Aust Airfield Mobile App

[SDQDI]

That all looks pretty good to me Ian BUT I would still like to see an "export airport" option to send a simple waypoint to Ozrunways. That IMO would be the difference between using the app or not because I wouldn't mind using the app in the preflight stage (actually IMO that is what it would be perfect for) but once flying I will have Ozrunways up and running and I don't see myself flicking back and forth between apps in the air.

 

 

[Admin]

Perhaps that could be an enhancement down the track but not in the initial release

 

 

[waraton]

I list my airport details in three categories as custom entries in Ozrunways. 1st group are ones I use and know are good. 2nd are strips I know are in use by the owner/operator and 3rd are strips I have plotted roughly (with my finger on the ipad when seen from the air) for emergency reference. Most strips I plot have no code or name as they are private bush strips. I do not know the degree of serviceability of most in the 2nd or 3rd group and as such I would never attempt to use these without further investigation/permission - unless I was having a crisis. Most of my flying is in remote areas.

 

 

[bushcaddy105]

Ian, please add an altitude field to your airfield descriptor list.

 

 

[Admin]

Ian, please add an altitude field to your airfield descriptor list.

Doh, silly me...thanks for that, will add it in

 

 

[apm]

Ian

 

Could the fields be listed as closest rather than Alphabetical or at least the option to sort as closest?

 

Private airfield names may get a bit difficult to search for if name is hard to spell correctly or multiple airfields with same name.

 

Andrew

 

 

[Admin]

IanCould the fields be listed as closest rather than Alphabetical or at least the option to sort as closest?

Private airfield names may get a bit difficult to search for if name is hard to spell correctly or multiple airfields with same name.

 

Andrew

Good point however this may require a bit of work as it would have to ascertain your current location first then work out the distance to airports from there and then display from closest to furthest. Quite a big algorithm and may not be cost effective in the first release however I will include that as an option to get specific pricing on...thanks

 

 

[kgwilson]

I don't know whether it is relevant but JG3 of this site compiled a list of airfields on Google maps that were within 1km walking distance of a Pub & food about 3 years ago in the thread http://www.recreationalflying.com/threads/airfields-near-food-and-pubs.109769/

 

 

[Admin]

Thanks mate, will have a look at it.

 

I think one of the biggest issues in the start up of this will be the work needed to initially 'prove' the information of each airfield that is included in the initial release.

 

 

[Yarraroo2]

I have been looking for a more comprehensive list of airfields for a while now. The current sources of other than licensed and unlicensed airfields and are very limited. There are many airfields nearby me which are not on any list that I know of. Perhaps one issue is that owners of that strip do not want any liability for persons using it, which I discovered when assisting a friend to organize a flying trip away. But it would be useful to know of landing opportunities and contact details of owners. User updatable database would be great. Yarraroo

 

 

[anjum_jabiru]

Naviator is a basic air navigation app for Androids, that gets you from point A to point B for Australian users. An unlimited version is $14.99, which is peanuts as compared to Ozrunways. Does any one know of a similar app for ipads?

 

 

[dsam]

For what it is worth, OzRunways can display an excellent Australian map that they call 250k Topo (AU). I've just done around 2,000 nautical miles of outback flying a couple days ago, and noticed that this map shows many (often obscure) airstrips that are not identified anywhere else. It also shows the correct locations and orientations of many airstrips that are listed as part of the OzRunways database.

 

I appreciate that an image on a map is not a useful "database" format, but the map publisher may have this same airstrip data in a format you can use more readily...?

 

 

[Camel]

I have been looking for a more comprehensive list of airfields for a while now. The current sources of other than licensed and unlicensed airfields and are very limited. There are many airfields nearby me which are not on any list that I know of. Perhaps one issue is that owners of that strip do not want any liability for persons using it, which I discovered when assisting a friend to organize a flying trip away. But it would be useful to know of landing opportunities and contact details of owners. User updatable database would be great. Yarraroo

I have a private 800 meter farm strip and would not like anyone to land with signing a liability waver, it has been in existance for about 3 years and only my plane and one other have used it, also due to the fact there is a little extra skill required due to a power line close to approach path it would not be good for low hour pilots, I would enjoy having others come but the risk for liability and inexperienced is too much without a waiver and some clue to experience of pilots !

