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4.5 Map overlays

Choose map overlays

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Map Overlays

The following items can be overlaid on any map, including the satellite view:

Runway Centreline extensionsDraws 5 Nautical Mile extended centrelines for certified/registered airports set as takeoff or landing sites within the current plan.
Note: If no plan is open, extensions will not display
Airport Glide RangeShows the areas from within which airports can be reached in a glide
Airspace boundariesDraws Class C, D and E CTA/CTR boundaries
Active AirspaceHighlights active SUA areas in red on the map
Airports
  • Draws symbols at certified, registered or military airports.
  • Label displays Name, Height AMSL and CTAF Frequency
  • Icon displays a small-scale representation of runway layout/alignment within the blue circle
  • Airports without official surveyed runway lengths/alignment will be displayed with a diagonal dashed line
HLS
  • Draws symbols at Helicopter Landing Sites
  • Label displays Name and Height AMSL.
  • CTAF Frequency is displayed if available.
ALA
  • Draws symbols at Authorised Landing Areas
  • Label displays Name and Height AMSL.
  • CTAF Frequency is displayed if available.
Fuel AvailabilityShows Fuel availability and most recent posted prices
ObstaclesDraws Obstacle symbols on chart. (The AvPlan obstacle database is significantly more comprehensive than that used to create the charts)
Navigation AidsSymbols for NDB, VOR and TACAN locations
User WaypointsToggles display of labelled user waypoints
VFR WaypointsToggles display of labelled VFR waypoints
IFR WaypointsToggles display of labelled IFR waypoints
IFR Routes (Low)Toggles drawing of published low level routes (useful when overlaid on VFR charts not containing them)
IFR Routes (High)Toggles drawing of published high level routes (useful when overlaid on VFR charts not containing them)
FIA AirspaceDraws Flight Information Area Boundaries
ARFOR) BoundariesArea Briefing boundaries (for Area QNH etc)

Items in italics are are subject to ‘decluttering’ when zooming out, such that fewer icons are visible but the chart is always readable. When zooming back in, more items are progressively displayed on the map.

Labels rotate with the screen orientation, so they are always the correct way up.

Zooming

ALA, Airport, and User Waypoint details do not immediately zoom in order to avoid cluttering the display. However, if you zoom in far enough, these will also zoom as the map is further enlarged.

Terrain overlay

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A terrain overlay can be added to all mega maps.

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Apple
Terrain overlay

The overlay operates in two distinct modes:

Plan Mode

When the flight plan is in Plan mode, the terrain overlay colour codes the terrain based on the highest cruise altitude in your flight plan.

Fly Mode

When in Fly mode, the terrain overlay colour codes the terrain based on the current altitude. In flight, the terrain overlay will update every 150 foot vertical change during climb or descent.

Colour Codes

YellowTerrain that is 1500 feet below to 500 feet below you
RedTerrain that extends from 500 feet below to above you

INFO

Note: Displaying the terrain overlay is independent of the provision of Terrain & Obstacle Warnings

Traffic

Apple

The AvPlan Live traffic system

The AvPlan Live traffic system allows you to see other connected airborne AvPlan EFB users and a multitude of traffic from a network of ADS-B and FLARM ground receivers.

Requirements to see AvPlan Live traffic:

  • To see any traffic other than that being sourced from a local ADSB receiver.
    • AvPlan Live Tracking must be turned on in Settings
    • Your device must be connected to a data network; either via WiFi or 4G/5G
  • And in any case,
    • Your device must have a valid GPS position

The Traffic Display

This is turned on or off in map Options

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Apple

When traffic is switched on, AvPlan EFB displays traffic symbols on any selected map.

Due to data network limitations, displayed traffic is limited to a radius of ~ 180 nautical miles and ±15,000 feet from your devices’ current GPS position, and is updated at five second intervals.

