What’s the best iPad for pilots—2023 edition

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Buying your first iPad or upgrading an older one? Almost any model can work for pilots, but there are more options than ever to choose from. Here we'll break down the differences between each and give some insight for those looking to buy a used or refurbished iPad.

Prevent iPad overheating issues in the airplane this summer

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Based on iPad Pilot News reader surveys over the years, the majority of pilots have had the iPad shut down on them at least once in flight due to overheating. This is by far the most common problem reported by pilots when flying with an iPad, but it can be prevented with a little bit of planning and preparation.

The student pilot’s guide to learning to fly with an iPad

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You’ve come to the right spot if you’re a student pilot who has decided to buy an iPad and would like to incorporate it into your flight training. Here we'll cover a variety of considerations to help you get started, from buying an iPad to selecting an aviation app, and which accessories work well with an iPad in the cockpit.
iPad delete browsing

How to free up storage space on your iPad

It has happened to almost every pilot: you're excited to download that new app or it's time to download charts for your big cross country, but you get the dreaded "iPad Storage Full" message. Over time, as you download more apps and take more pictures, you can quickly fill up the storage space on your device and run into this alert. This means it's time to start thinking about freeing up some space by deleting unused apps and media.
iPad Model Name

How to find your iPad model number

If you're shopping for a mount or kneeboard you'll quickly have to answer the question, "which iPad do I have?" It's not always as simple as it might sound, so if you're not sure which model you have, you're not alone. If you need to look that information up here’s how to do so.
iPad in Aztec

Three cheers for the iPad—an aviation miracle

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Dramatic advances in tablet technology have slowed down, small companies have been snapped up by major industry players, and prices have crept up. Some pilots have noticed, and started to share their frustration. One relatively new private pilot recently told me, "maybe the iPad is just a rip-off after all." Hardly. The iPad and aviation apps are nothing short of a miracle for pilots.
iPad teardown

How to improve your iPad’s battery life

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One of the most under-appreciated features of the iPad is its fantastic battery life. Even with a high-resolution screen and a powerful processor, Apple's tablet offers a battery life of 4 to 6 (or more) hours in the air—better than almost every other competing tablet. But there are a number of things you can do to improve the performance of your iPad battery and keep it in top working condition.

App troubleshooting: how to close, delete and restart

Everyone knows how to open an app on the iPad--just tap the icon and it's off to the races. But what about closing apps--do you know the difference between sleeping an app, shutting down an app and deleting an app? It's an important distinction that comes into play when an app starts misbehaving.

Student pilot’s guide to cross-country flight planning with an iPad (video tip)

There is a wide range of opinions on how the iPad should be used during flight training by student pilots. In this video, we'll show how the iPad and ForeFlight can be worked into the cross-country planning process as a digital chart viewer and navigation resource while still flying the trip using pilotage and dead reckoning techniques.
Airplane Mode

Do I really need to use Airplane Mode on my iPad or iPhone?

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One of the most common questions we hear as pilots is, "Do I really need to put my phone in Airplane Mode?" The airlines have been saying yes for years, but many travelers think this advice is outdated and it's safe to ignore. Is that true in a small airplane? And what is Airplane Mode anyway? Here's our advice.
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Understanding ADS-B traffic: when does it work?

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Portable ADS-B receivers for the iPad (like the Sentry, Garmin GDL 50 and Stratus 3) can receive ADS-B traffic in addition to weather. But unlike weather, which is broadcast continuously, traffic is only transmitted in certain cases. This can make ADS-B traffic very confusing—when does it work and when does it not work?
Control Center settings

Eight iPad settings all pilots should know

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The Settings app was fairly basic when the iPad was first released in 2010, providing control of the Bluetooth and Wi-Fi wireless radios, screen brightness and email account settings. Ten years later it has evolved into a collection of hundreds of settings, with multi-tier menus that can make it difficult to find what you're looking for. Here are 8 pilots need to know.