iPad Mini Suction Mounts

E

eventualpilot

Pre-takeoff checklist
Joined
Sep 26, 2013
Messages
110
Location
US
Display Name
Display name:
eventualpilot
Planning to purchase an iPad Mini 5 (64 gb wifi only model) and a bad elf gps (lightning connector). I’d like to mount the iPad with a suction cup to the left portion of the windshield. How do the RAM x-grip and tab-tite suction mount mounts compare? Any other worthy options?

Any suggestions for a case to hold the ipad in the mount? Are the anti-glare screen protectors worth it?
 
Yoke mount, xgrip, otterbox.
 
Me too, but they're less bad than the ram suction cups, which inevitably fall off with just a phone, much less a tablet.
 
A few months back I purchased a Dealgadgets Tablet Car Mount Holder for $13 from Amazon. It worked well and help my iPad mini both within and without its case (an old, tattered Bear Motion Leather Folio case, also from Amazon).

However ... the mount works fine in a Cessna 172. Not so great in the Archers and the Diamonds that I fly as well. OK, maybe I don't need an iPad in the DA40, but the point I am trying to make is that the curvature of the windscreen in an Archer or a Diamond does not yield sufficient surface for a suction mount to work.

So ... I switched to a yoke mount. It turned out to be very ergonomic. Of course, I cannot use it in the Diamond because there is no yoke.

When I was flying with the iPad mini mounted on the left side of the windshield in the Skyhawk, I had a few frustrating moments because it blocked visibility to the left, especially when executing left closed traffic. The good news is that I had an excuse every time I turned final too early or too late from left base :)
 
Last edited:
I'm flying a 172. I figured that a yoke mount would block the instruments.
 
I flew my 172 with a ram mount stuck to the side for years. Would restick it every flight otherwise it had an increased chance to fall. I’m not a fan of yoke mounts.
 
I use the x grip with the iPad mini 4 and mount it to the far left of the windscreen (C172K). I don’t care for the yoke mounts. This has worked very well for me and I have had no problems with it falling. Good luck.
 
Do yourself a favor and get the correct cradle.... The X-grip is universal crap...
https://www.gpscity.com/ram-mount-apple-ipad-mini-4-mount-cradle-ram-hol-ap20u

The PRO 10.5 is the best pilot option. The mini is small. With the 10.5 you don't have to zoom way in to read stuff.
The newer mini's and pro models have a antiglare screen so you don't need the crappy protector :)
Why a bad elf? The internal GPS works perfect. I have never lost signal.
 
pigpenracing said:
Do yourself a favor and get the correct cradle.... The X-grip is universal crap...
https://www.gpscity.com/ram-mount-apple-ipad-mini-4-mount-cradle-ram-hol-ap20u

The PRO 10.5 is the best pilot option. The mini is small. With the 10.5 you don't have to zoom way in to read stuff.
The newer mini's and pro models have a antiglare screen so you don't need the crappy protector :)
Why a bad elf? The internal GPS works perfect. I have never lost signal.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the suggestion. I like the x grip because I can slide my iPad to one side and that allows more visual field for instruments/outside viewing. To each his own.
 
pigpenracing said:
Do yourself a favor and get the correct cradle.... The X-grip is universal crap...
https://www.gpscity.com/ram-mount-apple-ipad-mini-4-mount-cradle-ram-hol-ap20u

The PRO 10.5 is the best pilot option. The mini is small. With the 10.5 you don't have to zoom way in to read stuff.
The newer mini's and pro models have a antiglare screen so you don't need the crappy protector :)
Why a bad elf? The internal GPS works perfect. I have never lost signal.
Click to expand...

Bad elf because I was under the impression the wifi only models don't have an internal GPS.
 
eventualpilot said:
Bad elf because I was under the impression the wifi only models don't have an internal GPS.
Click to expand...

Why buy the wifi only?
Buy the cell version but don't activate the service. Then you have 1 less thing to deal with. Take the Bad Elf money and put it toward the cell version on the ipad. Simple is usually more reliable. To many gadgets suck...
 
pigpenracing said:
Why buy the wifi only?
Buy the cell version but don't activate the service. Then you have 1 less thing to deal with. Take the Bad Elf money and put it toward the cell version on the ipad. Simple is usually more reliable. To many gadgets suck...
Click to expand...

A fair point. I used to fly with an iPad and older 30 pin Bad Elf and found it to be more reliable and accurate than the GPS in my equivalent iPhone (probably 5S at that time).
 
I also recommend getting the cell version. I've now used both the mini 4 and mini 5 with the built-in GPS and have yet to have it fail or not pick up a signal. Also, at one point T-mobile offered a free 200mb per month data plan which I used with the mini 4 whenever I couldn't get wifi at the airport. Was really nice to quickly turn on the cellular, grab your briefing or file or w/e you want, and then just shut off the data. Was really useful in a pinch and glad I had it (not to say you couldn't just use your phone though).

I did a quick search to see if T-mobile is still doing the free thing and it looks like it may have ended. I've since moved on to using Google Fi, which gives you a free data sim for other devices and you just pay for what you use, which works out well. Anyway just something to consider that free data typically exists in some fashion (albeit limited) for your device which is another pro on top of the built-in GPS.

In terms of mounts, I have used this one for more than a year and it has yet to fail me. My normal set up is suctioned to the side window as you're describing. The reviews are meh, but it's worked out well for me and it's a lot cheaper than any RAM mount:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B...arch_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1#customerReviews
 
The RAM iPad Mini4 cradle should fit the 5 since they’re the exact same size. I used to suction cup mine in 172s to the right side of the windshield, where I could still see over it, past it a fair bit, and it didn’t block anything on the panel. Easy to reach, and I’m not blessed with the wingspan if a tall guy, either. :) Now that I’m a 150 owner I mount my iPad to the right yoke. Easy to see, even easier to reach than in the 172.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top