Ipad Mini?

ScottM said:
I never lost GPS with my internal GPS on the MAXiPAD 2. It may be the way you have it mounted or it may be that the high wings do block some of the sky for the unit.
Click to expand...

I do not have any problems with the internal GPS in my 172. Except that since it is not mounted so I am frequently putting it away and getting it back out. For most things the 530 and the 496 are more useful because they are always in the same place.
 
olasek said:
Clearly highly depends on what you put on your Ipad, I am doing just fine with 16 G and I have extensive charts (much more than needed for my area of flying) plus other stuff with room to spare. But I don't store movies, music, or thousands of photos, etc. I don't use ForeFlight, I use FlightGuide plus FltPlan.
Click to expand...

Garmin takes about 8GB for the whole US, and you can double that during the chart update overlap time. Based on that I figured 32GB would be enough. I forgot to factor in the usefulness of the iPad for other things. Nor did I figure in the Documents feature within ForeFlight which lets you carry an entire library of documents, POHS, avionics manuals, PTS, etc.

Hence my advice to never hobble yourself with less than the max unless you're good at throttling your demand for using the device.
 
jesse said:
To be honest I don't understand why anyone tries to mount an iPad. Just sit the damn thing on your knee when you need it and when you don't shove it somewhere beside you. Works fine in every type I've tried it in.
Click to expand...
If mine were on my knee the yoke would hit it. So I have mine mounted on the yoke, does not block my view and it works for me. I like it there.
 
In the Hawker I've been flying for over a year (all Part 91) we ONLY use iPads and that includes international flying. We have two iPads with Jeppsson because ForeFlight only has US. Plus I have my personal iPad with ForeFlight.

Using the iPad internal GPS the flight tracking is hit or miss up high and fast. Once it locks onto enough satellites, it works just fine. However, it can take a long time to get position, speed and altitude and sometimes it never does. I would not want to count on it for position. I do not have an external antenna.

Even with charts in the panel, I find it very nice to have the iPads. You can look at charts and taxi diagrams well in advance of arrival without messing with the panel displays; you can look up FBO's and get their AIRINC frequencies; you can start planning for the next leg; you can look in the AIM to settle disagreements with the other pilot:D; I have the FMS manual in mine and will refer to that to find some new trick.

I have had absolutely no problem with glare or heat. I keep a micro fiber cloth close by for fingerprints. A lot of the complaints of alleged problems have to be from Samsung employees or plants.

All in all I find it a great resource, and I have iBooks and kindle on mine for all the reading I want to do in the FBO or hotel. I can't image traveling without it.
 
ScottM said:
If mine were on my knee the yoke would hit it. So I have mine mounted on the yoke, does not block my view and it works for me. I like it there.
Click to expand...

I think part of it depends on how you are used to using such things. I use it mostly like I'd use a little notepad. I stick it somewhere most of the time and refer to it when I need it.
 
LDJones said:
Garmin takes about 8GB for the whole US,
Click to expand...
The way I do my flying having the whole US would be a total waste of space. Even 1/2 would be hard to justify. And if situation makes me fly somewhere beyond my typical boundary (once in 10 yrs.) I can always download exactly what I want. I typically download a few states and this already gives me a huge margin.
 
Last edited:
jesse said:
To be honest I don't understand why anyone tries to mount an iPad. Just sit the damn thing on your knee when you need it and when you don't shove it somewhere beside you. Works fine in every type I've tried it in.
Click to expand...

You saw me do both. I really don't mind either way.

If I'm single-pilot I like it mounted just to keep it from getting away from me in turbulence or getting launched by same, into my head.

I've been hit by other my pilot stuff before, or bounced off the ceiling, and if a bump were big enough to launch the iPad, it'd hurt.

It mounts very nicely on the pax side yoke when no one is over there. I keep it on my side when someone is sitting in that seat.

A bounce big enough to launch the iPad would probably hurt the airplane too, but I'd prefer not to be distracted by the iPad to the face pain in that scenario.

Karen makes a pretty good iPad holder for flights where I don't want to mount it. ;)
 
olasek said:
The way I do my flying having the whole US would be a total waste of space. Even 1/2 would be hard to justify. And if situation makes me fly somewhere beyond my typical boundary (once in 10 yrs.) I can always download exactly what I want. I typically download a few states and this already gives me a huge margin.
Click to expand...

I guess that's why the make multiple capacities. One size doesn't fit all!
 
jesse said:
I think part of it depends on how you are used to using such things. I use it mostly like I'd use a little notepad. I stick it somewhere most of the time and refer to it when I need it.
Click to expand...
I agree with that.

I think the MINiPAD will be a nice addition for some people and others will still use the MAXiPAD, both will work nicely if you have a heavy data flow day and with whatever configuration gives you a comfort fit.
 
denverpilot said:
Surprised it drops that much for you. I rarely see the internal GPS drop in my 182. Doesn't seem to matter if yoke mounted (which works fine) or sitting on the pax seat or floor.
Click to expand...

