Guys

 I'm driving along in middle of nothing in Wyoming. Got to
 thinking. My
 Goggle Maps Navigation on my Droid phone is way better than my Garmin
 GPS on my window. Goggle updates its maps automatically for free
and also more accurate and talks the directions on Droid (wont
talk on apple phone). You can watch short utubes on each
goggle navigation feature.
So why don't one of you figure out a way to use goggle maps
 inconnectuon
 with ipad type device (Droid or apple) and make a navagation system
 for
 airplanes to replace those expensive Garmins.
Snowing now so have to stop email.
Van


As I recall there is a rule against using a cell phone in an airplane.
 It works of course. The cell transmissions cut down the gain
 on the aircraft radio. I did it years ago when a cell phone weighed
 5 pounds and had a separate hand set :)
Paul Lamar


It's GoOgle.. Not GoGgle. Did your Android device do your
 spellchecking? ;)
Apple can do turn by turn directions, but not for free. Or at least
 not natively.
There are big swaths of the western US without cell coverage.
That means you have to store the nav data on board the device.
That's one of the expenses covered when you buy a Garmin.
The Google data isn't monitored. For some kinds of things
(instrument approaches), I'll pay to have someone make sure the data
 isn't wrong. Jeppesen.
I've used a couple of cell phones in light airplanes. Many times
 they don't work, even if I'm over a relatively populated area. I
 believe it may have something to do with the antenna design on
the towers. Or with logic on the towers rejecting devices that connect
 to too many towers at once. Or devices that are switching towers
too quickly. Not sure. But, I know it's not a reliable connection
- even when I have plenty of bars of signal strength.
Matt-


Van,
In my limited experience, I agree with Matt: just bought an iPad2
 just so I could
 run Foreflight. Luckily my plane also had an aviation GPS
because for a while I seemed to have lost the signal. It
slooowwly came back after a while, but it was very
disconcerting. I was only at 3500 feet, and never more than a few
miles from a small town which should have had at least one cell
tower in it. I was very disappointed to say the least. The
Garmin ads talk about lost signals and I thought it was just
advertising hype.
Gene Kahn

Do you need cell phone coverage for the GPS navagation function to work
on the device or just a GPS signal.  If you need cell phone coverage
then my idea is useless.

Van

Gee Van,

Could you have ever been any more remote?  I spent a week in Star
Valley back on new years 2008.  Being from the "big city" I didn't
know what really remote was.Oh, and in the middle of a mountain
pass 30 miles in any direction from any town (Lava Springs I think
was the closest), in negative 17 degree and snow weather in the
middle of a fight with a crazy, sociopathic, now very EX girlfriend
who is now in the Federal Pen who jumps out  of a warm car into the
deep snow in her pajamas.....a cell phone does not work.  Uh, don't
ask me how I know. sigh.

All the best,

Chris Barber
Velocity N17010
Houston


Chris,

That is only partly remote and a bit cold. My sympathy on the socionut. Had
one myself. Traded her in for two 20's when I was about 40. The found out I
was not wired for 220 :-))). I still think I should have taken her on a sight
seeing tour of Saudi and sold her to a Sheik. Only trouble would have been
when he came back looking for warranty as that wife is no good.

Dale Davies