AOPA Turbine Pilot Magazine - March 2011 - 96

PILOTPRODUCTS iFly 700
Believe it or not, there are options out there for a handheld GPS with full functionality for less than $500. The iFly 700 from Adventure Pilot is a great example. Featuring a seven-inch touch-screen display, a full suite of approach plates,

ShareZen

and IFR and VFR charts, the iFly 700 is a robust package for a great price. Route planning is quick and easy, and the screen is very responsive. Buttons on the main map page take you anywhere you want to go in the unit, and the menu system is logical and well organized. We tested the iFly 700 on a sunny day in a Diamond DA40, reasoning that if glare ever was going to be an issue, that would have been the day. But the iFly 700 performed well. The display shows the actual sectional or en route chart, which makes it easy to follow along. The history of the airplane’s ground track was shown automatically, a great flight-training tool. The iFly 700 comes with a large suction-cup mounting bracket that is too big to fit in some airplanes. Anything other than solo in the Diamond would have been an issue. A new yoke mount will be available soon. Cords are a concern; they took over the cockpit like some sort of allyou-can-eat plate of spaghetti. Even the battery pack comes on a separate cord. Pros: • Inexpensive • Great display • Easy user interface Cons: • Too many cords • No weather interface yet Who: Adventure Pilot iFly 700 What: Moving map GPS Where: www.iFlyGPS.com Why: A handheld GPS doesn’t have to break the bank Cost: $499 plus $69 a year in chart updates
AOPA PILOT •

Thinking about going into an airplane partnership but unsure about the difficulties of managing the partnership and the airplane? ShareZen was created for people to more effectively share their big toys—including airplanes. Although a service such as ShareZen could theoretically handle everything from matching partners to preparing documents and managing the partnership, CEO Drew Brenard said he kept the focus limited to the communication and management aspects of multipleownership airplanes. The site does a great job of bringing owners together in one place for airplane and maintenance scheduling and tracking, cost and accounting tracking, and contacts. Many different alerts keep users informed via text or e-mail. Users can also share stories. There’s also a place to store documents, such as handbooks, checklists, and passenger briefing cards. The organization of the site is elegant, with main navigation done via a few tabs at the top. That’s good because it will likely bring together computer users of differing abilities.

ShareZen does a nice job of allowing owners to better communicate, which should make everyone happier. Pros: • Easy to use • Features owners will find useful Cons: • Not a one-stop shop for all multiownership challenges Who: ShareZen What: Multiple ownership tool Where: www.sharezen.com Why: Owning an airplane with others is hard work sometimes; why not make it easier? Cost: $15 a month for most users E-mail the author at ian.twombly@aopa. org.

96 • MARCH

2011

http://www.airsafetyinstitute.org/cfirenewalonline http://www.sharezen.com http://www.airsafetyinstitute.org/cfirenewalonline http://www.iFlyGPS.com

AOPA Turbine Pilot Magazine - March 2011

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of AOPA Turbine Pilot Magazine - March 2011