Which inflight iPad software: IFD or FF?
Printed From: Avidyne
Category: Avidyne General
Forum Name: IFD 5 Series & IFD 4 Series Touch Screen GPS/NAV/COM
Forum Description: Topics on Avidyne's IFD 5 Series and IFD 4 Series Touch Screen GPS/NAV/COM
URL: http://forums.avidyne.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1768
Printed Date: 01 May 2024 at 10:39am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 12.01 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Which inflight iPad software: IFD or FF?
Posted By: flybikeski
Subject: Which inflight iPad software: IFD or FF?
Date Posted: 05 Jun 2019 at 7:59pm
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First - just got back from 3 week trip to Cuba/Bahamas in a friend's all Garmin P210. Definitely missed my IFD (in a T210) and prefer it over the all-touch Garmins. https://westcoastflyingadventures.com/2019/05/14/california-to-cuba-and-the-bahamas" rel="nofollow - (Trip was fantastic!) I'm going to now switch from Garmin Pilot to Foreflight because of the compatibility with the 540. My question is, what do people use inflight? The IFD100? FF? Both on two iPads? I was thinking of getting a second iPad (the mini) for the IFD100 and keep my yoke mounted iPad for FF. |
Replies:
Posted By: teeth6
Date Posted: 05 Jun 2019 at 9:55pm
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I switch back and forth from FF to the IFD 100. It is very fast and easy to switch and I like using them both. The only downside to switching to the IFD 100 from FF is that it takes a few seconds to reconnect and load your route and other info. |
Posted By: rpostmo
Date Posted: 05 Jun 2019 at 10:38pm
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I also switch back and forth between the IFD100 and my tablet app, IFLY, not Foreflight. That works fine, but my preference is to leave the ipad mini 4 which is mounted on my yoke on the IFD100 (in landscape mode). I use IFLY on a second tablet on my lap. It is a 7inch Samsung tablet, and that size is nicer to look at for approach plates and the enroute charts (in portrait mode).
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Posted By: Flybuddy
Date Posted: 06 Jun 2019 at 6:23am
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I use 2 ipads to run both, one is panel mounted and other is velcroed to the visor. |
Posted By: paulr
Date Posted: 06 Jun 2019 at 7:53am
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I love the idea of the IFD100. But in practice, it just isn't that useful for me. I use the IFD for all my enroute nav, weather, and traffic, and FF for charts and to have a large, zoomed-out map. If I flew with another pilot more often, or in a physically larger cockpit, I would absolutely get more value from the IFD100 as a "second screen," but for my mostly-single-pilot IFR in a PA32, the FF+IFD540 combo works really well for me. "But so who cares what that guy thinks?" you say... and YOU'RE RIGHT. The big deal here is not that you or I have a particular preference, it's that Avidyne gives us the option to use the IFD100 for those who want it. This is a key competitive differentiator with G* and I'm sorry that Avi doesn't exploit it more.
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Posted By: PA20Pacer
Date Posted: 06 Jun 2019 at 8:28am
I pretty much have the same perspective as paulr. Regards, Bob ------------- Bob Siegfried, II Brookeridge Airpark (LL22) Downers Grove, IL |
paulr wrote:Posted By: HenryM
Date Posted: 06 Jun 2019 at 8:28am
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I prefer to use just one iPad in my 182, and I typically use ForeFlight. I have the IFD100 loaded, but with an IFD540 in the panel, I just don’t need the additional IFD100. I would have more use for it if I had an IFD440.
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Posted By: paulr
Date Posted: 06 Jun 2019 at 9:12am
If I were Avidyne I'd run a promo: buy an IFD440 and get a free iPad mini. Sure, it might cannibalize sales for people who would otherwise buy 2 440s, but I can't imagine that there are many of them, and it would unlock a ton of marketing potential: take a little panel space and LOOK AT ALL YOU GET (lots of shouting there!) In fact if they really wanted to kick Garmin in the kneecaps, they could offer a bundle of a 440, an iPad, and a year of one of the Garmin Pilot EFB competitors, then aggressively target every Garmin 430 owner, especially the non-WAAS ones. Modernize your panel-mount GPS navcom *and* get a great second-screen experience *and* get full EFB integration through wifi. Seems like that would be a compelling value prop.
