tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10000144.post2230568339461928575..comments2024-03-13T09:47:40.487+00:00Comments on Cockpit Conversation: Paper or Plastic?Aviatrixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13634111275860140084noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10000144.post-41367742369007596372015-05-01T18:38:36.399+00:002015-05-01T18:38:36.399+00:00...and then there's this:
iPad EFB app blamed ......and then there's this:<br /><a href="http://www.intelligent-aerospace.com/articles/2015/04/ipad-efb-app-blamed-for-technical-glitch-grounding-american-airlines-planes.html" rel="nofollow">iPad EFB app blamed for technical glitch grounding American Airlines planes</a><br />...the inevitable where a glitch affects not just one flight but a fleet.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08089792829849397124noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10000144.post-48884181171230479042014-09-18T20:05:48.572+00:002014-09-18T20:05:48.572+00:00Hi Aviatrix,
Thanks for the great blog post! I’m...Hi Aviatrix,<br /><br />Thanks for the great blog post! I’m a flight instructor in Canadian and I switched from paper to digital charts about 3 years ago. I use ForeFlight on my iPad and have a full backup on my iPhone. For longer flights I bring my older iPad2 that still runs ForeFlight just fine and has a full backup of all the charts, plates, CFS etc. My single-pilot ForeFlight subscription allows me to use 2-iPads and 1-iPhone. I’ve used ForeFlight for my CPL, multi-engine, IFR, and instructor training and now for all my instructor flights. I have yet to have my primary iPad fail or ForeFlight become unusable in any way. My experience with the iPad and ForeFlight is that it is a very reliable and stable solution.<br /><br />ForeFlight as an app is elegant and intuitive and provides me with situational awareness that I could never have with paper. During a low level diversion I now have an active profile view showing obstacles and terrain ahead of my track. The profile view, which draws from an official NavCanada terrain and obstacle database, provides crucial situational awareness at a glance, without the need to have my head in the cockpit. Below the profile view, I have a moving-map VNC/VTA. I also like to turn on the obstacle overlay, which uses red and yellow to actively highlight obstacles and terrain within 1000’ to 100’ and 100’ and higher respectively of my GPS altitude.<br /><br />I like the distance rings feature as it places 3 rings around my aircraft position, which I set to 5, 10 and 25nm. This combined with the map ruler allow for quick and accurate position reports when flying in uncontrolled airspace. I also have the benefit of quickly checking my distance to nearby towns that may have been mentioned in another aircraft’s position report.<br /><br />For route planning or in flight route changes, ForeFlight quickly calculates my headings (with upper wind adjustments), distances, ETE and fuel burn. In flight I can bring up CFS information, aerodrome charts and approach plates much faster and more safely than flipping through the paper versions. If I’m flying an approach, I can lock the screen so I don’t accidentally navigate away from the plate. With geo-referenced approach plates I can now overlay my approach on the low chart and fly directly from the low on to the plate. This shows me exactly how I’m entering the plate and confirms my position during the hold, procedure turn and final approach.<br /><br />The built in weight and balance feature along with track log recording are icing on the cake. Would I ever go back to paper, now way! My iPad running ForeFlight has made me a safer, more situationally aware pilot. And since I know the program well, I can quickly access the information I need and keep my eyes outside more than I ever did with paper.<br /><br />Best,<br />AdrianAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14565441110955464486noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10000144.post-63256895780130142332014-08-27T00:13:26.513+00:002014-08-27T00:13:26.513+00:00As a non-pilot, one of the clearest impressions I ...As a non-pilot, one of the clearest impressions I get from your blog is the "be prepared for anything" mentality of pilots: there is always a plan B, and usually plans C through Z, just in case.<br /><br />As a software developer, I appreciate both what computers can do, their massive internal complexity (both at the hardware and OS level), and (sadly) the range of things that can go wrong with them, whether due to accident, unintended consequence, or deliberate attack.