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Thread: Charts or iPads?

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  1. #1

    Join Date
    Jul 2011
    Posts
    2,575

    Charts or iPads?

    On the topic of Flying into Controlled airports, I wrote about having a sectional, that is a real chart.
    Another pilot disagreed and pointed out that with an ipad one could have every Ifr chart and approach chart as well as vfr sectionals and wac on the tablet.

    So, here are a few questions for him or others that promote the iPad over charts.

    1. How long has it been since you flew outside of the area on your local WAC chart?
    2. How many actual Ifr approaches did you make this year?
    3. How long has it been since you made an actual Ifr approach outside your local state/area where you needed ifr charts from another part of the country?
    4. A sectional chart is roughly 2 x3 feet per side, so usually to show a state and more, and covers a good bit of area. How big is the screen on the iPad? Is it about 3x3 inches?
    5. Is it easier to control the attitude of a plane when you can see the whole horizon out the window or easier when you are flying blind on just a 2 1/2 inch attitude indicator?
    6. Do ipads ever fail, such as batteries running down? Have you ever had a battery fail in a real chart?
    7. Is it legal for a pilot to fly with no real charts?, keeping in mind the rule about "having all information".
    8. If you are taking a flight test, the instructor may "fail" an engine and you are expected to make an emergency landing.
    If you are taking a flight test, with an ipad. but without real charts, and the instructor "fails" (turns off) your ipad, how do you navigate, and or fly into an airport or an ifr approach?


    Now, I can see the advantages of having an iPad as a helpful addition, and I might even get one this year and maybe learn to use it, but I also see some disadvantages of it vs. real charts.
    For a charter or airline pilot who actually needs charts from all over the country it might be good. For most of us costs may also be and issue. An ipad with a chart subscirption might run $500 and for that price one can get 50 sectionals.
    Last edited by Bill Greenwood; 01-01-2014 at 09:26 PM.

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