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Posted By: flybikeski
Date Posted: 06 Jun 2019 at 11:19am
| I know its the FAA and not Avidyne, but the one missing feature that limits the IFD100 somewhat is the lack of frequency swap. I wish I had put that switch on my yoke during install. |
Posted By: teeth6
Date Posted: 06 Jun 2019 at 11:27am
| Agreed. I enter frequencies on the app but still have to do the swap on the panel mount |
Posted By: 210 Driver
Date Posted: 12 Jun 2019 at 11:22pm
| +1 |
Posted By: Paul
Date Posted: 14 Jun 2019 at 4:28pm
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In our 172 the IFD 540 is easy for the pilot or copilot to reach. We haven't seen a need for the IFD 100. We have a Stratus II which we bought before we had the IFD and we run Foreflight on a couple iPads and maybe an iPhone depending on who is in the plane. Everything works well together. We don't have traffic or weather on the IFD but everything else shows it. I'm certain we are not using this system to anywhere near full capability but it is in a Cessna 172 and this great pile of avionics can't fix icing or convective activity or even strong crosswinds on the runway.
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Posted By: CubedRoot
Date Posted: 14 Jun 2019 at 8:09pm
| Why not use the Bluetooth keyboard? You can enter frequencies and Even flip flop them via that little portable keyboard....without even leaning forward. |
Posted By: oskrypuch
Date Posted: 14 Jun 2019 at 9:28pm
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I think the BT keyboard is one of the most underappreciated features of the IFD family. I use it for 95% of my interaction. Have it mounted on my yoke.  * Orest
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Posted By: teeth6
Date Posted: 14 Jun 2019 at 9:38pm
| +1! Love it |
Posted By: CubedRoot
Date Posted: 14 Jun 2019 at 11:45pm
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+1 love that little keyboard. I keep mine in my shirt pocket since it tucks away nice and neat. Once I get the airplane on autopilot, I get comfy and if I need to work on the IFD, I do pretty much everything by taking the keyboard from my shirt pocket, making changes, and tucking it back in. If only my Aspen had a way to twist the heading knob from that same keyboard, I wouldn't need to lean forward for anything! lol. |
Posted By: Alouicious
Date Posted: 03 Jul 2019 at 1:09am
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(Seems FF has the marketing muscle of G***... ) When the apps were first available, I chose WingX over the others, and have not been disappointed. Then recently, Hilton has offered WingX with the IFR upgrade for free to CFI's and military veterans. So WingX is even more desirable. Uses Seattle Avionics for chart updates. YMMV ------------- Be happy! Your choice. |
Posted By: HenryM
Date Posted: 03 Jul 2019 at 7:43am
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I started out with WingX, and paid up in advance for several years when they ran a special. It was my favorite for a few years, but then seems to stall in updates and improvements. The user interface is starting to look pretty dated. I also have a lifetime IFR subscription to FlyQ EFB. However, I've never gotten used to its interface. I now pay yearly for a ForeFlight subscription because I like its interface better than the others, even though I started using it later than the others. It took a little effort to get used to it when I changed from WingX, but it was worth it. There's a reason ForeFlight is so popular. I use FF for traffic and weather and for a closer look at the maps. I like that I can transfer flight plans easy between it and my IFD540, and that I now get traffic and weather from my MLB100.
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Posted By: flybikeski
Date Posted: 03 Jul 2019 at 6:04pm
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I did the exact same thing - used WingX for years but noticed they were not keeping up. I switched to Foreflight recently and it is definitely superior. |
Posted By: chflyer
Date Posted: 06 Jul 2019 at 12:48pm
+1 Change the Piper logo on the yoke to Cessna and you've got my look-and-feel. ------------- Vince |