Flymap moving map system GPS

[HairyMum]

I used this for may private and professional training and was the most important bit of kit i ever got my hands on. It sorts out any confidence issues. Anyone seriously interested then pm me.

[LH2]

Seen people get hopelessly lost with a full colour, all bells and whistles moving map GPS kit. OTOH, some of us get comfortably to anywhere by air, land, or sea, with just a compass and a rough sketch on a piece of paper, so it's horses for courses I guess.

btw, you're not trying to sell anything, are you?

[HairyMum]

If you cant use a compass you shouldnt be up there in the first place. However, it takes the pressure off and lets you enjoy it a little bit more. If you have the opertunity to make life more simple, wouldnt you do so! LH2, this one is an electronic version of a real CAA 1:500,000 map that tells you exactly where you are in relation to the map....If you know people that got lost using colour displays then they are just as likley to get lost using a simple map, Flymap is a CAA map!!!

[nmcpilot]

Very useful for VFR flight, probably these days its not really good to fly without them, I'm not saying just go off and fly and follow the direction the GPS tells you, not that I've used one much, as I can't afford it (Damn OAA!)

But all it takes is one infringement and you will be appearing in front of the CAA, or busting airport zone and having them call up your flying school which will just give you a bad name there, like flying in the Stapleford/ Cambridge area the class Alpha airspace often is 2500 ft and there are parts that you could easily miss on a chart. Just make life as easy as possible for yourself, flying is as difficult as you make it. Don't know why I'm still ranting

[LH2]

If you know people that got lost using colour displays then they are just as likley to get lost using a simple map

Yes, agreed. That's a good point.

But all it takes is one infringement and you will be appearing in front of the CAA

Then again, rather than everyone going out and buying GPSes, one could argue that the real solution would be for the government and airport authorities to get off their arses, put some real money into ATC to bring their equipment and staff numbers to developed country levels so that they can offer a proper service where you can go through controlled airspace as required rather than skimming around it, just like anywhere else in this part of the world.

(and you thought you were ranting )

[HairyMum]

so anyone wnat to buy one then?

[Pilotage]

I bought the pocket Flymap, and still have it tucked into my kneeboard.

It's an excellent bit of kit. I like the quality of GPS reception, the course download, the symbology, and the danger area warnings.

If the battery lasted more than about 90 minutes, the company ever provided chart updates, the Pooleys pages were actually large enough to read, and it didn't change view whenever I accidentally brush it with my sleeve, it'd be nearly perfect.

Apart from turning the screen brightness down so far that you can barely see it, has anybody developed any good strategies for extending battery life? For flights longer than about an hour, I've taken to just turning mine on for a few minutes at a time when I've got fiddly bits of navigation, which is not exactly satisfactory. It turned itself off the other day in the middle of a 50 mile sea crossing, which was irritating (yes, I was using other navigational methods so safety wasn't impaired, but it was still irritating).

G

[Laroussi]

memory-map

Hi All,

I went to the Expo last weekend and saw the memory-map software. Its basically a digitised CAA chart with software features that allow you to plan routes etc etc.

It costs £48 for the entire UK. You'll need a portable device e.g. mobile or PDA or even a palmtop. If you're device doesn't have a built in GPS you can use a bluetooth GPS which cost about £60.

This may be a better option and cost less. Is this possible...

I haven't bought it yet but I'm strongly considering it.

Has anyone used it in anger?

[nmcpilot]

LH2 :

Try going through Stansteds zones they are pretty welcoming of VFR flights through their zone (note sarcasm)

Got an SVFR clearance through the edge of Heathrows zone once after about 20minutes of orbiting just outside, but still got in would have been quicker just to route round though by the time they actually gave me the clearance, oh well.

[Vone Rotate]

Pilotage,

What I've done with mine is turn the brightness down to 1/4 power and I set the back light to turn off after 30 sec. Just a tap the screen to light it up again when needed. It all stays running but uses a fraction of the power while the back light is off.

Saying that, I just use mine as a 'double check' so I don't need it on all the time. If you like it on constantly I'd suggest getting an external battery which you can plug into the PDA and lasts for hours. Depending on how much you pay!! As a rough guide a friend of mine got one off eb*y for £20.

I'm all for GPS as a back up. Don't know about relying solely on one though.............

[HairyMum]

....or you can use a cigarette adapter like i do, then it never runs out of power? i still have my flymap for sale if anyone interested (pm me).

[don't_ask_me]

I've got memory map. Its got proper CAA charts including airfield charts.

Not used it much yet because I'm a student. It just sits in the back and then I can download what I've just done onto google earth. The battery life on my hp2200 pocket pc thing is about 3-4 hours and I think you can buy extra batteries for it.
I've played with some of the other features in a car. It's got a big arrow pointing to where you want to go, the ETA, the direction, distance etc.

What I want is some kind of cheap, maybe free, GPS software where I can just scan and colaborate my own CAA chart. Is this possible/easy?

don't_ask