Free flight computer software for iPad/iPhone

Hi all, Before we submit the new version of WinPilot for iOS to the AppStore, we would like to find the last few remaining bugs, and give the new features the final tweak.

In exchange for trying the software and providing us with your feedback, the software will be yours to keep for free.

Here is the list of features that are new in this version:

- Final Glide calculation around all task waypoints
- Custom Polar import
- Ability to import Turnpoints, Airspace Files, Polars, IGC logs directly from an email message into your flight computer (no iTunes necessary)
-In addidion to vector maps, now we also have ability to use tiled satellite and terrain (relief) maps. In fact, it is possible to have both the satellite map and relief map loaded at the same time, and switch between them with a touch of a button.
-Added support for AAT turnpoint zones, as well as DAEC sectors and start and finish lines, in addition to 90 FAI and cylinder zones.
- Added IGC log viewer superimposed on a Satellite/Terrain map that opens directly from an email message


If you would like to give try it on your iPad / iPhone, you will need to send us the identifier of your device, and we will reply with a link to the software and a User’s Manual. Here is how to get the 40 digit uuid:
1. Launch iTunes.
2. Connect your iOS device to your computer.
3. Select the device in the Devices list.
4. In the Summary pane, click the Serial Number label. It changes 
to uuid Identifier.
5. Choose Edit Copy.
6. Email your device identifier to

Thank you,
Winpilot team

Are these features also to be released for Winpilot on PDA?

Chris N

The PNA version had several of these features for years, like final glide around all waypoints, area tasks and daec sectors. The iPad/iPhone version is trying hard to catch up.

On Saturday, April 20, 2013 10:41:12 PM UTC-5, WinPilot wrote:
The PNA version had several of these features for years, like final glide around all waypoints, area tasks and daec sectors. The iPad/iPhone version is trying hard to catch up.

WinPro for the WinCe 5 and 6 versions runs on my Avier (same as Vertica 2) but has a lot of bugs and hangs up. Would the WinPilot team please consider continuing to support that operating system!!!??? You guys still have a great product, would hate to have to switch to XCSoar or LK8000, have both also installed.
Putting all your eggs in the Apple basket is not making sense, look at the AAPL stock price!
Herb

On Sunday, April 21, 2013 7:17:38 AM UTC-7, wrote:
On Saturday, April 20, 2013 10:41:12 PM UTC-5, WinPilot wrote:

The PNA version had several of these features for years, like final glide around all waypoints, area tasks and daec sectors. The iPad/iPhone version is trying hard to catch up.



WinPro for the WinCe 5 and 6 versions runs on my Avier (same as Vertica 2) but has a lot of bugs and hangs up. Would the WinPilot team please consider continuing to support that operating system!!!??? You guys still have a great product, would hate to have to switch to XCSoar or LK8000, have both also installed.

Putting all your eggs in the Apple basket is not making sense, look at the AAPL stock price!

Herb

I too have to agree with this statement. Unfortunately the good folks at WinPilot stopped keeping up with progress. Still to date the features of WinPilot Pro are second to none.
I been playing with both SeeYou Mobile and XCSoar for over a year, wanting a better nicer dispay. XCSoar is interesting but it is a way different learning curve. Many nice features but where it counts IMO it does not measure up to WP.
I opted for SeeYou Mobil running on an Oudie since it is a very similar platform to WinPilot, it communicates with my 302 and calculates glide just fine.
What SYM lacks is a poor imitation of WP climb maximizer; I know there has been a lot of discussion whether or not one should use such things but believe me you whish you had one when down low trying to dig out. It really works! (Of course there were many arguments about why one does not need a compensated vario, audio vario, flight computer or a vario for that matter)
The WP thermal finder although not all that useful in the obvious places becomes rather important over flat lands; less than obvious spots.
Their aviation database by far the most comprehensive among the other systems has not been updated for a very long time, rendering it unfortunately useless. I for one would be more than willing to pay an annual subscription fee for it to be updated at least once a year.
An other interesting feature of the PRO is a speed to fly vertical bar that gets it's data from the flight computer. I much prefer it on the PDA/PNA display than the idiot light on the 302.
Both SYM and XCSoar claim to have this feature but it will not get any information from the computer. (It will "sort" of work if no computer is connected )
Both SYM and XCSoar systems offers PNA or Android based programs communicating with most modern flight computers. WinPilot only has the ADV version operating on a PNA and neither it or the Apple version will communicate with any systems.
I for one would switch back to WinPilot in a hearth beat providing the PRO could be available on a PNA (or other) version and the aviation data could be updated.
It's still the best system out there.
6PK

Yes, it is sad that WinPilot has decided to pursue the Apple platform rather that improving the base WinPilot Pro that was the standard at one time. Many of us tried to convince them to fix the weaknesses for several years. It still has the best thermal maximizer but the glaring faults finally lead me and most others the move on to other software.

Too bad SeeYou has not duplicated the thermal assistant to replace the weak one it currently has.

I finally gave up on WinPilot last year after frustrating issues that I had asked for changes cost me points on several tasks last year.

On Apr 21, 3:50*pm, 6PK wrote:
On Sunday, April 21, 2013 7:17:38 AM UTC-7, wrote:
On Saturday, April 20, 2013 10:41:12 PM UTC-5, WinPilot wrote:

The PNA version had several of these features for years, like final glide around all waypoints, area tasks and daec sectors. The iPad/iPhone version is trying hard to catch up.

WinPro for the WinCe 5 and 6 versions runs on my Avier (same as Vertica 2) but has a lot of bugs and hangs up. *Would the WinPilot team please consider continuing to support that operating system!!!??? *You guys still have a great product, would hate to have to switch to XCSoar or LK8000, have both also installed.

