Improvement request

Hi there,

and a big thanks for a job well done!

I have two requests/wishes for future improvements.

1. Resize of buttons and top text. When flying fixed wing I have no issue with this in the cockpit, but as I also like to fly a lot of paramotor I would appreciate the ability to enlarge buttons so that I can use the app also with gloves on (especially in the winter...). Enlarging the top text (speed, alt etc) would also be a big bonus for pilots 45+
2. Support for barometric altitude if the app is used on a device with this functionality. Since many new devices have this, it would be great to be able to have both GPS and barometric values.

Cheers
/Lars

 

Thank you for your request! Barometric altitude is on my to-do list. I recently acquired a phone with such a sensor myself.

Resizing all the buttons might be a lot of work, the app hasn't been designed for use with gloves on. Are there any particular buttons which you use often, which I could look into enlarging first?

I don't have perfect eye-sight myself either, and I feel that the readability of the display really needs to be improved, particularly in strong sunlight. Enlarging important information is one step toward better usability. The problem with making the top text larger is that some of the information would no longer fit.

Which information do you think is most important? I'm thinking something like this (highest priority first):

1: Ground speed
2: Heading
3: GPS Coverage (so that I know I can at least somewhat trust all other values)
4: Delay (so that I know if I am keeping up to schedule, considering airport closing times, sunsets, fuel etc)
5: Current time
6: Battery (so I know if the USB-charger is connected correctly)
7: ETA (sometimes ATC will ask, also good if you know fueling at destination airport closes at X hours)
8: Altitiude (least important because the airplane I fly has a much better altimeter - but maybe not the case for Paramotor?)

I also feel that general readability needs to be improved. I'm thinking placenames could be removed, and the background map could be made less saturated (more monochrome), so that track and airspace boundary lines become more visible. The track lines could be made thicker and made to stand out more.

 

I just published an update on Google Play. The app now supports barometric altitude.

To use this, click on the text "msl", in the center of the header of the main display. You will be presented with a choice of altitude representations: GPS, Baro FL or Baro Alt.

GPS is simply the GPS altitude in feet.
Baro FL is flight level, taken from the phones pressure sensor.
Baro Alt is barometric altitude. This requires that a QNH-value is set. The app does in fact have some weather information, so this could conceivable be done automatically in the future. For now, however, it needs to be entered manually.

I've tried this using my Samsung Galaxy S4, and the precision of its barometric sensor is remarkable. I can actually see how the altimeter reads 10 feet higher if I hold my phone up to the ceiling, compared to putting it on the floor!

The terrain warning functions of the app will use the barometric altitude, if the "Baro Alt" mode has been selected.

I have not yet tested on a phone without barometric sensor. Hopefully it doesn't crash.

 

Hi,
can you provide nmea0180 output for the android app?
Kjell

 

Hi,

Are we talking about that serial protocol for transmitting position, speed, altitude etc from between different kinds of navigation equipment? Like described at wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NMEA_0183 ?

I'm sure that could be implemented for the android app, but I don't know how many android devices actually have an NMEA 018x-compatible port? Or are you thinking about using the USB-master functionality of some devices to connect a USB-to-serial converter?

I'm sure that could be implemented.

What kind of information would be transmitted? I'm thinking the app could broadcast messages such as cross track error, route, time to go and waypoint information. The app could also possibly receive GPS location data, for those who have a high-quality built-in antenna already in their airplanes.

I may not have much time to implement this. But if there's anyone out there with some basic Java-skills I'd be happy to provide guidance. The app is already open source, so anyone with the right skill set could give this a go (see https://github.com/avl/SwFlightPlanner for source access).

 

Yes, NMEA 0183 for connection to autopilots eg. EZ-pilot.
I found in Google Play some applications for that purpose but then the connection
with swplanner or use the open code to implement the function in the planner.
Regards,
Kjell

 

I see. I suppose having such a feature would make it possible to start swflightplanner, and then just sit back and watch it instruct the autopilot on how to fly. That would really be cool. I wonder if the dynon-autopilot in the plane I fly is controllable over NMEA? If so, this might be something I'd look into, just because it's cool. However, I don't really see it as a very compelling practical feature, since you as the pilot still have to know where you are and where you're heading, and manually changing autopilot heading at every waypoint isn't really that much work . But maybe as a VFR microlight pilot I'm missing something..?