Discontinuing the Straight-In EFB: Doubling Down on GA Kneeboard
In June, we introduced Straight-In as an experimental, distraction-free Electronic Flight Bag (EFB) for recreational pilots. Our premise was simple: eliminate nested menus and unnecessary complexity, giving pilots immediate access to geolocated charts, airport plates, and quick-action checklists.
Following three months of alpha testing and candid feedback from our initial group of pilot experimenters, we have made the decision to discontinue the development of Straight-In.
Why We Are Discontinuing the Project
Building safety-critical aviation software requires disciplined prioritization. Several key factors guided this decision:
- Adoption and Cockpit Retention: While early testers commended the clean layout and one-handed checklist runners, regular cockpit utilization among our first adopters remained low. An in-flight navigation app demands deep daily use, persistent trust, and active engagement to justify the rigorous maintenance cycles required for flight software.
- The Strength of the Hybrid Workflow: Feedback from our pilot community consistently highlighted that most aviators already rely on mature navigation platforms (such as ForeFlight or Garmin Pilot) for moving maps and en-route planning. In contrast, they turn to GA Kneeboard for structured briefing, critical flight phases, and quick-reference data. Straight-In sat between these two workflows without offering a clear operational reason to displace a primary EFB.
- Engineering Focus: Maintaining an independent EFB—including continuous chart data cycles, georeferenced plate rendering, and device compatibility—requires substantial development resources. Splitting our attention between two distinct platforms slowed our ability to deliver high-impact features to our core GA Kneeboard user base.
What This Means for Alpha Testers
- TestFlight Expiration: Current Straight-In alpha builds will remain active on TestFlight until their standard build expiration dates. No further updates or test builds will be released.
- Checklists and Notes: If you created custom checklists or procedures within Straight-In, you can recreate and manage them directly in GA Kneeboard’s checklist editor.
- Support Inquiries: If you have questions regarding your account or alpha access, you can reach out directly to
support@aviatesoftware.aero.
Bringing Cockpit Lessons Back to GA Kneeboard
The time spent designing and flight-testing Straight-In directly benefited our core platform:
- Compact Weather & ATIS Blocks: The responsive weather layouts designed for Straight-In helped shape the modular ATIS and METAR blocks recently released in GA Kneeboard’s dual-column layouts.
- Checklist Usability: Flight-testing one-handed checklist interactions provided practical insights that will continue to inform future enhancements to GA Kneeboard’s checklist engine.
- Streamlined UI Controls: Rapid inline airport searches, collapsible settings panels, and clutter-free typography all evolved from usability lessons learned during Straight-In flight evaluations.
Thank You to Our Alpha Experimenters
To the pilots who installed early builds, flew with Straight-In in the cockpit, and shared detailed, unvarnished critiques: thank you. Honest feedback—especially when it demonstrates that a concept is not finding product-market fit—is invaluable. It allows us to fail fast, learn quickly, and invest our energy where it delivers the most value to pilots.
Our full development effort is now focused on GA Kneeboard, expanding layout flexibility, and delivering the most dependable hybrid cockpit briefing tools possible.
