AWIS Phonebook on Android (NAIPS for Android)

[bentrengrove]

Hey guys,

Just a quick note to say that I have developed an app similar to Dial-a-wis on iPhone but on Android. Its called AWIS Phonebook. Check it out, its free!

https://market.android.com/details?id=bentrengrove.awisphonebook

For those who have never seen the iPhone version, it is simply a large list of all the airports in Australia, you can click any of them and it will dial the AWIS for that airport. Really handy with a bluetooth headset at airports without AWIS on VHF.

Also wanted to say I am working on a NAIPS app which I hope to release in the coming month or two. It is very reliant on Airservices approving the copyright which can be expensive so that might kill it off, hopefully not!

Thanks for your support, any questions or comments just let me know!

[flyboy_nz]

Well done mate. I switched from the iphone bandwagon to galaxy s2. Can't wait to have NAIPS on it.

[NIK320]

Looks good.

Not so good once I tried it.
First attempt was Kingaroy... I got the awis for Albany.
Tried Gold Coast.. Got Adelaide
Brisbane surely had to be correct... Nope, got Adelaide again
;)

Might be a few bugs in there still

[bentrengrove]

Found the bug you were talking about and have uploaded a new version, please give that a try and let me know how it goes! Really sorry about that.

Thanks, Ben

[NIK320]

Seems to work with that update :)

[Howard Hughes]

Great work, keep us posted if you make any more. :ok:

[Led Zep]

Nice! Looking forward to more Android Apps.

[Fox-U]

Had a quick try and looks good....!
Bring on the NAIPS for android so I don't have to drag the damn iPhone around with me.

[Capn Bloggs]

Good stuff. Keep it coming, Ben. :D

[Capn Bloggs]

On the subject of Android and flying, Firefox Beta has a function to save any displayed internet pages as a PDF, so you can call up your SPFIB, Update or Location Briefing from the AsA website and then save it as a PDF to your phone for later perusal. Drag the display to the left and on the Menu, choose More to reveal the "PDF Save" option.

The PDF is saved in the SDCard/Download folder.

For non-operational use only of course! := :ouch:

[MikeTangoEcho]

Woo! Didn't even know of Dial-A-Wis. Thanks :ok:

[Bladeangle]

Just need vodafone coverage to improve! :ugh:

[major_tom]

love this app, will be a grand day when NAIPS is finally out for android.

an app like this (for australia) would also be a dream come true https://market.android.com/details?id=com.nadmm.airports&feature=search_result

[lolami]

Looks like a good little app but more importantly i'm glad to here that there is a naips app on the way. There are more android phones at work now than iphones so there will defiantly be a market for them and i'd happy to pay for it so that we keep getting development of Australian based aviation apps for android.

How is the naips app going? The copyright issues aren't being a problem are they? Any more development with a release date? It would be great if you released a public beta and we could help iron out any bugs before the release.

Once you get the naips app going have you thought about an reader for ERSA, AIP, DAPS, etc. Doesn't need to do anything fancy, just hold the latest versions and let you read it.

[sisemen]

As a newcomer to the iphone .... how does one download Dial a Whiz? The app store seems full of stupid games of no interest.

[megle2]

easy - go to App Store / Search dial a wis
comes up as first option ( check your spelling )

[bentrengrove]

Unfortunately the copyright issue pretty much put an end to the development. Air services australia charge thousands of dollars for a yearly license and I decided it would not be financially viable. AWIS phonebook was a test to see what kind of android market there was out there. Seeing as the app was free it was a good judge of what could be expected in terms of download numbers for a possible NAIPS app.

Currently the price for the NAIPS app would be so high to try to cover the costs of development that no one would end up buying it.

Also the licensing cost for ERSA/DAPS is even higher which is why OzRunways on the iPhone have to charge a large yearly fee.

[Howard Hughes]

In that case what about a flight planning app? Or do you still require a NAIPS licence?

