New ForeFlight Release Cited As A Big Step Forward

ForeFlight calls its latest 13.3 update “one of our biggest in years,” with multiple new features. Dynamic Winds and Temperatures displays forecast wind speed, direction and temperatures at multiple altitudes and times from all around the world. Color-coded heat maps represent primary forecast values at the selected altitudes and times. Overlaid particle animations show wind direction and speed to more easily interpret large-scale weather patterns. The Time Slider tracks wind forecasts through a 24+ hour range. The Altitude Slider shows wind data from the surface up to 63,000 feet to help assess conditions from wind shear near the surface well up into the stratosphere.

Newly available is an enhanced Weather Layer Legend just above the time slider. It is designed to make the graphical weather layers easier to interpret, and appears with the Radar, Enhanced Satellite, Color IR Satellite, Icing and Turbulence, and Clouds layers, as well as with the new Wind Temps and Speeds layers.

For those who want to be part of the research into new elements, ForeFlight Labs solicits feedback on new features before they can be incorporated into the standard program. These features are disabled by default, and can be enabled one at a time.

ForeFlight 13.3’s Taxi Routes feature improves planning surface navigation with what the company describes as “an interactive and contextually-aware taxi route bubble editor.” Using separate buttons for Clear, Undo and Redo, pilots can quickly add, remove and rearrange route elements while listening to their clearance. The taxi route is displayed on the moving map and/or on the airport diagram.

Also, ForeFlight’s Airport 3D now has togglable Day/Night capability and Runway Lights for a better mental picture of lighting for planning and executing night approaches. The company website offers instructional videos on the new features.