Cockpit GPS

[ozone]

With my getting back into flying, I have become slightly overwhelmed by the portable GPS options. I used to have an anywheremap ATC; but when i try to call them, I get no answer or a busy signal. So, with the fancy Ipad and other portable tablets, which one do people use these days and why?

I think with gliding near Class B and power flight I want something that can take ADS-B. I also dont want to pay through the nose for subscriptions. I have looked at I-fly (their own device as well as their software), Ipad with foreflight, garmin aera, and several others.

If I go with Ipad: can someone give me the pluses and minuses of the mini versus the regular size? It seems that mounting a regular ipad to a surface or yoke would take up a lot of visual real-estate.

 

[Roger Roger]

Hard to go wrong with an iPad mini with foreflight.

 

[woodreau]

If you really want ads-b to go with that fore flight/iPad combo, you'll need to shell out a little more $$$$$$$$ for another piece of gear to go with that iPad or iPad mini before you'll get ads-b capability.

 

[chrisreedrules]

Ipad mini w/foreflight and a stratus deuce. Probably the most useful tools I have in my flight bag.

 

[jgheggie]

iPad...foreflight. Hands down.

-cost
-system dependability
-other useful functions

You can't go wrong with the iPad and foreflight. After buzzing around using foreflight, you land and your iPad is STILL AN IPAD! Any other GPS stays in the airplane and is useless. But you can obviously use your iPad for other things. Foreflight is incredibly accurate and easy to use. So many great features. And I think overall cost is cheaper than any handheld you will find.

 

[A150K]

Hard to go wrong with an iPad mini with foreflight.

Though I run Garmin Pilot on my mini instead of Foreflight, I agree, the mini is great.

 

[ozone]

Y'all are awesome and I appreciate the replies.

One more stupid question: do you need a data plan to run the mini while doing navigation in the plane? I realize you need data for the weather and several other things. I have a bare-bones data plan that's cheap and I dislike the idea of adding to it and paying more money.

 

[thevideographer]

Y'all are awesome and I appreciate the replies.

One more stupid question: do you need a data plan to run the mini while doing navigation in the plane? I realize you need data for the weather and several other things. I have a bare-bones data plan that's cheap and I dislike the idea of adding to it and paying more money.

Nope. As long as you have the cellular version you can use it for navigation, even without a data plan.

 

[texas_pilot]

A coworker mentioned his iPad went blank from being in the sun.
The problem is his being post Solo and relying too heavily on Foreflight so he was lost and afraid to call ATC.
I sold him an old Garmin 196 to be safe and suggested always rely on help and he increase his SA.

 

[Pichettet1]

Nope. As long as you have the cellular version you can use it for navigation, even without a data plan.

T-Mobile is offering cellular enabled iPads at the cost of wifi ones. Free data, too if you also have a phone line with them.

 

[Jose duran]

If you have an iPhone you use as back if something does happen to your iPad.

 

[Cptnchia]

A coworker mentioned his iPad went blank from being in the sun.
The problem is his being post Solo and relying too heavily on Foreflight so he was lost and afraid to call ATC.
I sold him an old Garmin 196 to be safe and suggested always rely on help and he increase his SA.

Whatever happened to actually using a chart and looking out the window. You know, do some of that old school piloting stuff. What was it called? Oh yeah, pilotage and dead reckoning. Is that still on the PPL standards?

 

[Rocketman99]

No. That's unsafe.

 

[ozone]

Another (final) question:

ipad mini or regular ipad? And: how many gigs does one need 16, 32, 64?

 

[Pichettet1]

Mini. If you're only using it for nav, 16 is enough. I'd recommend 32 though.

 

[jwp_145]

Whatever happened to actually using a chart and looking out the window. You know, do some of that old school piloting stuff. What was it called? Oh yeah, pilotage and dead reckoning. Is that still on the PPL standards?

Other than practicing to keep the skill sharp, why bother when you have the increased SA of the moving map? Obviously a good pilot combines his pilotage with his GPS...

Using your logic, why fly fancy ILSs when we can use NDBs and bring back the 4 course Radio Range?

 

[Pichettet1]

Other than practicing to keep the skill sharp, why bother when you have the increased SA of the moving map? Obviously a good pilot combines his pilotage with his GPS...

Using your logic, why fly fancy ILSs when we can use NDBs and bring back the 4 course Radio Range?

While we're at it, we should go back to the telegraph.

 

[averettpilot]

I have the iFly 700. Pretty cheap and works great for VFR/IFR. You do have to get the subscription for either VFR or IFR, which runs about $100. Only problem I have is the external battery that you have to buy if you can't plug into aircraft power. Not cheap really and it lasts for maybe 3-4 hours. I think they make one with an internal battery now. I'm pretty satisfied with mine, but I think at this point if I were in the market I might go with an ipad. Just never found the need for one since I have an iphone so I would only be getting it for the gps which seemed like a waste to me.

 

[Cal Goat]

I use an ipad mini in the jet since the company provides a free Jepp FD subscription. But I do find the GPS function to be lacking. Not sure if it's the airplane/cockpit that's inhibiting the function, but if I were more serious about it, I'd probably buy one of those bluetooth GPS antennas to augment the signal reliability.

 

[Groundpounder]

If you're not tied to the iPad platform, I suggest an Nexus 7 Android Tablet. It is significantly cheaper than iDevices, and the built in GPS works much better than the Apple. I use the Garmin app on mine currently, but fltplan just came out with a new app that is free and is very capable. I'd get the 32gb version, because its only about $30 more than the 16gb version.