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Flight Computer for APCalc for Palm

Aviation functions on APCalc for Palm

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What is on this page

I use a programmable calculator program on my Palm PDA, APCalc.  I thought it would be handy to have some flight computer functions, so I wrote them.  I find my PDA to be very useful and thought that I would also write down some of my opinions on the matter.  In no way is this meant to be a comprehensive review of the matter, but just some personal recommendations that I hope somebody finds useful.

Flight Computer for APCalc

I have used a handy application, APCalc, as my primary calculator application.  I have taken several of the formulas from Ed Williams Aviation Formulary page and programmed them for use for APCalc.  There are many programs that will do everything that I have programmed and much more.  Check out www.palmflying.com.  One of my recommendations is CoPilot by Laurie Davis.  However, APCalc is an excellent program to use as your primary calculator application and you may find having some aviation functions on it is quite useful.

APCalc also offers the advantage that you can modify the programs that I have written or you can write your own relatively easily.  For more information on the specifics as well as the program listing, click here.

Palm verses Pocket PC

I have recently switched back to Palm from Pocket PC.  Needless to say there are fans of both systems.  My primary purpose in using an organizer is to organize my life.  Although I find the Pocket PC organizers are generally more powerful, I find the Palm OS organizers work better for me as an organizer.  Quite simply, I like a relatively inexpensive device that I can throw in my pocket and not worry about.  To be effective as an organizer, you have to have the device with you when you need to write down a task, address, or some little note.  In general, but with some overlap, the Palm OS devices are less expensive and smaller.  I am more inclined to put a $200 Clie in my pocket on a regular basis than a $400 iPaq.

However, price is not the only factor.  I just find the Palm OS works better for the main function of being an organizer.

I would like to see newer versions of Palm PDA's that are thinner, cheaper, have longer battery life and are more durable.  I really do not care for more power or new features.

Another thing is that I like the number of applications for Palm.  There are numerous applications for Pocket PC, but there just seem to be more for Palm.  One of the things that I find extremely annoying when looking for a Pocket PC application is determining which version of Windows CE or Pocket PC and which processor the application will run on.  In any case, I would recommend checking out www.handango.com or www.palmgear.com for various applications.

Anyway, the point of this is not a long discussion of Pocket PC verses Palm.  There are some cool things that you can do with a Pocket PC such as running a moving map navigation program using wireless communications with a Bluetooth GPS receiver.  I just find that Palm is more suitable to my parameters.

Aviation applications for PDA

There are a great many excellent aviation programs for both devices.  They range from a variety of E6-B type of flight computers to full fledged navigation programs.  Their are several good moving map navigation programs for Pocket PC, such as NavGPS and AnyWhere Map. 

For Palm, I highly recommend CoPilot by Laurie Davis.  There is also an excellent site by Paul Tomblin, navaid.com, where you can get data for CoPilot.  You can install both CoPilot and the data with no restrictions to see if you like them.  However, I strongly recommend that you pay for them if you like them.  Not because you have to, but because it rewards the developers and keeps them working on the programs. 

The Pocket PC programs are moving map navigation programs, CoPilot is a text based planning program.  This is not to denigrate CoPilot, just to state that the nature of the application is very different.

I thought that I would mentions the GPS navigation application that I would like to see in case this strikes a resonant chord with somebody reading this.  I would like to find a relatively simple (compared to developing a full moving map navigation interface) flight planning program like CoPilot that offers the ability to upload the route and emergency airports within a user specified distance of the route into a GPS, either aviation or generic.  The GPS itself would be the navigation interface.   There is a program, GPS FlightMaster, that will allow you to use navigate a CoPilot route.  However, this is done using the PDA as an interface with the position data downloaded from the GPS rather than navigating using the GPS with the route and waypoint data uploaded from the PDA.  I just think the latter would be more robust.  By the way, this is part of a larger site dealing with GPS navigation, www.cockpitgps.com, where I discuss various GPS navigation options.

In no way is this meant to be a review of the wide variety of aviation applications available, but just a mention of a few of the ones that I am familiar with.  I highly recommend that you look at www.palmflying.com, which despite the name also offers information on Pocket PC programs.  You might also try generic sites such as www.handango.com and www.palmgear.com.

Custom Aviation Applications for Palm

I am not a programmer.  I took Fortran on punch cards and played with Basic and programmable calculators.  If computer programming were flying, I would be perennial student with a couple of solo flights who never went on to get the private license.  However, as a practical matter, I have found that a little light programming is often useful for special applications. 

Although there are several development environments for both Palm and Pocket PC, I have found two programs that are excellent for writing small programs on the Palm device.  These are not environments where you would develop a professional application, but relatively easy ways to write short but helpful applications.  Additionally, they have the advantage that all of the editing can be done directly on the Palm, although it is often easier to use a text file, copy and paste to a memo, and then synch.  I have not found any for the Pocket PC, but in all honesty I have not looked that hard. 

For example, I had programmed a Radio Shack Pocket Computer to calculate weight and balance for the MD-88 for a company that I used to fly for.  It was not an application that took much programming or a powerful computer.  However, it was extremely useful.  Furthermore, it was designed to work with a specific weight and balance form specific to this one company.  Thus, an off the shelf application was not available.  I later ported this to Palm.  I used a simple basic program called HotPaw Basic.  While this would probably not be the choice of a professional programmer looking to sell his application, it is great for small specific applications.  It also offers the advantage in that the programs can be directly edited in MemoPad.

