Hand-flying IFR ops w/ ForeFlight and no holder for it

AlanM

AlanM

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Needles
Hi. I'm trying to find a solution (which I think I have / see below) to the problem of looking at an approach plate on ForeFlight while hand flying my Cirrus SR22. The SR22 is slippery and takes some effort at trimming out. Attempting to do that while looking up details from an approach plate (be it from ForeFlight or NOS or JEPP plates) while hand flying is, no pun intended, quite a "handful." I found a "wear-it-on-your-belly-while-it-is-strapped-to-your-neck" device (to be received this week in the mail) that seems to be a reasonable solution, especially given that i wear BIFOCALS. So, if you understand the issue and the dilemma, then maybe you might have some other solutions to the problem, which again is: bifocals + hand-flying + IFR approaches + slippery airplane. ANY help or advice would be most sincerely appreciated.
 
I have a non GPS equipted 172. All I can say is I trim, trim then trim again to ease up the workload to look at my plates.
 
Just sits on my lap. No crazy straps, neck ties, mounts or nonsense.

I just have my mini in a modified canvas blekin case with a scratchpad on the cover flap part and a pen loop.

Works great for hand flying IFR, for float ops, everything from advanced turbo props to lil 2 seaters.


First fly the plane, get it squared up then look stuff up.
 
One of these with an Asus TF700 mounted to it:
navpad.jpg
 
In every other airplane I just have the ipad sit on my lap. Cirrus was the only aircraft I've ever flown where I had the ipad fall off my lap and onto the throttle quadrant, had my hand not been on the power levers at the time the ipad would have cut the power (this was on the short approach). So you really do want something in the Cirrus because of the location of the throttle quadrant.

Look into an ipad kneeboard type mount.
 
I put my iPad mini in a folio holder a lot like this one. When opened up, the rough surface on the bottom holds it stationary on my non-kneeboard thigh. Leaves it free to be picked up and looked at, or laid aside when not needed.
 
RAM has a suction mount I use on the side window of the cherokee. The full size ipad is too big on the yoke because it obscures most of the panel. With the side stick on the cirrus, the window mount might be practical. It keeps the tablet up somyou're not looking down and up and down and up and.....
 
PAPER approach plate and a strip of duck tape. Tape it to your leg if you need to, but I'll bet you can find some panel or yoke space.

Problem solved.

Sometimes the best solution isn't high tech.
 
Ram mount on windscreen ,takes all the work out of the approach,so I can fly the airplane.
 
I find this yoke clip very helpful: http://www.sportys.com/PilotShop/product/8752
And yes, I realize this won't work for a cirrus (whose fault is that? LOL) but it will hopefully help others with standard yokes who might visit this thread.
Could you engage the A/P while looking at the chart? (if your airplane is so equipped)
Could you display the chart on one of the LCDs? (if your airplane is so equipped)
Other than that, I would probably go with MAKG's suggestion of duct tape (where one brand actually IS called "Duck Tape" :) ). Tape it temporarily up to read it.
FWIW, looking down into one's lap while in IMC is highly discouraged due to the possibility of inducing spacial disorientation.
 
I solved that problem with a RAM yoke mount, but that won't work on a cirrus. I would go with an ipad kneeboard as others have suggested, or a suction cup mount. The great thing about having it mounted off of the yoke/windshield is that it keeps the plates right in front of you, so you don't have to look down vey far. No matter how you mount it, having the Ipad with approach plates is so much nicer than paper.
 
I bought a silicon rubber bumper surround off eBay for $7 or so. iPad now stays put on leg, wing, hood of car...you can't make the thing slide. Only thing it interferes with is the auto darkening eye, but I leave the screen on brightest in ple plane anyway.
 
Use the tools available to you. The autopilot is a tool, not a crutch. Don't be afraid to use it.
 
It sets on my lap but I have tried various methods of tying it off to make sure that it doesn't find its way underneath the rudder pedals or something.
 
Is it a glass SR22? Why not look at the plate on the MFD?

I assume you would have tried that so I am guessing it isn't glass or there's some other reason that isn't desirable?
 
petrolero said:
Is it a glass SR22? Why not look at the plate on the MFD?

I assume you would have tried that so I am guessing it isn't glass or there's some other reason that isn't desirable?
Click to expand...
Beat me to it.
 
The owner of the Cirrus does NOT want to pay for a Jepp approach plate subscription for use on the MFD as he thinks it's too costly. If he could afford a Cirrus (albeit, 2003), he could certainly afford Jepp Charts for the MFD.

"Necessity is the mother of invention," so I think I found a solution that has to yet be flight tested -- use a computer case's shoulder strap around your neck and nestle the iPad into the shoulder cushion and have the arm cushion/iPad combo clipped together with one of those BIG black clips with the whole contraption surrounding your neck and the iPad/shoulder cushion resting against your stomach (for me, a nice platform since the stomach has, let's say, grown a little over the years).
 
A couple of thoughts:-

1) Professional Crews brief an Approach well in advance. They commit the Critical details to memory. In a Precision Approach thats what, FAF crossing alt, DH and Missed Heading & Alt? Granted in a NPA there's a couple more numbers but you'll find with a little practice (in a home Sim) you'll become pretty good at recalling these. Keep your eyes working on the Scan, glancing at the Plate can be disorienting.
2) Use Cockpit Aids (Bugs, Alt Selectors etc) as memory aids. OBS 2 not required for the Approach.. Use it as the Missed Heading etc.
3) Choose destinations with a Precision Approach when possible (see (1) above..)
4) The Cirrus Perspective was Designed to be flown IFR with Integrated Plates. The Big Black Block Text on a White Background in the Center of the PFD that says "Turn to 082' in 3 Seconds" -Buy the Onboard Charts, Use the PROC button and set the Baro Minimum. The G1000 is Integrated into the Aircraft. Use it.

Find an experienced CFII you enjoy working with and practice. Use YouTube to watch how others fly the same approach in advance. Fly it in X-Plane or Flight Sim.

neilki
 
I'm not flying Perspective but Avidyne, and as stated before, the owner won't purchase the approach plate subscription. FWIW, I'm taking an ATP SEL check ride (again) in a few weeks and will be doing multiple approaches, so I need to be able to reference my approach plates, be they paper or electronic, quickly, hence the reason for the original posting. Thanks for the feedback, however.
 
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