over-heating hardware awfully hard on the Android Garmin Pilot users....but I don't often see it the other way around? <sarcasm>Wonder why that is.</sarcasm>

I like both Avare and FlyQ as well fwiw. No Apple tax required for either of those either which is fab.u.lous. A glass panel MFD can now be had for $125 + a subscription to your favorite app - what a great time to be a pilot!

Reading this on a Super Cub forum is ironic.
 
Deep breaths Stewart,

Sometimes I see the name and just pass by the comment... We all have our moments.;-)
 
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