The best iPads for pilots (Top 5) - FLYING Magazine (2023)

FAQs

What kind of iPad do pilots use? ›

Based on our experience talking with pilots flying GA piston airplanes, the iPad mini is by far the most popular choice, primarily because of how well it fits in most cockpits. For this reason, our first choice would be the iPad Mini with 256GB model as the best iPad for aviation.

Samsung Galaxy Tab A8: Best for pilots using the Garmin Pilot aviation app. Apple iPad Mini: Best for student pilots and pilots flying small aircraft. Apple iPad Pro: Best for Foreflight users with more flight deck space. Amazon Fire HD 10: Best for affordability and entering at a low price point.

For the best performance and a larger screen, the 11-inch iPad Pro is our top choice followed closely by the iPad Air 5th generation; or, if cockpit space is at a premium, the iPad mini 6th generation (2021) offers a smaller footprint.

With an iPad (and an app or two), those numerous resources are now at a pilot's fingertips. Flight planning tools, weather updates, checklists and aircraft performance calculations can all be seen on one electronic screen.

This small but mighty iPad Mini is a perfect copilot in a cockpit of any size. Many pilots enjoy the size of the mini because it doesn't block the panel like the other iPad sizes often do. It allows for easy use with a kneeboard or mounted directly on the yoke.

Cockpit iPads are iPads used in the aviation industry as part of an electronic flight bag to replace paper charts and manuals. This technology is currently being used by both private and commercial aircraft pilots.

As expected, most pilots are flying with iOS-powered devices such as Apple iPads, with 94 percent responding thusly. Android users accounted for nearly 11 percent of the responses, while Windows garnered nearly 5 percent. The majority of aviation apps are available for iOS, with many also available on Android.

You must have a Wi-Fi + Cellular iPad (or an iPhone) to get a location fix in-flight because the Wi-Fi-only iPad model does not have an internal GPS receiver. A Wi-Fi-only iPad will only get a rough location fix when on the ground and near Wi-Fi access points.

Pilots are responsible for much more than maneuvering a plane from one airport to the next; they have to be able to access a constant stream of information and make quick decisions. That's where tablets like the iPad and the Microsoft Surface have become efficient tools.

What is the most realistic flight simulator in the world? ›

If you're looking for an incredibly realistic flight simulator, you'll be hard-pressed to find a better option than X-Plane 11. The game features true-to-life cockpits of dozens of different airplane models and detailed 3D scenery for more than 13,000 “living” airports around the world.

Subscribe to Infinite Flight Pro for an all-access experience that allows you to fly anywhere in the world with live weather and our entire fleet of aircraft. Join thousands of other pilots and air traffic controllers for the most engaging online flight simulator experience available today!

TSA Security and iPads

Currently, all passengers must move any electronic device larger than a cellphone from luggage and place it in the bins for the X-ray screening. That includes iPads of all sizes.

ForeFlight Mobile, the company's flagship product, is used by individual pilots and professional flight crews to gather weather and destination information efficiently.

The devices must remain in Airplane Mode, although onboard Wi-Fi will be permitted where available. Cellular calls and voice communications will remain prohibited while the plane is airborne. Until those changes are implemented, continue to turn off your iPad before takeoff and landing.

<br> Which two things made the pilot happy? Solution : The dream of coming holiday and the meeting with the fanilly made him happy.

1) Aircraft Systems

One of the toughest topics for private pilot students is aircraft systems.

Some pilots like to do only short haul, medium haul, or long haul. You cannot generally conclude that all pilots prefer any one of these.

Launched in April, Delta's Flight Weather Viewer app provides pilots with real-time graphics of turbulence observations and forecasts on the flight deck.

We've been flying with the Apple Watch since it first launched and it's become more and more useful every year for both preflight weather checks and as an in-cockpit resource. Out of the box, the GPS, compass, and O2 sensor in the latest model provide valuable information to pilots.

Do pilots get free hotels? ›

The airline handles and pays for accommodations for crewmembers when they are on a trip. Many pilots do not live where they are based and choose to commute. Generally, if pilots need to travel and stay away from home when they are not on a trip, they are responsible for their own accommodations.

ForeFlight/Garmin Pilot/FltPlan Go/FlyQ

These all-in-one planning and navigation apps can do an amazing number of tasks, from weather briefings to moving maps. There are many apps to choose from, but ForeFlight, Garmin Pilot, FltPlan Go and FlyQ are the most popular options, with ForeFlight firmly established at #1.

A flight simulator artificially simulates aircraft flight in various environments and conditions. Also known as Flight Training Device (FTD), Aviation Training Device (ATD), or Full Flight Simulator (FFS), they is used primarily to augment pilot training.

Of the three platforms for portable devices used by pilots, Apple's iPad remains the most popular, in part because ForeFlight is designed only to run on Apple's iOS (operating system). Android-based devices are in second place, followed by Microsoft's Surface tablet/laptop, which runs on Microsoft's Windows OS.

