Install an Airgizmos mount or just velcro a case to the panel?

[k9medic]

I'm pulling a bunch of stuff in the next few months. This will leave me with panel space where I thought about putting an ipad mini.

Is there any real benefit of installing an airgizmo mount versus just velcroing (or screwing) a otter box case to the panel?

 

[Lowflynjack]

If you have room, mount it flat to the panel. I don't have enough room and I want to move the iPad to other planes so I use a window suction cup mount I got off of Amazon.

 

[k9medic]

I do have enough room.

 

[Llk]

Long time iPad user. In the bouncy soup I prefer garmin portables, as little as I like giving Garmin money.

I’ve found the best mounts to use tend to be RAM mounts - fully adjustable anyway you want. Are you a glare shield person? Instrument panel hole person? Between the rails? Or yoke? No matter what, RAM has a mount for you, and at a price far less than airgizmo.

I tend to use otter box covers on iPads, and Ram has mounts for those as well. I think they’re called ezrollr. Moreover, if the iPad you have doesn’t have one by ram, other vendors make them as well - slipgrip comes to mind.


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[k9medic]

My Ipad normally sits on the floor. I use my iphone on a suction cup for most things. I just happen to be freeing up a big chunk of panel space so I figured it was easy to put something in that space.

 

[WDD]

Ditto for ram mount

FWIW I use an I pad pro 9.6. I have a ram mount with a suction mount to window. Love F Flight.

But - if you’re spending to update the panel, you could do a permanent mount of the new Garmin portable. Sunlight readable - more than an IPad. Don’t worry about battery life, etc.

 

[Ranchoa]

Ditto for ram mount

FWIW I use an I pad pro 9.6. I have a ram mount with a suction mount to window. Love F Flight.

But - if you’re spending to update the panel, you could do a permanent mount of the new Garmin portable. Sunlight readable - more than an IPad. Don’t worry about battery life, etc.

I modified an AirGizmo Panel mount and angle adapter for a Garmin 760.

 

[MarkH]

The biggest advantage of a panel mount (in my opinion) is getting it out of the sun. If I were to install a panel mount, I would also want active cooling built in.

But my experiences with my iPad over heating has taught that portables, while expensive,are worth it.

 

[SoCal RV Flyer]

I've got an iFly 740 that I mount to the panel directly with that heavy-duty white Velcro.

(Of course, my plane is Experimental and the wings are held on with bungee cords and tie wraps. )

Great stuff, and it probably offers a little shock absorption from vibration.

 

[MBDiagMan]

I’ve tried a myriad of mounts in the nine years of flown with a iPad and have not been able to beat a cheap, soft rubber case that the iPad slips into. It stays firmly on my lap. It’s worked great for me and might work for you too. It would be a very cheap experiment before giving RAM and who knows who else a bunch of money for experiments.

The soft case I’m talking about is sold primarily for child use, so that might help when googling for one.

 

[WDD]

Another point to consider is where you want your eyes to go to look at it. For me eye level just to my left is the best. I tied my lap but looking down and then back up was tiring and a little disorienting. Had a knee board for a paper nav log that I tried as well. Stopped using that completely.

 

[Ravioli]

I like the Airgizmo option. Here's my 696 (on the right) I also have their "angle adapter" in this pic it is flush.

 

[k9medic]

Nice!

I have zero interest or need to put my ipad on my knee or to suction cup it to a window (I would rather have the view outside unobstructed.)

 

[MBDiagMan]

Another point to consider is where you want your eyes to go to look at it. For me eye level just to my left is the best. I tied my lap but looking down and then back up was tiring and a little disorienting. Had a knee board for a paper nav log that I tried as well. Stopped using that completely.

You should not be fixated on your iPad REGARDLESS of where it’s located. It’s for reference and information lookup, not for primary flight instruments.

 

[JOhnH]

The biggest advantage of a panel mount (in my opinion) is getting it out of the sun. If I were to install a panel mount, I would also want active cooling built in.

But my experiences with my iPad over heating has taught that portables, while expensive,are worth it.

One of the biggest disadvantages of a built in ipad is that (for me anyway), I change ipads more often than I change panels. When Foreflight came out, a friend had a custom panel mount for his Ipad. A few years later he got a new Ipad. Of course though, it didn't fit his custom panel mount.

 

[MBDiagMan]

Yes, over the years I’ve seen panels chopped up for permanent installations of 396’s, Pilots and other now obsolete and outdated units. The mess left behind looks to be a challenge to move forward with.

 

[WDD]

Yes, over the years I’ve seen panels chopped up for permanent installations of 396’s, Pilots and other now obsolete and outdated units. The mess left behind looks to be a challenge to move forward with.

Good point. Maybe then a standard ball joint mounted so you can change your mounts for whatever new I pad or Garmin what not you get. Yeah - hacked up panels are not good looking. There is a permanent mounted Garmin thing that resembles an old PlayStation controller. Looks odd, no one uses it, takes up panel space, and it will cost money to remove.

 

[WDD]

You should not be fixated on your iPad REGARDLESS of where it’s located. It’s for reference and information lookup, not for primary flight instruments.

True. But looking down to get a look is still distracting vs a quick sideways glance. Easier to keep my eyes on the road. Same reason maybe they have Heads Up Displays.

