Home > Getting Started > Essential Tools for Beginners
Playlist Icon

Essential Tools for Beginners
Improved Planning Features

ForeFlight now offers an enhanced flight planning workflow thanks to improvements to aircraft, the Maps view flight plan editor, and the File & Brief view, which is now called “Flights”.

This video is for ForeFlight customers with subscription plans other than Performance Plus, including the original plans and the Basic Plus and Pro Plus plans. If you have the Performance Plus plan, or want to see what is different with that plan, check out our Performance video series.

Planning, Aircraft, Flights
Customize the Aeronautical Map
ForeFlight's data-driven Aeronautical Maps allow you to customize which map elements you show or hide. You can also choose between Light, Dark, and Classic map themes and toggle terrain features on and off. With the Aeronautical layer selected you can add or remove airspace, view high or low airways, and adjust label text size. Try mixing and matching the new map settings to find the combination that works best for you.
Aeronautical Maps, Maps View, Settings
Enabling Terrain
Having trouble finding the Terrain layer in ForeFlight 8? It just moved next door to the Map Settings menu. You can also recreate the World Map from the Map Settings menu by turning on Place Labels.
Aeronautical Maps, Maps View, Settings, Flight Planning
Using the Airports View
The Airports view is your all-in-one source for any kind of information about airports. From current and forecast weather to runways, procedures, and FBOs, the Airports view is one of the most important places in ForeFlight when it comes to flight planning.
Airports, Flight Planning, FBO, Weather, Plates on Maps
Helpful Web Features
ForeFlight on the web includes helpful features that enable fast flight planning from your desktop browser.
Flight Planning, FBO, ForeFlight on the web, Fuel
iPad Setup Tips
This video covers some basic iPad settings we recommend to get the best experience from ForeFlight Mobile.
In-Flight Tools
Distance Rings
Keep an eye on how far you are from nearby airports, obstacles, and landmarks using distance rings. You can set the rings to automatically grow and shrink as you change zoom level, or set them to display flight times rather than distances. This simple tool is a must-have for maximizing inflight situational awareness.
Maps View, Navigation, Safety, In-Flight Tools
Basemap and Terrain Improvements

The ForeFlight map engine has a significantly upgraded basemap, which now renders more quickly, smoothly, and with sharper depiction of features such as major roads, railways, national parks, and state and national boundaries. There’s also a new “Shaded Terrain” option, which uses grayscale shading to depict terrain, providing the same level of detail as the colored terrain option with less visual distraction.

In the Map Settings menu, choose from multiple presentations: Colored, Shaded, or None.

Maps View, Settings, Terrain
Related Resources
Document
Pilot's Guide to ForeFlight Mobile
Document
ForeFlight FAQs
Document
ForeFlight News
Fanatical Pilot Support
Fanatical Pilot Support ™

Every support team member is a pilot and ForeFlight expert.

GET SUPPORT
Have an idea for a video?

If you can't find what you're looking for, or have an idea for a video, squawk it below.

SHARE YOUR IDEA
I'd love a video about...
Email Address: