Another cockpit GPS question (last one, I swear!)
- Thread starter ozone
- Start date
I have the bad elf pro and it's been great. Its small and the battery last a long time, its bluetooth and has a display screen that shows alt, heading, groundspeed and accuracy as well as lat and long. It also has a internal memory that can record your trip, so it can be useful outside of the airplane as well such as recording where you went on a hike. Its not a stand alone gps but in conjunction with an ipad or iphone its great.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk
Cal Goat
Prestige Worldwide™
I'm toying with the idea of this Bad Elf unit:
http://www.marvgolden.com/bad-elf-gps-for-lightning-connector.html
http://www.marvgolden.com/bad-elf-gps-for-lightning-connector.html
Romulus
Well-Known Member
Mine can flight plan dumping the flaps in the flair
ozone
Well-Known Member
Ah, but I am planning on saving some bucks by getting a wifi only ipad, and waiting on a stratus-like device until 1) more people use it and 2) the prices come down. Therefore, a "spam can" external GPS is what i will need for the time-being.
fholbert
Mod's - Please don't edit my posts!
I wouldn't do that. One big advantage to using an iPad is the ability to bet a briefing and file anywhere. Last year AFTER taxiing out my destination went IMC. From the run-up pad I was able to file IFR. With a wifi only iPad and wouldn't have know or been able to file. Many good non-aviation apps like WAZE need a cell phone connection to work properly
A lot of people are using Stratus and at this point I wouldn't expect the prices to fall except for older used units.
wheelsup
Well-Known Member
The cost difference going to a GPS iPad is about $30
iPad Air Wifi $467
iPad Air 4G $599 (+ $132) or only $33 saved after buying the $99 GPS adapter
Wow you just saved $33. Now you also have to deal with the PITA factor of hauling around two devices, charging two devices, etc.
Prices are even closer when buying used, if not a negative amount when factoring in the $99 bluetooth adapter.
wheelsup
Well-Known Member
Cell phone wifi hotspot
ozone
Well-Known Member
Ah, but I am a cheapskate and the GPS dongle is coming to me for father's day. FWIW, you can get really good deals by checking out apple's refurbished webpage...usually about $100 off an ipad. link: http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/specialdeals/ipad/ipad_mini_retina/wi_fi
wheelsup
Well-Known Member
$509+99 = $608
iPad mini 64gb w/ 4G (GPS)
Brand new sealed $620
"Almost New" one month old $625
Just have 'em get an eBay gift certificate instead
fholbert
Mod's - Please don't edit my posts!
And you're in aviation?
KatanaHawk
Well-Known Member
Just my 2 cents: I have a bad elf and like* it (easy to pair and use, good battery life, useful for things besides aviation). I used it with my last wifi only ipad about a third of the time, *BUT the other two thirds I'd just do without it (sometimes I just forgot to charge the darn thing the night before, it was never really mission critical). I do have a mobile battery pack just in case to recharge it, but most of the time it wasn't worth the hassle of getting that all set up just to have a redundant blue dot telling me that I was crossing the same intersection that the 430 was also telling me I was crossing.
Anyway ended up getting a pretty good deal on an iPad Air with cellular, and I think I've used the bad elf once since then just to see how the accuracy held up compared to the built in gps (maybe 1-2m difference). The only thing I don't particularly like is that if you put the iPad screen to sleep the gps chip sleeps too, so when waking up it has to reaquire your location. Not a huge deal, takes anywhere from 2-30 seconds (and again, the 430 is also showing the same info). The bad elf however never loses its lock, so the location info is always available. I keep thinking that someday I might use the bad elf so I've never sold it; in fact it's still in my flight bag. I think I used it to prop up my iPad for a better viewing angle once.
So, I'd go with a cellular ipad if I were you. Much more utility, easier to keep just the one device charged, and t-mobile even has a 200mb/month cellular plan for free. Good for emergencies even if you don't think you'll use the cellular function.
Anyway ended up getting a pretty good deal on an iPad Air with cellular, and I think I've used the bad elf once since then just to see how the accuracy held up compared to the built in gps (maybe 1-2m difference). The only thing I don't particularly like is that if you put the iPad screen to sleep the gps chip sleeps too, so when waking up it has to reaquire your location. Not a huge deal, takes anywhere from 2-30 seconds (and again, the 430 is also showing the same info). The bad elf however never loses its lock, so the location info is always available. I keep thinking that someday I might use the bad elf so I've never sold it; in fact it's still in my flight bag. I think I used it to prop up my iPad for a better viewing angle once.
So, I'd go with a cellular ipad if I were you. Much more utility, easier to keep just the one device charged, and t-mobile even has a 200mb/month cellular plan for free. Good for emergencies even if you don't think you'll use the cellular function.
MidlifeFlyer
Well-Known Member
Same here. I'm on my second wifi only ipad. So far I haven't missed the 3G/4G capability. And only rarely need to use my phone's hotspot capability.
On the poll - I use an older a Dual model for local flights where I know weather won't be an issue. Stratus I on longer cross countries.