 

 

[microman]

Really - are you that frightened of being sued if someone dings their plane or themselves landing at your strip? What happened to personal responsibility? In the area I fly from (Canterbury Plains) there are hundreds of private strips - many of them not much more than paddocks. Any aviator can drop in at any time and will get a warm welcome and a cuppa, so long as they avoid stock and dont overfly neighbours at low level, and there would never be any suggestion that a mishap on landing would be the fault of the property owner - heaven forbid. Thats what recreational flying is all about.

 

 

[anjum_jabiru]

Oz runways is fantastic. But for someone who flys mainly in 25 nm area from his home aerodrome, that too once a month, and needs a back up to bring him home in case he is lost, oz runways is a pretty expensive option.

 

 

[Camel]

Really - are you that frightened of being sued if someone dings their plane or themselves landing at your strip? YESWhat happened to personal responsibility? I DONT KNOW, SEEMS TO HAVE GONE SOMEWHERE. PEOPLE ALWAYS SAY " WHY DONT YOU DO THIS AND THAT" THE FACT IS IT IS USEABLE AND SHOULD BE ENOUGH AND ADJUST YOURSELF TO CONDITIONS I SAY !

 

In the area I fly from (Canterbury Plains) there are hundreds of private strips - many of them not much more than paddocks. Any aviator can drop in at any time and will get a warm welcome and a cuppa, so long as they avoid stock and dont overfly neighbours at low level, and there would never be any suggestion that a mishap on landing would be the fault of the property owner - heaven forbid. Thats what recreational flying is all about.

SOUNDS GREAT, YOU ARE IN A GOOD PART OF THE WORLD, YOU SHOULD BE PROUD TO HAVE GREAT LOCAL BUDDIES WITH AIRSTRIPS.

 

 

[Admin]

Well, I have received the quotes from developers for the app...this will scare you, the prices have been between $277 to $8,500, this is going to be hard and a bit of work to weed out the crap but get the best price possible for the best solution possible...and yes, they are mostly from India and China.

 

But anyway, it is progressing and on target to hopefully secure the right developer by end Monday. One thing they all seem to agree on is 10 days of development.

 

 

[Admin]

Just had a thought about security and data quality. If any user can add anything into the app we might get smart asses putting all kinds of crap into it that will get sync'd to everyone...why is there so many smart asses in this world that make it hard for decent folk?

 

Option 1 to overcome this I think we need to use Recreational Flying .com in it in terms of being a registered user of the site to be able to add info into the app to share. This would picggy back of the site's security system and the details of each user that are known. This would add a huge element of complexity into the app.

 

Option 2 is another alternative is for information that is added into the app and shared across all users could only be done here instead of in the app itself. This means that only registered users of Recreational Flying can add info to share because it is done here. This would not be complex at all but may be a hindrance and potentially miss info if it can't be done on the fly.

 

Option 3 could be a link in the app menu to a page on this site where airfields can be updated or info added to. You could only access the page by being logged in to recreational flying. A little bit more clumsy than having in app ability but provides auditing of info being put in. Requires more web development and less app development.

 

Your thoughts are appreciated

 

 

[Old Koreelah]

... oz runways is a pretty expensive option.

The money I saved by switching from paper maps and ERSA has paid for all my fuel and much of my maintenance costs!

 

 

[Admin]

The money I saved by switching from paper maps and ERSA has paid for all my fuel and much of my maintenance costs!

Certainly an option for this app down the track and still remain free for everyone as I have an idea of how we can offset these costs with the app and still keep it free but I won't say at this stage how and NO it isn't having the app bombarded with google ads. We have to start somewhere but my long term vision for it is even wowing me

 

 

[pmccarthy]

If you didn't input data from the app then I think you would have to type in co-ords, a real pain, it would discourage input. You need to be able to press a button in the app when at the field to input its location. But I agree input would have to be site members only, even then you would have to moderate to some extent for known trolls and potential crazies, as the consequences of false info could be serious.

 

 

[VFR Pilot]

Go for it Ian. This app sounds better and better all the time!

 

 

[Admin]

The best solution but far more complex would be a user of the app would have to put their recreational flying site user name and password into the settings of the app and when syncing it would check the site database that these details are correct. This would require special technologies to work with the current site's security system and accessing the database...price to develop has just doubled...will give it some left of centre thought

 

 

[Admin]

Good News...a developer has been acquired and development has commenced. I will keep you informed as we progress.

 

 

[anjum_jabiru]

Yaay...Well done!! :)