Should I stay or should I go? There’s an app for that

Deciding whether to takeoff when weather conditions are not ideal is a challenge for every pilot. With the new interactive ETD (Estimated Time Departure) feature in the latest version of the wx24 Pilot aviation weather app, knowing when to takeoff just got easier, according to company officials.

wx24 Pilot can now check a pilot’s personal weather minimums against METARs and TAFS along a flight path to determine if current weather conditions allow him or her to fly confidently and safely.

If weather conditions are poor at time of departure, the pilot just swipes the screen to change the ETD and the flight conditions interactively adjust along the flight path (including all enroute airports) at one time, on one screen.

For example, a VFR pilot can determine when a TAF indicating IFR conditions at the destination airport (and enroute) will expire — clearing the pilot to fly the whole route in VFR conditions, company officials explain.

wx24 Pilot incorporates up to 16 different preset personal minimums, including ceilings, wind, visibility, turbulence, icing and thunderstorms.

“This latest version provides a significant safety feature for pilots,” said Paxton Calvanese, the app’s developer. “Now the cumbersome task of interpreting TAFs to determine if it is safe to fly or not is much easier and quicker. Just swipe the ETD enroute screen to determine the best time to takeoff and land at your destination in weather conditions you are comfortable and safe flying in.”

Unlike other weather apps that basically reformat text versions of weather data, wx24 Pilot interprets this data and presents it in an intuitive, graphical interface, which allow pilots to see current and future weather conditions at a glance, he noted.

The wx24 Pilot App features include:

• Preflight summary graphics facilitate easier “Go – No Go” decision making;
• Incorporation of personal minimums provide a quick assessment if forecasts exceed a pilot’s weather limits;
• Includes FAA issued aviation weather reports: METARs, TAFs, PIREPS, AIRMETS and SIGMENTS;
• Incorporates TFR data to avoid inadvertent busting of restricted airspace.

Users can learn more about wx24 Pilot on the app’s website: www.wx24pilot.com. There are numerous screen shots, videos and tutorials explaining how the app works.

“We realize that this is a new way to view how aviation weather is presented, which is why we put special emphasis on detailed tutorials explaining how the app works and its many benefits over standard weather apps,” Paxton said.