This sounds like an iPad commercial, though I would rather have an
 Android because I do Linux almost exclusively. The problem is I have
 yet to find an Android device that would come close to the iPad for
 this purpose. I am still holding out. If I was a pro pilot I would
 have bought an iPad with no reservation. Here is the commercial:

 I used an iPad w/ WingX-Pro on a trip to Texas last month. for
 $100/year it has the aopa FD, all VFR geo referenced charts, plus
 everything you need to flight plan and be legal. It is a legal flight
 bag if mounted on something. No paper is needed.

 The iPad2 is out now, but we were using the first generation 3GS
 model. The 3GS has a cell phone chip which includes a GPS. The WIFI
 only model does not have GPS, but you can add an external blue tooth
 GPS.

 The iPad was my nephews. At only $600 and $100/year it beats the
 hell out of garmin or any other. I like to land at airports with cheap
 gas. WIFI was not always available, so a data plan would have been
 convenient. For that trip we would have purchased five VFR charts and
 a few FD books for about $55 for the one week of flying. The charts
 and FD are downloaded to the device so the data plan is not need
 during use. I would have like to see how well the data plan would have
 worked in the air to get current weather. A reasonable data plans
 start at $20/month

  So for $600 and $340/year you get all georef VFR charts, non-georef
 approach plates, AOPA FD, an interface to DUATS, plus a data plan. For
 $100 more per year you also get georef approach plates so you can
 watch the little airplane fly the ovals...

 Lowrance wants $300/year for my moving map gps, it is not a legal
 information source and
 it doesn't even have stuff like RP for runways.

 Most of the professional pilots in the area have iPads. My
 instructor picked up a Challenger 850, delivered it to China. An
 iPad/wingx-pro was supplied by the contractor when he picked up the
 plane in Canada.
 It is the "killer" app. I think Garmin and the like will have to do
 some major product changes and price restructuring to compete.
  On top of all that, it does email, book reader, web browser...

 Blake Lewis


 Blake,

 Just to make sure, are you saying that if you download the charts onto
 the ipad, you don't need cell phone coverage to use the GPS
 feature in
 the ipad?  If so, that's what I was talking about.

 Van  Vannoy


 What sizes and resolutions for the various files of charts etc.
 How many can you
 store at once. Can you store everything for the entire US? The 64
 Gb (most
 expensive) might be an option, but even with 16 GB on my iPhone, I
 have to pick
 and choose what I want to store based on what I plan to do the
 next day. Thats
 just day to day apps and music/podcasts. One graphical map for the
 city of
 Budapest is 54mb.

 I have used Itronix and motion tablets as far back as 7 years ago.
 They are full
 blown laptop power computers with usb and mem card slots, and IEE
 card. Run
 anything windows can run (spare me the windows rant, I know it
 already) i could
 load the entire US sectional VFR/IFR charts, approach plates AF/D
 as well as
 another set of topos, and street maps, and not even fill a drive
 halfway. I had
 a little pentax therma printer just bigger than 2 packs of smokes
 end to end, if
 I really needed paper.
 C. Smith

 http://www.gd-itronix.com/index.cfm?page=Products:GD8000

 I am with you Craig. A full blown note book or net book makes a lot
 more sense. I have an Asus EEEPC with a 40 gig solid state drive,
 9.5 hours of battery life and three USB ports among other I/O
 features.3 pounds.
 http://usa.asus.com/Eee/Eee_PC/Eee_PC_1215N/
 http://usa.asus.com/Eee/Eee_PC/Eee_PC_1000HE/
 http://usa.asus.com/Eee/Eee_PC/Eee_PC_1000HE/#specifications

 I have used it all over the world.

 It runs windows or Linux. I use Linux.

 Paul Lamar

I'd have to vote for the iPad. I've been using an iPad for 6-8 months now
and really enjoy it's veratility in the cockpit. I use Jeppesens Jepview
program which works in conjunction to our G430/530 updates. I also use
ForeFlight's app on the iPad. Between these two programs I've got all the
versatility that I need in a charting package.  I'm able to look at any
enroute chart I want via ForeFlight as well as a great weather package and
flight planning [and filing]  ability.

The only limitation between these two programs is the lac of enroute charts
for all of Canada. I think Foreflight is working on it but thus far hasn't
had any progress.
I've also heard rumor that Jepview is going to start showing enroute charts
as well and they already have the exclusive rights to the Canadian chart
data.

One thing to keep in mind when planning to use electronic flight bags [this
includes an iPad or laptop or anything else for that matter].  The rules
state that you need to carry all data in duplicate. That means you need two
iPads or two Laptops or one of each.. or some combo there of.  In my
instance I'm able to go paperless because I also carry all the chart data in
my Ex500 Avidyne onboard the airplane. I'm essentially paperless but still
carry the NA Enroute chart package [two smaller leather bound ring binders
from Jep] as well as the Canadian Enroute charts [2 charts].

It does make for alot less cluttered cockpit and being as I could go anyhere
in the US or Canada tomorrow, it has made my daily 'chart setup'  chores
pretty simple.

fwiw

Jarrett Johnosn


Just a comment on the iPad (of which I also own one) it just came out (a few
weeks ago) that some of the Alaska Airlines pilots were being issued iPads
with the departure and approach plates loaded into them. I'm not sure which
software it is but Alaska Airlines always seem to be on the cutting edge of
technology. It is currently only on a "trial basis" and I believe they are
waiting for the guys in the right seat to tell them what they think. They
pioneered the kiosk check-in and always figure a way to cut costs and pass
the savings on to the consumer and their stock is always making me money :)
I would have to say "If Alaska Air is using them, with FAA approval, it has
to be the Mac Daddy".

JMHO
Rick in Alaska