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AUSTIN, TX- July 23- Jeppesen ForeFlight today announced a landmark collaboration with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to develop Mobile Clearance, a groundbreaking new technology that will connect pilots with air traffic controllers directly via the ForeFlight Mobile app to manage their IFR flight plans without the need for error-prone radio calls and congested phone lines, streamlining pilot-controller communication and reducing workload on both sides.
This new capability will be demonstrated at the Jeppesen ForeFlight Booth (443–445) during EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2026. Pilots departing from Appleton International Airport (ATW) throughout the show will also have the opportunity to use the feature to receive their departure clearances.
A New Paradigm in Pilot-Controller Communication
Currently live at a growing number of airports in Texas, with expansions into other states planned for the near future, the Mobile Clearance system will introduce a suite of digital capabilities intended to replace certain legacy voice-based procedures at a number of towered U.S. airports. Key features include:
- Streamlined IFR Departure Clearances: Pilots can request and receive their IFR departure clearances digitally through ForeFlight, eliminating the need to manually transcribe and read back long clearances. The system supports amended and revised clearances issued by ATC directly to the pilot’s iPad or iPhone, with prominent notifications within ForeFlight ensuring pilots can quickly respond to accept or reject each clearance.
- Mobile Flight Plan Closure (Coming Soon): A separate capability planned for rollout soon will allow pilots to close their IFR flight plans within ForeFlight upon arrival at uncontrolled fields, addressing safety concerns where pilots may risk premature in-air cancellations of their IFR flight plans to avoid busy ATC phone lines after landing.
Innovation Through Collaboration
This groundbreaking technology is the result of a hand-in-hand partnership between Jeppesen ForeFlight and the FAA.
"We are proud to assist the FAA in using innovative technology to address the challenges facing today’s air traffic control system," said Travis Root, Senior Vice President of Flight Deck Products. "By unclogging communication lines and easing pilot and controller workload, we’re building a safer and more efficient future for aviation together. Throughout this development process, the FAA has been exceptionally engaged partners, working closely with us to conceptualize, implement, and refine the system to meet the demands of a modern airspace."
Jeppesen ForeFlight also extends its gratitude to United Flight Systems, a flight school based at David Wayne Hooks Memorial airport (KDWH) in Houston, TX, which graciously provided essential support to the program by allowing staff to test and validate the system in real-world conditions.
About Jeppesen ForeFlight
Jeppesen ForeFlight provides the data, software, and insights that power every segment of aviation. Pilots, operators, and flight crews trust us to plan, navigate, monitor, and optimize more than 60 million commercial, military, business, and general aviation flights each year. Our platforms support crew, fleet, and flight planning; network and operations management; and flight deck solutions. Our navigation data remains the global standard. From inventing paper charts a century ago to leading today’s AI-enabled era, we deliver deep domain expertise with unmatched insights as the platform for the aviation industry.
Media Contact:
Kayla Kohler
kfloyd@foreflight.com
920-410-3661
