Flying with my iPhone

by Sebastien Heintz

Dec 29, 2008

One of my favorite applications on my iPhone is Trailguru, which I started using to track my bicycle rides. It's also a fun and simple way to track my flights.

Here's a summary of my flight this morning in the STOL CH 750.

Besides the mapping, it provides a quick overview of the elevation and speed:

Here's the website that logs the flight info: http://www.trailguru.com/wiki/index.php/Track:35J4 There are other fun (and sometimes useful) applications for the iPhone for pilots. I like the live weather reports, though I haven't had much luck accessing these inflight... Let me know what iPhone applications you use while (or before) flying...

  • Stephen R. Smith

    That’s a neat trick. I don’t yet have an iPhone – they sure look tempting.
    I do much the same thing with my GPS. After each flight I take it home and upload the track data. I use the GPS track information to update my pilot’s log book and inspect my flight path.
    Often I upload my track into Google earth where I then can re-fly the trip in 3D with satellite imagery. After you get good with Google earth you can view your track from the side as well as down - very cool for inspecting turns and other maneuvers in 3D.
    Recently I have been geo-tagging photos taken during a flight by synchronizing with the GPS in real-time. I have written software for the tablet PC in my airplane which does this semi-automatically for me.
    Steve

    Dec 29, 2008

  • Sebastien Heintz

    Steve - you have a great panel with the tablet PC! What I like about the iPhone is it's simplicity (though it's limited as a nav aid).
    Thanks for posting great photos, especially of your trip to Oshkosh!

    Dec 29, 2008

  • Stephen R. Smith

    Putting a PC in a plane is not for everyone. Its not without its problems. I have been a programmer for (way too) many years so I can cope with the crashes and other problems. A high-end GPS is a better option for most pilots in my opinion - far more reliable and easier to use. The iPhone in the air is a new twist.

    Steve

    Dec 29, 2008

  • German Serrano

    All that sounds great, the idea of using the i-phone as a nav aid and for flight analisys is amazing. I'm not very good with computers but I have a 20 year old son who is quite good and this sounds like an attractive challenge for him. My wife won't be very happy with the project, it's her i-phone.

    Good winds

    GERMAN

    Mar 21, 2009