Well, only official data is official. Many of them, Skydemon and EasyVFR simply cannot get the airspaces right, they mix C and D and are generally 1 – 2 years behind the official charts. It makes you wonder where they get their data from. I have no intention telling them this is wrong and that is wrong, when they are payed subscriptions. I think EasyVFR and Skydemon are great, but do not expect their data to be current or valid.
This does not apply to SkyDemon. The charts and aviation information is right up to date on the AIRAC cycle (and therefor way ahead of printed charts). C, D and all other classes of airspace are clearly and correctly identified. SkyDemon has far fewer errors than the official UK chart, incidentally.
LeSving, you are either ill informed or possibly malicious, and I actually wonder if making this kind of assertion on a public forum is actionable. Maybe Peter should consider that, as publisher?
I think EasyVFR and Skydemon are great, but do not expect their data to be current or valid.
Both EasyVFR and SkyDemon get their data directly from the AIP. It’s far more likely that the charts you’re comparing them with are wrong – this has happened numerous times…
I have no intention telling them this is wrong and that is wrong, when they are payed subscriptions. I think EasyVFR and Skydemon are great, but do not expect their data to be current or valid.
That’s a very selfish attitude to be honest…
How about giving an example of one of the errors so it can be investigated.
Many of them, Skydemon and EasyVFR simply cannot get the airspaces right, they mix C and D and are generally 1 – 2 years behind the official charts. It makes you wonder where they get their data from.
This is patent nonsense I’m afraid. Are you confusing SD and EasyVFR with something else? There are definitely other products with rubbish airspace data, but not the two you’ve picked on.
Does anyone use a Garmin Aera 795 ? From what I can see, also on other forums, it seems to be the best option from what I want to use.
However, the cost is quite high, around 1500 euros per unit, and I’m not sure what the subscription is for the charts all over Europe. If anyone is using it, can anyone tell the cost of the charts (both maps and VFR charts) ?
…. I actually wonder if making this kind of assertion on a public forum is actionable.
Don’t go there, please…
and I actually wonder if making this kind of assertion on a public forum is actionable. Maybe Peter should consider that, as publisher?
Timothy – I recommend a good search of EuroGA (instead of just popping in every few months) and reading the many posts on the subject e.g. missing airspaces in Italy etc etc etc. Very well documented.
Sure, these tools are close to perfect for the Blackbushe to Bembridge burger run, which is [insert your favourite percentage] of UK VFR traffic. But once you go outside the usual runs, outside the UK (EuroGA is rather European) you are down to
I have said all this before…
Nobody here should beat somebody over the head for criticising a particular software tool (as had happened, over a very long time, to a very unpleasant degree on a certain UK aviation chat site) and nobody will.
If somebody wants to fly with paper, it’s their free choice. I fly with printed terminal charts myself.
I have found the Ipad shuts down very regularly at any significant altitude and it doesn’t need sunshine to do it.
As the Americans say, YMMV 
Some people haven’t understood that it doesn’t make sense wasting any time answering certain posts…:-)
@ Fred: Please do yourself a favour and have a really close look at those Garmin units before spending any big money. These boxes are not designed to fully substitute other aeronautical charts for planning and in flight. The European data on those boxes is not 100% complete. They use Jeppesen-derived data which was made in the far away US.
That’s not the case for products like EasyVFR and Skydemon. These clearly are designed to substitute paper charts (despite their disclaimers, but these have nothing to do with that). There are European people working on these databases, people who know the particularities of the various European countries and their airspaces.
Infringements are no fun and one has to have a 99% error-free and omission-free database to comfortably and “safely” use a product like that for primary airspace awareness.
A few nitty-gritty examples:
I have a Garmin Aera and certainly would not use it for anything else than for basic position awareness.
@boscomantico : ok, I see your point, and that’s much clearer now that previously. Fine, I get it that Garmin Aera may not be the best option.
Now another question : If I want to use EasyVFR or Skydemon, what tablet would you recommend/do you use ?
I see one issue : I don’t use Windows on my computer, I use Linux, and with Garmin, I have to reach to a computer with Windows to update it, and that’s not what I like to do. I don’t either want to get an iPad, for different reasons, and I’m currently ok with the paper maps and electronic charts. If I want to get an android tablet and use it with EasyVFR or Skydemon, it might be a good idea, however what tablet would you recommend ? What tablet do you use ? What tablet would be good enough to fly (and with enough battery, as I could see that the Garmin Aera only had 3 hours of battery, which is not a lot !)
I have found the Ipad shuts down very regularly at any significant altitude and it doesn’t need sunshine to do it.
Peter, I’m somewhat nonplussed by your assertions of iPad issues. I have used mine for two years now, when flying in SoCal and adjacent areas of the US, running ForeFlight. I had one shutdown, and that was when I put it on top of the dash in broad, mid-day sun for 10-15 minutes or so. It came back after a few minutes in the shade on the back seat. It normally lives either on my kneeboard or on my flight bag in the RHS if flying alone. Btw, mine is not used exclusively for aviation, and I never had a shutdown or any other issue with it. What are you doing to the poor thing ?
I have found the Ipad shuts down very regularly at any significant altitude and it doesn’t need sunshine to do it.
Interesting Peter. Do you think that the ambient air pressure has any effect over the operation of the ipad? (That’s a genuine question.)
If not, does your ipad shut down also whilst in your living room? What air temperature do you normally keep inside the aircraft cabin in flight?
Interesting Peter. Do you think that the ambient air pressure has any effect over the operation of the ipad? (That’s a genuine question.)
I think it almost certainly does.
I’ve had only 1 thermal shut down on my iPad 3 in my own aircraft. That what when I left it on top of the panel in direct sunlight for maybe 5 minutes (while on the ground) while I organised myself. It wasn’t an exceptionally hot day, but hot enough (maybe 23 C) but there was direct sunlight, and full screen brightness.
A few minutes in the shade with the air vent on it and it was fine.
However some recent experience on the EuroGA flyins I had a number of shut down, with much less sunlight (very little direct) and cooler ambient temperatures. It also took much longer to recover. The only significant difference that I can account for is the altitude being far higher than anything I’m used to flying at.
It makes sense I suppose. Thinner air gives less opportunity to carry heat away.
