Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use an EFB/ECD in lieu of paper charts?
The FAA has left the decision to the discretion of the pilot-in-command under FAA AC-91-78, 6-b:
The in-flight use of an EFB/ECD in lieu of paper reference material is the decision of the aircraft operator and the pilot in command.
Any Type A or Type B EFB application, as defined in AC 120-76A may be substituted for the paper equivalent.
It requires no formal operational approval as long as the guidelines of this AC are followed.
What system does your software run on?
Our system is designed to run on any Windows platform running Windows XP or newer. Windows XP (with latest service packs) or Windows 7 is recommended. The minimum operating requirements are listed here.
Do I have to have a tablet PC to run your application?
No, many tablet PCs offer touch-screen capabilities and the ability to rotate or turn the screen, but Chartflier will function with a normal laptop or netbook. A Tablet is recommended for in-flight operations.
Do I need a solid state hard drive (SSD) in order to use an EFB
Although we recommend a computer with a built in SSD, it is not required if the operation of the system is below 10,000' density altitude. The issue is that hard drives use a cushion of air to keep the heads off the internal spinning disk. The higher the altitude the less air cushion there is. HDD makers publish a 10,000' limit to most hard drives. SSD drives do not have this limitation, plus they are generally faster and more reliable. Chances are if your not wearing an O2 mask the HDD is okay. If you wear O2 masks regularly you should purchase a system with a SSD.
What hardware do you recommend?
That depends. For the most cost effective solution, Netbook tablets are available. We tested the ASUS T91MT, Lenovo S10T, Samsung Q1, Fujitsu Lifebook Series and CTL toGoPad - any of these produce good solutions. There are also hundreds of others that will work that are available on the refurbished market. Because the application can run on any platform with minimal resources, you can get great deals on older tablets or purchase a state-of-the-art tablet with sunlight readable displays. If you fly an RV-8 you'll need a tablet with a bright display that is readable in full sun-light. If you fly a typical Cessna, Piper, Mooney, or Bonanza, you can purchase a system with a regular screen. We have tested the Samsung Q1, Lenovo X41 Tablet, Fujistu T-2010, ASUS T91MT, and Lenovo S10T with very solid results.
What about my Garmin 396/496/696 or Panel Mount GPS?
Nearly all General Aviation pilots and aircraft have one of these systems either permanently or temporarily mounted in them. We designed Chartflier to augment the equipment a pilot already has and not duplicate their function. Simply put, Chartflier replaces your paper charts.
Can I install your software on more than one computer?
Yes, your license grants you the ability to install on a home or office computer as well as one tablet/notebook type computer. Since the chart materials are licensed on a per-user basis, installing on more than 2 computers will incur an additional license cost.
I purchased your application and I don't like it. Can I return it?
Yes, within the first 30 days from your purchase date, you can return the product without cost by simply contacting us. After 30 days there are no refunds and any credit card chargeback fees become the responsibility of the purchaser.
Which GPS should I use?
Any bluetooth GPS should work fine, but with any technology your mileage may vary. We tested the GlobalSat BT-359 extensively and found it to be very cost effective and reliable. We will work with customers to assist with basic GPS-related issues, and will do our best to test with GPS units you may run across that don't work.
My GPS won't connect
This is often a simple port issue and presents with an error such as "System IO.IO Exception: The port 'com 3' does not exist" when you try to connect to the GPS.
The GPS communicates on a numbered COM port and Chartflier has to know what port the GPS is using. Usually it's COM2, but not always. You can try COM1, COM2, COM3, and so on, until it connects, or you can find out definitively from the bluetooth device properties dialog in Windows. To do so, look for the Bluetooth icon in your Windows system tray (the area at the bottom-right hand side of your screen), right-click it and choose open, and then right-click and look at the properties for your GPS device.
Chartflier usually finds the COM port automatically, but if you have to manually specify it, Chartflier remembers and reuses the port going forward so you won't have to do it again unless you get a new GPS.
Where can I get a utility to test my GPS
Visual GPS offers a freeware program that will read your GPS (not ADS-B receiver) and produce a report on the GPS and satellite information
Do you support or are you planning a port to Android or the iPAD?
The short answer is not at this time. We considered the issues of both the iPAD and the Android.
The Android tablets are almost if not more in some cases more expensive than the a PC for the features required. We need an 800 Mhz processor and 1 GB of ram to operate. Android tablets with that capabilitiy are over $599 in most cases. The other issue is that Android is based on Java. Recently SUN Microsystems which produced JAVA and distributed it for free was aquired by Oracle. We are waiting to see what happens as a result of that Aquisition. We will continue to monitor the market for the viability of Android based platforms
On the issue of the iPAD, the iPAD with the A-GPS function costs between $629 and $829 and requires a $99 GPS which takes power and adds to the cost to be legal for GPS data in the cockpit. The iPAD plus Apple licensing requirements makes this more expensive than a PC based platform. We also evaluated the "gestures" in use during light to moderate chop and found them hard to reproduce when the plane was not smooth and level. Please see our top ten things you miss with an iPAD for more information
Do you support Europe or Canadian Charts?
The short answer not at this time. Our software will work but the charts are not available to us yet in a cost effective manner. We are monitoring the costs and availability. We are curently evaluating adding Canadian Charts. We plan to start evaluating European Charts in the next 12 months or so.