# Hot Air — Pilot Logbook +Flight Tracking

> Hot air balloon pilot logbook and flight tracking companion. (iPhone/iPad app by Cato Technologies LLC.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hot-air/id353321502 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Cato Technologies LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1725441929)
- Category: Navigation, Utilities
- Price: $9.99 with in-app purchases
- Rating: 4.90/5 from 577 App Store ratings · 90 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 15.5 · 128 MB
- Languages: American English
- Released: 2010-02-03
- Data updated: 2026-09-08
- Monetization: free with in-app purchases
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hot-air/id353321502/reviews.md

## What is Hot Air?

Hot Air is a complete balloon flight companion, built by balloon pilots for balloon pilots. From preflight planning to postflight review, it delivers live tracking, flight recording, waypoint navigation, wind profiling, and more — all designed specifically for the unique needs of hot air ballooning.

Whether you’re a student pilot, a commercial operator, or flying for fun, Hot Air helps you stay organized, informed, and connected.

Features include:
	•	Live tracking on street or satellite maps
	•	Wind profiling by altitude during climb and descent
	•	Waypoint navigation with bearing, distance, and estimated time
	•	Automatic flight recording with 3D export support
	•	Custom map overlays (KML/KMZ)
	•	Offline-capable with map caching
	•	Real-time flight sharing with crew or friends
	•	Detailed flight logs for crew, passengers, propane, and temperature
	•	Flight summaries and totals for logs or checkrides
	•	Interactive map history of takeoffs and landings
	•	Export to HTML, KML, or GPX
	•	Payload calculator for accurate weight and balance
	•	Integrated weather data and forecasts
	•	Improved UTM 4x4 waypoint format support

Additional features:
	•	Real-time heading projection
	•	Built-in data backup and restore
	•	Localized in English, French, Czech, and Slovak
	•	Fully optimized for iPhone and iPad (portrait and landscape)

Note: Continued use of GPS can reduce battery life. Use an external battery for longer flights.

## Key features

- Live tracking on maps
- Wind profiling by altitude
- Waypoint navigation
- Automatic flight recording
- Custom map overlays
- Offline map caching
- Real-time flight sharing

## Pricing and in-app purchases

Base price: $9.99.

**Subscriptions**

| Subscription | Price | Period |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro | $3.99 | per month |
| Pro | $24.99 | per year |
| Offline Maps | $2.99 | per year |

**One-time purchases**

| Purchase | Price | Type |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Offline Map Subscription | $2.99 | one-time |


## Chart rankings

- #94 in Top Paid · Navigation (US App Store)

## What do users think of Hot Air?

Overall sentiment: positive

**Pros**

- 🚀 Excellent navigation and flight tracking
- 👍 Helpful for pilots and chase crews
- 🎨 Useful map overlays and data visualization
- 📚 Comprehensive flight logging and record-keeping
- 🤝 Positive interactions with developer

**Cons**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes and freezing issues
- 🔌 Compatibility problems with newer iOS versions
- 🔍 Difficulty uploading custom map data
- 🔗 Glympse integration not working for some users

**Commonly reported bugs**

- App crashing after latest update
- Freezing when switching to camera
- Flight tracking not syncing to logbook

**Most requested features**

- Option to disable Glympse sharing
- Ability to switch between mph and knots
- More customization options for overlays and pins
- Flight data sync between iPhone and iPad
- Playback capability for past flights

## Recent user reviews (10 of 90)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hot-air/id353321502/reviews.md

### 5/5 — Best thing in the basket!

*2026-04-18*

I have been using the app since its inception.  It goes above and beyond my expectations!  Love all the extra features and the excellent support!

### 5/5 — A must have tool for every LTA pilot!

*2026-04-16*

The Hot Air App was the first app developed specifically to meet the needs of LTA pilots! The suite of tools included for flight planning, tracking, and logging is exceptional.

Several years ago, the Hot Air app quickly became one of my must-have flight tools, but the recent addition of airspace maps, “AirTalk” (for communication) and “AirScout” (for drone detection) further the commitment to ensuring flight safety.

### 5/5 — 良いねー

*2025-12-30*

良いねー

### 5/5 — Great work

*2025-07-07*

Hands down best app that covers everything from weather to crew.

### 5/5 — Excellent App, caring developer is a pilot too

*2025-07-06*

This is very well done by a pilot with a great attention to detail that shows throughout the app.  I’m a Commercial pilot flying in a heavily forested area with tight landing spots, and the “projected path” is a great feature.  Join the Hot Air Facebook group for great information and tips.

### 5/5 — Отличное приложение

*2025-01-19*

Отличное приложение для пилотов, аналогов для iPhone очень очень мало, а те что есть уже давно отсутствуют в App Store

### 3/5 — Version française ?

*2024-06-09*

Version française ?

### 5/5 — Love it but…

*2024-06-02*

Please make it an option not to send a Glympse! It’s not necessary and a waste of time to some of us. Other than that, it’s great and I use it for every flight.

