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iFMS released for iDevices

iPadLandscape002_350Michael Defeyter of ifms-fs.com has announced the release of iFMS for iDevices – “a fully functional “Boeing Style”Flight Management System and HSI display on iPhone, iPad or iPod.

Connecting via WiFi and a PC-based connection application available to download from the developer’s website, iFMS features a Multifunctional Control Display Unit (MCDU) and a Horizontal Situation Indicator/Navigational Display (HSI/ND), switchable depending on the size and orientation of your mobile device.

More details can be found here, or you can read the full press release by clicking “Read more” below.

Full press release text:

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I am happy to announce the release of iFMS for Apple iPhone/iPod/iPad.

iFMS will provides you with a nearly fully functional “Boeing style” Flight Management System and HSI display on your iPhone, iPad (Mini) or iPod Touch, to make your Flight Simulator experience a more realistic one.

The FMS display and functionality simulates the “Boeing style” Flight Management System accurately.

Apart from all the standard flight planning and tracking (LNAV and VNAV) functionality, all the more complex functions such as hold programing, custom waypoint programming by coordinates, heading/distance calculation or waypoints radial/intersection calculation and abeam route waypoint calculations are available as well, along with much, much more.

The HSI display was developed to equally realistic standards.

Like the real Boeing HSI display it has a moving “MAP” mode and “PLAN” mode which allows for stepping through the active route.
Your programmed route, the waypoints, the fixes, the navaids, the airports etc. are all programmed to be displayed using the standard symbolization rules of the industry.

The route is properly drawn as a rounded track with turns calculated based on groundspeed and configurable parameters in your aircraft file.
The visible range of the HSI can be set in the usual intervals between 5NM to 320NM.

Toggling display of airports, navaids, fixes, and visual reporting points (if present in the navigation data) is off course possible as well and these functions respond depending on the current visible range, just they would in the real Boeing system.

iFMS uses Wi-Fi to connect to your favorite Flight Simulator over your local network, alternatively iFMS can also use the device GPS (if present) as a data source, you can be a passenger in the car and practice your FMS programming skills. Be aware though, iFMS cannot be used for real world aviation navigation as this is strictly against the terms of use of this product.

iFMS can be configured for use with almost any of your favorite Flight Simulator’s standard or add-on aircraft, 2 default aircraft are included but you can easily make your own on your PC and transfer them to iFMS through iTunes.

Features summary:

  • – Realistic Flight Planning/Tracking/Navigation
  • – Realistic Boeing style Flight Management System
  • – Realistic Boeing style HSI display
  • – LNAV & VNAV calculation
  • – Single portrait or side by side landscape view
  • – Configurable aircraft
  • – Use your own created aircraft files
  • – Loading and saving of flight plans
  • – Import flight plans and aircraft from your PC through iTunes
  • – Updatable navigation data

Compatibility:

Since iFMS is a nearly complete “Boeing style” Flight Management System it requires a significant of memory and processing power to run comfortably. iFMS may consume up to 128Mb of RAM to run. Hence iFMS cannot be supported on older devices but only be run on the following:

  • – Apple iPad
  • – Apple iPad Mini, or
  • – Apple iPhone (3GS or later)
  • – Apple iPod Touch (4th generation or later)

Please visit http://www.ifms-fs.com for more details about iFMS, supported flight simulator packages and how to connect iFMS to them.

0 Responses

      1. Both links in the article work for me and I did test them before posting, after my recent link errors… :-/

  1. As a pilot and serious flight-simmer I was excited to see this application reported first here. The price seemed steep, but if it did all that I thought it would do, I was willing to forgo the $12.95. An unfortunate choice indeed. Buyer’s remorse set in immediately.

    My first major disappointment was when it first loaded and I saw the screen for the first time. The graphics are terrible: course, pixelated, with poor text, textures, and lighting models. When I could get a route in without it crashing, it bore only some resemblance to those I’ve been using on published charts, simroutes.com, flightaware.com, or on my X-Plane FMSs.

    I would avoid spending any money on this app until it undergoes a major revamp in looks, feel, and reliability.

    1. A little bit of back-pedaling. In viewing the legs of some routes, the waypoints are right, but red route line does not connect all the waypoints.

      1. Hello Breadwild,

        My name is Michael De Feyter, I am the developer behind iFMS.

        I am very concerned about the crashes you reported, if they are repeatable, would you mind taking the time to document how you have made my app crash (what route you programmed, origin, dest, airways, …, how you entered them and at which point the app crashes) and send this to me using the feedback form on my website, http://www.ifms-fs.com/contact.html.
        You can use a fake email address in the form if you wish to remain anonymous.
        The Apple App store is not mild with Apps that crash, usually they don’t even make it to the store so if there are any issues I would like to fix them ASAP and publish a new version.

        One thing I’d like to mention is that iFMS was optimized for use with the iPhone5, iPad 3rd gen and iPad mini.
        iFMS will run on older devices (listed on the app store), but It could run into memory issues on those if you have a lot of other apps open in the background (remember, an app on iDevices does not shut down just by closing it. If the crashes you experience are random and not repeatable, memory is the likely issue and the fix is just to shut down some of those apps you have running in the background properly (http://www.theiphonemom.com/how-to-turn-off-apps/).

        Also, regarding your comments about the graphics. The many snapshots that are available on my website in the gallery section and the few that are on the app store were taken on my iPhone4, my wife’s iPhone5 (yes, she gets the better one 😉 ) and my iPad (3rd Gen). No manipulation was done to those, so the graphics are as good/bad as you see them in those. There should be no surprises there.

        Finally, about the waypoint/route issue(s) you raise.
        I can’t really comment as I don’t know what it is you’re trying to program in the FMS. Sometimes it is actually valid not to connect 2 waypoints in a route (disconnect, vectors, …). Again, if you think there is an issue I would greatly appreciate it if you take the time to explain to me in more detail what you’re doing, what you’re actually seeing wrong and what you’re expecting to see so I can fix the issue if there is one and provide you with an update as soon as possible.

        Regards,
        Michael

  2. Hi Michael,

    I’m seriously interested in this app. The first reviews and innuendo make me back off as does the prize. Is there a beta tester program? I’ve tested many stuff for x-Plane for that matter.

    TDPlane

  3. I’m happy to report iFMS 1.0.1 is now available in the App Store.

    As mentioned before the main changes in this version are:
    – A specific problem STAR transitions was fixed.
    – A more general problem with all procedures was fixed.
    – HSI graphics were significantly improved.
    – All bitmap fonts were replaced with sharper versions.
    – The FMC background bitmap and button bitmaps were replaced with sharper versions.
    – All devices now use the same set of FMC bitmaps.

    Cheers,
    Michael

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