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superdad

Pre-takeoff checklist
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superdad
What does everyone use in flight? I have an older mini 16g. Thinking about getting either a ipad air or a new mini. I would like to down load foreflight on it.
 
I'm currently using a Mini Retina, 32gb. 16gb just isn't enough for ForeFlight unless you limit the coverage area you download and don't put much of anything else on the device. I used to have a full size iPad 1, but after three years using it and finding it a bit bulky in the cockpit, and trying the minis some of my trainees were using, I decided to get a mini when the iPad 1 became obsolescent and had to be replaced earlier this year. After four months with the mini, I'm sure I made the right decision.
 
The ipad mini fits perfectly on the yoke in my plane. No way the Ipad 1 was going to fit there. Mine is ram mounted, and I really like it. Mine is 16gb, but it pretty much is dedicated for foreflight and my flight bag. As ron mentioned, you may want to go bigger if you plan to dump a bunch of other stuff on it.
 
how far do you typically fly? If it's within a 4-6 state area, I think the 16g version is plenty large enough. Heck some people use a 16 g for the whole US depending on your other download demands.

I'd start flying with your current mini (does it have internal GPS antenna?) See how you like the size.

Like Ron, I went from iPad gen 1 to the retina mini. I prefer the mini size over the 10".
 
I plan on flying the farthest would be Omaha to Az and Omaha to Tenn

My current mini dose not have a internal GPS
 
Ron Levy said:
I used to have a full size iPad 1, but after three years using it and finding it a bit bulky in the cockpit, and trying the minis some of my trainees were using, I decided to get a mini when the iPad 1 became obsolescent and had to be replaced earlier this year. After four months with the mini, I'm sure I made the right decision.
Click to expand...
And Ron's former iPad 1 has a successful new life in Maine, though not as an in-flight device, though its new owner is with past aviation experience of many years.

HR
 
superdad said:
What does everyone use in flight? I have an older mini 16g. Thinking about getting either a ipad air or a new mini. I would like to down load foreflight on it.
Click to expand...

Very recently, I struggled with the same decision: mini or iPad Air? I think the mini is probably preferable if it's only for airplane use; as most folks have said, it's a little better fit for a small airplane cockpit. But two factors led me to end up getting the iPad Air, instead of the mini. One is the bigger screen of the iPad Air, which seems to be better suited for my aging eyes, as I draw closer to an official designation as Elderly Aviator. The other factor was, several people told me that despite an original intention to use the iPad solely or mostly for Aviation/in-flight use, that once you have it, you would end up using it for a lot more than just Aviation and in-airplane purposes. Their advice to me, was, to get the iPad Air, and whatever size memory I thought was appropriate for my intended uses, to get one size bigger than that. So that's what I did. I figured 64 GB would be enough for me, so I ended up just paying the extra 100 bucks and getting the next size bigger 128 iPad Air. Now I can download all of ForeFlight and all of my aircraft manuals, aviation training materials, etc without even getting close to being limited by iPad memory capacity. And all my "advisors" were correct: I have ended up using it way more outside of the cockpit, then I do use it inside the cockpit. But that's just my two cents of advice, which is worth exactly what you paid for it!
 
I started with an iPad 1 with 32 gig. Plenty big enough in all ways. Foreflight outgrew the '1' and coincidently I drowned my '1' about the same time. No cellular therefore no GPS.

Given that 1)my intent was to go paperless in the cockpit and 2)I was able to craft a custom center console with a RAM mount (and O2 bottle) for my RV10, I ended up replacing my iPad1 with an iPad3 with 64gig and still sans cell/GPS.

Why?
1) the RAM mount worked so well with the large iPad1 there was no reason to go to a mini. My wife has a mini but I prefer the larger size of the iPad3 which is slightly smaller than the iPad1.
2) Though 32 gig worked fine, memory is relatively cheap and not upgradeable. All of my aircraft manuals are loaded along with just about anything else I've ever wanted accessible in flight or on trips. I've been 100% paperless for almost 3 years with no regrets. I did move from an Android phone to an iPhone for FF backup purposes. I did leave a few western states off the FF download but regretted it when I flew out west and discovered the oversight prepping a leg from Santa Fe to Phoenix. Whoops!
3) I skipped the cellular because I can't use it at altitude. Wifi is available enough on the ground for flight planning and such. I tether it to my iPhone if I get stuck. I like have an external GPS unit on the panel with a consistent sky view. I have an ADSB in/out box that displays on my EFISs so no need for the cockpit Wifi.

