I recently purchased iFly GPS for my Android tablet because the EFB I was using (DROID EFB) had problems displaying NEXRAD weather when using my internet connection from home. I believe that problem centered on their use of Flash tehniology. There were also some weird distortions in map graphics when switching from North Up to Track Up. iFly GPS solved those problems but lacks other features I really liked in DROID EFB. The missing functions I'd really like to see include:
- I like watching my overall progress against a flight plan. iFly GPS only shows me the total distance remaining to my final destination, the ETE to my final destination and the distance to the next waypoint. I really miss being able to see my overall progress. DROID EFB had a pop out window that showed all of the waypoints and final destination in the flightplan. The ETE remaining for each waypoint could be shown by leg, or as cumulative time (and distance) from my current location. I found that to be really usefull on long cross country trips. When my range is less than the range of the plane, it is great to know how long I have to wait for each potential pit stop. Adding this capability would be fabulous.
- I like seeing the flight trails from previous flights, but those are only a 2D display in iFly GPS. DROID EFB supports export of a KMZ file that shows the 3D path of the plane on past flights. My phone app for bicycling provides that 3D view of bike trips and also shows speed at each data point. Having position, altitude and speed shown on a single 3D plot would be a GREAT tool ifor critiquing flights and the stability of my approach to landing. Here's what the 3D output from DROID EFB looks like. You can scroll across the elevation graphic on the bottome of the page and that creates a red arrow on the flight path showing your elevation at that point. Imagine having this same output with added information on speed at each datapoint. That becomes a great tool with far more information than a 2D representation of my track. Please add the capability of exporting 3D tracks as KMZ files for viewing in Google Earth.
- Adding weight and balance would be anoither huge plus. I currently have a detailed spreadsheet I use and can keep that program with me on my tablet, but having it integrated into the EFB makes so much sense. Here's the output I generate from my spreadsheet. As you can see, it shows the shifting CG as my fuel is burned on a flight.