This has been my experience as well in my 172 and in the cheokee I used to fly.
 
janikpilot said:
This is quite possibly the truest statement I've ever encountered regarding Apple products in the cockpit. Apple specializes in graphics and user interactions, NOT things like moving maps and flight information. It takes a specialized aviation unit to have any real purpose in the cockpit, which is exactly what companies like Garmin and Aspen focus on. Not only that, Apple products are subject to heat, and essentially useless once they leave the range of the nearest cell phone tower.
Click to expand...


....Garmin and Aspen do not even offer a similar product.
 
Lance F said:
Using the iPad internal GPS the flight tracking is hit or miss up high and fast. Once it locks onto enough satellites, it works just fine. However, it can take a long time to get position, speed and altitude and sometimes it never does. I would not want to count on it for position. I do not have an external antenna.
Click to expand...

Lance,

I've heard the ForeFlight guys say that the iPad's internal GPS can get "confused" above about FL250 or 250 knots - It's got a slower update rate and when it computes a subsequent solution and it's already moved 100 yards, it makes the assumption that it must be "wrong" and tries to start over. So, in a jet, the iPad does need an external GPS to keep a good lock when high/fast.

Those of us flying bugsmashers down in Indian territory won't have much problem. ;)

How's the iPad do in the Mooney?
 
The iPad with FF in the Mooney is indispensable. And I just use it on my lap.
 
Flavius Renatus said:
I have to admit, I don't understand why all the trouble mounting the IPAD, I have mounted mine on the yoke in both a Cherokee 180 and my 69 Cessna 172 and not blocked any instruments.

Flav
Click to expand...

Apparently you have fewer instruments than me, or they aren't the standard "6-pack". My iPad blocked virtually my entire panel, which meant it migrated from the yoke, to the knee, to the seat back, and ultimately to EBay.

Sent from my Nexus 7
 
pete480 said:
You would need an ADS-B receiver to get in-flight weather. As far as the ipad working above 10,000, I'm not sure about that. I think that's its limit.
Click to expand...

We took an iPad 1 shortly after they came out to 17500 in a Turbo Lance.
Worked great, never lost GPS. Stayed reasonably close to panel mounted Garmin.

Pre Ordered Mini today. WiFi version. Guessing (hoping) previous iPad compatible BT GPS will work.

I Love my 7" Android in the cockpit, but still addicted to ForeFlight and LogTen pro.... now when is the iPad mini Ram Mount coming ;)
 
Last edited:
denverpilot said:
Standard six pack here, iPad on yoke doesn't block any of them.
Click to expand...

You must be very tall?

Worse, for Mary, was having the iPad mounted forward of the yoke uprights. She already has the seat all the way forward, plus a pillow behind her -- which means there is zero space for a tablet that doesn't nestle between the yoke handles.

Sent from my Nexus 7
 
Jay Honeck said:
You must be very tall?

Worse, for Mary, was having the iPad mounted forward of the yoke uprights. She already has the seat all the way forward, plus a pillow behind her -- which means there is zero space for a tablet that doesn't nestle between the yoke handles.
Click to expand...

Hmm. Probably taller than Mary. 5' 11".

And the 182 has the vertically adjustable seat which I do tend to keep cranked all the way up, not for the iPad angle per se, but because I don't like hiding behind the tall 182 panel.
 
denverpilot said:
Hmm. Probably taller than Mary. 5' 11".

And the 182 has the vertically adjustable seat which I do tend to keep cranked all the way up, not for the iPad angle per se, but because I don't like hiding behind the tall 182 panel.
Click to expand...

Makes sense. That tall panel is why I'm flying a Pathfinder. Mary can't see over a Skylane panel!

Sent from my Nexus 7
 
Held one in our hands today at the Apple store. Seems pretty nice as a form factor. Has stereo speakers left and right of the Lightning plug on the bottom, as opposed to the single mono speaker bottom right on the big iPad. No 3G models available yet... Wifi only, for now.
 
DavidWhite said:
How many hours in the cockpit with your iPad do you have to back up your statement?
Click to expand...

About 75, I just finished a 53 hour trip to Alaska and back and did not loose an internal GPS signal. It was on my lap or on the floor leaning against the fuel selector. T-41B (C-172 with a big engine)
 
TangoWhiskey said:
Held one in our hands today at the Apple store. Seems pretty nice as a form factor. Has stereo speakers left and right of the Lightning plug on the bottom, as opposed to the single mono speaker bottom right on the big iPad. No 3G models available yet... Wifi only, for now.
Click to expand...
3G Models are available for order but only through the online store. They will ship in a couple of weeks.
 
I played with an iPad Mini at the Apple Store yesterday. I still don't know what I'm going to do - I've been wanting to replace my original iPad for a while.