Lot's of potential decision points. Can't go wrong with a fully loaded mini except for $$$.
 
superdad said:
What does everyone use in flight? I have an older mini 16g. Thinking about getting either a ipad air or a new mini. I would like to down load foreflight on it.
Click to expand...

Love the iPad Air with Verizon. Started at 32GB, went to 64GB, then 128GB. But I use my iPad for EVERYTHING....it's with me as much as my phone and I store a lot in it. I don't want to even think about storage issues.
 
iPad air for me - get as much memory as you can afford and cell capable for the GPS. Applications and data storage requirements always get bigger...

The Battery life on the iPad air is great.
 
I'm a cheapskate so I'm still tooling around with an iPad 1. I'll keep using it for as long as it does the job. FF no longer provides upgrades for iOS 5.1, but my older FF still works fine. I just bought myself my first ANR headset after 14 years of flying. :lol:
 
slavinger said:
I'm a cheapskate so I'm still tooling around with an iPad 1. I'll keep using it for as long as it does the job. FF no longer provides upgrades for iOS 5.1, but my older FF still works fine. I just bought myself my first ANR headset after 14 years of flying. :lol:
Click to expand...

Do you still have a calculator watch? :rofl::rofl::goofy:
 
I am using a mini 16g and a IPAD 1 16g, neither with foreflight. I like the IPAD1 for enroute and the mini for approach, and I have a back up if one goes south.

Yes, if you are going to run foreflight With a lot of areas and other apps, you need the 32 version.
 
if you get a mini - get a newer one with the bright/retina display. I have an older one and it's just not bright enough in the cockpit which keeps me from using it. Otherwise, I agree with Ron - it's the perfect size. I'll probably sell it and upgrade to the new one.
 
Great info guys, Going out this weekend to pick up a mini with 32 or 64
 
I was thinking about switching to a mini so I could mount it on the yolk. Do you guys find the screen big enough to display approach plates without needing to zoom to see details?
 
Full-size iPad 3, 32gb. I like the larger screen and it fits well in my airplane:

image_zpsb2e1572e.jpg
 
I don't think the FBO would want me drilling holes in the rental LOL
 
superdad said:
I don't think the FBO would want me drilling holes in the rental LOL
Click to expand...

Before the permanent mount I had the arm going to a suction mount on the side window. It worked just as well, the only reason I changed it was that it was a PITA when opening and closing the door.
 
I have a Note 3 and a Note 10.1 (2014) that I use with Garmin Pilot. I have a yoke mount for both. I like the Note 10.1 since it is easier to read but the Note 3 is a better fit. I can't decide what one I like.

I always like Foreflight when I had an iPad but I like Garmin Pilot just as well. I like the Android OS much better so that is more or less my drive to keep these devices.
 
Still using iPad 1 64GB w/GPS and FF. As stated no more FF updates with the old iOS but the data files still work. 64GB is plenty for space, used FF to Alaska and back, no Canadian charts but all of western US and Alaska VFR and IFR.

iPad 1 is starting to have problems, shutting down, closing programs when least expected. Hate for that to happen 1/2 way down the approach!

I use it a lot at home, like right now cruising the aviation forums while watching the evening news, etc. have all my FAA handbooks on it for instructing etc.

Need to make that decision, mini or full size. Most likely I'll stay with at least 64GB and GPS capability for the cell data, but looking to get a STRATUS too so maybe not the GPS. I'm thinking full size with aging eyes.

When is the next iPad generation being released?
 
To get the most out of the current foreflight you need one of the later ones, either the mini w/retina or the new air. Some of the older ones other the first generation ones will work but with poorer graphics and slower speeds. I actually still have an first gen which is working but I've not been able to run any of the newer ff releases (though the data still refreshes fine).
 
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