Pre-flight info in pilots' pockets through IFIS Mobile

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2016

Pre-flight info in pilots' pockets through IFIS Mobile

Private and recreational pilots can now access the latest pre-flight and weather information on their mobile devices, thanks to Airways NZ’s development of a mobile extension of the Internet Flight Information Service (IFIS) website.

IFIS Mobile was created in response to feedback from general aviation user groups, about the need for pilots to be able to view Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) and weather information while on the move.

The app has been developed for non-commercial GA pilots for on-the-ground use, and is a significant step forward in terms of providing pilots with the latest pre-flight information they need when they need it, while enhancing their safety in the process.

“Our team has worked with the Civil Aviation Authority, Metservice and aeronautical information management provider GroupEAD during the app development, and we’re really excited to now be able to offer IFIS Mobile to the general aviation community,” says Airways’ Head of Commercial and Customer Relations, Gareth Owen.

The app is available for use on iPhone and iPad, and Android smart phones and tablets on version 5 and above, and can now be downloaded from Apple’s App Store and the Google Play Store. The following functionality is available in the first release of the app:
NOTAM and notification of updates for NOTAM:
view all NOTAM relevant to flights in New Zealand, i.e. all NZ Aerodrome and Enroute NOTAM. There is the ability to retrieve NOTAM for one or more NZ Briefing Areas, or to filter the NOTAM based on list of aerodromes that the user selects.
retrieved NOTAM can be viewed via a map
access to NZ NOTAM in the equivalent of Area, Aerodrome or Route Pre-Flight Briefings that are provided via IFIS.
a NOTAM ‘Watch’ facility to enable users to receive notifications when new NOTAM are issued for locations contained in the user’s current NOTAM request
Weather (MET) data:
easy access via a map to NZZC SIGMET and to ATIS, TAF and METAR reports for chosen NZ aerodromes.
The weather information now available on IFIS Mobile will be added to the IFIS website in early October.

Future releases of the app will bring further enhanced functionality, such as graphical SIGMET, access to meteorological area forecasts (ARFORS), access to GPS RAIM reports, and some access to VFR flight planning.

Early feedback during the testing phase of IFIS mobile has been positive, Mr Owen says.

“We’ve asked representatives from the GA community to help us refine and test the first release. Their feedback has been helpful to develop an app that meets the community’s needs,” he says.

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