iPad in Aviation

Hawker 700 Cockpit Revamp by MC2 - the only thing
missing is the iPad EFB - which is now a reality!

I scored my iPad the first week they were available. The things this unit can do continue to amaze not only me, but everyone I know who has one. Here is a short piece I recently wrote for EMS Satcom on the subject. It appears in their latest comapny newsletter. FYI - like everything to do with the iPad, even more has become available since this was written just a few short weeks ago.

iPad - It is just the beginning!

I finally got my hands on my iPad! Within days of the Canadian launch I hit the store at just the right time. Being an iPhone user helped a lot and I knew just what I wanted. No sales pitch needed. Maybe 15 minutes later it was a drive back to the home office and start discovering my new business tool.


Now notice that I said business tool – not toy. The “what a cute toy” comment comes out too often. While granted there are games for this, and good ones at that, mine is first and foremost for work. Hands off to everyone else please!

The iPad, like all Apple products, is easy and manageable to get started. If you already have an “app” loaded device and an iTunes account, just about everything transfers. But for those of us who were seeking an alternative to the laptop, notebook or tablet, iPad has a whole world of purpose designed apps to make work and specifically aviation a lot more techno friendly. The list just keeps growing! Doing a “Google” search gets you lots to review but the one of the most complete and user focused sites is called AviatorApps.com. When you add in the apps that are iPhone/iTouch focused (and most of these will work on the iPad) you now have roughly 400 aviation apps to choose from. This list includes all types of fuel calculators, checklists and weather support aids plus several good flight following ones.

Now granted some of the apps are strictly US oriented today - but that is changing. For example, High-Quality Radar and Preflight Planning Intelligence is now available from Weather Decision Technologies (WDT) and ForeFlight . They have incorporated Canadian data into their ForeFlight Mobile 3 HD app. This provides information and flight support for student, private, commercial, business aviation, and military pilots. The feed is directly from Environment Canada and the graphics are clear, bright, zoomable and provide indicators for lightning, hail, mesocyclones, echo top height and storm motion vectors. And of course because the iPad uses a proven and reliable WiFi system, the data can be constantly updated via aircraft broadband systems while in flight.

Other known names coming into the iPad world include Jeppesen and Cessna. First there is Jeppesen Mobile TC (the "TC" stands for terminal charts). This app allows users to view and search terminal charts and interact with them using tools like "favorites." It's available to JeppView electronic navigation charting service subscription customers at no additional charge. Jeppesen plans to use feedback from Mobile TC users as a development guide for future mobile applications. You can also find Jeppeson on Facebook now. The JeppDirect page supports its JeppDirect.com product sales website by sharing promotions and community experiences.

As for Cessna, they recently announced their iFlite for Single-Engine Aircraft app. iFlite is a mobile data system populated with critical flight information and planning features. With it, pilots can instantly access up-to-the-minute weather images, plan routes and check landing status. Checklists and Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR) also are available along with pilot training videos. With the iFlite app, pilots will have access to performance calculations and Pilot Operating Handbook (POH) subscriptions and will also be able to file flight plans and have access to Cessna checklists from the devices. Now while this is currently just for their Single-Engine aircraft, it is easy to predict where things will go from here.

While it is without question early days yet, the iPad is making a mark in the aviation world. It is light, has good battery time, great graphics and is WiFi. And when you are not working with it – you can download a good book or movie and keep yourself entertained.