AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2016 - 41

Frugal Flier coverage sponsored by AIRCRAFT SPRUCE

FRUGAL FLIER |

On Fire

Parker, who had personally disarmed
several hundred bombs as a soldier, was
awarded two Bronze Stars for bravery in
combat, and had provided security for presidents Bush and Obama overseas, typed out
a heartfelt two-page letter.
"The most important fact I want to relay
is that I will never place anyone or myself
in an unsafe situation," he wrote. "If I were
to be granted medical clearance and felt an
MS event approaching I would immediately
ground myself and notify medical personnel. We have but one life to live and I will
live my life to the fullest, and never place
my desires over the well-being of others."
Two months later, the FAA gave Parker
the news he had hoped for. The agency
granted a special issuance for a first class
medical.
Parker was elated.
"That letter couldn't have come at a better time," he said. "It was just what I was
needed. I started flight training the day it
came in the mail."
Parker quickly earned his private pilot
certificate and instrument rating. He even
added a single-engine seaplane rating in an
amphibious de Havilland DHC-2 Beaver
at Flagler County Airport. (See "Beaver
Checkout," June 2013 AOPA Pilot.)
He's now logged more than 200 total
flight hours, has an A&P certificate, and
is considering buying into a Cessna 182
partnership. He's also remarried, has a stepdaughter, and moved back to southern Ohio.
"There have been lots of highs and lows
along the way," he said, "but I consider
myself extremely lucky. I've survived so
many situations that could have gone either
way when others-some of them standing
right next to me-weren't as fortunate.
"MS is tough, and even though it's in
remission, chances are it will come back,"
he said. "I don't have any control over if or
when that happens. All I can do is keep living life, and keep pursuing my goals. And
right now that means flying as much-and
as well-as I can."

THINGS HAVE OFFICIALLY gone bonkers. The Apple iPad, a device that just a few years
ago seemed like a gift from the frugal aviation gods, could now be considered the rich
man's tablet of choice. Amazon's Fire is $50, and it runs WingX, a robust and capable
electronic flight bag application. Do the math and that means you can have a country's worth of charts, approach plates, and georeferenced navigation for around $200.
Let's start with the tablet. The Fire comes in eight versions, from $50 to $230. The
basic version has 8 GB of data storage, but that's expandable up to 128 GB with MicroSD
cards. The resolution is decent, the processor relatively fast, and the touch sensitivity
just right. It also ships fast and you won't be a slave to the Apple overlord.
Critically, the base Fire has Bluetooth capability, but no GPS. This means you'll
need to invest in a dedicated GPS and pair it via Bluetooth. These run around $100,
and there are many choices
on the market.
Without doing a little
bit of unapproved scheming with the tablet you will
be limited to Amazon's proprietary app store, which is
quite sparse in the aviation
app department. WingX
is the one big exception.
Around since the beginning of the BlackBerry days,
WingX provides a solid-if
not flashy-user experience.
Everything you could want
is there, including georeferenced charts and approach
plates, runway and airport
information, and terrain and navigation data. Subscriptions are $74.95 a year, with an
additional $74.99 for the ability to georeference an approach plate. Best of all, if you
already have WingX for another device you can use the current subscription on the Fire.
We tested the setup with a Dual ADS-B receiver that includes GPS. That particular unit was overkill, because WingX for Fire doesn't yet support ADS-B traffic and
weather. But WingX's Hilton Goldstein said that is coming soon, and he is known to
send out new features very quickly. As part of a package that includes another navigator, the system is fantastic. It's still too early to say if it reaches the functionality of the
iPad, but the Fire with WingX is very promising. Paired with an iPad or with a dedicated navigator, it's the best backup available today. For renters, newbies to the tablet
world, and a nice toy for passengers to follow along, it's a great buy.
Other EFB developers won't be as quick to embrace the Fire as WingX has been,
which means you will be limited to a sole platform for now. Considering you can use it
to read books, watch movies, and surf the Web once you get on the ground, it's a steal.

EMAIL dave.hirschman@aopa.org

EMAIL ian.twombly@aopa.org

Amazon's tablet with WingX is a great buy
B Y I A N J. T W O M B LY

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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2016