Experimenter is a magazine created by EAA for people who build airplanes. We will report on amateur-built aircraft as well as ultralights and other light aircraft.
Issue link: http://experimenter.epubxp.com/i/307497
EAA Experimenter 39 your fl ight plan with DUATS, and the route planning features are rudimentary. And did I mention it is free? NAVIATOR Naviator from 123west Software Inc. has charts and data for U.S. and Canadian airports with more than 50,000 installs on the Google Play Store. Naviator has been upgraded with many new features, but it retains a somewhat traditional appearance to the screens. This is a great asset when running on a phone because the symbols, icons, buttons, and NAV data displays are large and boxy. You can see them on a small display and in bright light. The simple, all-black, boxy airplane icon on the moving map is terrifi c. The full-screen HSI (horizontal situation indicator) is very visible in full sun, and that is a major selling point for me. The new aerial imagery map layer (satellite view) includes a very high zoom level. It would be great fun for low-and-slow fl ying. When viewing U.S. sectionals, the app does not "roll over" to the adjoining sectional when you fl y of the chart. You must manu- ally choose the appropriate chart with the "Select Chart" button. Use a long press on any of the four NAV data fi elds on the corners of the map to customize the display. A single tap on an airport identifi er provides access to airport information, including plates and the airport diagram if available. Or choose the "Direct To" function and make it the current destination. Routes can be modifi ed by dragging the course line with a "rub- ber band" tool. The annual subscription is $34.99, making it the least expensive of the paid apps. Naviator provides ADS-B traf- fi c and weather information with the dual-band SkyGuardTWX receiver , which is $675. See your location on geo-referenced approach plates and airport diagrams with a subscription from Seattle Avionics Software at $75 per year. GARMIN PILOT APP Garmin Pilot for Android has more than 10,000 installs on Google Play and is the only major developer committed to of- fering a pilot GPS in both iOS and Android version. The latest release brings its feature setup to par with any other of erings. Garmin brings name recognition, long experience with GPS products, and emphasis on in-fl ight use and delivers a smart- phone app with a familiar friendly appearance. The app itself is large and slow to load initially; but the display screens are impressive and the charts are very sharp. A long press anywhere on the chart brings up a radial menu tool that provides context-sensitive quick access to weather, airport information, direct routing, and fl ight planning. The graphical route editing tool allows "rubber band" route modifi cations and creation of user waypoints with astonishing ease. The weather Naviator on aerial map with track line, course line, and NAV data. Naviator full-screen HSI can be easily viewed in full sun conditions. E A A E X P _ M a y 1 4 . i n d d 3 9 EAAEXP_May14.indd 39 5 / 5 / 1 4 3 : 2 0 P M 5/5/14 3:20 PM