What’s the best iPad for pilots – 2020 buyer’s guide

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.

How to preflight your iPad in less than 5 minutes

You'll want to create a checklist that works for your apps, accessories and your airplane. Customize it so that you'll actually use it before every flight. With that in mind, though, here's a basic checklist to consider that applies to most apps.

Using iPad screenshots to save aviation information for offline access

We've used screenshots to store Google Earth images of new airports, fly-in procedures, detailed weather graphics that aren't available via ADS-B, and much more. Apple has continued to refine this utility over the past few years – here's how to take advantage of the latest features in iOS 14.
18W iPad charger

Tips for charging your iPad before flight and in the cockpit

One of the standout features of the iPad is its long battery life, but running out of juice can still happen. Here's how to charge your iPad safely and quickly, and some suggestions for backup power in the cockpit.

7 iPad settings pilots should understand

The Settings app has evolved into a collection of hundreds of options, with multi-tier menus that can make it difficult to find what you're looking for. 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.

Should pilots buy an iPad with built-in GPS?

One of the most common questions we hear from pilots is whether it's worth upgrading to the iPad model with cellular data and GPS. Here we'll break down the options and help you decide which model is best for your type of flying.

How to use latitude and longitude in aviation apps

Even with all of our modern aviation databases, sometimes you just can't beat a lat/lon coordinate. Entering a set of coordinates in your favorite app is easy, but there are a couple of traps you need to avoid and not everyone reports lat/lon the same way. Let's review the basics of latitude and longitude and the different types of coordinates.

How to use your iPad to scan aviation documents into ForeFlight or FltPlan Go

More and more pilots are going completely paperless in the cockpit, but that requires some paper documents to be scanned first. Fortunately, Apple includes some hidden capabilities in the Notes app, including the addition of a powerful scanner utility.

Worried about battery life? Use Apple’s built-in utility

Pilots tend to focus more on optimizing the iPad's battery life than the average iPad user, since this is critical to keeping the device functioning in the airplane over the course of a flight. Fortunately, there's a dedicated utility in the main iPad settings to help shed some light on which apps are using the most power, possibly while running in the background.

How to keep your iPad from overheating in flight

Based on an iPad Pilot News reader survey we conducted, over 70% of respondents reported that they 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.

What’s the best iPad for pilots – 2020 buyer’s guide

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.
Cleaning iPhone

Cleaning your iPad—practical tips for pilots

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?