iFly GPS Forum

We have a new Forum!  Go here to get started: https://adventurepilot.community.forum.  
The new forum is easier to use and much more capable than the old, we hope you will join our community! 

Below is a copy of the old forum. This will remain available for a short period so you can access and review the information contained here. To continue a conversation, or start a new one, please register and create a post at our new forum location.
HomeHomeDiscussionsDiscussionsiFly Wish-ListiFly Wish-ListOption for magenta course line to also show hypothetical glide range  to each sideOption for magenta course line to also show hypothetical glide range to each side
Previous
 
Next
New Post
8/10/2017 3:47 PM
 
Hook wrote:

What I'm asking for is this: when I'm planning a route on iFly I'm an IFR pilot (as in, I Follow Roads), or at least I like to stay within gliding distance of roads and other landable areas (airports, fields, etc.) -- what I'd like to see is an option where when turned on, the course lines become quite wide, showing my theoretical gliding range off to each side based on my aircraft's defined gliding ratio and the flight plan's altitude.  I envision just the one course line as it is now, with a solid magenta line (as now) in the middle, but with a very light magenta on each side of it (that varies in width based on altitude and glide ratio).  That way, a person can see how far off to the side of an airport, road, or whatever they can draw their course and still theoretically make it to safety.

Thanks.

 

This is pretty clear to me. It's different than a circle around the airplane. I'm not sure how useful it would be.
 
New Post
8/10/2017 7:20 PM
 

Nice to see all the discussion all of a sudden. 

I was only asking for a wide course line that would be useful in planning, and *maybe* useful in flight.  Yes, it should be adjusted differently fore and aft, and based on terrain, and winds aloft, etc.  But I wasn't asking for all that -- just a simple THEORETICAL (which I may have mentioned more than once) gliding distance off to each side.  I'd be fine with KISS for the first release of this feature.  If the developers want to make it more sophisticated -- great.  But not if it means it keeps getting pushed out to "future" releases, like the flight timer was.

I believe someone quite awhile ago requested the in-flight gliding ring around the aircraft.  I would *very* much like to see that too.  For the first release of that, a simple circle would do in my opinion.  

But let's not conflate these 2 separate features.  I was just asking for a planning tool.  I thought it would be less of a programming task than the in-flight gliding ring, which as I said, was requested quite awhile ago (so I assume has not been implemented as yet because it's complicated).

Thanks.


Powrachute PC 2000; Aventura II; Cherokee 180
 
New Post
8/11/2017 6:45 AM
 

I think Tim and I agree on the limited usefulness of a theoretical parallel or fixed radius circle. It might be useful as a planning tool to selelect a route based on a personal minimum to always remain within 5 miles of an airport or major road, but that's pilot-specific, is pretty easy to do just looking at a chart, and it still doesn't account for the terrain issue where you have 10 miles of glide available  in one direction and 2 in the other.

i think there might also be a problem in developing a feature that provides a false sense of security.

 

 
New Post
8/11/2017 6:58 AM
 
I agree. If I was that concerned about needing to make an emergency landing, I would plan my flights airport to airport to airport.
 
New Post
8/11/2017 5:49 PM
 

Well, I disagree with your disagreements.  

You make it sound like a person can just draw the course the appropriate distance that they want from possible landing areas.  But that "close enough" distance varies with the glide ratio and the altitude of each leg.  And just drawing a course from airport to airport as suggested is not helpful.  I assume you realize that most airports tend to be more than a mile or two apart from each other?

I was suggesting that since the data is available to iFly, that the software do the work.  Not me holding a ruler up to my screen.


Powrachute PC 2000; Aventura II; Cherokee 180
 
Previous
 
Next
HomeHomeDiscussionsDiscussionsiFly Wish-ListiFly Wish-ListOption for magenta course line to also show hypothetical glide range  to each sideOption for magenta course line to also show hypothetical glide range to each side