App Spotlight: iFlightPlanner

iFlightPlanner to Fully Support the Bad Elf ADS-B Receiver

We’re excited to announce that iFlightPlanner will be fully supporting the Bad Elf ADS-B receiver at product launch. iFlightPlanner is a popular flight planning tool that started with a browser-based interface in 2010 and has expanded since then to support the iPad and other mobile tablets/phones as well. All of the flight information is synchronized via the iFlightPlanner Cloud.

We asked John Burnside and Andy Matthews, co-founders of iFlightPlanner, a couple of questions about iFlightPlanner:

Bad Elf: Hi guys! Thanks for supporting us. Please tell us more about iFlightPlanner and what design philosophies and features set it apart from other aviation apps.

Andy: iFlightPlanner is headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan and we offer a comprehensive flight management solution for private and corporate pilots that can be accessed from any computer or iPad.

iFlightPlanner.com, mobile.iFlightPlanner.com, and iFlightPlanner for iPad combines the versatility of the web with the portability of the iPad and is built on a foundation of safety, usability, and flight planning efficiency.

We treat each flight as an interconnected unit – combining route planning, graphical weather, certified weather briefings, weight & balance calculations, flight plan filing, and the creation of logbook entries – where a modification to one seamlessly updates all others. This prevents pilots from having to work back through multiple menus or different screens to ensure that no step in the process is compromised.

Our members can define sets of personal, equipment, and flight planning preferences that allow them to create a consistent user experience  every time they access iFlightPlanner. This cloud-based connectivity, a concept we first introduced in 2011 with IFlightPlanner for iPad, ensures that pilots have near universal device access to everything they need, wherever they are. We believe this makes iFlightPlanner the most versatile flight planning solution in the industry.

Bad Elf: What have you been hearing from your customers about ADS-B weather and traffic in the cockpit?

John: We’ve built iFlightPlanner on member feedback, and one thing that’s been clear among pilots, especially as new technologies are introduced, is that they don’t want to be forced into purchasing a particular product. They want a choice, and a chance to find the solution that best suits their needs. We’ve never been a fan of exclusivity and we absolutely love the path that Bad Elf and others are forging with ADS-B device interoperability.

The fact that Bad Elf is launching their campaign to introduce an affordable ADS-B device with direct support from the pilot community, with an open interface, is a testament to what can be accomplished when different constituents within an industry work together.

Including the soon-to-be-released Bad Elf ADS-B device, iFlightPlanner for iPad will support ADS-B connectivity for nine different manufacturers and at least thirteen different receivers, including both portable devices and certified ADS-B installations.

The fact that we offer both iPad and web-based platforms is proof that we’ve wanted iFlightPlanner to be accessible from the very beginning - not only in terms of device access, but with price points as well. The value pilots can achieve by flying with iFlightPlanner and an affordable ADS-B device such as the Bad Elf ADS-B, will be unmatched.

iFlightPlanner is popular with corporate and charter operators, where flight planning is often a shared responsibility between pilots and dispatchers. For office-based staff who may not have access to an iPad or prefer desktop access, iFlightPlanner’s powerful web-based interface sets it apart from tablet-only EFB app solutions.

iFlightPlanner has done some innovative integrations as well, most recently with FuelerLinx and Hangar Network. FuelerLinx is a leader in the contract fuel purchasing and dispatch process where Hangar Network serves as a resource for aviation-related real estate listings. They also support exporting flight plan files that are compatible with modern avionics from Garmin, Dynon, Advanced Flight Systems, and other modern avionics-installations, minimizing tedious flight plan entry.

Here are some screenshots of iFlightPlanner in action:

We’ll be featuring iFlightPlanner in our next in-flight demo video!

You can download iFlightplanner from the Apple App Store, or visit the iFlightPlanner website for more information.

If you haven’t already, please visit our Kickstarter page and reserve your Bad Elf ADS-B receiver today. We need your help to bring this affordable receiver to market.