GlidePort runs best in WebKit-based browsers such as Chrome (prefered) or Safari. Alternatively you can use Mozilla/Firefox (it works but not as well). Microsoft Explorer is not supported. GlidePort does not run on mobile devices currently.
GlidePort is available freely and publicly for personal use. See Terms of Use for details. For more information about GlidePort, including the latest software development news, see the blog.
To get started with GlidePort, go to glideport.aero and register. When you submit your registration information you will receive an activation email. Click the link in the email to complete the registration process. If you don't receive the registration email, check your spam folder.
Once you register, go into the various settings pages to provide additional profile information as desired, configure your tracking device by entering SPOT or inReach MapShare URL, and specify your gliding club association. Go to the World Map page to see flight tracks world-wide and navigate to the glideport of your interest.
The GlidePort map page user interface is organized hierarchically. The top level World view (1) shows the countries in the world that have active tracks (pilots flying). The next level down is the country view (2) which shows glideports in that country which have active tracks. Next level down, the glideport view (3) shows tracks of pilots flying from that glideport and optionally, turnpoints associated with the glideport. Finally, if there is a contest out of a glideport, the contest view (4) shows general contest information, day task and tracks for each of the contest classes, and the official turnpoint list. Views (3) and (4) normally have a tab control which allows you to select the type of information that is being displayed.
On the bottom of the map page is the timeline control which allows you to change day that is being shown. When at the glideport or contest view level, the timeline allows you to jump to a specific time of day, or scrub through time and thus animate glider tracks.
Left column shows a list of countries, glideports, tracks, contests, turnpoints, etc.
| [Back button] | Go one level up. |
| Double-click on the column title | Zoom map so that all objects (countries, glideports, turnpoints and/or tracks) at the current view level are visible on the map. |
| [Hide Inactive] / [Show All] button | Toggles between showing all objects (countries, glideports or tracks), including inactive, or only showing active objects. |
| Sort buttons | Changes the sort order of objects in the left column. |
| Filter field | Filters to objects that match the search criteria; this is usefull when there is a long list displayed in the left column. |
| [Update Now] button | Forces immediate fetch of new data from the server. |
Vertical tab bar allows you to switch between different types of information that can be displayed at the current view level. The glideport view (3) lets you switch between general info, track list, and turnpoint list subview. The contest view (4) lets you switch between general contest info, contest class subview (includes day task and class tracks), and official turnpoint list subview.
| Click on the tab checkbox | Shows / hides the information in the tab on the map. |
| Click on the contest class radio tab | Shows task and tracks for the pilots in that contest class on the map. |
World view shows list of countries.
Left column
| Hover over a country | Highlight country on the map. |
| Click on a country | Center map on that country. |
| Double-click on a country, or click the right arrow | Down a level: show glideports in the country. |
Map
| Hover over a country flag | Highlight the country and display country info. |
| Double-click on a country flag | Down a level: show glideports in the country. |
Country view shows list of glideports in a country.
Left column
| Hover over a glideport | Highlight glideport on the map. |
| Click on a glideport | Center map on that glideport. |
| Double-click on a glideport, or click the right arrow | Down a level, show glideport view: glideport information, tracks for the glideport, turnpoints. |
Map
| Hover over a glideport | Highlight the glideport and display glideport info. |
| Double-click on a glideport | Down a level: show glideport view. |
GlidePort view shows general glideport info, flight tracks originating from the glideport, and turnpoint lists using the tabbed interface.
| Double-click on a contest, or click the right arrow | Down a level, show contest view: contest information, tracks by contest class, turnpoints. |
Contest view shows general contest info, contest classes (includes day task and pilot tracks), and turnpoint lists using the tabbed interface.
Track (sub)view shows live or historical flight tracks. Active tracks show time of the most recent GPS fix, the most recent text message, and calculated distance and speed. Note that distance and speed are calculated based on fix-to-fix track distances. This can be quite innacurate since SPOT fix intervals are large (10 min).
Left column
| Hover over / touch a track item | Highlights the track on the map. |
| Click / tap on a track item | Selects the track. When new position fixes are received for the selected track, the map will be recentered to ensure that the new fix is visible. |
| Hover over / touch a contest number | Shows pilot detail info. (N/A on mobile phones.) |
| Double-click / tap on a contest number | Zooms map so that the whole track is shown. |
| Click / tap on the last message time | Pans map so that the last fix is visible. |
Map
| Hover over a track fix | Highlights the track and displays the fix information: time, location, altitude (if available) and text message. Fixes that have a message are drawn as bigger solid dots. (N/A on mobile devices.) |
| Hover over a track | Highlights the track. (N/A on mobile devices.) |
| Click / tap on a track badge or track path | Selects the track. |
| Double-click/tap on a track badge or track path | Zooms map so that the whole track is shown. |
Turnpoint (sub)view shows list of the turnpoints.
Left column
| Double-click turnpoint list name | Zooms map so that all turnpoints are shown. |
| Download button | Download the turnpoint list to your computer in CAI .dat format. |
| Hover over / touch a turnpoint | Highlight turnpoint on the map. |
| Click on a turnpoint | Center turnpoint on the map. |
| Double-click / tap on a turnpoint | Zoom in / out map on the turnpoint. |
Map
| Hover over / click / touch a turnpoint | Highlight turnpoint in the list. |
| Double-click / tap on a turnpoint | Zoom in / out map on the turnpoint. |
Map shows countries, glideports, turnpoints, tasks and tracks.
| Standard Google map control actions | Switching map type, zooming in/out, panning around, etc., works as usual. |
| Right-click on the map | Distance measurement tool. The first click puts marker 1, the second click puts marker 2, then you can drag markers. The third click removes both markers. (N/A on mobile devices.) |
Timeline scrub through time.
| Click left arrow | Jump one day back |
| Click right arrow | Jump one day forward |
| Alt-click right arrow | Jump to today. |
| Click on the timeline (glideport view) | Click to jump to specific time. |
| Drag time cursor (glideport view) | Animate progress during the day. |
| Click close on time indicator | Time indicator is only visible after clicking or dragging timeline. Closing time indicator shows the latest data. |
Copyright © 2012-13 TipTop Software, Inc., All Rights Reserved.