Author Topic: Enroute Flight Navigation  (Read 1966 times)

mariko

Enroute Flight Navigation
« on: July 03, 2021, 04:42:49 pm »
Enroute Flight Navigation is a simple, limited features but absolutely free flight navigation app for Android, published under the GNU General Public License.
("absolutely free" also means that you have not to compare it with Skydemon or other paid software. If you want the skydemon features, please buy skydemon  ;))
It takes my attention because it is claimed to work with Traffic Receivers, so I tested it with my Pilotaware Rosetta, and it works, indeed!
The map shows positional traffics nearby. Their color changes from green to yellow when the traffics become near (I suppose the color turns red if they become REALLY near), they are shown as an arrow with a label with level difference and trend (increasing, standing, decreasing)
You can find more in the FAQ section on
https://akaflieg-freiburg.github.io/enroute/
Ciao
  Mariko

steveu

Re: Enroute Flight Navigation
« Reply #1 on: July 04, 2021, 12:07:44 pm »
I've looked at it and it doesn't have all the trappings of cash extraction, login screens, etc.

Looks very much like the base images and interface for XCSoar or LK8000. LK8000 will soon have a GA mode, I'm told...

exfirepro

Re: Enroute Flight Navigation
« Reply #2 on: July 05, 2021, 05:23:35 pm »
Hi Mariko,

I have downloaded the App onto my Galaxy S9+ then spent some considerable time working out how to use it.

I was initially confused until I realised that you need to download two maps for each country - a Base Map (to show the terrain) and an Aviation Map (to add airfields, controlled airspace, airways etc.).

I have an issue, however, with the fact that the UK Aviation Map has some fairly obvious ‘gaps’ in its selection of airfields - with several that I fly to not present - which complicates Route creation considerably. Also, while airspace and airways boundaries are shown, the altitudes of each area of airspace can only be checked by clicking on each individual airspace area - which brings up a temporary ‘what’s here’ type report. I suspect this could prove difficult in flight on a small screen!

I also found setting up routes difficult - especially where waypoints including airfields aren’t present and have to be added manually. Whilst completed routes can subsequently be saved for future use, I can find no way to permanently save user added waypoints such as airfields, individually for future re-use, which is very frustrating. I was also unable to quickly adjust a ‘preliminary’ route to avoid a hazard zone by ‘rubber-banding’ to a new ‘user created’ waypoint as creating such a waypoint always adds it onto the end of the existing route as an extension, not an insertion in the leg you are trying to alter. This can be manually adjusted, but that requires going into the route settings and manually ‘re-ordering’ the waypoints to place the new one in the correct sequence - which is definitely not user friendly. I was however impressed by the option to run the App in ‘North-up’ or ‘Track-up’ Mode.

The App can as you report be used to display traffic from PilotAware, with colour changes depending on proximity, though I was unable to test this extensively due to lack of traffic locally.

Although, as you say ‘Free’ and ‘Capable of showing Traffic from PilotAware’, I can’t help thinking that there are much better ways to display traffic (apart from the well known ‘Paid For Nav Apps’), including the inbuilt PAW Radar or Aircrew.

Some users may, however, find the inevitable compromises outlined above don’t distract from what is a potentially useful ‘Free’ Navigation and Traffic App.

Thanks for bringing it to our attention.

Best Regards

Peter

« Last Edit: July 05, 2021, 05:42:14 pm by exfirepro »

mariko

Re: Enroute Flight Navigation
« Reply #3 on: July 05, 2021, 06:06:36 pm »
Thanks for you feedback.
I am not the developer of Enroute flight Navigation, but if you like I can forward to him your comments.
He wrote me that at present time there are about 10k installations, half of them in Germany.
I don't know how many pilots really use Enroute Flight Navigation, I installed it just to check if it really works with Rosetta, but to fly
 I always use (and pay  :) ) skydemon.
The lack of airfields on English map may depend from the resources used to collect aeronautical data, that are mantained by volunteers.
Ciao
  Mariko

steveu

Re: Enroute Flight Navigation
« Reply #4 on: July 06, 2021, 09:17:08 am »
I take a different approach to flying as there is scientific evidence to show that once you are "following the purple line" and taking directions from someone else rather than finding you own way and directing the same, your brain activity patterns change and you are less spatially aware.

I did a little bit of research on this few years back and wrote an article for MF about it. It's to do with the hippocampus being active or passive.

I use moving map applications sometimes as just that, moving map, and then direct the flight from inside my head, with constant thoughts about VRPs en route or off to one side or the other.

Then when the moving map stops, I'm back on paper. However, I know where I am.

I used the free version of Easy VFR for years and quite liked it for its simplicity and ability to do NOTAMs.

Given the problems with GPS jamming or failure, which has clobbered me a couple of times, I tend to be wanting to know where I am on paper.