iPad Questions

jdwatson said:
Thanks again for all the input.
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I recently bought the iPad Air 128GB +GPS/cellular. I justified it by noting I was replacing both an iPad 1 and an older Macbook that had just died. I didn't want to replace both, so bought the loaded iPad as a compromise.

The iPad serves three uses:

1.) Aviation running FF
2.) Web surfing and email
3.) Photo and video storage/manipulation using iPhoto and iMovie

Thus the reasons for going full memory.

To add usefulness, I also bought this bluetooth keyboard folio:

http://www.amazon.com/Kensington-Ke...ywords=kensington+keyboard+folio+for+ipad+air

With this I get all of the usefulness of the iPad and most of the usefulness of a cell enabled netbook. Works for me and I love typing on a real keyboard.
 
I had several heating issues in the summer only related to having the iPad in direct sunlight. Having a greenhouse canopy made it hard to find shade so I used what any technologically advanced pilot would do. I put my WAC chart over it.
 
I have found that some aircraft with a heated windshield (not a hotplate) can cause some issues with the GPS reception. .
 
mswmsw said:
I, too, am now contemplating my first iPad purchase, and am also still undecided about getting the Mini or the full size Air...... so these discussions are great! I appreciate the info you all are providing. One thing I hear about occasionally is over-heating concerns with these iPads. What conditions of use tend to cause over-heating? Is the iPad Mini more (or less) prone to overheating issues than the full size iPad Air? Any other comments on iPad overheating?
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The 2-3 times it's happened to me was climbing in the cockpit and just sitting the iPad on the dashboard for even short (1-2 min) period of times. Even if the cockpit is hot as blazes, just storing and keeping the iPad out of direct sun has yet to result in an overheat (yet, I doubt it's very far from the magic temp where it auto-shuts-off).

As for GPS signals, I have had my iPad 3G in 5-6 different aircrafts. 4-5 times in a Grumman Tiger (out of several hundred flights), I lost GPS lock on the 3G iPad - 99%+ availability -- and then only momentarily.

Personally, I don't think it matters. If you want an all-in-one integrated GPS, get the 3G/LTE iPad. You'd likely be fine 99% of the time. If you want to serve GPS data to more than one device at a time, get something like the BadElf GPS Pro. If I was a renter / CFI / commercial guy flying lots of different planes: 3G/LTE. Owner using 1 plane nearly all the time, I'd lean toward the BadElf GPS Pro and hardwiring it to the plane.... Just my 2 cents / no one correct answer.
 
Dual works better than the Bad Elf. Downside is something else to charge.

Not a big deal if you're disciplined to put it on the charger when you're done flying or you have an on-board charger.

Built in iPad GPS w/Cellular chipset also works fine for what it is. More convenient than either the BE or Dual.
 
NickC99 said:
One advantage to having the 4G version I don't see mentioned: Being able to get weather, TFRs, file flight plans, etc. on the ground when you can't get WiFi access. This has already been useful to me even in training.

I still have an external Dual XGPS160 nonetheless.

I have the iPad 3rd gen 32 GB LTE, and it has been quite sufficient for me. After using it for so many other non-aviation related activities, I've decided my next iPad will be at least 64 GB.
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I got a new IPhone and and got the Hot Spot on the plan. When not at a terminal with WiFi, I tether the WiFi Ipad to the IPhone. I haven't taken any trips with this arrangement, but my testing has been quite impressive.
 
I have an iPad 2 WiFi 32GB. I used it for Foreflight for a year with all the US charts except the high level IFR charts. I've got music etc. and it's close, but still holds all I need. I switched to WingX after a year (split screen sold me!) and still it hods all the charts, music etc.

I bought a BadElf (the plug into the iPad version) and used it for a while. As a GPS it worked great but as other have noted it was really easy to bump it off the iPad. I then bought a Dual XGPS150 from someone on this board. It's great. I set it on the glare shield as I begin my preflight (because my iPad/GPS combo sometimes takes a few minutes to get all synced up).