Putting all your eggs in the Apple basket is not making sense, look at the AAPL stock price!

Herb

I too have to agree with this statement. Unfortunately the good folks at WinPilot stopped keeping up with progress. Still to date the features of WinPilot Pro are second to none.
I been playing with both SeeYou Mobile and XCSoar for over a year, wanting a better nicer dispay. XCSoar is interesting but it is a way different learning curve. Many nice features but where it counts IMO it does not measure up to WP.
I opted for SeeYou Mobil running on an Oudie since it is a very similar platform to WinPilot, it communicates with my 302 and calculates glide just fine.
What SYM lacks is a poor imitation of WP climb maximizer; I know there has been a lot of discussion whether or not one should use such things but believe me you whish you had one when down low trying to dig out. It really works! (Of course there were many arguments about why one does not need a compensated vario, audio vario, flight computer or a vario for that matter)
The WP thermal finder although not all that useful in the obvious places becomes rather important over flat lands; less than obvious spots.
Their aviation database by far the most comprehensive among the other systems has not been updated for a very long time, rendering it unfortunately useless. I for one would be more than willing to pay an annual subscription fee for it to be updated at least once a year.
An other interesting feature of the PRO is a speed to fly vertical bar that gets it's data from the flight computer. I much prefer it on the PDA/PNA display than the idiot light on the 302.
Both SYM and XCSoar claim to have this feature but it will not get any information from the computer. (It will "sort" of work if no computer is connected )
Both SYM and XCSoar systems offers PNA or Android based programs communicating with most modern flight computers. WinPilot only has the ADV version operating on a PNA and neither it or the Apple version will communicate with any systems.
I for one would switch back to WinPilot in a hearth beat providing the PRO could be available on a PNA (or other) version and the aviation data could be updated.
It's still the best system out there.
6PK

Yes, it is sad that WinPilot has decided to pursue the Apple platform
rather than improving the base WinPilot Pro that was the standard at
one time. Many of us tried to convince them to fix the weaknesses for
several years. It still has the best thermal maximizer but the
glaring faults finally led me and most others the move on to other
software. Parallels to Cambridge are very similar.

Too bad SeeYou has not duplicated the WinPilot thermal assistant to
replace the weak one it currently has.

I finally gave up on WinPilot last year after frustrating issues that
I had asked to be changed cost me points on several tasks last year.

Thanks for all the comments about the PNA version. Recently we have updated the aviation database for PNA and also the iPAQ for 2013. It includes combination of most recently available airspace files either from soaringweb..org, or from files that people responsible for maintaining airspace in given countries sent us.
The file for Europe is at: http://www.winpilot.com/AVDB/WP_Europe_Install_1301.exe
We also have an unpacked version of this file that can be copied directly into a PNA device at: http://www.winpilot.com/AVDB/Europe_1301.wa1 . People who see any errors or omissions should contact us with suggested corrections.

Regarding the discussion about which mobile hardware platform will win in the long term, of course nobody has a crystal ball to tell for sure what will happen, therefore, people must make their own assumptions. At this very moment the sales volume leaders in this market are Samsung and Apple, and they do not support the PNA platform. Everybody can see the future in a slightly different way, usually nobody gets it quite right, and the way we see it is that in a not too long of a time the in-the-pilot-bag instrument market will be dominated by two platforms: Android and iOS.
We understand that there are several companies developing flight software for Android already. Unfortunately, on the inside, Android is a very different from iOS, therefore, from the software developer point of view, maintaining one code base for both platforms seems like a difficult task. Given that we choose to support the iOS, mostly due to its superiority of the user experience (which is also very subjective), and quality and visibility in sunlight of its screens (especially the beautiful retina display). It was a risky decision because the Android market has a lot of traction as well, given that their devices are usually cheaper. It looks like the manufacturers of flight computers for power planes are jumping on the Android/iOS band wagon as well, as seemingly every week there is a new product coming out. It looks like introduction of the mini iPad was the turning point there.

Having said that, we understand that there are still several of you running WinPilot either on the iPAQ, or on one of the several PNA platforms. Some time ago we have published both ADV and PRO versions of WP for PNA version is 12, these are available at: http://www.winpilot.com/New_Download.aspx..
We are planning to release an updated version of the PNA version, it probably will not support every PNA device in existence, but we will focus on the most popular ones.
If you are considering buying a PNA device to run WinPilot, please send us an email which device are you considering. If you are running WP on PNA now, and are experiencing any issues, please email us the type of device, and what issue do you have. Please do not use this particular thread for this subject, as this thread is dedicated to the subject of testing the iOS version of WinPilot.

Regarding the iOS testing, thank you to all who replied, we still have a couple of spots left, so people interested in checking it out are welcome to send us a note. Unfortunately, the number of iOS testing devices we can have is limited, and the limit is set by Apple, so we cannot accommodate everybody. To be included, please send us the uuid number of your iPad/iPhone, and the country/state you are in.

Thank you for reading,
Winpilot team

Both SYM and XCSoar claim to have this feature but it will not get any information from the computer. (It will "sort" of work if no computer is connected )

That is not quite correct actually. XCSoar will always take the data with the highest precision available. If you connect it to a vario it will use those values and if you only have a GPS connected it will try to calculate the missing values from it.

It is actually the same algorithm that makes it possible to connect multiple devices and merge their data to display it on the screen. (e.g. Flarm and Vario)

Herb Im confused here. I only see the PNA ADV version on the WinPilot website there is no PNA Pro version. Are you using the PDA Pro version on your Vertica ? Does it work? If so what are you using for password?
I tried asking the same from WinPilot direct; no response. 6PK