Pilot Supplies

(January 2012) Back in September my column Going Direct entitled “The Chart Is Dead,” I referred to work that Jeppesen is doing to unhinge the chart from our old ideas of what paper is and what it represents. In the brave new world of data-driven depictions, the “chart” is not an object but instead a […]

(January 2012) You’re most likely carrying fewer and fewer or perhaps even no charts around after the introduction of aviation chart applications for electronic flight bags such as the iPad, and there’s no longer a need to carry a separate flight computer since there are apps for that too. With less and less stuff required […]

Pilots can be tough to shop for, but if you’re looking for an aviation gift for that special aviator, you’ve come to the right place. Our gift guide will take you from practical to decadent, from classic to unusual. So whether you’re looking for an easy-to-grab stocking stuffer or a knock-your-socks-off once-in-lifetime surprise, we’ve got […]

(December 2011) Airguide Publications recently upgraded its Flight Guide app, aiming toward making it a real competitor against better-known charting and airport information systems for the iPad. Larry Garcia, who owns Airguide Publications with his wife, Cindy, claims the app became the first to display real-time traffic using Zaon’s PCAS XRX portable collision avoidance system, […]

German manufacturer Beyerdynamic recently introduced the HS 800 Digital aviation headset. A modern-looking headset with a carbon-fiberlike design, the HS 800 definitely has the look. I recently took it for a test flight to see how it performs in the cockpit. The HS 800 Digital is nice and light, only 0.72 pounds (without the cable […]

(October 2011) If you’ve ever wished you could create a flight plan on your iPad and then somehow automatically beam it to the avionics in your airplane, you’re in luck. Aspen Avionics has introduced a Wi-Fi-based technology called Connected Panel that will let pilots do just that — and a whole lot more. The first […]

One iPad app we’ve written about in brief and liked in abundance is Hilton Software’s WingX Pro, designed by eponymous software maven Hilton Goldstein. Like its competitors, WingX Pro is a nav/charting/planning/database/safety utility app that seemingly does all things for all pilots for the slim price of $100 a year. New to the app is […]

Rockwell Collins and Inmarsat have entered into an exclusive partnership for the development, production and distribution of hardware to support Inmarsat’s Global Xpress Ka-band Internet service for business jets, airliners and government airplanes. The Inmarsat GX service will provide global in-flight Ka broadband connectivity at speeds of up to 50 megabits per second when the […]

Hilton Software, the maker of the WingXPro7 aviation navigation iPad app, announced it has developed an interface for Aspen Avionics’ Connected Panel product, introduced earlier this month at EAA AirVenture. Aspen’s Connected Panel allows two-way wireless communication between panel avionics and personal smart devices, including iPads and Android smartphones. The supported app from Hilton Software […]

There’s no question, using an iPad in the cockpit in place of paper charts and approach plates is better in almost every conceivable way – especially after the flight, when it’s time for chart updates, which with most popular apps from companies like Jeppesen or ForeFlight can be accomplished with just a couple of button […]