Story ID: 
ForeFlight Mobile v8.0 Now Live
By: Matt Thurber
Caption: Data-driven aeronautical maps open up opportunities for ForeFlight Mobile's development team and for third-party developers as well.
Word Count: 589
Version 8.0 of the ForeFlight Mobile iOS app with a new aeronautical maps feature is now available at the Apple App Store. The new data-driven aeronautical maps eliminate delays in reloading and refreshing map elements when panning and zooming, and dynamic “always-up” labels and adjustable text sizes make reading text labels easier. Each zoom level displays information appropriate for that level, and for more detail the user just needs to zoom in more.

With the new version, ForeFlight airport diagrams are integrated into the map and can be viewed by zooming in until the airport’s details are visible, eliminating the need to open a separate airport chart. Dynamic mapping also allowed ForeFlight to offer more user-selectable settings, such as light, dark or classic views and on-off buttons for terrain depiction on aeronautical maps, airways, ARTCC boundaries and place labels. A subtle but visually welcome new feature is hill shading on the Hazard Advisor terrain. 

The ForeFlight team has been working on the new mapping engine for the past two years. Basically, ForeFlight moved all the mapping functions to the graphics processing unit on the iPad, which speeds up the re-rendering every time the zoom level is changed or the map is panned to a different area. Another benefit of the new mapping engine is that third-party developers can add layers to the map to add their own content. For example, airshow organizers could add a layer for the airshow layout, airport buildings, parking areas and so on, and this could reside within the ForeFlight map temporarily, until the show ends. A static display, for example at the annual NBAA show or regional forums, could show each aircraft’s location and details. 

ForeFlight also introduced other new features with the next version, including TFR alerting, with visual and aural alerts when approaching or entering an active TFR, and new web flight planning capabilities and logbook functions such as flight sharing, remote signatures, progress tracking and Logbook Connect, which allows third parties access to ForeFlight logbook APIs for developing their own functions.

When choosing an airway in a flight plan, the new Smart Airway Labels first shows the name of the airway when zoomed out, but zooming in reveals additional information such as magnetic heading and MEA. This works no matter which map is selected (aeronautical map, VFR or IFR). In the aeronautical map mode, this adds to situational awareness without cluttering the map with all the symbology found on an IFR chart.

The web version of ForeFlight has new features, too. Pilots can file, amend and cancel flight plans and use the route advisor to see suggested routing such as airways, recently cleared ATC routes, preferred routes or TEC routes. Aircraft profiles are now available in the web version, and the ForeFlight navlog does the same time and fuel-burn calculations as the mobile app, with changes all synced between the two versions. Aircraft can be added with ICAO equipment and performance codes.

The logbook’s remote signing feature allows students to send a draft logbook entry to their instructor, who can then review the entry, send it back with edits or sign it. Logbook Connect launch partners include Redbird Flight and Schedule Pointe, and this feature allows pilots “to send draft entries from their respective dashboards to your own logbook,” according to ForeFlight.

The new features such as the aeronautical map and logbook require an annual Basic Plus ($149.99) or Pro Plus ($199.99) subscription to ForeFlight.