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Ipad in a bubble canopy airplane?

PeteP

PeteP

Well Known Member
I am considering using an Ipad with Foreflight for a moving map system in the 9A. I have heard other say that the Ipad is not very easy to read in bright light like in bubble of a RV-9. I have seen pictures of Vlad's airplane with one mounted on a Ram mount on the panel but would like to hear from people who have used it to see how well it works before I make the investment.
 
I have an iPad mini with an aftermarket anti-glare screen cover. On a sunny day, it is difficult to read. Often, I'll hold it below the panel (in shade) to make it more readable.

Surprisingly, my iPhone 5 (with retina screen) is much more readable. Based on those two datapoints, it may be that the newer iPads with the retina displays are better under our bubble canopies.
 
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Pete, I have an iPad mini in my RV 8. Its terrible. Let me explain. Its not only the bright light that makes it very hard to read, its also trying to "touch" it with your finger to pull things up you want to see. Finger touching works great in your living room, but in the air, unless its glass smooth out, becomes extremely difficult. I once drove through a class D airspace and was 5 miles past before I finally could get altitude and frequency info to pop up. Luckily, I was above their altitude. Then there are the size of the numbers showing altitude restrictions like if you live by a class B. You can expand the picture with your fingers, but the numbers don't get any bigger. Combine this with a bright sun--good luck.

(Also, expanding and contracting the screen is another thing that works great in your living room, but not in a vibrating aircraft). I wound up getting a G 496. I only use the mini for ADS-B weather.
 
IPAD Mini in cockpit PIREP

I have a 6A/ I find the iPad mini is unreadable in daylight conditions. Screen is like a mirror. It would be great if I wanted to use it to shave. It is too much of a distraction to try to tilt,rotate and move it to get it into a position where the reflection is not so pronounced that I can actually see what is depicted on the screen...
 
I have been using IPAD for a few years now and have had little problem reading it. There are some anti-glare that you can use and it helps a lot, as I had it on my old IPAD but the new IPAD air does not have any cover and still very readable.
 
Here is a photo I took of my iPad Air on my return flight home from Mattituck last weekend. I was on an IFR flight plan and it was a bright sunshiny day. I had my Koger sunshade deployed. As you can see, there is quite a bit of glare, but the image is still very readable. I do not use any kind of anti-glare screen. I have been using an iPad as an EFB for several years now and I feel that it is a very adequate replacement for paper charts. It's not perfect, but it works well. Considering all of the other advantages of the iPad, I find it to be the best solution for carrying the required publications on the airplane.



Every time this thread comes up, I read a lot of comments how the glare is unacceptable, etc., yet the iPad as an EFB has become very successful, with many airlines, military, and general aviation pilots using the system. I read somewhere that the government paper charts sales are about half of what they once were and declining, the author acknowledging that the iPad was clearly the culprit.

Retina vision was a noticeable improvement, and I expect there will be future advancements in screen brightness. I'm not looking back, this is the future, in my opinion.
 
I've been using the iPad2 as my EFB since it came out. One of the keys is to make sure the screen brightness is turned to max in iPad Settings AND Foreflight Settings. It eats the battery life over 3 hrs so I keep the charging cord handy during long Xcountrys.

All things considered I think it's great and wouldn't leave home without it!
 
I am waiting for an app that will let me turn up the brightness on the mini. An ifr chart on a bright day helps also. I don't rely on the mini for Nav. 496 is my go to device for all three aircraft. :cool:
 
I hate to be contrary... but here goes anyway. We are all suckers for marketing. When the tide flows... we just seem to go with it.
I don't think any of the tablets have any place in a small cockpit with a bubble. If a device needs a suction cup, a glare modifier, a charging cord.... on and on.... it will let you down when you need it.
I will use a Garmin 696 for a contrary example. A. dedicated purpose.
B. Easy to learn. C. Very bright screen. D. Buttons. E. No fingerprints.
F. Can carry all the charts. G. They adopted geo referencing on the charts in a later rev. (early owners complained) H. Available used for very attractive pricing. I. can hard mount it and power it, or strap it to your leg.... or just put it on the seat next to you.
All the software tricks like creating synthetic vision on tablets are an invitation to disaster possibly. If not, then just toys... to dazzle you with App Code.
I love my ipad, my iphone, my Dell flip screen WIN 8 tablet/keyboard combo, my Segway, and my scuba tanks. I just don't use them for avionics. Cheers.
 
I don't know why a bubble canopy would necessarily be a major limitation. In the B767 and the Airbus A330 we can get quite horrendous glare sometimes, and they don't have bubble canopies. Just big windows all round.

The fully certified $20,000 avionics display units don't always fare much better depending on the sun angle, only having an advantage because they're usually placed under a glareshield. Our iPads are not however, and we use the iPad for our primary approach chart display, enroute chart display, performance data calculations, and all other company (major international airline) data, charts and manuals.

Occasionally you just have to ensure the brightness is fully up, or change the display angle slightly, or shade it with your hand, and we have standard "Office Depot" glare-reducing display covers for them. The turbulence factor is not much different either. You just need a little anticipation to have the iPad setup right, and be quick on the draw with your finger if you need to change anything!

