Yes. I will probably switch over to JeppMFDVFR in a year or so.
Currently, I still use SkyDemon. But that’s also because I still keep a full Europe VFR subscription of Jeppesen FD classic.
On a couple of flights with a friend recently, I had the chance to compare Jepp MFDVFR and Skydemon. Jepp is much nicer in terms of the map quality and detail – no doubt about it. I also more and more like the integration of Enroute and VAC / airfield charts.
Where SD still shines is in functionality and pre-flight planning.
I will wait another year or so until MFDVFR is sufficiently “grown up”. Then I will probably cancel the FD subscription and go for MFDVFR.
I use Jepp VFR and easyVFR, for planning Jepp VFR is much nicer and smoother, on the other hand, easyVFR has a Briefing Functionality where i use to print out only the company flightplan but have whole report saved. So i plan the trip in Jepp VFR and copy the route (of course manually) into easyVFR.
But inflight i basically use only Jepp VFR as it has all on one screen and i feel comfortable with it. I have it now 2 years.
Add €95,00 to your SkyDemon sub to get German vfr approach plates. I like the Jeppesen charting style – almost the same as the old VFRGPS charts and the integration of the VFR manual is very slick.
Jeppesen still have some catching up to do but they are closing the gap.
Vladimir , you re right. However, that s where 95 pc of all GA is carried out in Europe. i believe Jeppesen develops its product according to market expectations. I mean, if in Georgia there only 20 private aircraft flying. (i don t know the figure!). They will be a slight chance for a new product or chart to be developed.. Also, I wonder if they get all the info from countries such as Russia.
A few years ago I was involved in the organization of a transiberian flight. Needed to contact and deal with several russian people including the cessna dealer in moscow. i was frankly deceived by the total lack of answers, lack if interest and lack of basic communications or simple courtesy in answering a message .
I don t know if this might be a reason for the delay in producing more aviation products for eastern countries. On the bright side,
I bought the whole paper charts set for southeastern europe. Which reaches out to Moldavia and covers most of e balcans.
Ooava, I am currently in Bulgaria and I met some people flying in the GA here. They showed me the “official” VFR chart which is unusable. They created their own (or at least that’s what they say) which is a bit better but still not very good. They claim that the military closes a huge area of the country and it is impossible to get permission to cross from ATC, it works only by phone in advance. So I asked them if they use an app like SkyDeamon – they have no idea what such apps are, so I suppose nobody has the Bulgarian airspace in electronic form. The lack of interest explains also why the companies are not willing to invest in the products. It makes it however very difficult to make a VFR flight in those areas of Europe which is a pity.
Skydemon covers all Eastern Europe up to the Russian border.
Shorrick_Mk2 wrote:
Skydemon covers all Eastern Europe up to the Russian border
What is the quality of the charts?
Jepp should cover Greece. They almost did so with their 2013 VFR charts – they included Corfu. Greece is a great place to fly. It also uses DIY charts… On my first trip down there, 2004, I used the ONC charts and scanned them for Oziexplorer. The info is out there but for some reason nobody sees it as a business.
Russia (if you were to do the whole country) is a whole level beyond the above though. A friend of mine flew across it in a heli some years ago and spent $60,000, mostly on bribes. It’s probably easier now, but maybe VFR charts are not the main priority. Anywhere “difficult” needs IFR.
@Vladimir, the quality is on par with the “rest” of the Skydemon maps, i.e. quite good. There are some parts which are difficult to model, like parts of Italian airspace, but having used it in South Africa, Western, Central and Eastern Europe it’s much better than the (often non existing) paper alternative.
I use AirNavPro and am quite pleased with the quality of the maps. Am by no means an international expert but so far have flown with it in France, Spain, Italy, CH and one stint into Belgium. The quality of the maps (as add ons) are amazing.
