does the app foreflight need 4G?

If I'm looking at the correct app (this one ?), then the requirements on the left-hand side of its description page say :

Requirements: Compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad.Requires iOS 4.0 or later.

In which case it can work on any iPad, the iPad just needs to have version 4.0+ of iOS (i.e. its operating system), which both the iPad 2 and the new iPad will have.

I haven't looked at the app in detail, but if it needs GPS then you will need either the 3G iPad 2 or the 4G new iPad - the wifi-only models don't have a built-in GPS chip.

ForeFlight does not require 4G (or any cellular connection).

The application benefits from having a GPS receiver, which is only available in the iPads that -DO- have cellular radios, but it is not required.

Unless you know for sure that your husband has another source for a GPS signal for ForeFlight (such as via the new Sporty's Stratus ADS-B weather receiver), I would buy an iPad with a cellular radio. It does not require that you activate the cellular radio, so you don't need to activate it with a carrier.

John

Anyone here have a thought about the GNS 5870 MFI gps device?