SkyDemon Mobile Documentation: Warnings and Navigation Aids
SkyDemon looks after you during flight by constantly monitoring your position and trajectory ahead, looking for potential hazards. Anything that could cause a problem to the flight is displayed as a warning, with prominent notification onscreen and an audible alert emitted too. This is powered by our virtual radar technology and warnings can be configured under the Settings menu.
Airspace and NOTAM Warnings
Airspace warnings are shown when your trajectory, both horizontal and vertical, would take you into a piece of airspace. An onscreen warning is accompanied by an audible alert, the form of which depends on the type of airspace, and a thick border is drawn on the map so you can clearly see which piece of airspace is associated with the warning. In the figure on the right, the Bournemouth CTR has been detected and a yellow warning displayed, complete with a thick yellow border around the airspace itself. The following table lists the types of airspace for which warnings are shown:
| Airspace Type | Warnings Shown | Warning Colour |
|---|---|---|
| Prohibited Areas Restricted Areas Danger Areas |
Yes | Red |
| Controlled Airspace (A) | Yes | Red |
| Controlled Airspace (B, C, D) | Yes | Yellow |
| Intensive Gliding/Sporting Areas | Yes | Gray |
| NOTAM | Yes | Purple |
| Controlled Airspace (E, F) | Optional | Yellow |
| MATZ ATZ |
Optional | Blue |
When a warning is shown, it will stay onscreen until either it is dismissed or it is no longer applicable. The warning contains the name of the airspace, its distance ahead (or above or below) and, where available, a radio station to contact to obtain clearance or information. You can request further information about the airspace by touching the question mark, or dismiss it by touching the cross. Once dismissed, no further warnings about that piece of airspace will be displayed for five minutes.
Airspace warnings can optionally be suppressed while you are adhering to the route you have planned. To enable this, check the "No warnings when flying course" box in the warning options window.
Obstruction Warnings
Obstruction warnings are displayed when your trajectory, both horizontal and vertical, would take you within predefined limits of a fixed ground-based obstacle such as an antenna. An onscreen warning is accompanied by an audible alert. In the figure on the right, the aircraft is clearly at risk from the large antenna ahead of it.
When a warning is shown, it will stay onscreen until either it is dismissed or it is no longer applicable. The warning contains the type of obstruction, its distance ahead and advistory action to climb clear of it. Further information can be displayed by touching the question mark, and the warning can be dismissed by touching the cross. Once dismissed, no further warnings about the obstruction will be displayed for five minutes.
Off-Course Warnings
If you should drift off your planned route by more than 3 nautical miles, a warning is displayed until it is either dismissed or your course is adjusted such that you are again converging on your next waypoint. In the figure on the right, the aircraft has clearly diverged from its course towards Bishops Lydeard and a warning has therefore appeared onscreen. The course correction indicator is also advising a turn to the right of 40 degrees.
Off-Course warnings can be dismissed and, like the other types of warning, will not appear for five minutes after dismissal.
Airspace Notifications
Not to be confused with warnings, a notification is displayed whenever you enter or exit a piece of airspace. This is handy when ATC have asked you to advise them when you have entered or exited a zone.
When the aircraft is inside a piece of airspace, both laterally and vertically, a thick white highlight is drawn on top of the airspace border until you are no longer inside the airspace.
Extended Runway Centrelines
As you approach an airfield that is part of your planned route, all its extended runway centrelines are drawn on the main map so that you can align yourself early if you wish to. The centreline that most closely aligns with your position is highlighted and this will update automatically as you fly around the airfield.
When you are lined up along an extended centreline and flying towards the runway threshold, you will see the instruments change to reflect that you are on approach. If you are using instruments view the HSI will change into ILS mode.