The individual subscriptions allow you to use ForeFlight Mobile on 2 iPads and 1 iPhone, or 2 iPhones and 1 iPad, simultaneously. The iPads can be any mix of models. All devices are to be used by the same pilot.

While the ForeFlight Mobile app is free to download from the app store, a subscription is required to use the app. You can learn more about plans and pricing on our Subscription Purchase Page.

We strongly recommend at least 128 GB, especially if you use your iPad for more than ForeFlight. The app requires about 15.5 GB for all of the US instrument procedures, airport diagrams, chart supplements, VFR Sectionals, and IFR Enroute charts, as well as the required basemap, navdata, terrain, and obstacles.

Numerous pilots say they love mental challenges like crosswords or Sudoku puzzles during their in-air down time. It may sound treacherous, but these puzzle-loving pilots insist that it's less distracting than reading a book or watching a movie. "A puzzle won't pull you in for long durations," they claim.

Take Advantage of Naps

A 20-30-minute map is all you need to help fight pilot fatigue. A short burst of rest will help to improve alertness in your day. However, you want to be sure your nap isn't too long.

NSAIDs (non- steroidal anti- inflammatory drugs) and analgesics acetaminophen (Tylenol) aspirin (Bayer's) ibuprofen (Advil/Motrin) naproxen (Naprosyn) Advil PM, Tylenol PM (Most “PM” medications contain diphenhydramine) Most OTC pain meds are safe to fly as long as the underlying condition is acceptable.

What simulator does the FAA use? ›

Cirrus FAA Approved Flight Simulator

Typically the SR20 is used for training, while the SR22/SR22T is used for pilots once they have completed their PPL for longer distance trips.

You're never grounded with Gleim! The first and only FAA-approved simulator built with the cutting edge X-Plane 11 flight sim engine. Use the Gleim Virtual Cockpit BATD to develop or maintain proficiency with flight modeling based on the most popular training aircraft in the world, the Cessna 172.

To create an entry-level flight simulator, you can expect to pay anywhere from $2,500-$3,000 for the entire home sim. A great starter setup with a few components can be great for honing in your skills in a particular area.

Multiplayer was a mode that allowed you to fly online with other players, fly in formations, and engage in dog-fights. Training Missions are missions that teach you dogfighting techniques and the basics of flight.

These cities are not photorealistic, but they're still an absolute marvel, constructed from satellite imagery and fly-by image scans, and then augmented using lots of clever technology to give buildings the right shape, roofs the right colour, and so on.

Available starting Thursday, the Microsoft Flight Simulator Game of the Year Edition is a free update for existing players on PC and Xbox Series X|S.

A Wi-Fi-only iPad will only get a rough location fix when on the ground and near Wi-Fi access points. A Wi-Fi-only iPad will get good fixes in flight with an external GPS receiver listed on our buying guide. NOTE: a Cellular Data plan is not required to use ForeFlight Mobile, or to get a GPS location fix.

Even today, many pilots still prefer to have an E6B flight computer as a backup to their digital flight computers. The reasoning is that an analog flight computer will never run out of batteries and does not need any accessories.

Can you use an iPad for avionics? ›

Flight Stream 510: This tiny MultiMediaCard creates a wireless bridge between Garmin Pilot and Garmin panel-mount avionics, enabling flight plan transfer and ADS-B weather display on an iPad. It is compatible with GTN 650/750, G500/G600, G1000 NXi and G3000.

No. However, the cellular-capable iPad is needed if you want to have a GPS receiver built into the iPad. If you get a WiFi-only iPad, then it will not have a GPS receiver built into it.

According to Smarter Travel, by not turning your phone onto airplane mode, your phone will attempt to make connections with the cell towers around it. Forbes reported, “If you don't put your phone on airplane mode during a flight, your phone will probably annoy a few pilots and air traffic controllers.”

Pilot Patrick Smith explains that the one button he 'never, ever, ever, wants to activate' is a cargo compartment fire extinguishing switch.

What are the FAA standards for vision? Federal Aviation Regulations require that a pilot's distant vision be 20/20 or better, with or without correction, in EACH eye separately to hold a first or second class medical certificate. The standard for near visual acuity (16″) is 20/40 in each eye separately.

This is the AC that states it is legal for Part 91 piston aircraft pilots to use the iPad as an EFB as long as, amongst other requirements, the data is current and valid. A backup data source, either digital or printed is encouraged but not required.

Remove it from direct sunlight and aim a few air vents over if possible. If you had it in a kneeboard or case, remove these to aid the cooling process, and remove it from any charging sources.

Level 5 has represents a “class” of aircraft (meaning single-engine, multiengine, et cetera), and also requires a document called a qualification and approval guide that contains FTD design criteria. At this level, the device is starting to look more like the aircraft you are going to fly. There's a yoke, for example.

As such, commercial pilots must make use of Radio Frequency (RF) communications equipment on an everyday basis. The plane will likely have two radios, COM 1 and COM 2, each with an active and standby frequency. For times when GPS fails, you can also use the navigation radios, NAV 1 and NAV 2, to tune to radio beacons.