FAA charts & navigation
VFR sectional and IFR low/high charts, airports, navaids, fixes, and VFR waypoints.
Free and Open-Source EFB.
On Any Device.
ZLayer is an electronic flight bag for phones, tablets, and computers. Use it in your browser or install it as a progressive web app.
Features
Route planning
Plan with airports, fixes, and airways. Find preferred and TEC routes, preview procedures, and save routes.
Aviation weather
METARs, TAFs, radar, advisories, winds aloft, surface analysis and forecasts, and cloud and icing guidance.
Plates, NOTAMs & TFRs
Approach plates, airport diagrams, Chart Supplements, airport and procedure NOTAMs, and graphical TFRs.
Terrain & map tools
Route contours, FAA obstructions, glide range estimates, experimental landing-area hints, distance measurements, and device GPS position.
Offline downloads
Save charts, navigation data, TPP documents, terrain, and available glide hints by supported U.S. state or territory.
Get Started
Open the app
Go to zlayer.tedyin.com, search for an airport, or enter a route.
Install
On iPhone or iPad: Safari → Share → Add to Home Screen. On Android: Chrome → Install app or Add to Home Screen. Desktop users can use a browser tab.
Download for offline use
Open Settings → Offline on each device. On iOS, download inside the installed app. Wait for your regions to show Saved, then check charts and plates with the network disconnected.
FAQ
Is ZLayer free?
Yes. Free forever, with no account or subscription. The original code and documentation are licensed under AGPL-3.0-only. External data retains its source terms.
Which devices and browsers does it support?
ZLayer runs in modern desktop browsers, Chrome on Android, and Safari on iOS/iPadOS 18+. On Android, iPhone, and iPad, install it from the browser to your home screen as a progressive web app (PWA). It opens in its own window like a native app, with all ZLayer features, including offline downloads.
The map requires WebGL2; offline downloads need enough device storage. GPS support varies by browser and device.
Does it sync my routes between devices?
There is no account-based cloud sync. Copy route text between devices; routes, settings, and downloads are stored locally.
What is available offline?
Regional downloads in Settings → Offline include:
- Charts: VFR sectionals, TACs and flyway charts, plus IFR low/high enroute charts.
- Terminal Procedures Publication (TPP) and airport documents: IAPs, SIDs, STARs, ODPs, airport diagrams, takeoff/alternate/radar minimums, diverse vector areas, hot spots, LAHSO pages, and Chart Supplements.
- Navigation and routes: airports, runways, navaids, fixes, VFR waypoints, and airways, plus preferred/TEC routes, procedure previews, and historical routes where published.
- Terrain: available elevation data for contours, shading, and glide range estimates.
- Glide hints: experimental off-airport landing-area details and coverage overviews where published.
Weather, NOTAMs, and obstructions are cached separately, not included in regional downloads. Saved reports may remain readable; fresh updates need a connection. Satellite imagery is not included. Wait for regions to show Saved and check your data before going offline.
Where does the data come from?
- FAA: charts, navigation data, terminal procedures, Chart Supplements, and obstructions. Airport, navaid, and procedure NOTAMs come through the FAA NMS API; graphical TFRs use the FAA TFR feed.
- Weather: NOAA’s Aviation Weather Center and Weather Prediction Center, NOAA forecast and radar products, and FAA terminal radar.
- Terrain: USGS elevation data, with Mapzen terrain tiles as a fallback.
Charts and procedures focus on the U.S. and its territories. Weather, terrain, and glide-hint coverage vary by product and location. Source dates and availability are shown in the app.
Can it replace an official briefing or file a flight plan?
No. ZLayer does not provide official briefings, flight-plan filing, fuel or aircraft-performance calculations, or terrain-clearance assurance. AHRS is experimental and has not been validated in flight. Glide hints do not confirm that an area is safe to land.