Charts or iPads?

[rwanttaja]

Since I fly open cockpit, I sit on my chart to keep it from blowing away. This would be uncomfortable, with an Ipad. :-)

Ron Wanttaja

[zaitcev]

But I'm sure that a man who built an ejection seat for his FlyBaby is fully capable of rigging up something as simple as a craddle for iPad.

[rwanttaja]

But I'm sure that a man who built an ejection seat for his FlyBaby is fully capable of rigging up something as simple as a cradle for iPad.

Don't have room, with the espresso machine and the microwave for the popcorn... :-)

Ron Wanttaja

[Jeff Boatright]

Since I fly open cockpit, I sit on my chart to keep it from blowing away. This would be uncomfortable, with an Ipad. :-)

Ron Wanttaja

I, too, fly open cockpit, and I, too, sit on my chart to keep it from blowing away. I've never been able to figure out how to read the chart while it's secure under my butt, though. :0

OTOH, I have no problem navigating with Foreflight on my iPhone, which I have clipped to the instrument panel...

[rwanttaja]

I, too, fly open cockpit, and I, too, sit on my chart to keep it from blowing away. I've never been able to figure out how to read the chart while it's secure under my butt, though. :0

New Ap, called "Smartbutt". :-)

OTOH, I have no problem navigating with Foreflight on my iPhone, which I have clipped to the instrument panel...

Paranoid as I am, I'd hate to have to try to secure an Ipad when I stopped somewhere, and it's a bit too bulky to carry around. However, in lieu of a gold watch for a 30-year-anniversary, my employer gave me a Galaxy Tab. About the same size as an Ipad mini. Been contemplating potential uses for it in the airplane, though I'm cautious about full-sunlight visibility. Don't think it's got a GPS in it, so it'd have to be passive navigation. But at least I could pull it out and tuck it into a pocket.

Space is often at a premium in a single-seater, though, and I'd probably have to rig up some sort of folding arm so I could push it away while getting in and out.

WWII Navy airplanes often had pull-out chart tables at the bottom (or even the middle) of the instrument panel.



I've been tempted to try add something like this to the Fly Baby... it's a free run for ten inches or so under the panel, so I could put in a short pull-out table there. There's a potential for interfering with the stick, though (especially if something broke), and my knee room is tight enough already.

Have to hold out for Google Glass.

Current project is attempting to build a headset out of Romex cable and a gooseneck LED lamp. Was using an oil can, originally, but the flex spout was too short. Figure my total cost will be under hundred bucks, for a slimline in-the-ear headset that can be worn under a leather helmet without modification.

Ron "Cheap is my middle name" Wanttaja

[Kyle Boatright]

With the correct options turned "on", I find WingX on my iPad Mini or iPhone (I really like the iPhone's readability) is almost as good as a chart. In a perfect world, I'd always have the appropriate (current) paper charts because I think my situational awareness is better when I use a chart.

[Jeff Boatright]

New Ap, called "Smartbutt". :-)


...
Space is often at a premium in a single-seater, though, and I'd probably have to rig up some sort of folding arm so I could push it away while getting in and out.

WWII Navy airplanes often had pull-out chart tables at the bottom (or even the middle) of the instrument panel.



I've been tempted to try add something like this to the Fly Baby... it's a free run for ten inches or so under the panel, so I could put in a short pull-out table there. There's a potential for interfering with the stick, though (especially if something broke), and my knee room is tight enough already.
...
Ron "Cheap is my middle name" Wanttaja

Here's a Pietenpol version: http://www.westcoastpiet.com/images/...s/IMG_3917.JPG

[Bill Greenwood]

Miemsed, thanks for trying to answer my questions. It sounds like you, unlike me or many other pilots, really do fly ifr and many places not local, and do use the electronic aids.

One thing I'd like to know is how while flying an iLS approach you can divert your attention to picking up an ipad, turning it on, ( any warm up time) and bringing up the correct approach chart.
I stay ifr legal, ( my insurance co requires it) and I find it takes a lot of concentration and accurate flying to stay on course; I certainly could never divert my attention in mid approach to switch to the ipad. I think I would have full needles off center pretty quickly. I realize that the ipad failing in mid approach in the real world would not be likely.

