How to choose the right aviation navigation app?

In today's world of aviation, mobile applications have become an essential tool for any pilot. Thanks to the technological advancements, there are now numerous aviation navigation apps available for both Android and iOS devices. These apps offer a wide range of features such as flight planning, real-time weather updates, and even integration with popular flight simulators. But how do you choose which one is best for you?

I've been asking myself that question and in this blog post, I will try to compare some of the best aviation navigation apps available in the market to help you decide which one is perfect for your needs.

1) ForeFlight: ForeFlight is one of the most popular aviation navigation apps. It comes packed with features such as GPS navigation, flight planning, real-time weather updates, and airport information. This app is often preferred by pilots due to its user-friendly interface and comprehensive set of features. ForeFlight also offers integrations with popular flight simulators such as X-Plane and Microsoft Flight Simulator.

2) SkyDemon: SkyDemon is another popular aviation navigation app that provides all the essential features you would expect in a flight planning and navigation app. This app specializes in providing VFR pilots with the necessary tools to plan and execute their flights safely. SkyDemon offers features such as airspace warnings, weather updates, NOTAMs*, and visual flight planning tools to make your flight planning process seamless.

3) Garmin Pilot: Garmin Pilot is a comprehensive aviation navigation app that offers all the essential features for VFR and IFR pilots. This app provides features such as interactive maps, real-time weather updates, and text and visual weather briefings, making it one of the most trusted navigation apps in the market. Garmin Pilot also offers seamless integration with Garmin avionics, which makes it an ideal choice for pilots flying with Garmin avionics on board.

4) FltPlan Go: FltPlan Go is a free aviation navigation app that offers a wide range of features such as flight planning, fuel prices updates, weather, and NOTAMs. This app comes packed with useful features, and its user interface is very intuitive, making it an ideal choice for pilots who are after a simple and easy-to-use navigation app.

5) AeroWeather: AeroWeather is an aviation weather app that provides in-depth weather data for pilots around the world. This app provides users with access to Terminal Area Forecasts (TAFs), METARs (weather reports used by pilots), and NOTAMs for different airports globally, making it an invaluable tool for pilots who fly internationally. In addition, AeroWeather offers a range of features such as push notifications, wind maps, and meteograms.

In conclusion, the aviation navigation app that will work best for you depends on your specific needs and preferences. From my searches on the Internet, these five apps seem to be some of the best available in the market, and all of them offer unique features that will make your flight planning and navigation experience smooth and safe.

Whatever app you choose, always keep in mind that mobile apps should be used as a secondary source of information, and pilots should still rely on traditional aviation resources such as charts, maps, and publications!

What has your experience been with navigation apps? Do you have a strong preference or is there perhaps another app that you would recommend? Please let me know and share your thoughts in the comments section!

*A NOTAM is a notice containing information essential to personnel concerned with flight operations but not known far enough in advance to be publicized by other means. It states the abnormal status of a component of the National Airspace System (NAS) – not the normal status.

Dreams do soar!

Shaesta Waiz is the CEO at Dreams Soar Inc. Growing up as an Afghan refugee girl, she didn’t have the financial means to fly or a role model to assure her that women with her background could succeed in aviation. Yet her determination and hard work led her to become the youngest woman to fly solo around the world in a single engine aircraft. Today, she is an inspiration for all young professionals who want to enter the world of aviation. I got the chance to learn more about her extraordinary journey and the lessons she learned along the way.

Thank you so much for agreeing to do this interview with me! It's a real honor. Could you perhaps start by telling the audience a little bit about Dreams Soar and your Aviate platform?

Sure, my pleasure! Well, there are two things I am passionate about in aviation: inspiring young professionals and supporting women. These passions led me to launch Dreams Soar, Inc and the AVIATE Platform.

Dreams Soar is a non-profit that aims to inspire, connect, and empower aviation professionals. We have spent the past few years participating in over 60 outreach events globally, met with over 25,000 young professionals, and launched a scholarship program at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Our next chapter is focused on building a digital industry Hub to serve students, parents, educators, and aviation companies.

