Good point Jeremy. Redundancy. You military guys always need two of everything.

Two is always better than one but really I just like entering in my flight plan just once...I rarely use my "ancient" laptop computer anymore.

I can't recommend the iPad enough. I'm not sure why people say they wouldn't nav off of it unless you are talking IFR. If you would nav off of a paper sectional, then you can nav off the iPad. In fact, it is even better because it shows your position on the sectional and moves with a finger instead of having to refold the map. Same goes for VFR GPS units, if you will nav off of them, then you can nav off the iPad. I actually like the iPad better for a couple of reasons: the first is that you have an actual sectional underneath your position with most of the apps so you can still easily look outside your window and make sure your position correlates to the town, river, highway, or power lines you see. Most VFR GPS units I have used do not have sectional level of detail on the map. The second is cost, the iPad is cheaper than one of the high end VFR GPS units. Not to mention the cost of sectionals, plates, taxi diagrams, AFD, etc. Even in IFR, it is a great in flight planning for rerouting, approach plates, and replacing paper IFR charts. But yeah, don't nav off it.

I also feel that the 3G version is not just redundant, but unnecessary. Right now I'm doing most of my flying at over MA, CT, and RI. At 3,500 ft I almost never have a cell or 3G signal. that is pretty low transit altitude in very populated states with excellent cell coverage. The 3G version is $130 more than the wifi only version. For $100 you can get either the Bad Elf (my choice) or the Dual Bluetooth GPS. So for less money I get a better GPS receiver. If my FBO doesn't have wifi then I use my iPhone 3G signal to check weather since I run ForeFlight on both, I just don't download maps and plates on the iPhone. So I still have redundancy in that area.

Would like to know how and where you are mounting your ipads in the cockpit. Does not work well for me as a kneeboard. Looking at GoPro's suction mount or yoke mount to mount to tubing.

Arnold

Magnet wrote:Would like to know how and where you are mounting your ipads in the cockpit. Does not work well for me as a kneeboard. Looking at GoPro's suction mount or yoke mount to mount to tubing.

Arnold

Are you just using the internal GPS of the iPad? Many use Bad Elf gps ($99 and specifically engineered for the ipad) or some other external gps unit and have no trouble with reception regardless of where the ipad is mounted in the plane.

I have the ipad w/GPS, don't have any problem with reception, only deciding where to mount it other than on my leg.

Arnold

This mount works well for me. I fabricated it with a hinge so I could swing it up and latch it under the panel when I'm not using it...



Tom
San Antonio

How about some photos Tom. Looks great.
Arnold

Thanks Arnold...

I'm afraid it's definitely the Rube Goldberg approach I took, but that's what I do

First thing I did was make a cardboard template with the different cutouts necessary to be able to use the different buttons/ plugs on my iPad.


Then I cut out the piece of .050 metal in preparation for bending it. The metal is from the old S-7 instrument panel I didn't use when I built my plane, which is why it has the funny half circle cutouts...


Bent metal...


The separate piece being painted in this pic sets the bracket back behind the panel a bit so I could use short 'arms' from that piece down to the bracket to hold it in the proper position.


Hard to see in the pic, but there are the short arms. They can be unhooked from the bracket to allow it to swing back under the panel and latched in place by two more 'arms' hiding up under the panel.


Tom

Very neat. Thanks

Arnold

Has anyone had luck mounting an iPad in a J3, whereas the pilot will have access to it while solo in the back seat?

One equipment issue is the the wifi only models do not have a gps. You need a 3G model to get a gps. You do not need to have a 3G connection or even an active account. It's like buying a car and you want power windows but can't get them without power doors. The gps comes with the 3G option.

Airshofoto wrote:One equipment issue is the the wifi only models do not have a gps. You need a 3G model to get a gps. You do not need to have a 3G connection or even an active account. It's like buying a car and you want power windows but can't get them without power doors. The gps comes with the 3G option.

True, although the external GPS's work very well.

I just purchased the iPad2 WITHOUT the 3G/GPS option, and have opted for the external (Dual 150) GPS instead. I have used Foreflight and the Dual 150 combo in the T34 a bunch, and it works just great. The people at Foreflight actually prefer the use of the external GPS because of greater accuracy. The Dual 150 GPS receiver sits nicely in the windshield and relays info via bluetooth connection. I chose the Dual 150 over the Bad Elf because the Elf sticks out of your iPad and makes it a bit awkward in the kneeboard. The 3G/GPS version tends to be a bit less accurate.

Break, break,

Anyone know how to rig the iPad (or pod, or phone...) into my David C headphones? Some long flights coming up.

Does your DC's have Bluetooth?
IPAD2, 3G,WIFI 32GB works well for me. I am using the Ram goose neck seat track version. Although it does not work in a Maule because they do not have tracks. I jury rigged it under the fire extinguisher and it can be placed withing arms distance away from the yoke movement.

Green Hornet wrote:Does your DC's have Bluetooth?
IPAD2, 3G,WIFI 32GB works well for me. I am using the Ram goose neck seat track version. Although it does not work in a Maule because they do not have tracks. I jury rigged it under the fire extinguisher and it can be placed withing arms distance away from the yoke movement.

Bill you finally came up for air >you get lost in the LZ ?

Hey Stinger, I've been on SpeciaL Ops duty Radio silence

Is anyone using Foreflight on the iPod Touch?
I'm looking for the cheapest replacement I can find for my 196.

Yes and it's great

Sorry, I meant I was using it on the iPad