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pirep on iFly?

moll780

Well Known Member
Anyone have anything to say about the iFly app and/or the device?
I have a g696 and love it but im looking for something that doesnt have XM fees for weather etc and would love to be able to slave it to my truetrack.
thanks!
 
I have had all the iFly models

Currently just bought the 740 ---- I like them, obviously. The 720 and 740 have decent screens, the 740 is a big step up from the 720. One nice feature is that nearly every ADS-B unit (with exception of the proprietary units such as stratus and Garmin) will give you weather and some (transceiver) will give traffic on the iFly.

I had my 720 hooked to my Trio (I now have Vizion hooked to a panel-mount GPS)--- worked well so I am sure it would work with the Trutrak.

The iFly software will also work on your iPad or Android devices.

I also use WingX and FlyQ on my iPad, so I am not necessarily locked in to any system, but the iFly 740 does give you a lot of bang for the AMU.

R.
 
I've flown with the iFly 720 and a SkyRadar D2 for about 2 years now. I've got a Garmin 295 that I flew with before I got the iFly unit and a Garmin 510 that I still don't know why I bought but at the time it seemed I needed it for some reason. I also have a KMD-150 in the panel.

The Garmin 510 and the iFly 720 are pretty comparable in terms of features but the 720 is significantly cheaper to keep current and use for weather (no subscription needed with the SkyRadar). The iFly has a larger screen and is very intuitive to use. The Garmin 510 is fairly intuitive also.

The 510 has a much nicer touch screen than the 720 but the 720's screen is functional, albeit clunky compared to the iPad or even the 720. In terms of reliability I've had 2 problems with the iFly. My first one occasionally wouldn't boot up and I exchanged it for a new unit and this one has worked well. Never a problem with the Garmin. The 720 has an odd way of scrolling between sectionals as you fly. The new sectional doesn't come up until you've nearly flown off the old sectional. I thought they fixed that in the last update but mine still does it. It isn't really a problem because you can manually call the next map up or just wait for it, if you know there are no air space issues.

Ounce for ounce Garmin makes the nicer GPS. Dollar for dollar and feature for feature, I have not seen a better bargain than the iFly. I generally fly with both the KMD 150 and the iFly720. The 720 has current maps and the KMD 150 runs the AP when I use that. For situational awareness I use the 720.

Now I need to check out the iFly740....I hadn't heard about it.
 
iFly 720

Have used the 720 for a couple of years. Most iFly users will say they love them when they work. I guess I am one of them. I am on my second 720. The first had serious problems. They replaced it with one that had an older serial number and now the touch screen is not working properly and it will be $160 to get it fixed since the warranty is out. It would be a fantastic unit if it was as reliable as the Garmins that I have had. I use a Skyguard TWX ADS-B transciever with it and it works well.

Updating is easy via wifi which I like. There is also an app that you can get for an extra $20. Tried it on my iPad and it works well.

I am going to visit with Adventure Pilot and determine if the touch screens are better on the 740. If so, I may go for the 740. I don't want to keep throwing money at the 720.
 
I am going to visit with Adventure Pilot and determine if the touch screens are better on the 740. If so, I may go for the 740. I don't want to keep throwing money at the 720.

Jerry - I just had my touch screen replaced for $119. I didn't even know a 740 was out there, but I have to believe my screen was replaced with a 740 screen - overall the unit feels heavier, screen looks higher resolution than before - more like an iPad than the old 720, but still readable in sunlight.

I agree with the others - a bit quirky, not nearly as polished as a Garmin unit, but dollar for dollar, a pretty good, feature-filled GPS.
 
I just got iFly on the iPad and it seems pretty good. Both iFly and Foreflight offer 30 day trials. So Foreflight is next and I will pick the winner.
 
I-FLY ?

Have had the 720 for several years. Easy to use, reliable. It can be a bit quirky from time on initial start up. It is a great value dollar for dollar. Garmin not even close when looked at that way
 
Jerry - I just had my touch screen replaced for $119. I didn't even know a 740 was out there, but I have to believe my screen was replaced with a 740 screen - overall the unit feels heavier, screen looks higher resolution than before - more like an iPad than the old 720, but still readable in sunlight.

I agree with the others - a bit quirky, not nearly as polished as a Garmin unit, but dollar for dollar, a pretty good, feature-filled GPS.

Adventure Pilot advised me that the 720 will not support the 740 screen, but two new screen layers should make it act like new. Guess I will go ahead and get the screen replaced. Otherwise it is a good bang for the buck.
 
I too like the 720 but has as other have said, "been a little quirky" at startup.
I did have to return it for servicing while it was still under warranty.
Overall, a nice gps that drives my ez pilot at a good cost.
 
The iFly's feature set is nice, but I couldn't get either one I had to operate reliably. Reliably meaning that I could turn it on and expect it to work every time, or could expect it not to do something really odd in-flight.