The AVIATE Platform provides a space for women in aviation to express themselves. The AVIATE (Acknowledge, Vocalize, Act, Travel, and Evolve) Platform launched a podcast where I speak with women leaders in our industry about their career journeys in aviation. We have successfully launched four seasons of the 'AVIATE with Shaesta' podcast and released a series of content like a newsletter, roundtable discussions, and live fireside chats on LinkedIn to encourage dialogue on matters related to women in aviation.

Wow, that's great. I'm hoping that my website will also provide a platform for young aviation enthusiasts to connect, learn, ask questions and share experiences! How did you end up in aviation?

Actually, I grew up afraid of airplanes. My only exposure to aviation was aircraft accidents on the news. So when I showed up at the airport, at age 17, to fly by myself from California to Florida, I was very nervous. Navigating around the airport was a foreign experience for me. I had yet to learn what a terminal or gate was. When I eventually found my airplane and sat in the back of a Delta Airlines flight, I buckled my seat belt and took a deep breath. I wondered what the flight would be like. I thought it would be one big roller coaster ride across the nation. When the aircraft taxied onto the runway, and we started accelerating for takeoff, the airline gently lifted off and elevated into the open sky. I sat in my seat, amazed. I looked out the window and saw the small city I grew up in, near the Bay Area. It seemed so small. I then looked out and saw an exciting world out there, waiting to be discovered by me. This flight experience shook me at my core, and from that moment on, I knew my place was in aviation.

Can you tell us a bit more about your career path?

After my flight experience, I eventually landed in Florida. Rather than exploring the beautiful beaches or theme parks Florida has to offer, my thoughts were consumed with flight. When I returned home to California, I spoke with my high school guidance counselor about my newly discovered passion. He immediately told me about Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. I spent the next few years attending community college and applying for scholarships. I transferred to Embry-Riddle in Daytona Beach, Florida, during my sophomore year. My experience at Embry-Riddle was fruitful. I was active in student government and attended aviation conferences. I had the opportunity to intern for a major US airline. I traveled to Alaska to learn about fighter jets and flying for the Air National Guard.

When it came time for me to decide what I wanted to do with my flying career, I was torn. Although the airlines are what inspired me to become a pilot, I couldn’t see myself doing it for the rest of my life. I sat down and asked myself, what would it be if I could do anything in aviation? The answer was clear. If I could do anything, it would be to fly around the world and inspire others to consider aviation as a career. This job description didn’t exist, so I decided it was an opportunity for me to create it. In 2016, I founded the non-profit Dreams Soar, Inc. In 2017, I took off in a Beechcraft Bonanza and flew solo around the world to inspire the next generation to pursue careers in STEM and aviation.

That must have been an incredible experience! What is that you like most about your current job?

The next chapter of DSI is focused on becoming the one-stop industry career Hub to inspire, connect and empower aviation professionals. We aim to create a centralized digital Hub where students, parents, educators, and companies can easily visit and access the aviation industry. To be at the intersection of aviation and tech is very exciting for me. I enjoy finding unique opportunities to apply aviation in a way that better serves and supports others.

You studied Aeronautics at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Can you tell us a bit about your college experience? What would you say to high school students who are considering studying Aeronautics?

I truly enjoyed my college experience because it allowed me to make mistakes, ask questions, and learn more about myself. After each flight lesson, I felt more confident in my abilities as a pilot and person. After each course, I walked away, understanding the industry better. After each social gathering, I walked away with a new friend. When I would fail at something, and it happened more than you think, I allowed myself to be v, reflect, learn from the situation, and come back stronger. I encourage all young professionals to own their educational and career journeys. What you put into it is what you will get out of it.

What skills and knowledge have been most important for your aviation career?

Communication and networking are two skills that have allowed me to set myself apart from others. I highly encourage anyone to find a skill they enjoy the most and master it. There are so books, workshops, YouTube videos, podcasts, and resources out there to help nurture most professional skills, especially communication or networking. When you find that skill, make it your superpower, and no doubt, it will set you apart!