For example, a simple crosswind program would be:

Another program that I really like is APCalc.  APCalc is a very effective programmable calculator.  I use it as my primary calculator application.  It is very programmable from simply inputting an expression to writing multi step programs and assigning them to keys.  To calculate a crosswind, you could simply write the following expression:  WS?*sin(WD?-RD?).  APCalc will prompt you for any variable with a "?."  It is a simple matter to save such an expression to a key for quick access.

As a practical matter, I have APCalc programmed to calculate when to shut the center tanks off on the 767.  I take some predicted fuel and time data from the flight plan and compare it with some trend data to calculate a time when the center fuel should get to a level where we are supposed to turn off the pumps.

I also have a button programmed for temperature conversion and crosswind calculations.  Although both functions are available in prewritten programs, I like having them handy in my primary calculator application.

There are no doubt other applications that you might consider.  One person has suggested Python.  Unfortunately, I have not investigated other options.

What's on my PDA

While you are here, I will mention a couple of my favorite applications.  This is in no means a review of all of the various applications, but is just a list of some of my favorites based on what I do with my PDA.  For example:  What is my favorite programming for editing Microsoft Word documents on my PDA?  I have no desire to do this, so I don't have a favorite.  With this perspective in mind, here are some of my recommendations.

• Airline Tmetables
  (Palm and Pocket PC)
  Many airlines publish their timetables in a format loadable for Palm or Pocket PC.  Go to their respective website.
   
• AvantGo
  (Palm, Pocket PC)
  AvantGo is a web clipping service.  I have a cable modem and when I synch my Palm, AvantGo synchronizes.  After, this is synchronized, I can read clippings from Forbes, New York Times ,CNN, etc.  Great for bedtime reading.
   
• Shadow Plan
  (Palm)
  I use Shadow plan for keeping various lists in a collapsible outline form.  I am sure that there is much more that it will do than I use it for.  I use it to keep lists of movies I want to rent, books to investigate reading, and lists of places in various cities that I visit. 
  
  You could probably use it to write checklists.  However, I can't see it being practical to pull out a PDA and stylus in flight.  But for other than in-flight type checklists such as packing lists it might be useful.
  
  I also used the freeware ZGrab from this site to get the screen capture at the top of this page.
   
• Datebook 5
  (Palm)
  http://www.pimlicosoftware.com/
  Datebook is an improved date book that merges the calendar and to do lists of the Palm.  It still uses the same data as the Palm programs.  Therefore, it still synchs with you PC the same.
  
• Converter
  (Palm, free)
  Converter is a unit converter.  This is freeware and converts units of weights, volume, time temperature, angle, etc....
  
  
• Currency
  (Palm, free)
  Currency is a free and simple currency converter which takes up very little memory.  You have to provide the current exchange rates.  
  
  
• WorldMate
  (Palm, Pocket PC)
  Flying international, I find this very useful.  Two very nice things about World Mate is that it: 1.  Synchronizes with the Weather channel to provide weather for selected cities around the country.  This is layover weather, not flying weather.  2.  Synchronizes with updated exchange rates.
   
• Palm Synch with Outlook Express, http://www.reactionsoftware.com/
  (Palm)
  I have to admit that I have not tried this.  One of the things that I like about having a PDA is the ability to synch the address book data with my computer(s).  I have Microsoft Outlook.  Outlook Express can be set up to share the Outlook database.  Most Palm PDA's come with IntelliSync or Chapura Pocket Mirror, either of which will synch with Outlook.  If I did not have Outlook and used Outlook Express, I would definitely look at this program.
   
• MiniCalc, www.solutionsinhand.com
  (Palm)
  Overall, I find this works pretty well.  I have had some formatting issues with the high resolution Palm screens, but found that widening a couple of columns cured the problem.  MiniCalc can export from Microsoft Excel.  Speaking of which, I was surprised to find Pocket Excel by Microsoft does not allow you to protect cells.  MiniCalc allows this.
  
  There are several spreadsheet and Microsoft Office programs for Palm.  I have only used MiniCalc so I can't compare them for you.  However, MiniCalc works and I have found that having the ability to carry a couple of spreadsheets in my pocket is very useful.
   
• iSilo, www.isilo.com
  (Pocket PC, Palm, PC)
  iSilo allows you to keep fairly large documents on your PDA.  iSilo X, the conversion program that runs on the PC, converts .html documents into iSilo format.  These can be web pages or documents on your computer.  I have saved large Microsoft Word documents as .html and then converted them.  Getting a large document onto your PDA is only part of the problem, being able to navigate the document is the tough part.  In addition to having a search function, iSilo allows hyperlinks and allows you to add bookmarks.  For example, if you had a Word document with a table of contents, you could navigate using the table of contents in iSilo.
  
  You cannot edit the document with iSilo, but iSilo is a good way of keeping reference material on a PDA.  For example, I converted a couple of hundred page Word version of our pilot contract and saved it to iSilo.

John Bell June 28, 2004