CloudAhoy/Air Nav/ .... recording flying lesson

[indyaachen]

Another one ..

I had a look at the CloudAhoy app, and it appears to be a fantastic tool to analyze the practical lessons. Not sure about the subscription fee $45/year. For that price one can buy Air Navigation Pro and have more for post-PPL as well. ANP, however, seems to have very limited users' base. So, updates/support etc might be too much to expect.

For those learning in UK, Memory-Map and AirSpaceAvoid have many things covered.

Any thoughts ....

[ChickenHouse]

During training beware of spending too much on electronicky gadgets!

Moving map systems and GPS tracking are a bit of a moving target. Usually one jumps forward and is "best choice" for a while, then f***s up and is overtaken by somebody on the fast lane. When I started flying with iOS devices there was AirNavigationPro definitely in front (and quite affordable when only using the application and openstreet maps), then ANP was trying too much too fast and had serious issues, so Skydemon could outstrip it. Currently Skydemon is still first choice for VFR, but only with a very very very thin advantage over upcoming Jeppesen with its Version 2 of MobileFliteDeckVFR. There is neither the most affordable nor the premium moving map system in Europe, so far (different from the US, where Foreflight is now Gold standard).

For recording training sessions, meaning the device sits somewhere in the back and does nothing but track, I would be lazy and take the base version of ANP, still, or some cheapo geocaching tracking app.

[Genghis the Engineer]

I use Flightrecorder24 for Android for recording and reviewing lessons. It's about £4.

G

[ChickenHouse]

One further question: what is the purpose for "analyzing training sessions"? If the training aircraft is properly equipped, maybe Flightradar24 track is already sufficient.

[indyaachen]

@CH: I am not intending to have a kneeboard equipped with iPad/ANP during the training. Not sure if a FI would even approve that :=.
Just somewhere folded and stowed in the front.

I think some time back I had read a blog in which the PPL student used the tracking tool to explain his circuits practice. It should be helpful in rehashing the experiences after the training .... e.g. ... loosing altitude .... turning base ... etc.

[ChickenHouse]

Most FI will not approve, but it is starting that students argue on how they would use it in the future anyways ...

I was just asking why, because I am a strong believer on "conscious purpose". My flight school banned any of these gadgets from training flights and I was fine with it, but after exam I recorded the next 200 hours of x-country flying to improve my skills there. I thought patterns and drilling boring holes in the air was not why I would learn to fly and x-country training was, in my eyes, a bit too little. So, I recorded my x/c flights and reviewed them on google earth. I still keep the records and am still surprised how altitude hold and heading precision improved over time (I decided to always fly non-autopilot on VFR). It is a nice piece of history to see that and I guess it would not be so conscious learning without the tracking, but I do have doubts wether this technique is helpful in basic training. I am curiously awaiting reports on that.

[Whopity]

It should be helpful in rehashing the experiences after the training .... e.g. ... loosing altitude .... turning base ... etc.
Not really, just learn to fly properly and bugger the gadgets!

[Gertrude the Wombat]

It should be helpful in rehashing the experiences after the training .... e.g. ... loosing altitude .... turning base ... etc
Um ... that's exactly what you're paying the instructor for ...

And a few hundred hours later I don't need any toys to tell me what I've done wrong, I know it as I'm doing it (or at worst a few seconds later).

[indyaachen]

Good point Whopity and Gertrude. :D

[ChickenHouse]

Good point Whopity and Gertrude.
Sure, it is, but the new generation of young measure-everything-of-yourselves-and-post-it-to-social-media might have a different view on "necessities" ;-).

[Rhino25782]

Sure, it is, but the new generation of young measure-everything-of-yourselves-and-post-it-to-social-media might have a different view on "necessities" ;-). On this occassion, I was quite happy that I recorded my circuits and sure enough, I felt compelled to post this on the social network of my choice:

:ok:

http://i.imgur.com/WGjvIaV.jpg (http://i.imgur.com/WGjvIaV.jpg)

[Cenus_]

I've been using Cloudahoy during my training. Not massively helpful during the early stages, although interesting nonetheless. It is however quite helpful for debriefing yourself after a solo nav, it helps confirm your track error calculations and corrections (although I guess getting to your intended destination does that too!). It's also nice to check your altitude holding.

[Steve6443]

When I started learning, I used ANP and then afterwards, I used it to guide me around challenging airspace - they then appeared to employ a baboon for programming because for a series of updates, they introduced the same bugs - namely that the software deleted the links to the paid for maps, even if they were still physically there. The only solution was to download them again.

The first time this happened - yeah, programmer error. Update released to fix it - by which time my maps were already toast. Then a new update was released - same problem. I complained - sure enough, same error. The third time it happened I was actually abroad when the update came through and, in those days, with iOS, if an update is there, you are usually unable to start any programs if an update is pending.

So with trepidation, I installed it, hoping that I'd be left with my maps as I was due to fly further later that day. Surely no self-respecting programmer would make the same elementary mistake on 3 updates, I thought, especially as he'd been lambasted on the forum for these bugs? Alas he did make the same mistake a third time so I was left with no option but to pay the fees for 500MB of data whilst roaming in Hungary. OUCH.

What did the producers of ANP say? Sorry, we are however not liable for any charges incurred by you downloading maps..... Well, my "well considered" response was "sod ANP and the donkey they rode in on". That was the start of the decline of ANP for me.....

[indyaachen]

@Steve ... absolute incompetency from ANP. I guess they kept the attitude too long and the result shows in their customer base.

How many pilots 10 years ago could review their training in as much detail as one can now! With GoPro/ANP/CloudAhoy, people can now review their training very precisely and in details, but I don't think anything would be better than critical feedback from the flight instructor.