Updates to Sporty’s most popular iPad kneeboards
The Slimline iPad Kneeboard has a new rotating mechanism to go from portrait to landscape orientation.
A kneeboard remains one of the most popular ways to secure an electronic flight bag in the cockpit. While there are a number of excellent mounting options available, some pilots think mounts simply block too much of the panel. For renters or flying club members, an iPad kneeboard is also easy to move between airplanes.
Two of the most popular iPad kneeboards, from Sporty’s Flight Gear collection, were recently updated with some small but welcome changes.
The Slimline Kneeboard wins our award for simplicity and value. There’s nothing fancy here, just an elastic leg strap and a way to keep the iPad from flying around the cockpit. But that simplicity has some benefits: it doesn’t get in the way of the yoke or throttle, and it is under $20. The latest improvement is a new, low profile rotating mechanism that makes it easy to go from landscape to portrait with a minimum of fuss. You can put the iPad right where you wan it.
The Slimline Kneeboard is available for iPad Mini (all models) and iPad Air (all models). It will accommodate all but the thickest iPad cases.
The Bi-fold Kneeboard offers both tilt and rotate options.
For pilots looking for a more deluxe kneeboard option, the Bi-fold is a full-featured kneeboard with a fold-over flap for storage and organization. This can be used in three different configurations:
- When closed, the kneeboard becomes an iPad case and organizer
- When open, the right side flap hangs down to keep accessories organized, with the iPad on the left flap
- For smaller cockpits, the right flap can be folded underneath the left flap for a single panel setup.
Besides the storage pockets, the Bi-fold Kneeboard also features a new tilt and rotate mechanism. Pilots can adjust the title angle of the iPad from flat to nearly 45 degrees, which is a quick and easy way to reduce screen glare. The kneeboard also makes it easy to rotate from portrait to landscape orientation, using the same low profile rotating mechanism as the Slimline Kneeboard. The kneeboard’s construction has also been beefed up in multiple areas to be more rugged and long-lasting.
Like the Slimline, the Bi-fold Kneeboard is available for the iPad Mini and the iPad Air, and works with most cases.
