Feed the machine. That’s what app maker ForeFlight needs to do to maintain its 75 percent share (by its own estimation) of the GA cockpit app market. ForeFlight’s popularity creates a tremendous task of adding new features and improvements on a regular basis because the nature of the app market is such that the more features you add, the more users will demand. There’s also stiff competition from other companies, including Hilton Software with its WingX Pro 7 app, and Garmin, with its Pilot app, to name a couple. There’s also a growing Android market. It’s a vicious cycle that we think is spinning out of control, but that’s a different matter.
What does matter is ForeFlight’s obvious commitment to improving and advancing its Mobile app while answering the demand for features that were seemingly missing from previous versions of the app, including advanced terrain mapping and better file and brief functionality through Lockheed Martin. It also wisely invested in its own cartography and produces airport diagrams. As the industry worries about increasing data costs, this independence is encouraging. Here’s an overview of the major enhancements available in the latest version 6.1.