iPad/Weather

[svcta]

My limited experience was that the GPS worked well enough in our cockpit in flight andon the ground. Now, I haven't tested it too extensively, to be fair, and our windscreens are not normally heated except for the side ones.

If youre going to spend another 100 bucks on this device you're right in the range of an ipad with an actual gps that will work on its own all of the times you're not in the airplane. I am assuming (at my own peril) that someone will make a bluetooth gps antenna in the nar future that will also give me XM weather. Our planes do not have internet, so having a redundant in-flight gps in a glass cockpit is a waste of time with no extra information associated with it. Cool? Of course. Worth the trouble? No.

I can get charts and iaps with no gps through jepp or foreflight, which is the meat and potatos. My point is this: spending the extra $ just to get better gps in flight ONLY seems a waste if you still lack a data connection. And at that point you're invested to the tune of an actual 3g device, which frees you of external devices and works for all the other time when you're not in the airplane....which is most of the time. (sidebar- how long do you think that bad elf thing will last hanging outnof the bottom of your ipad in the cockpit? I see that getting broken in a hurry). With no data connection you can't even get weather when sitting, say, on the ramp @ TEB waiting for clearance to start. What good is the gps at that point? Now, if your airplans have internet on board then you were born under a better sign than me and you are good to go with the wifi only. But I dare say that most of us aren't in that boat.

Just my opinion. Carry on. Typing this on my ipad, btw. I love this dam thing.

 

[JJET44]

Been waiting for this ever since the iphone was released. Maybe they"ll be the launch customer of the ipad 2?


http://money.cnn.com/2011/01/07/technology/verizon_iphone/index.htm

 

[svcta]

I think this is the best thread for this...

The other day I had the chance to again use my 3g (built in gps) ipad enroute. It worked flawlessly. Passing it around the cockpit and using it to show us on an en route chart, vfr charts, etc. Also as an accukwik, using it to get FBO frequencies, locations, etc. Now, without a data connection, or being above about 8000' there is no weather, but there is no solution for that to my knowledge yet at altitude.

This was in a g200 with the windscreens off, but having them on didn't appear to kill the gps. My opinion of the ipad in this environment as of right now is this (with foreflight installed):

It will save a Jepp subscription for each of our airplanes. We can still have one for print stations in the hangar, but NOS charts will do fine for unplanned stops/alternates.

We will no longer have to waste time and money on accukwiks or uvplanner. They become needless clutter.

I HAVE NOT actually tried it, but I can imagine that with a duats acct and the proper profiles, we could even save major $$ on services like arinc for flight planning/filing/weather packages. This idea does need some fleshing out, but it seems plausible.

The ipad (3g) would replace the blackberry (barf) based navigator that the company pays $10/month for each pilot.



There may be other things that I haven't come up with yet, but after one or two trips with a 3g ipad (16gig) these are savings that I believe would directly result from the investment.

 

[BoilerUP]

I can't say I'd consider replacing ARINC or Universal with a DUATS account and an iPad, especially considering you can already do that now with Fltplan.com or DUATS with a smartphone or laptop.

Also, each Jepp "subscription" gives you 4 Jeppview keys that you can use on PCs or iPads; if you have a Jeppview subscription in your office you can equip 3 iPads with Jepp Mobile TC.

 

[Gulfstream 200]

I agree with BU....

an ipad is a convenient way to view/update Jepps...but thats about it.

You can always file flight plans on 1800wxbrief I suppose...and use skype and hold the ipad up to your head?

 

[svcta]

I agree re: arinc having sorted through it with a friend bit. Even though it's an UNBELIEVABLE expense per a/c anually. As far as jepp: I think we pay on the order of 900 bucks a year per airplane just for enroute charts from jepp. That's a definite savings right there, and the ipad is far more convenient.

In my department right now we are dealng with aging tablet PCs that are on their last leg. I think that if you're shopping for such a replacement there is no other single device that will do so well what the ipad is doing right now. My main point is that when compared to other efb devices I think that the ipad is in the best position and that it could feasibly save mony in the long run.

My summary is this for anyone who wants one: 2 thumbs up