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Apple
Traffic example

Traffic targets are accompanied with an information block, with three possible rows of information:

  1. Callsign
  2. GPS height in feet, with a climb/descent arrow symbol
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Apple
Aircraft on climb
Aircraft on climb
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Apple
Aircraft on descent
Aircraft on descent
  1. Groundspeed in knots

If no callsign is available, only two rows will be displayed:

  1. GPS height in feet, with a climb/descent arrow symbol

  2. Groundspeed in knots

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    Apple
    No callsign example

Extending out the front of each target, is the one minute future position prediction line. Assuming the aircraft does not change heading or speed, the aircraft will be at the end of the line in one minute. Aircraft travelling at high speeds (e.g. jet or turboprop traffic) will have longer lines than those of slower GA traffic.

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Apple
Traffic examples with differing groundspeed

Traffic sources

The traffic displayed on EnRoute maps is provided via the AvPlan servers from more than one source, and is blended into a single view. Where a traffic target is available from more than one source, the source with the highest refresh rate (generally ADS-B from a connected device) will take precedence, while the other/s will be hidden from view. Note that one of the external sources is the Open Glider Network (OGN), so gliders equipped with FLARM that are within ground-based FLARM receiver range and registered with the OGN will also display. (The requirement for the glider to be within ground-based receiver range may be a significant limitation for gliders undertaking long cross country tasks- you probably won’t see them).

Zooming in for details

Double tapping a traffic target will zoom that icon and its details, as well as showing a trail of its recent history. This will be in the form of a cyan line trailing from the aircraft. If the source is an AvPlan user and they have elected to share their flight plan (see AvPlan Live Tracking in the Settings tab), you will also see the remainder of the plan ahead of the aircraft in purple. Double tapping again will shrink it back to normal size.

If you zoom the whole en-route (map) pane, the traffic icons will not change size until you reach a preset level of zoom, after which all of the traffic icons will zoom.

External Device traffic

When AvPlan EFB is connected to an ADS-B receiver, traffic out to as far as the receiver can observe will be displayed. Traffic sourced from the receiver will be coloured green to allow quick identification of a traffic target’s source. No height or distance limitations are placed on traffic delivered by an attached device.

Traffic received via this method is updated once every second.

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Apple

To read more about the kinds of compatible devices that AvPlan EFB can connect to, visit our AvPlan Omni page.

WARNING

Note that this traffic is a great start for situational awareness, however it does not include all traffic. Always be on the lookout/maintaining a listening watch for traffic.

Additional Overlays (KML files)

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Additional Overlays (KML files)

As well as the supplied overlays above, you can optionally import KML/KMZ overlays of your own design. These can be created in tools like Google Earth – for example: highlight the fenceline of a property for fence inspections.

To import them, either open them from an email or AirDrop them to your device, then select ‘Open in AvPlan EFB’. They will automatically sync to your other device(s).

Imported KML/KMZ overlays will appear under the ‘Additional Overlays’ subheading in the Map Settings menu. Place a tick next to the layer(s) you wish to display. To delete an imported overlay, swipe the row from right-to-left, which will reveal a Delete button.

Convert a KML overlay to a Flight Plan (Premium feature only)

To convert a KLM overlay into a Flight Plan (i.e. create a new plan and populate it with KML waypoints) swipe the row right to left and tap on the green To Plan button.

Additional Overlay files: format conversions

To import an overlay which has been created in GPX format it must first be converted to a KML file. This can be done with any third part conversion tool. One that has been found to work is available at https://mygeodata.cloud/converter/gpx-to-kml . If you find a better conversion tool, please send us an email with details.

Runway centrelines

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At designated landing or takeoff points within your flight plan, visible centreline extensions can be added to all certified/registered airports on the map. Extensions will also be added to airports designated as a direct-to destination.

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Apple
Runway centreline extensions

Each extension projects out 5 Nautical Miles from the runway threshold.

Where there is also a METAR station at that airport, the most into wind runway will be highlighted in green (see RW24, above). If the wind favours two runways equally, both will be highlighted.

