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IFR and Tablet Devices

One thing struck me about the last two EuroGA flyins that I was at.

Almost all pilots there were IR rated, and almost all did not use any sort of tablet device with an app, for in flight use.

The primary purpose of the leading Aviation Apps is to help pilots plan and navigate through or around airspace which is controlled or restricted in some way. All the rest of the things that they do is add on bells and whistles, but not its main reason. I suppose that problem doesn’t really exist for IFR pilots, for whom airspace largely “doesn’t exist”. For IFR pilots, airspace is ATC’s problem, not theirs. IFR pilots seem to be well served by the panel mounted IFR systems, which they need to comply with the equipment requirements for EuroControl routing IFR, at least as I understand it.

Is this the reason that so few IFR pilots seem to use tablet based aviation apps?

Or is the impression that I received from the flyin’s incorrect?

For those IFR pilots that do use them, for what task do you use them?

Colm

EIWT Weston, Ireland

I’m sure your impression was wrong. I can’t see how one could fly without some sort of portable device nowadays. How else would one display the approach charts? Paper is totally impractical and charts on installed equipment are insanely expensive. (They are also harder to read because you don’t usually have the installed equipment right in front of your eyes and can’t zoom and pan as easily as on a tablet).

Last Edited by boscomantico at 22 Feb 16:50
Mainz (EDFZ) & Egelsbach (EDFE), Germany

Almost all pilots there were IR rated, and almost all did not use any sort of tablet device with an app, for in flight use.

You talk to the wrong people The geeks were sitting at other table and not talking to the paper map dinosaurs

Or is the impression that I received from the flyin’s incorrect?

Most people I know do use tablets. I usually run SkyDemon and have my approach plates on the tablet. I don’t carry any paper at all part from a few sheets on my kneeboard as backup in case I have to jot down something.

I consider the panel mount GPS to be the autopilot command center, nothing else. Everything else like figuring out routes, airspaces, awareness, planning etc. I do on the tablet with the phone being the backup.

I only know IFR pilots who DO have tablets. Most have iPads.

I use the built in MFD with the insanely expensive Jeppesen IFR and VFR Charts for all of Europe (€ 2400 per year …)

And I use the same charts on the iPad mini in my Kneeboard as backup. I also have SKYDEMON and ROCKETROUTE on the ipad mini and all of the the good weather, Notam and other apps.

And I have the complete documentation of the plane and all manuals in “Good Reader” (PDF app for iPad)

Last Edited by Flyer59 at 22 Feb 16:44

For those IFR pilots that do use them, for what task do you use them?

Most importantly for the departure and approach charts (Jeppesen Mobile Flight Deck). We are officially allowed to fly with electronic flight bags, which means that our cockpit is almost paperless. Only our journey log is still on paper. Weather, Notams, company manuals, reference manuals, everything else is on the iPad. Communication with the company, handling agents and such is now also mainly done via E-Mail from the iPads.

As the iPads are not approved navigation aids, we don’t have any navigation apps installed. Also, we don’t use them for flight planning which is done by the company.

EDDS - Stuttgart

Is this the reason that so few IFR pilots seem to use tablet based aviation apps?

I don’t think I know IFR pilots who don’t use a tablet. Many, however, don’t use special aviation apps, except maybe the Jepp viewer. For reading manuals or other documents, one doesn’t need any special aviation app, and for navigation, the tablet can only be a backup for an emergency, where I wouldn’t care about airspace structure. For the normal navigation, panel mount avionics is ok IMO (and certified equipment is required).

LSZK, Switzerland

I have a GTN750 (with Jepp chart subscription) and GNS430W and I use an iPad mini all the time. I run Jeppesen Mobile (IFR and charts), Sky Demon (VFR) and RouteRoute.

Wouldn’t be without it.

Spending too long online
EGTF Fairoaks, EGLL Heathrow, United Kingdom

I think the real Q here is what exactly do people flying IFR use the tablet for.

Obviously it can be used for the VFR segments, but during high altitude Eurocontrol IFR?

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

I use SkyDemons Airways view enroute. Not for primary navigation, but more as a sort of “enhanced situational awareness” tool. I still carry the paper enroute charts but only as a backup.

EBST, Belgium

Ì don’t think it is that complex. The responses here summarise it. They are using them for charts, documents and sometimes a backup navigation source such as RR, SD, GP etc. Pretty much the same things VFR pilots use them for.

EGTK Oxford
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