But, the iPad 2 is to big to use mounted anywhere in the cockpit without blocking things I want to see. I've got a very nice suction cup mount and I've tried many positions (C-172) and gave up.

For Christmas I got an iPad mini (64GB) with 3GL (not activated, for the GPS) and I've checked it and it will work as a yoke mount so that's my next plan. I've tried it loose and it's to easy to touch the screen (much less border on a mini) and change what it's doing. Ergo the yoke mount. My intention is to use it for approach plates as I pursue my IR.

John
 
I have a leather(probably imitation leather) case with a bluetooth keyboard. With the IPad folded up, I lay it on my lap and the "leather" keeps it from slipping around on my lap.

When I first got the IPad I was checking into all sorts of mounts, but saw a friend using his this way and tried it. I can't imagine how a mount could work any better. Maybe in another aircraft, the yoke placement with relation to the seat position might prevent this from working very well, but it works fabulously for me.
 
MBDiagMan said:
Thanks for posting.
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You're welcome.

I hate to be seen as the gloom and doom naysayer around here, but this poster, and quote, made an impression on me:

9437357014_14597c796c_o.jpg
 
I think that there is a ring on my IPad case that I could hook a lanyard to. I could then hook the lanyard around my thigh.
 
jdwatson said:
Cool discussion. I'm over 50, so my non-reading glasses days are numbered. The mini would be perfect now, but might not be in a couple years
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It is good that you are thinking about this. I'm 59 and I really appreciate having the full size screen. I use a RAM yoke mount in my Cherokee. Out of the box it held the iPad up too high blocking instruments. The key is to remove the platter from the yoke arm and rotate it around until you find the optimum configuration for your plane, then reassemble. Mine hangs down over the yoke in portrait orientation and does not block anything. I love having it right in front of me. Easy to see and easy to operate. In the plane I am using an iPad 2 with the internal GPS. The internal GPS has always worked great for me but I did purchase an iLevil when they came out so I could also have ADS-B weather and AHRS to drive the synthetic vision screen in WingX.

Fast Eddie B - I'm a VFR Light Sport Pilot for now, so I don't bother subscribing to the IFR charts available on WingXPro7.
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Just so you will know, The base WingX subscription does come with IFR charts. WingX comes with VFR sectionals, IFR low and high charts, approach plates, georeferenced airport diagrams, terrain database and split screen capability with the base subscription. For an extra $75 you can have georeferenced approach plates that show your current GPS location on the plate. The georeferenced airport diagrams and terrain database are not part of the base subscription with ForeFlight. I don't think synthetic vision is available in ForeFlight but is a $100 add on in WingX. I don't think ForeFlight has split screen capability either.

Best of luck with whatever you decide to go with. :)
 
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Do the airlines use a case or yoke mount for their tablets?
 
mswmsw said:
I, too, am now contemplating my first iPad purchase, and am also still undecided about getting the Mini or the full size Air...... so these discussions are great! I appreciate the info you all are providing. One thing I hear about occasionally is over-heating concerns with these iPads. What conditions of use tend to cause over-heating? Is the iPad Mini more (or less) prone to overheating issues than the full size iPad Air? Any other comments on iPad overheating?
Click to expand...

I've never had any if mine overheat but I'm in Minnesota and keep it out of direct sun!
 
My iPad2 did not overheat; however, my iPad3 overheated and turned off outside of Erie PA on a cold December day. Charging the iPad in flight seems to make it warmer. I purchased a mini for backup and it works as well. I would lean towards having one with WFI because several of the ADS_B and other accessories utilize WFI to connect (Skyradar and iLevil use WFI and Dual 170 uses Bluetooth). If you plan to use the split screen feature of some apps go with the full size and not the mini. Both of mine have the 64 Meg of data so I do not know if the 16 or 32 would be sufficient in your case.
 
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