Peterh337:
On your comment
"although it would be more useful if one could get tafs and metars and a notam narrow route briefing by email, by specifying airport codes and a route in say the subject header of a blank email.
"
...actually you can get the MET in precisely that manner (but not NOTAMS as yet, see below). There is a little-sibling MET-only version of the app. Simply send an email to
[email protected] (instead of
[email protected]) with the ICAO codes in the subject-line separated by spaces. Example:
To:
[email protected]
From:
<your email address registered with Flylogical>
Subject:
EGNS EGNH EGPK
In a few seconds of sending, you will get an email response with a PDF email attachment containing the latest TAFs and METARS for your requested stations list. Also, your station ICAO codes are 'remembered'. So, the next time, you can simply send a
completely blank message (i.e., no subject-line or body content) to
[email protected] and it will respond with the latest wx for the previously-stated station list. Only if you send a different list via the subject-line, will the response change accordingly. I use this all the time. I get it to memorise my given list in a first email of the day (containing stations along my desired route). Then, I simply send blank emails from my phone for latest MET briefs before flight. As long as your phone can decipher email attached PDF, all works fine. iPads, iPhones, and Android phones (with downloaded PDF reader, the native pdf viewer is poor) work fine in this regard.
On NOTAMs, they are not yet included in the app. Reason: unlike with MET (provided free of charge for non-commercial users via US Gov NOAA web-services) I've not yet been able to find a reliable digital source of global NOTAMs that can be sensibly parsed in software. It is available for the UK, but not globally and systematically. As soon as that global resource becomes available for free, I will readily include it. It is quite frustrating since the data is fundamentally available free of charge from the various national authorities, but not in a usable format from a software development perspective. Yes, one can pay for such a global data feed/service (e.g., via commercial data aggregators etc), but it really ought to be free (like basic MET data) since the underlying data is free. I routinely check up on the availability of a decent free global NOTAM data service. Not yet there yet, I'm afraid....but I'll keep looking. If anyone knows of such, please let me know and I'll build it in (for free).
On the subject of wind-correction, I would agree that as long as the GPS keeps working, then "following the pink line" will keep you on-track, so need to plan for the wind in the context of in-flight navigation. However, proper planning for wind is still important from a fuel endurance point of view. I've written
a detailed article on this if interested. Basically, if you are flying an underpowered aircraft with low fuel state (or small tank capacity), then if you don't properly plan for wind, you could come unstuck (run out of fuel) !