Not only can I not make up my mind between the Mini and "maxi" iPads, I can't decide between VZ and AT&T. I'm grandfathered in with unlimited data on AT&T. However, on VZ I could use the iPad to tether, and I'd have two different carriers in case one had crappy signal somewhere.

As for the hardware, the Mini is really a good size - The overall device is a lot smaller without the screen being a whole lot smaller. There's very little non-screen space on the sides. My big problem with it is that it does not have a Retina display, whereas both my phone and my laptop do, and I've gotten a bit spoiled by them. I'm quite sure that a year from now, we'll see the iPad Mini with Retina Display. I guess that makes me lean towards the "iPad 4" full-size version. Since the major reason I want to replace my existing iPad is that it's gotten too slow after a few major OS upgrades, I also hesitate to buy one that's got last year's processor.

While the iPad Mini would certainly work better than the full-size one does in the Mooney, that's not going to be around forever, and I have no problem with the size of the "maxi" in the DA40 or the 182.
 
Received my iPad mini wifi and Bad Elf Pro Friday.

It is a great size and the display is beautiful, and ForeFlight seems great on it. Haven't had it in the cockpit yet but hae been playing with it in the car. Love it.

If you can wait till next month we can take it up in the Mooney when I get back your way.

Mike

Fly: DA40, 172, PA38, CTLS
Building Zenith CH750
KVGT
Sent from my SAMSUNG-S3 using Tapatalk 2
 
Mike_Flys said:
Received my iPad mini wifi and Bad Elf Pro Friday.

It is a great size and the display is beautiful, and ForeFlight seems great on it. Haven't had it in the cockpit yet but hae been playing with it in the car. Love it.

If you can wait till next month we can take it up in the Mooney when I get back your way.
Click to expand...

Coooooool! Got a RAM mount for it yet? :D
 
I'm sure I'm in the minority but I want a LARGER iPad (or Android tablet). I use mine for fore flight, which is fine. But I also use it to hold music (lead sheets and such). It's great for that until you set it on a music stand and stand up in front of a mic with a guitar. It's just to small to read. What I'd like is something with a viewing area the size of an 8 1/2" x 11" piece of paper. Has anybody seen anything like that?

John
 
Last edited:
jsstevens said:
I'm sure I'm in the minority but I want a LARGER iPad (or Android tablet). I use mine for fore flight, which is fine. But I also use it to hold music (lead sheets and such). It's great for that until you set it on a music stand and stand up in front of a mic with a guitar. It's just to small to read. What I'd like is something with a viewing area the size of an 8 1/2" x 11" piece of paper. Has anybody seen anything like that?

John
Click to expand...

I was told the other day of a 17" tablet from Samsung, but have not been able to find out anything on it.
 
jsstevens said:
I'm sure I'm in the minority but I want a LARGER iPad (or Android tablet). I use mine for fore flight, which is fine. But I also use it to hold music (lead sheets and such). It's great for that until you set it on a music stand and stand up in front of a mic with a guitar. It's just to small to read. What I'd like is something with a viewing area the size of an 8 1/2" x 11" piece of paper. Has anybody seen anything like that?
Click to expand...

I think you'll see larger options coming in the Windows 8 world.
 
flyingcheesehead said:
As for the hardware, the Mini is really a good size - The overall device is a lot smaller without the screen being a whole lot smaller. There's very little non-screen space on the sides.
Click to expand...

That might be a deal breaker for me. I sometimes "Fat finger" when I pick up the iPad and accidently hit one of the buttons at the bottom of the ForeFlight screen. It then goes to a different screen and I have to reset. There's a lock on the plates screen but not one on the map screen. I sent a note to ForeFlight and hope they provide a lock for the map eventually.

Just an occasional nuisance on my iPad but might get really annoying on a mini. I don't use a mount since I like being to just leave it on the floor or seat until I want to look at the screen and avoid "iPad fixation".;)

Cheers
 
X3 Skier said:
That might be a deal breaker for me. I sometimes "Fat finger" when I pick up the iPad and accidently hit one of the buttons at the bottom of the ForeFlight screen. It then goes to a different screen and I have to reset. There's a lock on the plates screen but not one on the map screen. I sent a note to ForeFlight and hope they provide a lock for the map eventually.
Click to expand...

There's still a "border" on top and bottom, but no longer on the sides. However, that makes it skinny enough that I found it comfortable to hold in one hand, which might tip the scales the other way for you. :thumbsup:
 
flyingcheesehead said:
There's still a "border" on top and bottom, but no longer on the sides. However, that makes it skinny enough that I found it comfortable to hold in one hand, which might tip the scales the other way for you. :thumbsup:
Click to expand...

Might be OK........but........I still have to pick it up. ;)

Cheers
 
ForPilotsOnly.com is giving away a 32GB iPad mini in a random drawing on Dec. 1. To enter, join the list at www.iPadAviator.com.

contest2.jpg
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top