<br /><br />By all means, go plastic for primary use. But keep the paper versions on the aircraft as well - because without them, your iPad has just become a safety-critical system. And it's not rated for that.Willhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01021569285265629428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10000144.post-38146006941554184712014-08-22T16:23:30.059+00:002014-08-22T16:23:30.059+00:00We just launched our EFB program fleet-wide in Jun...We just launched our EFB program fleet-wide in June at my company, issuing 7500 pilots the newest iPad Air equipped with Jeppesen's charting software. Before that, I spent a little over a year as a system evaluator and beta-tester for the program, running the EFB concurrent with paper charts.<br /><br />I can say without hesitation that I hope I never see another paper chart again.<br /><br />GChttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03895460508495630859noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10000144.post-7335353816306229432014-08-22T05:20:17.465+00:002014-08-22T05:20:17.465+00:00Computers are awesome, but not necessarily best on...Computers are awesome, but not necessarily best once "the predictable has gone west.<br /><br />The human eye can assimilate, and the trained brain digest, more data asynchronously (e.g., looking at a map or out the window) than it takes to get a computer to do it.<br /><br />This means paper and wetware (skull contents and sensors) are better for planning and for making/using Plan B, whereas computers can enrich and gather data when things are ok, or help gather data when it is not otherwise available.<br /><br />Card your maps, write on 'em, replace 'em. Keep the wetware sharp and current. <br /><br />And watch out for an autonomous computer-piloted FEDEX DC-10 in a sky near you!Majrojhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16465853229783059051noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10000144.post-30701622084289694512014-08-21T18:54:26.246+00:002014-08-21T18:54:26.246+00:00I've been looking at options for e-charts as a...I've been looking at options for e-charts as a private pilot and Canada seems to be woefully behind the times on this. Although recently a few companies have managed to get official charts for VFR. The iPad does seem to be the only viable platform when it comes to options.<br /><br />What software are you using Aviatrix? From my research I've found ForeFlight seems to be the best one out there.Mark Zachariashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15222462874701314684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10000144.post-46702372823246804582014-08-21T13:43:35.519+00:002014-08-21T13:43:35.519+00:00Bonjour Aviatrix
Have been flying with Ipads the l...Bonjour Aviatrix<br />Have been flying with Ipads the last two years. The upside is: You don't need to bring an extra bag with maps and binders. For me it is faster to do the flightplanning(VFR) on the Ipad. Specially to do the fuel calculations when we are at short airfields. And we don't need to leave a copy of everything on the ground anymore, since we just sync the Ipad with dropbox. When flying IFR they give you a hint(a cirle with an arrow in) of where you are on the approach plate, and you can draw on the plates, that is nice for taxi and parking. They tell you when there is an update available.<br /><br />Some downsides: The scale is never the same, you looses the feeling for the distances. It is really crappy to take notes on the Ipad, we take notes on a paper and then transfer them on the e-copy when it is calmer.<br /><br />During the time I have used them, we've only had 1 broken Ipad (we have 8 aircrafts with 2 Ipads each) and that one was falling of the roof of C206 but it was still possible to use it but with a cracked screen in one corner.<br /><br />RegardsErikhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06688714423955858315noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10000144.post-65604832327645334312014-08-21T11:38:34.616+00:002014-08-21T11:38:34.616+00:00I moved recently (airline/corporate type environm...I moved recently (airline/corporate type environment) from paper to 2 ipads. We have 1 iPad we use between both of us for normal stuff, and the second in the cupboard. We also have a set of 3 paper bricks for absolute emergencies that live in the aircraft. Works well. <br /><br />Only tip - don't leave the iPad in the glareshield in direct sunlight or it will overheat. That's the only time I've had to resort to the backup. Joshhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08134774857456145975noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10000144.post-6593698698883205052014-08-20T20:06:26.910+00:002014-08-20T20:06:26.910+00:00I am reminded of a story in "Fate is the Hunt...I am reminded of a story in "Fate is the Hunter" by Ernest K. Gann. Ferrying a plane across South America he goes into the passenger cabin to fetch the next aerial chart. Leaning over and grabbing the chart he sees through the window the explosion of the engine oil tank. He explains that had he not seen the incident it was likely they would have crashed in the jungle.