 

[Ed Haywood]

Yes, over the years I’ve seen panels chopped up for permanent installations of 396’s, Pilots and other now obsolete and outdated units. The mess left behind looks to be a challenge to move forward with.

Good argument in favor of velcro if you have the panel space.

 

[MBDiagMan]

Unless you’re in the clouds looking at a plate, the lap is no big deal for the quick FF glances. Would you be hanging your paper plates on the panel? Do you put your knee board on the panel?

I agree that the plate should be studied before hand, but not everyone has total recall.

 

[WDD]

Good argument in favor of velcro if you have the panel space.

I’ve had bad experiences with Velcro mounting tape that goos out and makes a sticky mess in heat - a cockpit on a summer day could take its toll.

 

[WDD]

Unless you’re in the clouds looking at a plate, the lap is no big deal for the quick FF glances. Would you be hanging your paper plates on the panel? Do you put your knee board on the panel?

I agree that the plate should be studied before hand, but not everyone has total recall.

I fly VFR - so the f flight is used for navigation, traffic, weather, etc.

 

[MBDiagMan]

So then the lap should not be a problem. When on instruments, things like dropping a pencil and bending over to pick it up can cause vertigo type problems. VFR that’s not a risk.

 

[WDD]

So then the lap should not be a problem. When on instruments, things like dropping a pencil and bending over to pick it up can cause vertigo type problems. VFR that’s not a risk.

Lap works for you. Keep doing it - use what’s good for you. If it works for the OP - excellent.

Me? Lap doesn’t work. Easier for me to glance sideways. I have a barely used nice knee board from Sportys collecting dust. Thought it would work for me - didn’t

No rght or wrong answer. Just offering a POV for the OP to think about when making a choice on where to put the tablet.

 

[MajorTurbulence]

I essentially have the same issue. I have panel space for the iPad, which would be best utilized for an Adsb traffic display. However, when flying IFR, I would need to be able to pull it off to study the approach plates enroute and to have it in my lap when flying the approach. So for me, I am thinking of Velcro, maybe angled from the copilot panel facing me in the pilot seat. I do worry about the adhesive marring my panel face when it gets tired, but if the adhesive can be removed without issue, I’d be good with that. I have a ram mount that had been used to hold my Iphone, but I’ve been a bit unhappy that it loses its suction at inopportune times, and all too frequently.

 

[Llk]

This is the totality of all that is needed for a sturdy rock solid Mount of anything portable, made by RAM.

The 1” ball.

Some people window mount.

Others yoke mount.

I like the sturdy bolt on a place in the panel that will give me a solid hold.

There are all sorts of lengths of arms...and mounts for every product - such as the Garmin gpsmaps and aeras...

Ram mount for the sturdiness, flexibility, variety and durability.


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[MBDiagMan]

Lap works for you. Keep doing it - use what’s good for you. If it works for the OP - excellent.

Me? Lap doesn’t work. Easier for me to glance sideways. I have a barely used nice knee board from Sportys collecting dust. Thought it would work for me - didn’t

No rght or wrong answer. Just offering a POV for the OP to think about when making a choice on where to put the tablet.

That’s all wonderful. I’m curious though. Do you use a knee board, scratchpad on FF, or do you have good enough recall to read back your clearance from memory and remember all your frequencies without writing it down?

 

[asicer]

Is there any real benefit of installing an airgizmo mount versus just velcroing (or screwing) a otter box case to the panel?

My general philosophy is that if you don't get an appreciable benefit from hard-wiring the device to something then it belongs on the panel, not in the panel.

 

[WDD]

I have a small A5 sized note book with all my notes - each page has notes for the specific airplane I’m renting. Each airport has its own page. I Insert a black page to write notes.
Looking at printed pages and my notes on a small notebook. Not a problem. Trying to look at an I pad on my lap - doesn’t work. Why? I have no idea.

 

[k9medic]

That’s all wonderful. I’m curious though. Do you use a knee board, scratchpad on FF, or do you have good enough recall to read back your clearance from memory and remember all your frequencies without writing it down?

I use my "palm pilot" AKA, I write things down on the back of my hand with a pen.

 

[SoCal RV Flyer]

I have a small A5 sized note book with all my notes - each page has notes for the specific airplane I’m renting. Each airport has its own page. I Insert a black page to write notes.
Looking at printed pages and my notes on a small notebook. Not a problem. Trying to look at an I pad on my lap - doesn’t work. Why? I have no idea.

Old School +1.

While I can easily call up all airport info through ADS-B "in" on a couple of devices, I just like to have a paper & pencil cheat sheet on the knee board with particulars like frequencies, TPA, a little sketch of runway/traffic pattern, etc.

 

[woodchucker]

Each to their own but I prefer a Mini on the yoke Ram mount.


On the knee is too much heads down time, and I would think off to the side wouldn’t be a lot better, but again, each to their own.

And no, I don’t take notes on it. With practice it might work but I use my own paper creation in Word customized for me and sized to fit a kneeboard. Common freqs and airport info, times, including tank changes, etc.

 

[GeorgeC]

Stick a RAM ball on the panel with 3M VHB tape.

 

[Doug Reid]

Yoke mounted ipad works best for me. I don't think I would have very good luck with a touch screen ipad or tablet mounted on the panel in turbulence.