XM Weather on the iPad, Android Devices

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Photo: Robert Goyer

Tens of thousands of pilots who have already adopted the Apple iPad as their aviation helper of choice are happier today with the announcement by Baron Services that it will sell an XM weather receiver for the iPad (and other devices). The $199.99 receiver will be available soon. Pilots will need, it goes without saying, a mobile device with a compliant application. Wing X Pro from Hilton Software has already announced its intentions to support the receiver, and ForeFlight, while not having made any official announcement, has given strong indications that it is anxious to provide in-flight weather capabilities to pilots, as well. The list of weather products initially offered, while not as comprehensive as found on some portable or panel-mount MFDs, includes all of the most requested weather products. (more) These include Nexrad radar, satellite imagery, metars and tafs, winds aloft and TFRs. The receiver, which will connect to the mobile device via WiFi, ingeniously bypassing Apple's notoriously closed hardware/Bluetooth approval process. The receiver needs to be plugged into an adapter outlet but connects without wires to the device.