A PalmOS PDA running FlightMaster makes great sense for many reasons.
A PalmOS PDA can operate for 2-3 hours or longer from its own internal power source. In the event of your aircraft power systems failing, your PDA & GPS will keep running.
It is also easy to power your PDA and GPS receiver using a standard cigar-socket power adaptor.
FlightMaster's GPS-driven Attitude display gives additional peace of mind to IFR pilots.
PalmOS has a reputation for being simple, and some people think that's a bad thing. But if there's one thing that aviators appreciate, it's simplicity - simple systems are less likely to go wrong.
That's exactly what you get with FlightMaster - software that's simple to use built on top of a PDA Operating System that's reliable.
A Palm TX, GPS receiver and FlightMaster could be yours for less than $460:
| Palm TX | $266.99 |
| Bluetooth GPS Receiver | $69.99 |
| FlightMaster | $119.99 |
| Total | $456.96 |
The cheapest Lowrance is $499. The cheapest colour Garmin is $495 but doesn't have terrain (FlightMaster does), and a relatively small display (see right).
Both these systems are fine units, but they can't be used as anything other than navigation tools.
You're unlikely to carry a dedicated GPS unit everywhere with you, but with your PalmOS PDA in your pocket you've always got the ability to plan a flight, wherever you are.
It is inconvenient to carry multiple devices around, and when you've got a PalmOS PDA you don't need to. As well as navigating with FlightMaster you can use your PDA to: