New iPhone App Aims to Calm Travel Fears

Smart phone takeing pictrues on the plane

SkyGuru displays real-time flight data for nervous flyers, even without data connections

Nervous flyers who worry every time they have to board a flight may have a new tool to calm their in-flight nerves. Taktik Labs, a new software company lead by a licensed commercial pilot, recently debuted their new app that provides real-time data to flyers’ iPhones with the goal of bringing a little calm to every passenger.

Titled SkyGuru, the smartphone app is available today on iPhone and is expected to launch for Android phones by the end of the year. Flyers use the app every time they board their aircraft by plugging in their flight number. From there, the app will gather the most up-to-date data about the flight and the route, including weather information and a real-time turbulence forecast to prepare for rough skies.

In addition, SkyGuru also provides an explanation of how the aircraft operates from start to finish. Using the sensors on the phone, the app can detect unfamiliar sounds and motions and provide explanations to the sensations flyers may get nervous about as they travel. Developers say the secret to the app’s mechanics lie in how data is downloaded prior to flight, paired with maximizing all the functionality of iPhone sensors.

“All the necessary information about your flight gets uploaded to your device: weather forecast, route maps, your flight history, and a lot more,” the developers write in the FAQ section of their website. “The iPhone sensors help identify what is happening at every stage and SkyGuru is commenting on every process during the entire flight.”

While the app is available for a fee on the App Store, developers are working on alternative models as well. Additional options planned for future flights include a pay-per-flight option.

[Photo: WIKIMEDIA COMMONS]