Thankfully, Aircraft Spruce and iFly stood behind the unit, and I was able to return it. I purchased a used G695 to replace it and have been very impressed with the functionality, clarity of the screen, and the reliability of the 695.
 
ifly 740

I have flown behind the new 740 for only maybe four hours. Although physically, it looks like the 720, in reality it is a big step up. The faster processor really turned this unit around. The unit supports a wide variety of ADS-B units. I'm using mine with a Skyradar. The 720 I had originally would only find the Skyradar wifi occasionally. I will admit, I still have some issues with the 740 wifi connection, but it is an improvement. The touch screens functionality is also a vast improvement as is the menu displays. Everything is intuitive with information popping up immediately. Searching for airports is so much easier than the Garmin x96's approach.
The ifly talks to the TruTrak autopilot and the GRT EFIS with ease. Screen brightness is not an issue, in fact, even in broad daylight, I have mine turned down a notch. I'm not a huge fan of touch screens so I mounted mine in a locaction where I could steady my hand with my thumb on the side of the 740's case while touching the screen with my index finger - easy peasey. Other nice features include airport fuel price display options (now free), full ADSB weather including TAFs, METARs, Winds Aloft, etc. where available. Weather radar is now also portrayed on the sectional chart screen. The 740 includes an internal backup/flightplanning battery good for apprx 30 min use. The clarity of the charts on the ifly screen is so clear that I most often just leave my ipad at home. As I said, my only complaint is the ADSB wifi connection and that could be more the Skyradar, or 'me' than the ifly (although the ipad connects to the Skyradar every time!). Recycling usually solves the problem. Also, I haven't spoken with Adventure Pilot about this issue so maybe not fair to bag on this too much. Finally, I have had great success using the internal gps antenna, however that certainly could be a function of unit location, but its nice not to have another hockey puck to deal with.

Accept for the ADS-B wifi connection issue, I am very satisfied with the 740. Well worth my money, yours may differ.
 
Adventure Pilot advised me that the 720 will not support the 740 screen, but two new screen layers should make it act like new. Guess I will go ahead and get the screen replaced. Otherwise it is a good bang for the buck.

Interesting. Well, whatever it is, it is certainly slightly different than my previous screen - besides the fact that it now responds to my touch once again:D
 
GDL-39

Anyone have anything to say about the iFly app and/or the device?
I have a g696 and love it but im looking for something that doesnt have XM fees for weather etc and would love to be able to slave it to my truetrack.
thanks!

Sorry, no experience with iFly. However, if your goal is to replace XM with free weather, why not add a GDL-39 to your GPSMAP 696? I use my 39 with my Garmin Pilot app and Aera 500 and am very happy with it.
 
I am also interested in the 740 from Ifly due to it's price and features (bright screen, serial out for autopilot). Currently, I use ForeFlight in an iPad. Although very happy with the performance of ForeFlight, the iPad is hardly visible in the RV6 and no serial out for an autopilot. I have a question for you guys: The 740 is available bundled with a SkyGuard ADSB In/Out unit. But this system is all portable. So is there any benefit of purchasing this bundle if portable systems are not approved for use? Would the SkyGuard be senseless as we approach 2020?
 
Just an opinion, but

I have owned all (3) models of the iFly, over the years. I currently have an new 740 on my -6A panel. I do really like it. All of the iFlys have been compatible with several of the portable and built-in ADS-B systems. At one time, I was going with the Skyguard system for ADS-B in/out. I even went so far as to install (3) DeltaPop antennas on the bottom of plane. However, with the new Navworx, and Freeflight "compliant" boxes available, the price point for the Skyguard does not make it competitive. The Freeflight and Navworx will both work with the iFly or an iPad.

After a visit to SnF, this morning, and talking with iLevel, and Freeflight, the Skyguard is not on my menu.
 
Anyone have anything to say about the iFly app and/or the device?
I have a g696 and love it but im looking for something that doesnt have XM fees for weather etc and would love to be able to slave it to my truetrack.
thanks!
I'm surprised no one has mentioned this yet but, unless I am wrong, the 696 will drive an autopilot quite nicely and you can get weather with ADS-B with the corded version of the GDL-39 and not have to use XM at all.
 
I upgraded to the 740, and I am VERY pleased with it. The screen brightness is much better, and time from power up to "ready to go" is about 1/3 the time compared to the 720. I dismissed the Skyguard system, because of the portable/compliant issue. However, my main goal was to get the ADS-B in for weather, so I went with the Pathfinder unit. It is about $550, and works great with the 720 and 740 (ADS-B in only). In the electronics world, 5 years is a LONG time, and I will get my moneys worth during that time. Then, I will see what is available when it becomes mandatory. Most likely, all of the ADS-B in/out systems will be cheaper in the next few years, and there will be other options, as well. BTW.....I have a TruTrak AP, and the serial out from the Ifly GPS's is why I went that route instead of Foreflight/Ipad.
 
iFly Fan

I have flown with a 720 for over a year, and upgraded back when they offered the trade in for a 740. The new software v9 is a vast refinement over previous versions. This box will integrates with iLevil AHRS units, as well as a whole host of ADSB boxes, and can output NMEA data for driving an autopilot. The 740 does suffer from some unreliable WiFi programming, but they are testing a patch for the OS to get this straightened out. Normally this would concern me, but I have yet to see them fail to solve their software issues. I used to think I would pick up a 496 from Ebay since all of my buddies rave about them. That has changed with the 740 and v9. Once they fix the Wifi problem (my 720 connected to my Skyradar D2 flawlessly), I'm going to be happy with my purchase for quite a while.

Don
 
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