an iPad or Android device running something like Skydemon is vastly superior to any of the aviation handhelds ever made.
Obviously that’s hugely true functionally and has been true since the earliest tablets (running windows 98!).
Whether it’s true in terms of the % chance of the device packing up during the flight, I think the dedicated aviation units have a big edge.
Firstly, reception. For example I have an Ipad2 whose GPS is barely hanging in there in my TB20. No idea why; Apple have prevented apps displaying the satellite constellation etc so one cannot tell if it is interference or something else. Others report no problems, but obviously have no idea how close to the edge they are. Whereas the “aviation” units have been amazingly solid, with only about 3 cases since 2002 and all of those were blindingly obviously jamming (wiping out the handhelds also). The Garmin 496 picks up EGNOS pretty reliably. The GNS2000 bluetooth GPS which I bought for the Ipad etc usually doesn’t pick up EGNOS at all so is (was; it went back on Ebay within days) no better than my 2002 EMTAC ten quid Ebay bluetooth GPS!
Next, the touch screen. How often have I seen someone say “f-k what screen is this?” They touched the touch screen… Yeah, I know the latest handheld Garmins also have touch screens… but they have a lot less functionality than say the Ipad where a touch will open Safari which will then hang for a bit because it cannot get a connection…
I have played with more gadgets in flight than I’ve had hot dinners, and if I wanted a handheld box to just reliably navigate from A to B I would probably get a G695. It has the added benefit that it can be used to break the windows if you ditch and can’t open the doors, or need to overpower a hijacker 
And it would stay in the cockpit…
alioth wrote:
I’ve used my iPad in the heat of Texas in a Grumman Tiger and it’s not shut down or crashed.
I’ve had iPads shut down on me due to overheating repeatedly. On the ground and in the air. Which can arguably be attributed to a “full” canopy (no ceiling to provide shade) and if you add the heat of Namibia… Such conditions can destroy consumer electronics, not just force them to shut down. I have had issues with cold as well. When it’s -20 °C, iPads are not happy. Which is kind of important when your machine doesn’t have a heater. Or it fails. And i generally prefer devices that can resist spillage, dust, etc. (have the appropriate rating). Not that I’m not careful, I just think it’s silly to have a phone or a tablet that officially doesn’t have any water resistance. That makes it a couch potato in my eyes instead of something made to be used on the go. That doesn’t mean it can’t take it (IIRC, DC Rainmaker tested iWatch and it passed water resistance test while Apple made no claims it could).
Peter wrote:
the schools will have to embrace some commercial product and basically get everybody to buy an Ipad and buy that product.
Agreed, or the Flight School presents iPad for hire.
Peter wrote:
the Ipad … is not reliable enough for serious usage. You never know when it will shut down due to heat, or just crash.
We use iPads for GA Charter flying now. Paperless. We have two in the cockpit. One main one and one as backup. And this is in hot weather all year around.
Price for yearly charts subscription is probably about the same as the iPad app subscription, so no real cost impact other than the initial purchase.
We’ve had issues, but not for the reasons you mentioned. Mainly with ergonomics, app usability issues, device software management app issues…
There are also maps produced by various militaries with more or less worldwide coverage, which can sometimes be ordered “on demand”. They go under the acronyms of TPC (Tactical Pilotage Chart) and ONC (Operational Navigation Chart).
Here is a source for TPCs:
http://cms.mapmart.com/Products/TopographicalMaps/World500kTPC.aspx
Or here:
http://www.afeonline.com/shop/tpc-chart.html
But they don’t even specify which military it is they are getting these charts from. I also have no idea how up to date these are and if they are useful. I would think that anywhere where there is Skydemon coverage, this would be vastly superior in data quality and it would be best to print maps from Skydemon yourself if you want them on paper.
The last ONC/TCP charts were made c. 1998. I used them for my early Greek trips – example.
Greece still uses these as the only option, and these people have updated them and sell them.
and airmillions covers Greece too from now – but I don’t know the quality compared to the charts of the heli-pilots (that one is very very good)
