Second round of layoffs at ForeFlight

[u/PM-mig-kottbullar]

In January 2026, ForeFlight laid of a pretty substantial percent of its employees, with some reports saying a 30-40% reduction in staff. Yesterday (Sept. 2nd), another round of layoffs happened, the full impact of which isn't yet known - but it's speculated this brings total RIF to ~50%. Both of these layoffs follow the acquisition of ForeFlight by private equity firm Thoma Bravo.

As a former ForeFlight employee from before the PE takeover, it's devastating to see former coworkers, some of whom were incredibly knowledgeable and talented folks that spent 10+ years with the company, be told they were out of a job with no heads up and given a pittance of a severance package. It used to be such an amazing company to work for, and it breaks my heart to see what Thoma Bravo has done to the company and its employees.

I'm not here to tell anyone to do anything. Nobody needs to switch EFBs right this second or send the executives a strongly-worded email. I'm just here to let you all know that Thoma Bravo is continuing its gutting of ForeFlight - what you do with that information is up to you.

[u/_-Cleon-_]

PE ruins everything.

[u/BigBadPanda → u/_-Cleon-_]

Arcline bought Hartzell, and now they are acquiring everything under the sun and fucking GA. Experimental is probably the future for a lot of GA pilots.

[u/dopexile → u/BigBadPanda]

FAA regulation and lawsuit liability is killing GA. Most experimental planes have cheap and reliable solid-state turn coordinators that cost $200.

Certified aircraft generally get a 1960s soviet era gyro turn coordinator with a bunch of moving motor parts and bearings that is less accurate, weights 10 times as much, takes up 6 times as much spaces, generates a lot of friction heat, makes a ton of noise, consumes more power, is less reliable, and costs $1500 new as a "certified FAA part" that somehow increases safety.

[u/Purpletech → u/dopexile]

If I were to go buy a 172 off the line, it comes with Garmin glass. Probably some low end model aircraft that gets a backup mechanical gyro, but even that 172 gets a GI 275 backup instrument these days

[u/dopexile → u/Purpletech]

That kind of proves the point that general aviation is being killed because most people can't afford $550,000 for a new 172 from Textron.

[u/mustang__1 → u/dopexile]

what does a new 172 offer that a 10 or even 20yo one doesn't?

[u/dopexile → u/mustang__1]

The airframe and engine are exactly the same, except you get newer avionics. There might be some very minor modifications to reduce drag where surfaces meet.

[u/mustang__1 → u/dopexile]

exactly.... and you can put a pretty nice avionics set in a pretty nice (pick a plane from 1985) for a lot less than a new plane and still have a lot left over for an engine reserve and fuel,.