Helicopter operators that use Hickok & Associates instrument approach procedures will soon be able to overlay these on the ForeFlight EFB moving-map with georeferencing to provide a view of own-ship position on the map and Hickok approach chart when GPS position information is available. Operators that are currently using Hickok procedures and importing them into ForeFlight include Air Methods, Metro Aviation, and PHI Air Medical.
“We use Hickok and Associates to design our non-Part 97 approaches and we are able to import them into ForeFlight, which we use extensively for our EFB program at Air Methods,” said Air Methods chief pilot Raj Helweg.
Once the georeferencing capability becomes widely available to operators, it will make the Hickok procedures even more useful. “Many of our customer-operators already use ForeFlight,” said Steve Hickok, president of Hickok & Associates. “The upcoming support for displaying geo-referenced PDF Hickok and associates charts on the ForeFlight moving map, combined with cloud distribution capability, will give customers even more utility out of their investment in Hickok Special Copter Instrument Flight Procedures.”
The Hickok procedures can be distributed via ForeFlight Content Packs, a feature that allows users to create and distribute customized information. According to ForeFlight, “Content Packs can range from a basic list of waypoints to complex bundles of georeferenced charts, map layers, linked documents, and custom instrument flight procedures from providers like Hickok & Associates.”
“Helicopter operators require a variety of mission- and company-specific information, such as helideck information, proprietary landing zones, company maps, and custom approach procedures from providers like Hickok and Associates,” said Tyson Weihs, co-founder and CEO of ForeFlight. “ForeFlight’s Content Packs allow operators to package and distribute bundles of proprietary information to flight crews, increasing operational efficiency and enhancing safety.”