Avionics - SimpleFly App (free)

[BobbyBreadwinner]

Hello Eagler's Nest,

I previously posted a link to my build log:

https://worktablecnc.us/projects/legaleagle.html

One of the responses was from Chuck-in-Indiana regarding my navigation app. I thought this might be useful to the crowd so please let me formally introduce it:

I wrote a free moving map navigation app for light-aircraft / ultralight pilots. It is intentionally simple. The flight display shows altitude, ground speed, and bearing, and the navigation display shows FAA sectionals. It does pull in ADS-B targets, and it connects to ADS-IP so you can see each when we fly. You can find it here:

https://worktablecnc.us/projects/simplefly.html

Like I said, it is free. You do not need to sign up, give out an email, be blasted with ads, or pay for features later. I just thought it would be something we could all use.

I hope this helps,

Robert (BobbyBreadwinner)
Oregon, USA

[BobbyBreadwinner]

... And to use SimpleFly while in my Legal Eagle, I made a little mount for my phone. That can be found here:

https://worktablecnc.us/projects/phonemount.html

Since everybody's Eagle is different, I did not upload the mount file, but the details of how I built the whole thing are in there.

I hope this helps,

Robert (BobbyBreadwinner)
Oregon, USA

[DA Miller]

Hey Bobby, very very nice. Please comment on how you executed the fuel tank.  Metal? fiberglass? gas line size? fuel out put front? back? both? fuel filter? gascolator? Tank mounting details? Fuel filler tube and cap? vent line? Thanks for your help and once again very nice.   Possum

[Dan_]

Love that APP!  Thanks!  What IDE and language?  And where did you learn to code it?

[Brock]

Bobby, looks like you don't live too far from me. Might be fun to visit some time.

Recently, I upgraded my iPad Mini to a Pixel 9Pro-Fold.  Turns out the unfolded screen is almost the same size as the iPad and is crisper.  Here is a picture of the SimpleFly (My normal app is iFlyGPS) on this phone.  What was nice to discover is the app will auto size from the main front screen to the interior unfolded screen without restarting.  Something IflyGPS can't do.

Also, looks like you are using the QuadLock mounting system - good stuff.

[BobbyBreadwinner]

Thank you Dan. Thank you Brock.

Dan - I wrote my first video game in Basic on the Apple IIe in the school library. This was 1985. I have been programming ever since. I learned to program just like I learned to weld: just do it, make mistakes, and figure it out. This app was written in Dart/Flutter (which is basically JavaScript rewritten by Google).

Brock - I was working on the app this morning and I saw you pop up! That was awesome. Thanks for giving it a try.

There are two goals of this app:

+ The first is to give us a nice little free moving map app.

+ The second is to give everybody the ability to be seen when flying. ADS-B is for pilots, but it is burdened by bureaucracy and expensive. This limits participation. So SimpleFly connects us to ADS-IP (another thing I created), which is free and open. It would be awesome if every app (ForeFlight, iFlyGPS, Gaggle...) and every system (ADS-B, FLARM, Drone Remote ID...) sent and received to the same place. And that is the hopes for ADS-IP.

Please give it a try while flying and let me know what you think. Feedback is helpful.


Robert
Oregon, USA

[BobbyBreadwinner]

Eagler's Nest,

I added a couple of features to SimpleFly. Most notably the ability to send an alert to other users of the app. This is not an official Urgency or Distress transmission to emergency services, but it might be helpful if you are flying in a group and wish to indicate a problem (such as you are low on fuel). Other users will see your target on the map with a colored highlight (I have attached an example image).

Anyway, I hope this is helpful.

Robert (BobbyBreadwinner)
Oregon, USA

https://worktablecnc.us/projects/simplefly.html

[Dan_]

So, I just reinstall to update the app?

I love the app BTW

[BobbyBreadwinner]

Dan,

Yep. Just like the old days when programs were not so automatic! Go to the webpage, download SimpleFly again, and open the downloaded file (Android will install it).

Depending on your browser, it may try to skip actually downloading the file if the old one is stored in cache. My phone did not, but if you somehow do not get the new SimpleFly version, that was probably the problem. Then it is a matter of Android > Settings > Apps > Chrome (or whatever) > Storage & cache > Clear cache. Boom! Mastered! Download and install again as noted above.

And I quickly whipped up a world map so you can see yourself on it. That is here:

https://worktablecnc.us/projects/ads-ip.html


Fly with friends, stay safe, keep building!

Robert