Cockpit GPS

[ozziecat35]

Never really had a problem in flight, if it's hot point a vent at it. Hot days on the ground keep it in the shade.

When it has overheated it takes very little to cool it off.

I don't find a need to put my iPad in a mount, my lap works just fine.

I've been using the iPad (2nd generation, Cell version no data plan, 64 GB) with mostly Foreflight. Then rent and what not coupled with the fact I wasn't flying anymore after getting my CMEL / CSEL I let Foreflight lapse. I've used Garmin Pilot and the fltpln GO apps as well. fltpln GO is great if you want JUST a moving map and charts...plus free. Foreflight is hands down the most powerful out there. I flew with a stratus receiver for the first time with @jskibo and the traffic / weather info was great.

I've always kept my iPad in my lap, but after flying with it on a mount, it is pretty nice...I think I will look into getting a RAM mount and put it up that way.

 

[jskibo]

I've been using the iPad (2nd generation, Cell version no data plan, 64 GB) with mostly Foreflight. Then rent and what not coupled with the fact I wasn't flying anymore after getting my CMEL / CSEL I let Foreflight lapse. I've used Garmin Pilot and the fltpln GO apps as well. fltpln GO is great if you want JUST a moving map and charts...plus free. Foreflight is hands down the most powerful out there. I flew with a stratus receiver for the first time with

I've always kept my iPad in my lap, but after flying with it on a mount, it is pretty nice...I think I will look into getting a RAM mount and put it up that way.

Love the Foreflight. Since its an apple app, I just look for dicounted apple gift cards all year and usually save 20-25% off my renewal that way.

Have yoke and suction RAM mounts to cover most planes I fly. I use the full size iPad I picked up as a model year old closeout. I need the bigger size for my old eyes :)

@ozziecat35 just likes the Stratus weather to find bigger clouds, not avoid them #Cardinalice

 

[stick-n-rudder]

So no complaints then with using the cellular model ipad? Reliable GPS performance? (I'd use it as a backup but would rather use the dual xgps as a backup)

 

[KatanaHawk]

I have a cellular iPad Air and a bad elf (left over from when I had a wifi only iPad mini), and while the bad elf is maybe 2 meters more accurate the convenience of having the built in GPS is well worth the upgrade price for the cellular IMO. Sometimes it takes a few seconds to give you location info if you let your iPad sleep too long, but it's not bad at all.

 

[ozziecat35]

So no complaints then with using the cellular model ipad? Reliable GPS performance? (I'd use it as a backup but would rather use the dual xgps as a backup)

Never had a problem with the built in GPS on the iPad 2.

 

[FL350]

iPad, foreflight, external Bluetooth GPS or even the Stratus ADS-B.
I've been using mine for about two years now (iPad 2 with Bluetooth GPS) and couldn't be happier. I use it at work flying charter, and traveling around in 150's that have questionable VOR receivers. In an emergency I'd trust it enough to fly an approach by referencing the iPad

 

[desertdog71]

and traveling around in 150's that have questionable VOR receivers.

That pretty much sums up my training experiences.

 

[ozziecat35]

That pretty much sums up my training experiences.

C'mon Van, we all know you don't know how to operate a VOR receiver...you're all about the NDB's and scud running!

 

[desertdog71]

C'mon Van, we all know you don't know how to operate a VOR receiver...you're all about the NDB's and scud running!

I'm soft now. The glass panel barbie jet has ruined me.

 

[killbilly]

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?

After I got my PPL, I was getting lazy and relying on the GPS too much, so I actually started turning that stuff off and doing the paper-and-pencil and stopwatch routine. I enjoyed the process. Was getting pretty good at it.

Then I moved to DC, which is of course in the heart of the SFRA. And I decided after getting here that there was no way in hell I was going to fly out here without a GPS, preferably two. There is little to no wiggle room out here, and I don't want to make a pencil-and-paper mistake and get violated.

 

[KatanaHawk]

Just moved from DC, that airspace isn't too bad but one wrong move and you can become a national news story. I once had a complete radio failure while in the SFRA, and just imagine if I had accidentally squawked 7500 instead of 7600...

But yeah the iPad does increase situational awareness tremendously in crazy airspace areas. Helped me many times in DC, and has helped quite a bit while learning the Phoenix area airspace as well.

 

[Pichettet1]

Great to hear. Company just got me an IPad air and was curious if it was worth upgrading to the cellular model. They provide us with the Dual Xgps but if the cellular chip is somewhat reliable and accurate I'd like to upgrade just to have it as a backup in case I forgot to charge the Dual or if it crapped out on me.

So you'd say it's worth the $129 upgrade?

Absolutely. You can actually pull METARs and NOTAMS in flight if you aren't too high. Also, it's great for flight planning using actual weather conditions without having to get access to wifi/a computer. The difference a cellular enabled tablet makes is certainly worth the meager difference in price.

 

[jskibo]

That pretty much sums up my training experiences.

Van was around when VORs were carved from wood!

 

[desertdog71]

Van was around when VORs were carved from wood!

We used a sextant.

 

[FL350]

We used a sextant.

I only fly at night because I need the North Star for navigation

 

[jskibo]

I only fly at night because I need the North Star for navigation

They moved from Minnesotsa and became the Dallas Stars years ago

 

[Roger Roger]

4 course ranges are where it's at. Navigate by listening to scratchy morse code...

 

[killbilly]

4 course ranges are where it's at. Navigate by listening to scratchy morse code...

Great. Retro-navaids. The hipsters will show up at your local FBO any day now with luxurious waxed mustaches and leather flying helmets.

 

[KatanaHawk]

4 course ranges are where it's at. Navigate by listening to scratchy morse code...

Can't even imagine. I have a hard enough time getting my students to understand the morse code when identifying a VOR.

 

[stick-n-rudder]

Absolutely. You can actually pull METARs and NOTAMS in flight if you aren't too high. Also, it's great for flight planning using actual weather conditions without having to get access to wifi/a computer. The difference a cellular enabled tablet makes is certainly worth the meager difference in price.

I likely won't be using it on a data plan because I'm too cheap to activate it and pay $10 monthly. Just wanted to make sure it's a decent GPS inflight for GA airplanes, which it sounds like it is.
I've used a wifi only model on Foreflight since March 2011, during my training days and into my first couple part 91 jobs but never got to experiment with a cellular model. it's been fun watching foreflight develop over the years and become even more incredibly useful and comprehensive.