Navtech iCharts for iPad (Aerad charts)

[tmmorris]

Anyone know what's happening with this? (It appears to be the Aerad/Navtech answer to the Jeppview app, i.e. you get Aerad charts on the iPad as an EFB.)

The latest I can find online about it is

iCharts Update - Navtech (http://www.navtech.aero/media_event_center/trim_tabs_volume_2_issue_1/icharts_update.html)

which is undated, and states it's 'coming soon, probably by April'.

Without pricing it's hard to know what to think.

The military AIP charts (old AERAD format) work brilliantly on the iPad (I've downloaded them to Goodreader) - it helps that each AD rather than each chart is a separate PDF) but the civil AIP charts are just too small text (designed for A4 not A5 reproduction). I wondered if the Navtech solution might be better.

Tim

[IO540]

Aerad have been "talking" about doing something like this for the bigger part of 10 years.

It would suprise me if their pricing was significantly lower than Jepps.

One cannot tell the age of that site because it is dated today which merely means the pages are dynamically generated.

Are you after UK only charts, or Europe?

[Chilli Monster]

I asked Aerad about this - their head of marketing came back to me and told me that the problem was not with them, but with getting the "App" onto the App Store - they were effectively in the queue with all the other developers. This was about a month ago.

Frankly I'm getting fed up waiting, as I suspect many other users are, and as such if they don't pull their finger out soon they will have missed the boat.

[stephenwilliams40]

Jeppeson FD gives you not only the charts but also the enroute, and moving map!

[IO540]

It will when they get the bugs out. Reportedly it is a very early "alpha 0.000" version :)

The windoze version was so buggy it was barely usable, even after several years of being in the market. I know - I tried to use it :) I don't know anybody who used it for real.

The Aerad coverage would be interesting. I used to use their paper plates years ago. Back then, they covered the UK well but for the rest of Europe they did just the big airports (for airline customers). It would suprise me if they went for a comprehensive coverage just for the relatively skint GA market.

[tmmorris]

UK only, unless/until we get an 'affordable IR', anyway.

The app store approval queue has caught a lot of companies out who didn't do their homework first...

Tim

[wellnoname]

App is available for free with demo maps. The app is approved for Ipad to be used as an efb classII. Today the app is restricted to be used as an efb classII down to specified weather minima but awaiting fully approval from easa.

[IO540]

I've been playing with an Ipad2 running PDF plates under Goodreader.

Under GR, if you touch the page it should display the page controls which (among other things) enable you to navigate back up one level and select another plate for the same airport, or go back up two levels and select a different airport (if that is how the hierachy is organised).

A lot of the time, it doesn't work. The single-touch gesture doesn't do anything. You have to keep prodding the screen and eventually it notices.

I don't see this issue in other apps.

It is absolutely necessary to be able to rapidly navigate between different plates for an airport. I would thus not want to rely on an Ipad as my only conveniently accessible means of displaying approach plates.

[silverknapper]

I have my POH and Checklist on Good reader and find the same thing. Sometimes touching the screen does nothing.

Jepp FD so far I like, much better than their last TC app. New update has improved a few bugs, most notably not recognising navaids in the route segment. Still doesn't do airways though. But in terms of having an easy to carry solution to Enroutes, airway manuals and terminal charts it's ok.

[A and C]

Since EAG took over AERAD the whole thing has gone down hill fast, some of the plates for the smaller airfields are ok but as soon as the airfield gets a few SIDS & STARS EAG try to cram too much onto one chart ( this is how they are cheaper ).

The examples that I could quote are the Gatwick easterly departures for runway 26, the plate is crowded and a level bust in the making. Jeppesen cover these departures with a number of plates and so avoid any chance of misreading the plates. I also felt that the arrival plate for one airfield in Morroco was a CFIT in the making with confusing step down altitudes. These are just the two examples that spring to mind as I am writing.

The bottom line is that you get what you pay for, Jeppesen are a little more expensive but the system runs very well on the iPad and all the data is clearly shown in a standard format (unlike some EAG plates) but the quality is more than worth the extra cost.

I should add that despite having free access to the EAG charting system over the last few years I don't use them for my private flying I have paid for a
Jeppesen subscription.

[Romeo Tango]

I use these. Good on an Ipad and downloadable as a single file.

gCAP Instrument Approach Plates (http://www.gcap.co.uk/platesindex.html)

Bill

[tmmorris]

Lo and behold, iCharts has just appeared on the iTunes store. But it states that it's intended for airlines so no sign of individual subs yet...

Tim

[tmmorris]

Romeo Tango,

Does gCap cover military airfields? (e.g. Benson?)

Tim