In hindsight, if you could do anything differently, what would it be?

I am my worst critic. If I could go back, I would have been kinder to myself and not focused on specific setbacks. As long as you are moving forward and making progress, failures are inevitable and truly an opportunity to course correct and keep going.

That's really great advice, because I think many of us are very self-critical.

What advice would you give young students who would like to pursue a career in aviation?

Go for it! Whatever you want to do in aviation, go for it. Don’t let anyone or any circumstance hold you back. The industry is ripe for new ideas, innovations, and different ways of doing things.

Do you have a special memory from your career journey?

Flying across the Pacific Ocean on the back end of my solo flight around the world challenged me. I took off from Hawaii overweight and nursed the aircraft to altitude. The flight took about 14.5 hours, and I spent that time monitoring my fuel, navigating the weather, and praying my engine would not give up on me. When I eventually saw the foggy coastline of San Francisco, I had a euphoric moment and thought about all I had experienced along my journey around the world. I thought about the friends I made, the countries I visited, and the students I inspired. It all started with an idea. The idea grew into a dream. With a lot of hard work, determination, and grit, the dream that became a reality was coming to an end. When I landed in Hayward, California, I cried for about 10 minutes after shutting the engine. It was an emotional moment, and I was so happy I never gave up, no matter how tiring or impossible the journey felt. The biggest takeaway for me was that Dreams do Soar.

That's really inspiring...Thank you so much for sharing! Do you have any final thoughts that you would like to convey?

Looking back, I realize that the opportunities that challenged me to leave my comfort zone were the most rewarding. It is okay if, along your journey, you don’t see people who look like you or come from a similar background as you. Keep going, and remember that only you know what you can accomplish.

Wow, those words mean a lot to me personally, and I'm sure they will also encourage many other young people with big dreams. It's been a real pleasure learning more about your journey. Thank you very much for your time and the great advice!

Meet the legendary Capt. John Cox

Today, I'm pinching myself as I get to interview the legendary Captain John Cox! He is a veteran major airline, corporate and general aviation pilot, who has flown over 14,000 hours with over 10,000 in command of jet airliners. Additionally, Captain Cox has flown as an instructor, check pilot, and test pilot and is an expert in global aviation safety. He regularly appears in interviews on TV and has won numerous awards and distinctions throughout his career.

It's truly an honor to be able to ask Captain Cox some questions about his career and listen to his advice for young aviation enthusiasts.

Captain Cox, first of all thank you SO MUCH for taking time out of your busy schedule to do this interview. You are a very well-known expert in aviation safety and former airline captain. Could you please tell the audience a little bit about your career path and what motivated you to get into this field?

I learned to fly very young. I soloed at 16, had a commercial, multi-engine instrument by age 18 and was hired onto a Beechcraft KingAir when I was 19 years old. This was for a subsidiary of a Fortune 500 company. I was very, very fortunate.

After four years there I move to a single KingAir operator for 18 months, then to a Gulfstream I. That was a turning point as I was then flying large aircraft. At age 26 I was hired by Piedmont Airlines, in Winston Salem NC as a First Officer on a YS-11. (Most people have never heard of that airplane!) Just short of two years later I moved to the B737 as a FO. Piedmont bought 20 F-28s from Fokker in the summer of 1983 and I was asked to be part of the fleet introduction team. I never dreamed I would be an airline captain at age 29.

Three years as an instructor, test pilot and simulator instructor was a wonderful experience. In January of 1986, I moved to the B737 as a captain where I remained until 1999 when I moved to the Airbus A320 until my retirement in 2005.

I was asked to join the Air Line Pilots Association's (ALPA) Air Safety Committee soon after going on the 737 as a captain. I remained a part of the ALPA safety structure until my retirement.

I was ALPA’s 737 technical specialist, worked seven major accidents, became the Central Safety Chairman for ALPA at US Air, and finally Executive Air Safety Chairman for all of ALPA in North America.

In 2005 I retired from US Airways, due to the extreme financial uncertainty that they were experiencing. A group in New York then asked me to come run a start up aviation safety consulting firm: Safety Operating Systems. I have been with them since then.