<br /><br />An iPad wouldn't have helped there.Dave / Cynthia Bradleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09073590769609294825noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10000144.post-46125767973385647782014-08-20T14:55:56.098+00:002014-08-20T14:55:56.098+00:00Recently departing IFR from an airport in the Hous...Recently departing IFR from an airport in the Houston area, I was given clearance direct to a fix I'd never heard of, and that wasn't in the clearance I got before take off.<br /><br />When I couldn't find it on my iPad, I gave up and just asked for a vector. ATC then asked me what departure I'd been given, and cleared me to a waypoint on that SID.<br /><br />Once I got home I pulled out the paper and found what I was looking for - a VOR that appeared to be overlaid by a GPS waypoint for some reason I don't understand.<br /><br />My point is that the iPad is fabulous, and much cheaper and lighter than paper. But paper is more reliable and easier to use for scanning for the unexpected. D.B.https://www.blogger.com/profile/16311812701887962320noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10000144.post-4032053730819307612014-08-20T12:53:35.068+00:002014-08-20T12:53:35.068+00:00Have a look at FltPlan.com and their FltPlan Go ap...Have a look at FltPlan.com and their FltPlan Go app. Its all free, including the nav canada publications. It's really easy to navigate between approach charts, cached weather, maps and CFS entries. Free means you can definitely try it out. Also has GPS features, such as a moving map, and gel referenced approach plates<br /><br />If required, you can lock the entire screen so that a stray thumb won't change your page. It is an amazing supplement. As for replacement, I'm not so sure using this app, even tho it has all Current and legal American and Canadian publications. In any sense, it would be foolish not to have a backup iPad if you went on the route of replacement. <br /><br />And just like the GPS in the airplane, the most likely cause for error is the user themself.Bradhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10502824672956281000noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10000144.post-9358381602674599142014-08-20T06:24:50.248+00:002014-08-20T06:24:50.248+00:00I've been flying for 3 years in Germany almost...I've been flying for 3 years in Germany almost only with a iPad and a GPS mouse. I use Air Navigation Pro as a moving map along with the AIP information (separately purchased) for the countries I visit. AirNavPro can also record the flight for playback later e.g. I passed over a lake today, I wonder which one it was... It also has a notes function to write on top on the map, write down freqs, etc.<br />W&B is done with another App. I load all of my needed weather, NOTAMS, additional information as PDFs and file them in a folder within Goodreader. I can always look up previous flights this way or be prepared for the dreaded (key Darth Vader music)... R A M P C H E C K!! <br />Checklists and flight logs are still in the paper form esp. checklists. I still prefer the flight log in paper so I can write down times. It helps me be more aware of time/fuel flow, etc. A paper checklist is easier to refer to in the air instead of sweeping between apps.PPL Driverhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15938617289821093536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10000144.post-55789788124896076022014-08-20T02:48:48.254+00:002014-08-20T02:48:48.254+00:00We took a 4950 mile road trip and I was in charge ...We took a 4950 mile road trip and I was in charge of the maps. I was officially christened map killer because of my ability to cause rips along the seams of the map. We stopped at every States welcome center and got maps to supplement the AAA maps that couldn't stand up to my use. We had our smart phones for city use but the good old paper maps got us across the deserts and prairies and grasslands. I like my maps. amulbunny's random thoughtshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10621932038345682056noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10000144.post-38054860593287158692014-08-20T02:30:29.564+00:002014-08-20T02:30:29.564+00:00My answers were too low for a comment, so I wrote ...My answers were too low for a comment, so I wrote <a href="http://flyingsummers.com/2014/08/19/paper-or-plastic/" rel="nofollow">blog post</a> with them instead.<br /><br />I'm happy to answer more questions as you have them.Colinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16656070367444324340noreply@blogger.com