I have a bubble canopy in my Experimental and have no major gripes with the iPad, dealing with it in much the same way as during my "day job". It's easier than unfolding a chart, finding you've got the wrong side open, re-folding it, flipping it around, unfolding it again, etc (and I don't even want to guess the number of times I've scrunched charts up in my career trying to get the right bit open)! ;)
 
Pat Hatch said:
....... I have been using an iPad as an EFB for several years now and I feel that it is a very adequate replacement for paper charts. It's not perfect, but it works well. Considering all of the other advantages of the iPad, I find it to be the best solution for carrying the required publications on the airplane.

Every time this thread comes up, I read a lot of comments how the glare is unacceptable, etc., yet the iPad as an EFB has become very successful, with many airlines, military, and general aviation pilots using the system. I read somewhere that the government paper charts sales are about half of what they once were and declining, the author acknowledging that the iPad was clearly the culprit.

Retina vision was a noticeable improvement, and I expect there will be future advancements in screen brightness. I'm not looking back, this is the future, in my opinion.
Click to expand...

+1 on what Pat says. It's not perfect but works for me.

I use the newer 64gb Retina iPad mini. No screen protector/filter.
 
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I found that there is a significant difference in screen readability on my iPad Mini, depending on where it is positioned in the cockpit. I tried various locations with it mounted on an arm at the side of the cockpit, and the readability was very poor. I find it much better, but still only barely acceptable, on a kneeboard on my thigh.

I'm using a Targus AWV1246US anti-glare screen protector, and it does help a bit.
 
-8A and iPad Mini

I use the mini with a Sporty's kneeboard strap on my left knee. It's below glareshield and can be adjusted to minimize glare. Works great.

Think there would be glare issues with panel or vertical suction cup mounting on the panel.
 
Just get a Nexus 7 and the sunlight readability and glare are a moot point. Foreflight is an excellent program but it's not the only excellent game in town.
 
Capflyer said:
Just get a Nexus 7 and the sunlight readability and glare are a moot point. Foreflight is an excellent program but it's not the only excellent game in town.
Click to expand...

And....what do you like to use with your Nexus?

Jim
RV9a
 
Ipad in a Bubble a Canopy Airplane

I have used an Ipad in my 7A on a kneeboard, with a piece of foam under it; have always been able to see it. I have also used a Mini on an articulating Ram Mount with no problem. Of course when it's IFR and you really need the charts, there is no problem as there is no sun.
 
Ipad in bubble canopys

Have been using mini for a couple years in everything from citations to my
RV-6 with an App Strap to Velcro it to my leg. Always able to turn it left or
right to reduce glare. Won't takeoff without it, VFR or IFR along with wing-x.


Doug McMullin
RV-6
KOWI
 
Don't leave home without it ;-) The RAM mount is my preferred method; it helps by being able to tilt the screen down just a bit. I started out w/ a leg strap, but it had a bigger glare problem and interfered w/ stick movement during acro.

75774d7f-8a30-45ad-a40c-afa4bb316b64.jpg
 
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Capflyer said:
Just get a Nexus 7 and the sunlight readability and glare are a moot point. Foreflight is an excellent program but it's not the only excellent game in town.
Click to expand...

I got one just for this purpose and was very disappointed in the readability. Very little shade in my cockpit and trying to find some just isn't a proper use of the time when moving at over 200 mph. Went back to the 396 and keep the Nexus for other things.
 
Kevin Horton said:
I found that there is a significant difference in screen readability on my iPad Mini, depending on where it is positioned in the cockpit. I tried various locations with it mounted on an arm at the side of the cockpit, and the readability was very poor. I find it much better, but still only barely acceptable, on a kneeboard on my thigh.

I'm using a Targus AWV1246US anti-glare screen protector, and it does help a bit.
Click to expand...

I agree, in the 7a I just sit my mini on my right thigh (it is not mounted) and then hold it in my hands when I want to use it. This allows for the position/tilt to best use it. I also have the Koger sunshade that really helps a bunch. Much too valuable a device to not have in the plane. I have the 696 for maps/traffic/weather, mainly use he mini for info and approach charts.
 
one other little note, Ipads only work horizontally with polarized sunglasses.

bob burns
RV-4 N82RB
 
IPAD Mini

I use an IPAD mini on a kneeboard like Kevin. Mine has the retina display and with the screen & Foreflight turned full bright I can use it without any glare. It seems to be far enough away from sunlight to be pretty useable. I use a Garmin 296 as primary nav but the Foreflight is VERY handy to have to check winds aloft, weather, etc.

Oly
 
What i've observed over a number of years watching people ask about this, is that whether an iPad (or Nexus) will work in a cockpit or not is extremely dependent on your personal preferences. Panel- or Knee-mount, anti-glare screen protector or not, Koger sunshade installed or not.

I can relate that I was very happy with my iPad2 running Air Navigation Pro. I found it very readable, but I used it on my knee. Ditto for my wife's Nexus 7, which i've tried in the same place. I haven't tried either on the panel, but on a sunny day the glossy screens would probably reflect your clothing and that may affect visibility.

Ironically, the designed-for-aviation Garmin Aera 500 in my panel is next to invisible on a sunny day. My Nexus 5 smartphone has a screen almost as large, is much higher resolution, and running Air Navigation Pro it's just as capable. The only thing it won't do is feed frequencies to my GTR200.
 
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