We plan to introduce an approach mode in the forthcoming version of SkyDemon. The problem we wish to solve is that SkyDemon Mobile isn't providing enough help after you have your destination airfield in sight, or are at least on your final leg towards it. The idea is, you will select the runway you're landing on (by tapping its extended centreline or more explicitly through another screen) and then you'll get a window showing a standard circuit pattern (direction switchable).

In this window, we'll show some useful info such as runway dimensions and possibly approach frequencies. These frequencies might appear in an overlay on the main map too, afterwards. We may allow you to select a position in the circuit to join (downwind, deadside, base, finals etc) and your route would be modified so that you're no longer terminating at the airfield ARP but at the circuit position you specify. Or, we could automatically take you to the most appropriate part of the circuit based on your current position in relation to it.

We're looking for feedback on how this feature might work, what you would find useful. Maybe it's a terrible idea and we should forget it entirely. Maybe it should be completely automatic in some way. Maybe we should just be drawing a standard circuit diagram on the main map and leave it at that, once you've selected direction.

Cheers!

I agree with Revilla that directions to join the circuit "standard way" could be dangerously missleading. I would personally never follow such directions without prior verification with official VAC charts, especially after reading your warning, that actually "system has no knowledge about local conditions" Then what is "standard" in the first place? As I know "standard" joining differes from country to country.

Moreover I can not imagine how practical would be selecting joining points: pushing fingers at poore resolution screen in possibly bad screen visibility conditions (sun) at one of the most critical moment of the flight, when you normally should look out for trafic in the circuit, listening to radio, identifying wind by windsock direction, etc...



This functionallity would be helpfull if one day real circuit geometry and joining/departing patterns could be shown on airfield plate.



All above critisizm is about joining the circuit. But I like the idea to give some information about circuit itself. I would give following:

-Frequency ( but not "Approach", it should be "TWR" or "A/A");

-Altitude of the circuit and Altitude of the runway (or Altitude of Circuit and its Heght above runway);

-Visual presentation of circuit (simplified, just to show on which side of runway it is);

-Clear runway numbers (you have it already on extended centerline, but I noticed if there are L and R runways, sometimes numbers overlap and difficult to read).



And all this better to be accesible during flight preparation, not just pop up during actual flight, as I still would be more comfortable if I can review and verify this data before the flight.