Recently, AOPA conducted a survey in which 53% of respondents indicated that they used an iPad in the cockpit. Folks, this is a staggering number when you consider that the first iPad was sold less than two years ago. For the first 90 years of aviation, change came quite slowly to the cockpit, but what we have seen in the last 10 years has revolutionized almost every aspect of flying … and it’s accelerating.
We lost 50 pounds in only two months. We have gone from carrying that much weight in paper to the airport to only two iPads. That’s better than Jenny Craig, but when you consider just how much smarter these devices are than paper, you quickly understand the unbelievable adoption rate among pilots. From flight planning and weather briefing all the way through departure procedures, charting and approach plates, these little 1.5 pound devices do it all. But the work doesn’t stop at the chocks. Once we arrive, they serve up email, hotel reservations, driving directions, books, and music, just to scratch the surface. In a very short time it has become hard to imagine flying anywhere without the iPad.
Now, when you put a tablet computer together with online training you really hit the jackpot—training on your schedule, where ever you are, on an easy-to-handle, lightweight device. Wow! You can even sign up at this moment for an online course, and be taking it just moments later. We have come a long way, but believe that the future will provide even newer ways to train. You can count on KING to be there with products you can trust to help you reach your aviation goals. To learn about taking KING courses on your iPad or other tablets, see page on using mobile devices.
By the way, the only problem with losing all that weight the way we did is that it only works in the cockpit! We still need to keep up our exercise!
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Thanks to the Kings for the new course formats for tablets. I would love to see them do a short course on maximizing the use of the ipad/tablet in the cockpit. I don’t feel safe using it exclusively yet, although it is great for flight planning and weather..
It’s not just having an Ipad, you have to know how to use it without thinking. Using it on cross country flights is great, especially the approach plates, but for short local flights, paper is better and safer, if you don’t have the app down cold. I suggest a few flights in the right seat if you need to spend time looking at the Ipad.
I need an advice to choose my tablet to use in the cokpit in which i can find all the curent informations about aero in Europe: airfield charts, approach plates, Mto…
Thank you.
Thanks for doing this blog!So, which is “cooler” North or South Austin? Your post only dieatls the North. Nothing interesting in South Austin? I heard a rumor that there are some pretty good “breakfast tacos” to be had in South Austin. BTW, just visited “Occupy Austin” which is just north of the Hyatt on the other side of the river.
I really don’t know why everyone is going GAGA over the ipad. There are other alternatives out there that are as good or better:
For Android there are tablets out there with more memory and faster processors and a number of interesting apps: Naviator- Flight planning and moving map on scanned charts with approach plates scaled to fit the tablet.
InFlight- A really neat attitude indicator and glass cockpit display, flight planning and a rather funky moving map-terrain function..
Flight Plan Mobile- which is a scaled down version of FLTPlan.com- an excellent flight planning site with weather and online flight plan filing.
Open Flight GPS-Scanned FAA charts and flight planning.
The biggest plus is that Android is open source and while not quite as developed as the ipad world it is quickly gaining a foothold.
Remember your ipad is a tool, but it is sure nice when ATC says lost radar contact fly to
a VOR and you find it very quickly on your ipad vs opening a paper chart.
Dan Leonard
In the past 3 months, I made 2 trips from the Midwest to the east and west coasts in single engine aircraft. Using the iPad with Foreflight reduced the stress of flight planning, flying the routes and approaches necessary for the trip. I always had the information needed and found it extremely reliable and user friendly.
I find that in an emergency, paper is much quicker to pick up than to get to the right icon to select. We are currently using both paper and an Ipad. Hoping to be able to go to just the Ipad, but I think I will have the keep the paper for the airports along the route. I also find that Foreflight does not give some of the weather choices that I like to use, i.e. being able to select specific altitudes for icing. I use fltplan.com and get many more choices for checking icing altitudes.
It is not a question of the value of iPods in the cockpit it is a question of which system is most useful and reliable. GPS connectors are necessary as is reliable software. Poll your readers to find out which systems work best.
John and Martha are iconic, priceless assets of the worldwide aviation community. They have helped countless pilots to become more proficient, efficient, and ultimately safer. Many pilots enjoying Thanksgiving with their family and friends this year, owe this blessing to the Kings.
The IPad makes life easier. Flight planning, Checking weather with my route, and updated radar coverage.
John and Martha are amazing! Even with all their decades of experience, all their certificates and ratings and awards and plaques, they continue to keep up with all the latest technologies and advancements. And they eagerly learn about these things and make use of them. But they take it a step further by showing us how we can benefit from these products too. As the saying goes, “A good pilot is one who is always learning.”