I can offer only the limited view of a humble IMCr pilot – although working on the TK for the IR – on the iPad Mini and the iPad.
I use a full-sized iPad on a yoke mount and an iPad Mini on a suction mount (both Ram Mounts) to supplement the Garmin 430 in the aircraft I fly (BE76, PA32R-301, PA28-181 and – non GNS430 C172P).
Additionally, I use the iPad Mini in the R44 I fly from time to time using a transparency mounted suction fixing.
Both iPad and iPad Mini are connected to (different) external GPS receivers (Garmin GLO for the Mini and GNS2000 for the iPad). Both iPad and Mini are Wi-Fi only.
Garmin have issued a software update permitting four devices to simultaneously use the GLO – two of which may be iOS devices – but so far the update has stubbornly refused to acknowledge that my device is even connected, thus still WIP.
I run Sky Demon (SD) with a fully downloaded national AIP for IAC, airport layout and textual information. Alongside this I have the SD Pooley’s geo-referenced plates for any purely VFR airfields, on both. I also have a separate Pooley’s iPlates subscription on the side which I may well not renew this year but simply use the SD Pooley’s subscription.
In iBooks I have downloaded copies of my personalised checklist and use these extensively they are especially easy to use and are kept updated on both iPad and Mini by simply e-mailing the download between them.
I find the iPad gives me a good sized view on the yoke although it does obscure certain instrumentation when placed too high, however, this is not proved the insurmountable problem I first feared.
I use the Mini for route / airspace warning / timer information to the side. I have had no issue so far with the smaller size of the Mini but the iPad has the edge for IACs, particularly to unfamiliar airports or for last minute runway changes when a hold and a quick brief can be achieved without ‘peering’ to closely at the Mini’s screen.
When night flying or flying on the edge of dusk and murk (as on a recent return to Norfolk from Lee on Solent getting on for 1630Z) the easily reduced screen brightness on the iPad is very useful, making a gradual dimming of the screen, to an acceptable limit as dusk approaches, quick and almost intuitive.
I tend to plan for UK IFR/IMC flights using the VFR charts on SD before switching to airways view to de-clutter the GPS screen for use in flight (manifestly it can be changed back at any time making it easy to switch between the two modes and hence extend its usefulness).
Obviously, I check the route in VFR mode on the day of the flight to ensure the NOTAMS / warnings etc. are up to date and this has worked very well indeed.
I also have a SD Mobile Device (MD) which I update from a laptop. I maintain this as a back up if necessary or for pax ‘in-flight entertainment’ as on a recent Norwich – Newquay flight in IMC at FL60 in the PA32 with a full complement of 6 POB, the SD MD helped keep the back seat pax happy (and airsick free despite one particularly being prone to it).
Quite frankly, and I sure like many others, I cannot praise SD enough for having made flying safer and what-if planning much more simple and this coupled with the iPad and iPad Mini have solved a great many situational-awareness issues for me.
I hesitated before buying the iPad Mini (which I did first) but after seeing its usefulness, I followed quickly with the iPad, I can only advise others not to hesitate as I did, but to acquire a tablet which is compatible with their planning requirements as soon as possible.
I am not an Apple disciple but neither am I a devotee of messing around with the IT world of patches and work-arounds. I took a long time to buy my iPhone – I must be one of the last people on the planet to have done so having used an HTC for a long time until I was so sick of its foibles that I drove over it! – but is intuitiveness made me think of the iPad and I do not regret it.
I am sorry I can offer no view on the Nexus for I have never used it.
All the best to all.
