Support
Stuck? Most things are answered below. Anything else, write to chickendotdev@gmail.com and say which iPhone you have.
Getting started
- Go outside, or to a window with a good view of the sky. Aircraft need to be within about 25 miles.
- Allow location and camera when asked. Location finds the aircraft near you; the camera shows the sky so you can aim.
- Hold the phone up and turn until the yellow arrows bring an aircraft into view. Put it in the circle, tap Keep it!, and hold steady until the ring fills.
Common questions
The markers sit beside the real aircraft, not on them
Phone compasses are often a few degrees off. Open the app's Settings and slide Compass nudge until the markers line up. Moving the phone in a figure of eight for a few seconds also recalibrates the compass. Metal roofs, cars and magnets throw it off.
It says "Finding where you are" and nothing appears
Check Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services on your iPhone: the app needs location While Using the App. Indoors, location can take a minute. If the sky really is empty near you, the app says so.
I can see a plane but the app doesn't show it
Positions come from a network of volunteer receivers. Most airliners broadcast their position and are picked up; some small planes, old aircraft and military flights don't broadcast, or no receiver nearby hears them. Rural areas have gaps. Very high aircraft on the horizon may be beyond the range the app searches.
What do "Not broadcast" and "Route not confirmed" mean?
Not broadcast: the aircraft didn't send a callsign, or no database knows it, so there's no airline or route to show. Private and military aircraft mostly land here. Route not confirmed: a route was found but the aircraft can't actually be flying it from where it is (a flight from Boston to Denver doesn't pass over San Francisco), so the app doesn't count it. Route databases get mixed up now and then.
Can I catch without holding the phone up?
Yes. In the app's Settings turn on Catch without aiming. It lists the aircraft close and high enough to see with your own eyes, and keeping one is a tap. It's meant for people who can't hold a phone up, and it doesn't include aircraft you couldn't see.
Why did I only get a stamp and no celebration?
Catching a type you already have is worth a little, not a lot. Catch a type 5 times and its card turns Silver; 15 times, Gold. New types, rare aircraft, special paint schemes, level-ups and patches get the full fanfare.
Ads: how do I remove them, or get my purchase back on a new phone?
Settings > Remove ads is a one-time purchase, no subscription. On a new phone, or after reinstalling, tap Restore purchase on the same page. The purchase is asked for behind a grown-up question.
I saw an ad that doesn't belong in a family app
Tap Report this ad, just above the ad, and send the email it prepares; or write to chickendotdev@gmail.com, with a screenshot if you can. Ads are set to show only general-audience content; if one gets through, we report it to the ad provider and block it.
How do I delete my data?
Everything the app knows lives on your phone: your catches, albums, settings and sighting pictures. Delete the app and it's all gone. Nothing is kept anywhere else. See the privacy policy.
Can I use it on an iPad or an Android phone?
Not yet. It's for iPhone, running iOS 17 or later.
Contact
chickendotdev@gmail.com. We're a small team and reply within a few days.