The consulting world is vastly different from the airline industry, but is important as you can help mold the industry and keep the focus on safety. In that role my visibility in the media increased significantly. I became the NBC aviation analyst and a regular commentator on “Air Disasters/Mayday”.

In 2008 I went back to school for a Masters in Business Administration which I received in 2010, and taught briefly for Daniel Webster College in that program. Since 2007 I have been an instructor at the University of Southern California in their aviation program.

While many of my colleagues have retired, I have not. I think there is more to do and I want to be a part of making aviation safer and better for the incoming men and women. Our passengers expect us to get better while getting safer. That have been my goal since 1970, and remains so today.

You have had such an impressive career path. I have so many questions that I don't even know where to start! You were an airline captain for 25 years. What made you move into the field of aviation safety after that?

A friend of mine was involved in an accident in 1986. Following him through the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) process interested me. ALPA realized my interest and sent me to Basic Safety School. I stayed part of the ALPA safety structure until I retired.

Could you tell us more about what your current work entails?

I work with operator, regulators, media, legal and industries outside of aviation to enhance safety. While the airlines have significantly improved safety, general aviation (including corporate) has not had the same level of success. I work with many companies to help them uphold the highest level of safety.

In recent years I have been asked to help some public utilities implement aviation-style safety management systems into their operations. This is a huge undertaking but very rewarding.

I also do some legal expert work, helping lawyers and their clients understand how aviation works.

What do you like most about your job?

Helping make aviation better, is extremely rewarding. I have been doing that for over 50 years and enjoy it as much today as I did as a teenager.

You studied Aviation Safety at the University of Southern California. How useful or important has that been for your career as a captain?

Understanding what has caused accidents in the past can help prevent ones in the future.

Managing safety in something as complex as aviation is challenging, it is down right hard, but very worth it.

As an ALPA safety representative I always felt as I had to be an example for other pilots in procedural compliance, good airmanship, conservative decision-making and knowledge. That made me a better aviator.

What skills and knowledge have been most important for your career in aviation?

It is not good enough just to pass a test or checkride. Too much depends on aviators for just passing to be the goal. You have to do more, much more, you have to learn as much as you can, do the best you can, and gain those skills and that knowledge and apply it wisely. We work in an unforgiving environment. To safely move the aircraft from one place to another we have to be ahead of the challenges, have contingency plans, and possess the airmanship to deal with the unforeseen.

Yes, I understand that. Even just as a beginning flight student, I can feel that weight of responsibility when I fly. What advice would you give young students who would like to follow your career example?

Study hard, and do more than you have to. Fly every chance you get. Be conservative, if it feels wrong, it probably is. Don’t let someone talk you into a place you are not comfortable!

Entry level positions are tough, but the investment is worth it. It is the greatest profession in the world.

Thank you. That is such great advice! In hindsight, if you could do anything differently, what would it be?

That is a hard question: I have been so fortunate and enjoyed my career so much that I would be reluctant to change very much. I probably would have bid onto the 757/767 in hindsight. I missed flying those two airplanes and I would have liked to.

The other thing I would have done earlier was go to Graduate School. That was a wonderful experience and helped me more than I thought it would in business.

What special memory comes to mind from your career journey?

There are many memories, flying up and down the Atlantic coast in the fall on crystal clear days seeing the leaves change from week to week. Seeing gigantic thunderstorms in the Midwest (and being glad we were not near them). The satisfaction of a hand-flown approach to minimums in near-blizzard conditions. The look on a child’s face when they see a parent that you have brought safely home.

It really does sound like the greatest profession in the world! Do you have any final words for young students who are thinking about a career in aviation?

For those of you who see the sky, with a jet contrailing along and think I want to be there….do it! The road is hard, the hours are long, the time away from home is massive…but do it. The rewards are great, and you will be a part of a small number of people that defy gravity for a living.

I love that! Thank you so much Captain Cox. This has been really inspiring and I will certainly take your advice to heart. Thank you for your time. I appreciate it.