BYOP

ForeFlight allows you to use your own PDF procedure diagrams in the app via the "Bring Your Own Procedures" (BYOP) process. BYOP files can be directly imported in a standalone compressed "Procedures.zip" file (as detailed below) or can be imported via a Content Pack.

Standalone BYOP "Procedures.zip" files can only be imported to the device via wired connection, using Finder (MacOS Catalina 10.15 or later) or iTunes (MacOS Mojave 10.14 or earlier).

To import BYOP files directly to the iPad without using Finder/iTunes (eg: via AirDrop from a Mac, or email, web download, etc...) place a "byop" folder containing the uncompressed PDF files into a Content Pack.

Step 1: Name your PDF files with the following format

Copy all of your PDF files to an empty directory and rename your files to one of the following formats:

AirportCode_ProcedureName.pdf
AirportCode_CategoryName_ProcedureName.pdf

Examples:

KRDU_Raleigh Seven.pdf
KRDU_MyPlate.pdf
KRDU_Departure_Raleigh Seven.pdf
KSFO_Arrival_Big Sur Two.pdf
KHOU_Special Ops_NVG Approach.pdf
KCLL_Taxi_Airport Diagram.pdf
KJFK_My Procedures_MyPlate.pdf

If the files do not match this format exactly, ForeFlight cannot recognize them and they will not show up inside the app. The airport code (FAA, ICAO, or IATA) is required, and is always followed by an underscore. This is followed by an optional category name (e.g. Departure, Arrival, Custom), then by the name of the procedure. Filenames can contain spaces and other special characters. The file must have a .pdf extension, or it will not be recognized by the app.

For Taxi Diagrams, you can implement the airport view "Taxiways" button within ForeFlight mobile by using the word "Taxi" as the category name. For example, the KCLL Airport Diagram should be named KCLL_Taxi_Airport Diagram.pdf in order to map the "Taxiways" button to the procedure.

 

Step 2: Create your Procedures.zip file

Create a file named Procedures.zip containing your PDF files. All of the PDFs should be in the root of the ZIP file, without any directories or folders included.

IMPORTANT: DO NOT place the PDF files in a folder named "Procedures" before compressing into a ZIP file.

If you are using a Mac, select all of your PDF files inside Finder, right click, and select "Compress X Items" from the pop-up menu. This will create a file named Archive.zip. Then rename the Archive.zip file to Procedures.zip

If you are using a PC, use a program like WinZip for making the ZIP file. Make sure to rename it Procedures.zip

Step 3: Connect your device to your computer

Plug your iPad or iPhone into your computer via the Apple USB cord.

Macs running MacOS Catalina (10.15) or later that no longer have iTunes:

Step 4: Click on your iPad or iPhone in the Finder sidebar, then click Files

NOTE: If your iPad or iPhone do not appear, open Finder Preferences: Sidebar, and click the box "CDs, DVDs, and iOS Devices":

Step 5: Drag & Drop the procedures.zip file onto the ForeFlight icon:

Step 6: Click the "Sync" button in the lower-right corner.

Then proceed to Step 7: Launch ForeFlight below.

Macs running MacOS Mojave (10.14) and earlier that have iTunes, or PCs with iTunes:

Step 4: Open iTunes, navigate to your device in iTunes

Inside iTunes, click the "connected device" icon near the top left of the iTunes window.

If you don't see the connected device icon, make sure it is plugged in properly. Try disconnecting the USB cable from both your device and the computer, and then and plugging it in again.

Step 5: Click on the 'File Sharing' category for your device

Inside the window for your device, click on the 'File Sharing' tab at the left. It should show all of the apps you have installed on your device. Then click on 'ForeFlight' under the 'Apps' category.

Step 6: Drag your zip file into iTunes

After clicking on 'ForeFlight' on the right, you will see a listing of 'ForeFlight Documents' on the right. If this is the first time you've added procedures to the app, this listing will be empty.

Drag the Procedures.zip file that you created in Step 2 and drop it onto the 'ForeFlight Documents' table on the right. While the file is copying over to your device, and you will see a brief 'Sync in Progress' message on your device. Then click the blue 'Done' button.

Step 7: Launch ForeFlight

After the copying has completed, launch ForeFlight on your iPad or iPhone. The new procedures will show up automatically in the airports you specified in the file names. If you were running ForeFlight and viewing an airport while the files copied over, you will need to view a different airport inside the app before you can see the new files.

If you specified a category in the procedure file name, it will show up in that category (example: "Approach" in the screenshot below). If you did not specify a category in the file name, the procedure will show up in the "Other" category for that airport. Whichever category they are in, BYOP procedures are listed under a separate "Bring Your Own Procedure" header to distinguish them from procedures downloaded natively through the app.