The days of holding a mini-Maglite in your mouth and shining it down on a paper sectional are gone thanks to the iPad’s backlit screen. But just because the iPad solves part of the night lighting equation doesn’t mean you can just hop in the airplane and start using it the same way you do during the day. Here are five things to consider the next time you go flying at night with your iPad.
The one side effect from Apple’s high level of performance is that it can cause pilots to develop a bit of complacency over time, especially if you don’t periodically inspect your device settings, preferences, app configuration, and system updates. Similar to the routine of having your airplane undergo an annual inspection, we recommend that you take the time to review the following items once a year to keep your iPad, apps and accessories performing at their best.
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.
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.
Without enough juice in the battery, Garmin Pilot cannot show your approach plates and Sentry cannot show the latest radar. That makes a backup power source an absolutely essential item for any pilot. Now there’s a new option that’s small enough to fit in your pocket and eliminates the need to carry cables.
Garmin’s top-of-the-line portable weather receivers, the compact GDL 52 and GDL 51, receive more than just GPS and weather. With an active SiriusXM subscription, pilots and passengers can also enjoy music and live sports in flight. Once you’ve configured all your devices, it’s very easy to listen to SiriusXM Radio, but the first time you do it there are a few steps to follow.
Sentry includes all the essential features—weather, traffic, GPS, AHRS, carbon monoxide detector—but at a size and price that make it a great fit for almost any pilot. This week, ForeFlight announced an updated Sentry that doesn’t add major new capabilities, but offers enhanced performance.
The Settings app is so complex that Apple includes a search function within the Settings app to locate buried preferences. All these settings and configuration options are great for customizing everything to your liking, but at the end of the day there are really only a few settings you need to be concerned about when using the iPad as an EFB in the cockpit. Here’s a quick rundown.
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.
Portable ADS-B receivers like Sentry are must-have devices for many pilots, delivering subscription-free weather that helps make better in-flight decisions. Beyond datalink weather, many pilots have also discovered the value of having a portable ADS-B receiver as a backup. There’s another level of redundancy that most pilots don’t consider, though: GPS failure.
Ten years ago, Garmin created a new category of portable avionics when it introduced the D2, a pilot watch with a built-in GPS and aviation database. That was followed by a slew of upgraded models, the latest of which hit the market this week. The D2 Mach 1 Pro is Garmin’s largest and most powerful smartwatch yet, and is another node in Garmin’s Connext platform.
Datalink weather has the potential to make your flying safer and more comfortable—but only if you know how to use it properly. Join Air Facts editor John Zimmerman for an in-depth look at ADS-B, SiriusXM, and how to use them in flight with popular iPad apps. Topics include: weather accident trends, five rules of datalink weather, differences between ADS-B and SiriusXM, and real world weather flying scenarios.
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