**Developer response:** Under Real-Time Settings you are able to turn off the Glympse feature.

### 5/5 — AppleWatch

*2024-05-26*

Please can you tell me why this app no longer works on my Apple watch 6 ? I have the Apple 14 max pro phone

### 4/5 — Needs IPadOS 16 update

*2022-11-10*

I have been using this app for many years, both privately and commercially and it works great, up until I updated my iPad to IOS16, since then, it keeps freezing mid flight.
Another very useful suggestion would be to enable different colour Overlay pins.
Great work though, really appreciate all your hard work. 👍
(Using iPad Pro M1 11inch 2021 Cellular)

## Frequently asked questions about Hot Air

### What does the Hot Air app do?

Hot Air is designed as a complete flight companion for hot air balloon pilots. It provides tools for pre-flight planning, live flight tracking, recording flight data, waypoint navigation, and post-flight analysis. The app aims to keep pilots organized, informed, and connected during their flights.

### What are the key features of Hot Air?

Key features include live tracking on street or satellite maps, wind profiling by altitude, waypoint navigation with bearing and distance, automatic flight recording with 3D export, custom map overlays, offline map caching, and real-time flight sharing. It also offers detailed flight logs, summaries, payload calculations, and integrated weather data.

### Is Hot Air free to use?

The application is free to download and use, but it offers in-app purchases for additional functionality or content. This freemium model allows users to try core features before committing to any purchases.

### What devices is Hot Air compatible with?

The app is fully optimized for both iPhone and iPad, supporting both portrait and landscape orientations. It is designed to be a comprehensive tool for pilots using Apple mobile devices.

### How can Hot Air help with flight planning and execution?

Hot Air assists with flight planning by providing integrated weather data, forecasts, and a payload calculator for weight and balance. During flight, it offers waypoint navigation, live tracking, and wind profiling. Post-flight, it provides detailed logs and summaries for review and record-keeping.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 15.15 — 2026-08-28

Stability issues on the Real-Time Flight Tracking.

### 15.14 — 2026-08-16

General stability and performance fixes

### 15.13 — 2026-08-09

Measure → Wind drift — scrub altitude on the path; heading, altitude, and speed match your instrument units  

Wind without a competition — project from the green target under the measure tool with Live HRRR or an imported wind file 
 
Denser wind layers  — 250 / 500 ft steps when planning

### 15.12 — 2026-08-04

Hot Air 15.12 is here. This update adds training tools, the first public beta of AirHub, new competition and weather features, and many app-wide improvements.

**Training**
- Full training module for pilots and instructors  
- BFR workflows and instructor signatures  
- BFA Pilot Logbook endorsement PDFs  
- Training notes and endorsements  

**AirHub (public beta)**  
Cloud sync and new web tools for your logbook and crew:
- Flight log sync, maps, summaries, and printable logbooks  
- Reports, students/endorsements, crew roster, and scheduling  
- Digital waivers, crew tracking, and 3D flight replay (with your branding)  

**Competition & weather (public beta)**
- Import task sheets from PDF or photo (AI-assisted)  
- Goals, MMA, and min-launch distance extracted for you  
- HRRR planning, METAR, and launch planning tools  
- Better competition waypoints  

**Maps & app**
- Light, dark, and auto map styles and app themes  
- Updated LTAPZMAP layers and flat KML export  
- Cleaner Settings, better barometric altitude modes  
- More reliable Real-Time startup and auto-recording  
- AirTalk sync fixes, system share sheet, and performance/bug fixes  
- Pilot currency now uses 3 landings (not flights)  

AirHub and the  competition/weather tools are in public beta and will keep improving.

### 15.11 — 2026-06-06

NEW: LTAPZMAP overlay (Pro) — FAA obstacles, power lines, protected
  lands, prison boundaries, and community waypoints live on the
  real-time map.

  NEW: Long-press the live map → "Look up parcel" for US parcel owner,
  address, and acres.

  NEW: "Navigate" button on airfield info sheets, plus a flat-track
  KML export tagged with your aircraft ID.


Fixes:
• Saved waypoints render at every zoom level.
• Tapping the head of a Mapbox waypoint pin now registers.
• Wind altitude in meters persists typed values exactly instead of
  rounding through feet.
• Clearer prompt when "Always" location permission is required to
  start tracking.

## Apps similar to Hot Air

| App | Rating | Price | Category |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [GA Flight Tracker](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ga-flight-tracker/id1319102682) | 5.0 (4) | Free | Navigation |
| [SkyCharts XC EFB](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/skycharts-xc-efb/id598750261) | 5.0 (1) | Free | Navigation |
| [Balloon Map Chaser](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/balloon-map-chaser/id447322243) | 5.0 (1) | Free | Navigation |
| [Glympse -Share your location](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/glympse-share-your-location/id330316698) | 4.8 (48,947) | Free | Navigation |
| [FlyOn Pilot](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/flyon-pilot/id6743952325) | — | $19.99 | Navigation |
| [SeeYou Navigator](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/seeyou-navigator/id1485383554) | 4.1 (27) | Free | Navigation |

## More apps by Cato Technologies LLC

- [Flight Waiver](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/flight-waiver/id1569198598)
- [Hot Air Crew](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hot-air-crew/id6478820054)
- [ICS NOW](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ics-now/id6749330025)
- [5NN Mobile](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/5nn-mobile/id6774838394)

All apps by Cato Technologies LLC: https://appshunter.io/developer/1725441929

---

*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-09-08.*