Aircraft tracking for pilots is anyone interested?

[psg]

Hi Everyone
As a pilot I have read what has happened when an aircraft goes missing. I myself often wander if I went down in a remote place would anyone know where I was or where to look. There have been a number of cases over the last few years where aircraft have been lost for a few days and taken a lot of manpower to find. I want to develop a system whereby your phone will regularly transmit your location to a website that you or whoever you choose can see where you are or at least your last known position. I know that there is a problem with not always having a signal up there but the plan is that the data will be stored until there is signal and then sent. If you go down in an area with no signal there will still be a snail trail to your last known position that should include speed and altitude. This will assist in finding you and give a good idea of where you could be. The aim of this post is to gauge the interest and get some feedback as to whether anyone would be interested in such a service. Please feel free to leave any feedback here.

Sacha

[justin.schoeman]

Have a look on the various app markets - there are already a couple of systems that do that. But the best is still to use an ELT, or at least a PLB if you will be in a remote area.

[ZS-NEL]

Hi Sacha,

Many FREE systems that do just that already. I use http://www.vfrplanner.co.za/?page_id=16 on my flights and can be tracked live online via free software app on my Black Berry (or http://www.vfrplanner.co.za/?page_id=5365 for the iPhone/iPad). I also use http://www.vfrplanner.co.za do the flightplan. Tracks can be viewed at http://www.vfrplanner.co.za/?page_id=2571

[Tumbleweed]

I use vfr regularly for flight planning but have only managed once to operate the tracking facility.

For some reason it does'nt recognise my passwords from my phone and whether internet connection or what, I just switch off after 4 minutes freaking and swearing.

Can Cobra not please, for the sake of the slow people, lay out the instructions, in baby steps. I'm using a Nokia C7.

Some might consider this punting a business venture but I believe it benifits everyone and should be encouraged as much as possible.

[Vatso]

I use vfr regularly for flight planning but have only managed once to operate the tracking facility.

For some reason it does'nt recognise my passwords from my phone and whether internet connection or what, I just switch off after 4 minutes freaking and swearing.

Can Cobra not please, for the sake of the slow people, lay out the instructions, in baby steps. I'm using a Nokia C7.

Some might consider this punting a business venture but I believe it benifits everyone and should be encouraged as much as possible.

vfrplanner can only plan and track on an iphone or ipad
the java tracking is just that it tracks make sure you are getting a gps signal which can take some time also the password on the java app is to delete the tracks later

[cobra]

I use vfr regularly for flight planning but have only managed once to operate the tracking facility.

For some reason it does'nt recognise my passwords from my phone and whether internet connection or what, I just switch off after 4 minutes freaking and swearing.

Can Cobra not please, for the sake of the slow people, lay out the instructions, in baby steps. I'm using a Nokia C7.

Some might consider this punting a business venture but I believe it benifits everyone and should be encouraged as much as possible.

vfrplanner can only plan and track on an iphone or ipad
the java tracking is just that it tracks make sure you are getting a gps signal which can take some time also the password on the java app is to delete the tracks later

Vatso, true. The java app does not need a password, the one used in the settings is to delete your tracks from the tracker map.

Tumbleweed, i will test the app on a C7 and give feedback. All our efforts are aimed at get the smartphone versions (ipad, iphone, android etc) finish. My suggestion for the Java version is:

from our site - vfrTracker for Symbian (Java) has been tested on Nokia N95, Nokia E71, Nokia 6710 Navigator, Blackberry 9300 OS6. Suggestion: Purchase an used Nokia N95 (R800 – R1,400) or similar for best compatibility and performance, R50.00 prepaid SIM card, which will last you a year! This combination works great, and use it as your dedicated “pay-as-you-go tracker” (the java app is FREE)

[Tailspin]

Hi Sacha

I would like to have something on my phone that can be traced when i fly.
VFR planner uses an iPhone and you must pay ? ? ?
unless i am stupid then somebody needs to point me in the right direction.

Tailspin

[cobra]

Hi Sacha

I would like to have something on my phone that can be traced when i fly.
VFR planner uses an iPhone and you must pay ? ? ?
unless i am stupid then somebody needs to point me in the right direction.

Tailspin

Hi Tailspin, i gather you own an iphone/ipad? neither the 2 apps are for sale. Have a look at the following link http://www.vfrplanner.co.za/?page_id=3946

The site offers much more than a tracking app and 'house wife' weather, etc. As a member you receive decent weather especially upper winds etc, flight planning, logs, tracking, an emergency SMS services, and more

The java app is FREE - as mentioned above get a dedicated java compatible phone in the junk mail for +-R800 and use our free membership. If you need a iphone/ipad app for your weather, flight planning, tracking, airfield directory, terrain profile, aeronautical maps and and .... have one less pitza and coke per month for R58

[Chris]

http://www.kilometers.co.za/web/

[JvTonder]

I have the Samsung wave 11, any change off it working on that?

[cobra]

http://www.kilometers.co.za/web/

R4500+ eina

[Tailspin]

Hi Sacha

I would like to have something on my phone that can be traced when i fly.
VFR planner uses an iPhone and you must pay ? ? ?
unless i am stupid then somebody needs to point me in the right direction.

Tailspin

Hi Tailspin, i gather you own an iphone/ipad? neither the 2 apps are for sale. Have a look at the following link http://www.vfrplanner.co.za/?page_id=3946

The site offers much more than a tracking app and 'house wife' weather, etc. As a member you receive decent weather especially upper winds etc, flight planning, logs, tracking, an emergency SMS services, and more

The java app is FREE - as mentioned above get a dedicated java compatible phone in the junk mail for +-R800 and use our free membership. If you need a iphone/ipad app for your weather, flight planning, tracking, airfield directory, terrain profile, aeronautical maps and and .... have one less pitza and coke per month for R58

Hey Cobra

Nope I have a decent Phone - I use a Nokia N8
Will keep watchin and see what develops.

[nicow]

PSG I'm interested.

[Tumbleweed]

Howzit Sias,

There's obviously more doff okes here than just me. Can you list the phones with the functionality and we can go look in the box of retired units that the kid are too embarressed to be seen with?

I think as soon as more guys use your function and venture away from the patch they'll subcribe to the deluxe package. The minute I'm ready for regular long hauls I'll be the first to do so.

[Tribal Croc]

VFR planner all the way

I even pressed the SOS button accidentally and within 30 seconds got a call from Sias

Nice to know somebody is watching over you when you fly