My 6 month free trial on JeppFD-VFR has expired and I have just got an invoice for €296.
I don’t want the product (not at that price for sure) so it will be interested what actually happens…
They have just added Italy, according to a recent email. So a loooong way to go to match even the old VFR printed charts.
I have to say that I might actually stick with it. It seems to be being upgraded frequently, everything included including DFS charts for Germany and I like the format. For some reason SD and I don’t get on (although I acknowledge it is a great and feature-laden product). It actually seems like JeppVFR it is being driven forward by a different team with a new approach from the old, staid Jepp software development team. The big question for it (and SD for that matter) in my opinion is whether they can survive Garmin hitting the European market with ADS-B and SynVis.
I too think the chart style on this Jepp product is much nicer than Skydemon’s which I find relatively confusing (and flying with other SD users, it looks like I am not the only one).
But I already have VFR charts for every bit of Europe for which anything one might call “VFR charts” have ever existed, running under Oziexplorer. They are raster charts, not vector charts (so there is no auto declutter etc) but it’s fine for me. IMHO, and many will disagree, SD is a great product for “handholding” and CAS avoidance on an essentially unplanned VFR flight, which is a huge VFR market. But if you want a nice clear moving map airspace reference, especially for the scenarios where an IFR pilot needs a VFR chart (Z and Y flights, post-departure waiting for the IFR clearance, etc) the JeppFD product is great. But really any clear and current moving map VFR product will do.
The big question for it (and SD for that matter) in my opinion is whether they can survive Garmin hitting the European market with ADS-B and SynVis.
How would those relate to VFR charts? Almost nobody has SV. And how does ADS-B relate to all this?
I have a few months to run on my Jepp VFR subscription, but will probably renew also, being VFR, I plan on SD but fly with Jepp, the airspace is depicted so much better.
How would those relate to VFR charts? Almost nobody has SV. And how does ADS-B relate to all this?
Garmin Pilot interacts with their GDL39 ABS-B receiver for ADS-B in and provides Syn-Vis if you have the 3D version of the GDL39 with AHARS.I think it could be a winner when they release it. Unclear if it will be as good for VFR.
Jeppesen recently sent this around:
So, if you are looking at the functionality of the old paper chart, most of Europe is now covered.
Price is still rather high, though.
OK; I have just seen the advert for that Garmin Ipad app in the US AOPA mag.
It’s not relevant IMHO.
SV is not a replacement for a VFR chart, until somebody encodes the airspace and the display device is mounted upright in front of you and you just fly around using the picture. It would be a significant paradigm shift (you can tell I am going for an Open University MBA 
) in GA.
Nobody of relevance in light GA is going to be radiating ADS-B for another 10 years, and probably nobody who is ever likely to hit you is going to be doing so ever, because like Mode S, ADS-B will never be mandatory for VFR OCAS. Today I was at 3200ft, near Shoreham, and somebody flew over the top of me, about 100ft above. Nothing on radio and nothing on TCAS so not even Mode A. He was 100% legal but there is a loooong way to go on electronic conspicuity… The ADS-B people will be radiating mostly where they are already separated by ATC.
I am just going to grab that last JeppFD update 
BTW, the 2013 VFR chart coverage was this (the dark areas):
It looks like the EuroGA fly-out to Croatia later this month is equivalent to Lindbergh’s early flights
Not sure I agree. A VFR app that also provides IFR plus SV for IFR pilots could be pretty interesting. JeppFD plus JeppVFR on one.
Remember if TIS-B is implemented all known traffic will be uplinked from the ground and rebroadcast, not just ADS-B traffic.
TIS-B will never happen in Europe.
JMFDVFR is very much a product in development. I was very sceptical to begin with, especially as it was one of the justifications for stopping paper VFR charts, but the team are dedicated and coverage is increasing. The charting is excellent.