WARNING

Caution: The most into wind runway may not be the actual duty runway. There may be operational reasons why the highlighted runway may not be in use (NOTAM’d runway un-servicibility, tower requirements, etc).

Extensions may not display for one or more of the following reasons:

  • If no flight plan is currently open
  • If an airport in your flight plan is being used as a turning point only
  • If the airport does not have formally surveyed runway ends (usually grass/gravel runways) or there are no details present in the current navdata database

Active airspace

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Display active airspace

Enable Active Airspace under Map Settings to display the status of prohibited, restricted, danger and military airspace over the map.

Double-tap the map to list the airspace above that point, including controlled airspace, the QNH forecast region, FIA and frequency information, PRD areas and NOTAM-activated airspace.

ColourMeaning
RedThe airspace or NOTAM is active now.
YellowThe airspace or NOTAM is scheduled to become active.
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Airspace above a selected map point

Select an entry to highlight its boundary on the map.

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Android
Selected airspace boundary

Review unavailable airspace status

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Grey airspace indicates that AvPlan EFB could not retrieve an update to determine its status. Check the data connection and NAIPS login.

The list shows upper and lower limits. Select the arrow beside the QNH forecast region to request an update. PRDM entries can also show planning status and a link to the relevant ERSA page.

NOTAM-activated airspace

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Temporary restricted airspace created by NOTAM can appear on the map. Examples include low jet routes and other temporary operations.

In Australia, a low jet route can be used by RAAF fast jets below 5,000 ft AGL. Yellow indicates an upcoming activation and red indicates an active route.

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Apple
Upcoming low jet route
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Apple
Active low jet route
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Apple
Upcoming NOTAM airspace

Fuel availability overlay

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When enabled, known fuel prices are displayed on the map.

  • The Fuel type (AVGAS, MOGAS or Jet-A) displayed on the map is automatically selected depending on the default fuel assigned to current aircraft profile within the flight plan.

  • When no flight plan is currently open, the default fuel type from the last used aircraft profile is displayed.

Each entry on the map is colour-coded (green, orange or red) depending on the part of the price spectrum they fall in to:

Greenshows fuel available in the cheaper end of the spectrum
Yellowrepresents prices in the middle band
Orangeshows prices in the higher end of the spectrum

The coloured price bands are derived from the prices for the visible icons and are representative of the difference between the highest and the lowest fuel prices displayed. The icons are colour coded based on which of the calculated low, medium and high bands the associated fuel price falls into. Note that icon colours may change when you zoom and pan the map. This is because the price bands are recalculated to reflect the fuel prices on display.

Terrain and obstacle warnings

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AvPlan EFB has a built-in terrain and obstacle warning system. When enabled in Settings/User Settings, terrain warning banners will appear over the En Route, Terminal, Weather or Text panes in the App.

Terrain warnings

Terrain warnings are based on those defined in the FAA TAWS-B standard. This standard defines the amount of clearance with terrain at different phases of flight.

  • Tap on the red bar to dismiss the warning. Once the conflict has been cleared, a new terrain conflict will show the warning again. When Audible warnings are enabled, the App will also sound a verbal annunciation, including a ‘500’ warning when passing through 500 feet AGL on descent.

Terrain warnings can also be set as a verbal annunciation.

Obstacle warnings

When Terrain Warnings are active, Obstacle warnings will also appear on all Mega maps.

During planning, any possible obstacles within 13 nautical miles either side of track and less than 1500 feet of your planned altitude will appear. See below for an example of planning mode.

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Apple
Obstacle display

Colour codes:

RedWithin 500 feet of your planned altitude
YellowWithin 1500 feet of your planned altitude
HiddenMore than 1500 feet below your planned altitude

When in Fly Mode, obstacle warnings appear in reference to your current altitude; not planned altitude.

Operational information should always be verified against current regulations and official sources.