[Capn Bloggs]

Bent, that's a shame. With ERSA, AIP and the charts, I can understand copyright issues. But with NAIPS, I don't understand. The program is freely available to anyone but cannot be used unless one already has an AsA login. Whether you do that on a phone or on a PC (or indeed access the info on the AsA website directly) is not relevant to AsA, so I can't see why AsA would have a problem with an Android app. It's not as though NAIPS would go viral on a torrent site as a pirated app! :) It doesn't really have a use outside flying as far as I can tell, and certainly is not more exploitable than the information that is already available on the AsA website. If AsA is going to be anal about using NAIPS, then it should create an M version of it's Pilot Briefing section of the website.

Anyway, AWIS Phonebook is helpful, so thanks. BTW, Perth Aero returns an error message. The ATIS is 08 9476 8800.

[Howard Hughes]

With ERSA, AIP and the charts, I can understand copyright issues.
You can even access those for free on the Airservices website.:ok:

[Capn Bloggs]

H, agree, but setting them up to use operationally is a bit of a "fiddle", especially the DAPs. Be nice if they were all in one huge PDF! :} :ok:

[Howard Hughes]

Surely that's the F/O's job...:E

[lolami]

That's disappointing to hear, I always thought the costs of ozrunways subscription was mainly based on the maps since everything else is freely available online although I can see there might be a small copy right fee for the pubs I didn't think it would be much.

NAIPS on the other hand shouldn't cost anything; you would almost be doing AsA a favour since there is a large gab in the market (naips on android) that AsA don't want to service themselves.

It's also interesting that ozrunways is able to release an app for only $10 a year if the fee's are that much. He doesn't indicate that at all when he makes references to what it would take for other people to make one for android, maybe you are speaking to the wrong people and Shagpile could point you in the right direction,
NAIPS for ANDROID - xda-developers (http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=687641)

p.s I don't know how good the dial a wiz app is as an indicator of sales, naips would be much more popular however I could see it taking a month or 2 for word to get around and it to pick up

(http://forum.xda-developers.com/member.php?u=2627345)

[lolami]

Finally some movement, it might only be a very small step forward but it is the first sign i've seen of something coming to android so i'm excited

https://sites.google.com/a/juddy.net/android/home

has a basic NAIPS app to get area weather, i've tried it but can't get it to login to my AsA account. Anyone else able to give it ago?

[Capn Bloggs]

No go here either. A web address appears but that's all. How do we contact Leighton? Couldn't find any contact links on his site.

[lolami]

From looking around that site is looks like his main site is Leighton's Technical Services (http://www.juddy.net) so i sent an email to the contact on there. Haven't heard but yet but i'll post here when i do

[Kulwin Park]

Wish I had used this AWIS Phonebook app earlier on my tablet! Good Work - would love to see more Android apps too.

[jibba_jabba]

Thanks for making this.

is there a plan to make a world wide database?

[Bevan666]

NAIPS on the other hand shouldn't cost anything; you would almost be doing AsA a favour since there is a large gab in the market (naips on android) that AsA don't want to service themselves.


It shouldn't cost much. but you will be surprised that

A. It does

and

B. How much. :eek:

Bevan..

[lolami]

I heard back from Leighton, this is a side side side project. he said while it isn't dead don't hold your breath for much development :(

So while it is a start, hopefully someone else will pick up on the idea and make a paid app

[Shagpile]

Bevan is correct - unfortunately the numbers don't add up for Android to (a) break even and (b) make back some beer money for the many (hundreds/thousands) of hours it would take to do it.

Whilst I have made some beer money from the iPhone app (I get about $4 per copy sold), I worked out that I would have been better off flipping burgers at McDonalds for time invested. And the iPhone market is pretty big. However this doesn't worry me as I love doing it as a hobby/side business to work.

Unfortunately unless you're making an app that millions of people around the world will buy, it's got to be botique & expensive to make it as a successful business.

[lolami]

Whilst I have made some beer money from the iPhone app (I get about $4 per copy sold), I worked out that I would have been better off flipping burgers at McDonalds for time invested. And the iPhone market is pretty big. However this doesn't worry me as I love doing it as a hobby/side business to work.


If a NAIPS app is out the question for now what about something to organise and read the AsA publications? If you already have the pdf files and databases for use with ozrunways isn't that most of the hard work done. Now you would just require a file download and manager.