Basic Plus ($99.99/yr)
Global data-driven Aeronautical Maps, VFR/IFR charts, flight planning, briefing & filing, aviation weather, and more. Now includes Logbook and Weight & Balance.
Pro Plus ($199.99/yr)
All Basic Plus features plus geo-referenced plates, hazard advisor, profile view, icing and turbulence layers, cloud documents, and Synthetic Vision.
You don’t need pro plus for IFR, but, it is more convenient. Theoretically, for flying only IFR, telegram app and autorouter is sufficient, and a pdf copy of the few remaining enroute charts (obtainable for free via the AIP). Where foreflight comes in handy is the “one stop shop” approach. You can do everything in one app, have your flight planning, performance, w&b all stored. I can literally check weather/notams and then plan and file a flight in a few seconds, and be legal according NCO. Arrive at the plane and send the flightplan to the Garmin via flightstream, done!
For VFR, I use it to do due diligence, check out terrain features, obstacles, waypoints, geographical landmarks etc.. It allows me to mentally fly while still at home, and the 3D feature sold me to the performance plus subscription. Again, all in one app. During the flight it helps me maintain appropriate situational awareness using the hazard advisor as well as the profile view, toggling between my route, and if offset, my actual flight path. Graphical notams help nicely too, as does the GAFOR route display.
And on top of that I can add that it is simply a cool flying related gadget with all kinds of “toy” features to play with. After the flight, I can check and share my tracklog, use it to automatically fill in a logbook with accurate block and flight times, look at statistics etc…
To me personally, the cost of an ipad and a foreflight subscription pay off for the benefits they provide. Compared to anything else aviation related it’s a minor expense. About 1-2 charter hours in any faster touring airplane every two years.
I’m just an 80’s kid that likes tech in a way that it makes things easier. As you might have experienced yourself, learning to fly in a very “military” style airline flight academy the many hours of planning with huge paper charts and mechanical whiz wheels left some marks. To fly means enduring enough complicated and bureaucratic nonsense anyway. If there’s a tool out there that provides a seamless and easy experience, I’ll use it. I made previously made skydemon work for me and actually liked my 30€ ICAO 1:500k add on map in AirNavPro alot. But, then came foreflight. I’m not a foreflight behind the scenes guru. I’ll show you how quickly and easily it works for me and we’ll banter about it while having a drink.
Can you say which package you use?
Performance Plus
Emir wrote:
Performance Plus
Thanks. Do you also buy a Jeppesen package on top of that?
Snoopy & Emir, I am so grateful for the trouble you have taken in answering my enquires on this. You are talking to One who is ‘nearly converted’!
The concept of ‘one stop shopping’ for IFR is very appealing. I am sure it is that concept which makes SkyDemon so attractive for VFR flyers.
As mentioned early, I used a trial of Foreflight when they first came to Europe;but was rather disappointed with its VFR aspect and the frustration of failing Flight plans and non-graphic Notams etc. I am still open to being persuaded that these original glitches have been resolved.
In the total cost of flying, I can also see that to quibble over their subscription is rather petty. But I am conscious that in the US you can get the Basic for $99 (£80) and their complete Pro Plus for $199 (£161).
I can’t work out their sales strategy in Europe.
The number of IFR flyers in Europe must be no more than 10% (and some might say that is being generous). I have often found companies that are certain that their product is the best, being prepared to have a ‘starter offer’ at an attractive rate, convinced that once a customer has seen how good their product actually is, they will stay with it even at an increased renewal price.
I do wonder, therefore, of the long term viability of a product which few might take up. OK: They have Boeing behind them; but even their accountants must live in the real financial world.
Performance plus. I have a Jeppesen account through my work. Depending on which country/airports: I’d use the aip charts preferably and Jeppesen if it is absolutely necessary.
If I’d own a plane I’d probably have a Jepp account anyway and would spend the ca. 1k € per year.
Sky demon is a good vfr product (used it flying a DA20 – Austria, Italy, Switzerland) but unless you’re a heavy vfr user foreflight covers vfr for me too.
This is tonight 
Looking forward to it!
Will there be a recording available?
Recordings will not be allowed, sorry. Many people object to video conference recordings, and I agree.
