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Author Topic: Anyone use a runway analysis and weight and balance app like APG?  (Read 6142 times)

Patrick Kenney

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Looking for some pireps, the pilot under the previous owner of my aircraft recommended one which he used but I don?t recall what he used. He said he helped them setup the 690A in whatever app it was but I don?t recall his name and the prior owner hadn?t been particularly helpful, I suspect is a bit unhappy with selling a plane he liked for less than he?d hoped to receive... or maybe not... who knows... he never sent me a second set of keys he said he would send over.
It looks from APG?s website that they don?t support the twin commanders. I have emailed them but given he types they do support the product may be priced for subscription at a ?turbofan? type price point, which may be above the price I?d be looking for given the utility I would derive from the service...
For W&B I have used the app in Foreflight in the past and was setting my plane up in Garmin Pilot. For me the added utility is really around the runway analysis, as opposed to the enroute flight planning or W&B. But it would be fine to have a single app which would quickly deal with all three. To be honest, I?m not operating (when I was flying, before the break-in) out of anything which is near the limits. My only really short runways seem to be at sea level in the decidedly non-tropical UK. The value at this point is more curiosity, with some armchair flight planning and potentially some element of CYA...

donv

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Re: Anyone use a runway analysis and weight and balance app like APG?
« Reply #1 on: January 08, 2018, 05:11:53 pm »
I use an Excel spreadsheet for weight and balance, and it works fine. You can also get a graphical template, which I used to use back in my 135 days-- really quick and easy to use, no electronics required. From here:

https://www.flyincg.com/vector.html

As for takeoff performance, I haven't seen anything. If you wanted to, you could probably spend an hour and create some tabulated data, which is what we generally used in the jets (well, the jets where we didn't have a performance calculator).

I might even get inspired to do so, but in my case it would be for the 980, so less useful for you...

MtnWest

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Re: Anyone use a runway analysis and weight and balance app like APG?
« Reply #2 on: January 08, 2018, 06:03:26 pm »
While I haven't actually used any of these particular tablet based applications, I do work in this industry so I can shed some light. It really depends how accurate of information you're looking for. A quick search revealed the following companies that have or can build solutions:

http://www.cavucompanies.com/index.php?pr=iPhone_-_Perform

https://www.afmsolutions.com/home.html

http://www.ultranav.com/

I'm sure others can chime in with additional solutions.

In addition to runway, aircraft, and environmental specifics, Take-off performance is usually based on the single engine obstacle clearance using the following methods:
1) SID Climb Gradient clearance (more restrictive, but easier to process)
2) Obstacle based clearance (think AC 120-91 or ICAO Annex 6) Requires an accurate terrain and obstacle DB.

As you found out, the larger companies such as Jeppesen, NavBlue, AeroData, APG, LIDO, ACFTPERFO, and others usually tend to cater to commonly used /mainstream aircraft in Part 121/135/91K operations as this requires them to monitor the APM/AFM for currency updates. These also usually involve tailored engine out departure procedure paths to optimize MTOW for pax/cargo ops. If you're not operating out of hot/high/short or terrain challenged airports, most of the time you could get away with a simpler SID based climb gradient calculation which follows TERPS/PANS-OP departure rules to ensure terrain/obstacle clearance is achieved and makes for a cost effective app.

Hope this helps and good luck with your search!

MtnWest 

1955 AC560

donv

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Re: Anyone use a runway analysis and weight and balance app like APG?
« Reply #3 on: January 08, 2018, 06:51:56 pm »
Wow, EFB-Pro actually claims to have the 690A! That's somewhat of a surprise.

I used to use Ultranav, used it for years. It's not bad, but I doubt if they'd do a Commander version unless you paid them a lot of money.

Steve binnette

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Re: Anyone use a runway analysis and weight and balance app like APG?
« Reply #4 on: January 08, 2018, 11:52:24 pm »
I would be pretty cool to have a performance app.  I never thought about it much, but how hard can it be?

For  W&B i use foreflight, I like it.