[rleffler]

Miemsed, thanks for trying to answer my questions. It sounds like you, unlike me or many other pilots, really do fly ifr and many places not local, and do use the electronic aids.

One thing I'd like to know is how while flying an iLS approach you can divert your attention to picking up an ipad, turning it on, ( any warm up time) and bringing up the correct approach chart.
I stay ifr legal, ( my insurance co requires it) and I find it takes a lot of concentration and accurate flying to stay on course; I certainly could never divert my attention in mid approach to switch to the ipad. I think I would have full needles off center pretty quickly. I realize that the ipad failing in mid approach in the real world would not be likely.

I'm similiar to Miemsed. Moving maps and approach plates are viewable on any one of the three EFIS on my panel in my RV-10. These are both geo-referenced so there is an aircraft icon indicating my current position on them. The fourth EFIS doesn't have this capability, it's purely just a back-up fail safe. I'm finding flying with a modern EFIS much easier than a standard six pack. The information is more consolidated and minimizes head and eye movement, allowing me to stay focused better.

I also have an iPad in the cockpit with WingX on it that has sectionals, ifr charts, and approach plates on it as well. They are also on my iPhone, but I do admit that's a little harder to read. Toss in a GTN650 and a multi-axis autopilot and the workload is cut down even further. If I get to a point where I have to switch to the iPad to reference while flying, I've had multiple severe system failures (i.e. three dead EFIS and a dead GTN650). Fortunately, the odds of that happening is extremely small.

The current model of my EFIS can also display both sectionals and IFR charts, but timing is everything and I have the previous hardware version in my RV.

I am just coming out of Phase 1, so now it's time to get my IPC knocked out that lapsed while building.

[miemsed]

Miemsed, thanks for trying to answer my questions. It sounds like you, unlike me or many other pilots, really do fly ifr and many places not local, and do use the electronic aids.

One thing I'd like to know is how while flying an iLS approach you can divert your attention to picking up an ipad, turning it on, ( any warm up time) and bringing up the correct approach chart.
I stay ifr legal, ( my insurance co requires it) and I find it takes a lot of concentration and accurate flying to stay on course; I certainly could never divert my attention in mid approach to switch to the ipad. I think I would have full needles off center pretty quickly. I realize that the ipad failing in mid approach in the real world would not be likely.

Well we were level at 2500 feet and had not yet intercepted the glideslope so it really was no big deal. I have an iPad 3 with a smart case. I leave foreflight open after filing my flight plan and just close the cover which turns off the iPad. When I open up the cover foreflight is open and there is no warm up time. Also I had already briefed the approach and jotted down the minimums and other info on my kneeboard so I really could have flown the approach at that point but the examiner wanted to see if I had access to an approach plate if the Garmin 796 failed. I did and he accepted it. I fully brief an approach and jot down a few things like minimums, initial steps for the missed onto a piece of paper on my knee board. So if I had a 796 failure I really could just finish the approach. If for some reason I could not and did not feel I could access the iPad backup, I would just go missed and pull up the plate on the iPad and go again.

I am not trying to convince anyone else to go paperless. It is not for everyone. For me, I love being able to wake up on a sat or sun morning and decide let's fly to SC today. I know I have all the charts I need. When I was using paper I am sure I would find a problem with not having every chart I needed or realizing the charts I had were expired. If I realized it with the iPad or GPS, I would just have to spend 15 mins to 30 mins downloading the charts. If I were depending on paper charts, I would not be able to get them. Even if the FBO at my airport was open, they do not carry charts.

I really do love the paperless solution. For VFR or IFR low charts the 796 and iPad for that matter allow you to zoom in and out to get great detail on a chart which for me is far superior to folding and unfolding a chart in flight.

Again I am not saying paperless is for everyone but I do believe a great deal of pilots have gone paperless. I could be wrong but I do not believe I am blazing any trails here as I sense that many pilots went paperless long before I did.

Along with the panel mount GTN 650 I have an STEC 30 auto pilot with a GPSS module. That does help to reduce work load somewhat but it really is not hard to turn on an iPad to use as a back up for charts

Happy flying with paper or without.