Sorry, I mean data on the ground not for GPS but to load Sky Demon routes etc and retrieve all the painstakingly prepared planning around CAS etc!
I rely on SkyDemon on both the iPad and the iPhone. I think that is good enough. I will try to install a 12v power source in the aircraft in the future as well.
I have an iPad mini, iPhone 6 both with SkyDemon, GTN650 and G500 combo, the normal paper charts and a PLOG on longer distance navs. I also take my portable battery pack and there’s a 12v charger in the aircraft too.
The iPad is the backup itself. With the chartview function on the GTN750 for every field, I do have the Jeppesen approach plates for the different fields „build in“. So the iPad is the real backup source. And to be prepared for every situation the Garmin Pilot is running with actual charts on the iPad and the old iPhone 6. Both can be connected via flightstream to the GTN.
I know two people in the last week that have had very bad house fires due to batteries, one in a laptop and one in a rechargeable ‘power pack’ which does make me wonder about the cockpit fire aspect of non installed devices
Were they being charged at the time of the fire? That appears to be a key (though not a necessary) factor in lithium fires. Another factor is mechanical damage.
Not a big problem as long as they fit through the window, I’d say.
In most aircraft types, Socata especially, you would have trouble doing that in flight, safely. I carry a LIPO battery fireproof bag for this reason, always within reach. One poster here who used to fly bizjets said that they are required, as a condition of using Ipads, to have a metal box into which a burning device could be placed.
I also make sure, when flying alone, that any devices with these batteries are within my reach.
Our (commercial) company uses two identical iPads, with all software on it.
Plans are not synchronised, but the backup iPad is carried and available to be used when necessary.
We also carry a LiPo “fireproof” bag, which is actually a “charging bag”. Not sure what common sense dictates around that.
VFR: skydemon as planning and flight overview tool, GNS530 as prime nav instrument with DCT to next waypoint or FPL dialed in, manually dialling in the autopilot via heading bug, radio navaids dialed in, and paper charts ready as backup in the glove compartment. IFR with paper charts clipped to yoke, ipad with Garmin Pilot standby, GNS530 prime nav device all FPL and Approaches dialed in, autopilot manually via heading bug until GPSS install. Or maybe not. The ipad never gave up on me, but if it did, I could do without. Basically I try to always make use of all available instruments – I think it’s a lot of fun to use them. If I wouldn’t do that I’d become lazy and feel like a passenger. Twisting knobs and switches makes me feel active. I actually like it a lot.
So which mobile device is the best to run SkyDemon et al on? I have a cheap Medion (ALDI) Tablet without SIM card and an old Samsung Galaxy S4. The phone is due to be replaced soon, probably by an S8. I categorically reject buying Apple products,so no iPad for me. What are the alternatives?
Archie wrote:
We also carry a LiPo “fireproof” bag, which is actually a “charging bag”.
How interesting. Never heard of those – do you which one? There seem to be hundreds on amazon.
But is it all that practical to pick up a burning iPad and pop it into a bag mid-flight?
I have a Huawei 8" mediapad, replacing my Nexus7. It runs SD very nicely, can be ordered with SIM slot or without. VERY nice screen quality.
