iPad Pilot News

Considering your first iPad or upgrading your old one? There are a lot of options. In this article, we'll walk you through all the options, then offer our choice for the best overall aviation tablet.

There are thousands of weather apps for the general public, from free to quite expensive. These are great for deciding whether you need a jacket tomorrow, but when it comes to aviation weather--looking at thunderstorms, ice, turbulence, visibility and so much more--these apps just aren't enough. So we'll focus on apps that offer more for pilots, both free and paid.

iOS 13.5 speeds up access to the passcode field on devices with Face ID when you are wearing a face mask and introduces the ‌Exposure Notification‌ API to support COVID-19 contact tracing apps from public health authorities. This update also introduces an option to control automatic prominence of video tiles on Group ‌FaceTime‌ calls and includes bug fixes and other improvements.

With the threat of coronavirus hanging over most segments of aviation, many pilots are  getting a quick education on proper cleaning procedures. Wiping down the yokes, avionics, and door handles after each flight has become standard practice at many flight schools, flying clubs, and charter companies. That focus on cleanliness extends to tablets and phones too—but what is safe?

There are many misconceptions among pilots related to the iPad's capabilities in the cockpit. Take our latest quiz based on questions we've received from pilots over the last 12 months to see if you know the difference between iPad fact and fiction, and hopefully learn a few things along the way.

CloudAhoy started life as a desktop app and, until recently, the user interface reflected that heritage. While the feature list is long and impressive, some of the options were a little hard to use—especially on a mobile device. The company knows that more and more pilots are debriefing on their iPads, so they have redesigned the Debrief section of the app to be easier to use. Here's a look at the new layout.

Each year we publish a plain-language review of the FARs and Advisory Circulars pertaining to the use of iPads and electronic flight bags in the cockpit. This is great information for pilots looking to make the transition from paper charts to an iPad, but should also be reviewed by experienced iPad pilots as well.

For pilots using a tablet as their primary chart reference, keeping an iPad charged isn't just a convenience - it's a safety of flight issue. Fortunately, there are a whole host of solutions that can keep your battery topped off; unfortunately, many were developed for cars and not airplanes. We've recently been testing a new option that is made for aviation but is both inexpensive and portable.

The reality is EFB apps can do so much more than just METARs and charts, so it's worth taking the time to sit down on a rainy day (or during quarantine) and explore their hidden features. It'll help you break out of your iPad routine and improve your preflight planning and in-flight situational awareness. To get you started, here are 5 lesser-known features in the Garmin Pilot app to check out before the next flight.

The latest update to ForeFlight adds four practical new features to use during flight planning and while en route: position marking, SID/STAR aircraft labels, flight planning based on ETA and interactive extended centerlines. Here is a look at how they work.