iPad in-flight

[Chino Tom]

Originally Posted by vjdslk

I think I am the last person on Earth that has never owned an Apple product, so please excuse my ignorance.

Are there any apps for the Ipad that update Nexrad, Metars, Tafs, etc while in flight like XM weather? I believe that Skycharts, Foreflight etc, only allow you to download current weather before departure. I would assume you would need the 3G model....

Thanks in advance!

Jon D.

No there are not. You need 3G or wifi service to update weather at
all the apps or on the interenet.

[JDanno]

I've used my iPad at 43k feet, 23rd row seat A. Worked fine. Of course all these people reporting in at 18k plus are doing so from a pressurized cockpit which gives a max pressure altitude of not much more than 8000 ft. Kind or a mute problem as the hard drive in the iPad is suppose to be solid state. No platter bump with those.

I've been using the iPad in the cockpit since the Bad Elf GPS first came out last year. I'm still amazed at how well the combo works.

[Chris Hill]

JDanno

What model of iPad are you using? I'm wondering if I really need to get iPad 3G at 630$. I'm thinking I could go with iPad WiFi at 430$ and then add the bad elf GPS for 100$ and save myself 100$ for a feature that my cell phone already has...thoughts?

[pestar]

Two lesson I learn't from using Ipad in flight (in New Zealand);

1 To geo reference your maps you need to have a 3G iPad, mine is wi-fi only and that does not geo-reference, a significant gotcha. My pad iPad was purchased for me so did not catch this fact at the time, have checked the technical specs and no the wi-fi version will not geo reference.

2 In hot cockpit conditions they will crash, mine did twice due to heat overload OAT was 33 degrees Celsius (sorry we only use sensible metric standards ) inside temperature 38.

Both issues are a pain in the proverbial never the less to be able to use paperless charts is a big plus.

Cheers

Peter Armstrong
Auckland, New Zealand

[AltonD]

Originally Posted by pestar

. . .
1 To geo reference your maps you need to have a 3G iPad, mine is wi-fi only and that does not geo-reference, a significant gotcha. My pad iPad was purchased for me so did not catch this fact at the time, have checked the technical specs and no the wi-fi version will not geo reference. . . .

I have the Wi-Fi only too. Get you one of these and it works just fine in flight: GNS 5870 MFI Bluetooth GPS

Here is a quick thread search
http://www.vansairforce.com/communit...+Bluetooth+GPS

I believe at one point, a VAF member was selling them.

[cirruspilot]

Any WiFi only iPad that has been 'jailbroken' (Verrry legal)
can get a $5.00 app then and use any cheap bluetooth GPS receiver. I am using an old one from eBay. Plenty of them for less than $20.00. Works PERFECT with Foreflight. Shows the aircraft moving position on VFR charts. Accuracy to a couple of meters. Now they have added "geopositioning" on approach plates for $75.00 addtl. Bought my 16gb WiFi iPad used for $350.
Don't need the 3G model.
Regards, Don

[jsherblon]

The Apple rumor websites are buzzing with pending announcements from Apple on March 2. It's pretty apparent that an updated/new version iPad will be at least one of the announcements.

Here is some of the speculation (not from Apple) - "the iPad 2 will feature an upgraded display that will be feature improved anti-reflection capabilities, though not a higher pixel density. The new device is expected to be thinner and lighter with more RAM, a faster CPU, and improved graphic processing capabilities."

[mrreddick]

Originally Posted by jsherblon

The Apple rumor websites are buzzing with pending announcements from Apple on March 2. It's pretty apparent that an updated/new version iPad will be at least one of the announcements.

Here is some of the speculation (not from Apple) - "the iPad 2 will feature an upgraded display that will be feature improved anti-reflection capabilities, though not a higher pixel density. The new device is expected to be thinner and lighter with more RAM, a faster CPU, and improved graphic processing capabilities."

My Ipad is faster than both my laptop and netbook, don't need more speed and the graphics for the flying software are outstanding. They'll keep coming out with newer versions to get you to spend more money. Don't blink, the Ipad 3 is already in development and rumored to be coming out this Fall!

[kentb]

Is there any app that will get me navigation charts for flying up north?

I have been using SkyChartPro and ForeFlight, but I don't see any Canadian maps.

Kent

[Cooperd0g]

Originally Posted by Chris Hill

JDanno

What model of iPad are you using? I'm wondering if I really need to get iPad 3G at 630$. I'm thinking I could go with iPad WiFi at 430$ and then add the bad elf GPS for 100$ and save myself 100$ for a feature that my cell phone already has...thoughts?

I'm not JDanno, but I use a 16GB (the smallest) Wi-Fi only iPad. I run ForeFlight with a Bad Elf GPS. It works like a champ. If you pre-download all of the charts for your area and airport information it works fine in flight with just the GPS and no internet. However, if you want internet in flight for updating weather and all, you have two options. The first is to get an iPad that is 3G/Wi-fi and the second option is to get a portable Wi-fi device like a MiFi and use that to create a Wi-Fi hotspot that your iPad can use. Aside from wanting to check your email and update weather in flight, I'm don't really see the necessity of inflight internet on the iPad if you are using it for navigation, but that's just me. It isn't a bad idea.

By the way, a MiFi or something similar will run you about $100 minimum, but you don't HAVE to buy it.