MAX TRESCOTT
BETTER PILOT / TRENDS ALOFT
The iPad in the
Aviation World
A great value for pilots
IF YOU ALREADY OWN an iPhone, then you
know the iPad is similar except its screen is
eight times larger and it doesn’t include a
phone. If you don’t own an iPhone—and I
don’t since AT&T lacks network coverage at
two locations where I spend a lot of time—
you should get acquainted with the iPad.
Despite some shortcomings, it’s an effective
tool for performing many aviation tasks in
and out of the cockpit. Plus, you’ll end up
with a laptop substitute that weighs just a
pound and a half and connects to the
Internet most anywhere.
There are two iPad versions. One is
Wi-Fi only and costs $499 and up,
depending upon how much memory is in
the unit. Pilots will need the 3G version,
which starts at $629 and includes a built-in GPS, Wi-Fi, and 3G for Internet
connectivity most anywhere if you pay a
monthly fee that can be as low as $15 per
month.
The iPad display is highly readable in
flight except in direct sunlight. Then you
may see reflections and glare; it seems to
lack the anti-glare coating found on glass
. . . you’ll end up with a laptop substitute that weighs
just a pound and a half and
connects to the Internet
most anywhere.
cockpit displays. Some users report that
frequent touching smudges the iPad, so
they wipe the display several times a day. I
left mine in the plastic bag it came in; it still
works well and stays clean.
Apple says iPad operation is limited
to 10,000 feet, though I know of one
flight at 11,500 feet where it didn’t overheat. In flight, 3G Internet connectivity
worked some of the time, but not reliably
enough to count on the iPad for in-flight
weather information.
Aero Charts (CONUS) displays an active flight plan with red
lines. The groundspeed is displayed in the lower left as 0
knots, and the present position is shown as a red dot since
the iPad wasn’t moving when this image was created.
