Charging cables used to be simple: buy one with a Lightning connector and plug it into your iPad. But since the early days of tablets, things have become much more complicated. We’ve recently been flying with some new cables that finally solve this problem, and add some helpful features as well.
Now there’s a new top dog in the portable weather receiver market, with the introduction of Sentry Plus. While slightly larger than the original Sentry, it’s still a compact and lightweight device that easily mounts on a side window via a suction cup. In addition to popular features like datalink weather and traffic, Sentry Plus includes some thoughtful upgrades and performance enhancements. Here’s a look at some of the new features.
A portable satellite communicator is ideal for updating friends and family when your ETA changes or for tracking flights in remote areas. Now there’s a new player in this market. ACR Electronics, a well-known manufacturer of personal locator beacons, has launched the Bivy Stick.
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.
A good pilot should know how to “aviate, navigate, and communicate,” no matter what airplane they are flying. For anyone flying with an electronic flight bag, there isn’t a simple phrase to remember but there are still some essential skills to master. Are you proficient at all five of these?
Garmin’s latest smartwatch for pilots, the D2 Mach 1, is loaded with all the advanced features you’d expect from an industry-leading avionics company: GPS, moving map, pulse oximeter, altimeter, fitness tracking, and smartphone notifications. But the watch also is another node in Garmin’s Connext platform, which ties together multiple devices in the cockpit, from iPad apps to panel avionics.
Since launching in September 2021, the iPad mini 6 has quickly become the most popular tablet among pilots. RAM recently introduced two new products to help secure it in flight: a perfect-fit cradle and a leg mount. Here’s flight test report.
If you’re anything like us, your favorite electronic flight bag (EFB) app has dozens of features that you don’t even know about, or perhaps you once knew about but have long since forgotten. That’s certainly true of ForeFlight, which has steadily added features over the last decade to become a truly comprehensive preflight and in-flight tool. Here are five features we recently “rediscovered” that are worth trying on your next flight.
One of the standout features in Garmin Pilot is its traffic page, which looks like it’s right off a panel-mount GTN navigator. This is a decluttered view so it appears simple, but we’ve noticed many pilots don’t notice all the customization options. Here’s a look at what you can adjust.
Some compromises are made when moving data that was initially designed to be displayed on a fold-out chart or book to an iPad app. In particular, it’s a challenge to integrate information like legends and chart supplements—some of which is critically important for pilots. Fortunately, ForeFlight still offers these supplements and supporting data, but you need to know where to look.
There are dozens of options for securing an iPad in the cockpit, but one of our favorite new options is the Flight Outfitters iPad Flight Desk. It combines a protective case, an in-flight organizer, and a flexible iPad kneeboard into one product. Pilots have the option to use it as a bi-fold flight desk, complete with a clipboard, or as a basic iPad leg strap. In this video, Sporty’s Doug Ranly explains all the features.
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.
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