Bizcraft Operators Advised To Wait on iOS 11 Upgrade

Operators of business jets and turboprops who are using an Apple iPad as an electronic flight bag in conjunction with a Bluetooth or plug-in GPS receivers for position data should not upgrade to iOS 11, according to ForeFlight and GPS accessory device maker Bad Elf.

“We have found that devices on iOS 11 using Bluetooth or plug-in GPS receivers for position data in ForeFlight can experience loss of GPS signal when carried on aircraft exceeding 300 knots,” ForeFlight noted. “The issue does not appear on slower aircraft or with devices that provide more than just GPS, such as Stratus or installed Garmin avionics.”

Bad Elf added: “If you travel faster than 300 knots away from last-known position within 30 minutes of enabling 'airplane mode,' you will lose the own-ship position indicator in your EFB app. Once 30 minutes have passed, the own-ship GPS information will flow again.”

ForeFlight expects this issue to be resolved in a future iOS update, but for now recommends “that anyone who relies on a Bluetooth or plug-in GPS receiver for position data in ForeFlight, and who regularly exceeds 300 knots in flight, hold on updating their iOS version until the issue is resolved.” ForeFlight has otherwise given the “all clear” for customers outside of these caveats to upgrade to iOS 11.