iPad as an EFB

[siouxicide]

Yep, another EFB thread, but what I'm seeing this is quite the improvement. I'm wondering if anyone out there is using the iPad as a paper replacement and your pros and cons. I'll be getting hands-on tomorrow with one that has Foreflight installed. $75/year for for all IFR charts and then some. Looks amazing
My big concern would be mounting it or somehow holding it in place so it doesn't go falling off my lap or something.

30-day free trial if you have one already.

 

[TMMT]

I just started tinkering with Fore Flight, I've had my iPad for a few weeks now.

 

[ultrarunner]

As just a stand-a-lone chart reader and such in the aircraft, I think it would be fine, although you'd have to evaluate it in bright sunlight. I think having something that the capability do display the weather uplink would be more practical.

 

[JJET44]

I've wondered the same thing. I would think that it would be best to get an official approval as an EFB before sinking money into it if you're p135. After what happened late last year with the NW pilots overshooting the airport, there have been talks about banning all unapproved electronic devices from the cockpit. Other then that, I think the IPad would be a great platform as and EFB, performance computer and to install all of your flight manuals, SOP's and anything else job related.

 

[siouxicide]

We've got other units that display XM WX so we're not concerned with that. One thing I'll check out today is to see how easy it is to just from one chart to the next. i.e., switching arrivals or approaches last second. Not the best time to fumble through menus, etc.

 

[JJET44]

good point . Keep the input coming. would like to hear all the pro's and con's.

Sioux, what unit are you using?

 

[siouxicide]

Tried the iPad with Foreflight this morning and ordered one at noon. I can switch between approaches, arrivals, charts, you name it, faster than I could ever do with the paper. You can pull up the TFRs, Notams, Wx, etc., before flight and have them there onboard instead of printing off a sheet. I could keep going, but the best part was that its processor is fast and the subscription is cheap. The next question will be how to mount it.
For XM weather we have Garmin 500's and/or GMX200's.

 

[Headfake14]

I've wondered the same thing. I would think that it would be best to get an official approval as an EFB before sinking money into it if you're p135. After what happened late last year with the NW pilots overshooting the airport, there have been talks about banning all unapproved electronic devices from the cockpit. Other then that, I think the IPad would be a great platform as and EFB, performance computer and to install all of your flight manuals, SOP's and anything else job related.

That will NEVER happen. No way to enforce it...waste of time. How many "overflights" have there been....what, ONE out of millions of flights over the last decade at least?

sigh...anyway...

We...Jetblue...are looking into the iPad as well. All JB pilots are issued laptops. All our manuals...EVERYONE's manual actually, is on there. The only book(s) we carry is for the Jepps. Ship set Jepps are coming this year...some sort of EFB is on the horizon. The problem with getting the iPad is no Adobe Flash...causes problems with some of our intranet and travel...iPhone has same problems there.

Adobe and Mac better find a way to play nice and solve that issue.

 

[Nolife]

Don't know about iPad but for the iPhone use the app "GoodReader" for viewing pdf's. It's cheap and works well.

Thx for the post, I currently use a Kindle DX for approach plates and have paper enroutes. I wanted to switch to iPad but was unsure about foreflight; I'm sold now. What's your commision?

 

[OUPilot]

i have been researching this as well but also need to run perf numbers with ultra-nav. the ultra-nav creators do not seem like they want to write the software for the ipad, i am hoping they will change their minds soon though