Hello!
Originally Posted by
Jhieminga
Pros:- Can hold loads of documents, approach plates, charts, various other information.
On mine, I have all the training manuals, aircraft manuals and checklists of our flying school aircraft. Especially the checklists are extremely useful because they tend to get lost all the time (usually students taking them home with their charts and other stuff by mistake). I also load the MET and NOTAM briefings on my iPad which saves a whole tree every year.
Originally Posted by
Jhieminga
- May be useful to show Skydemon or other applications when beneficial in the lesson
There are some really useful apps as welll which demonstate radio navigation procedures like interceptions and holdings.
And then I use the iPad to take all my notes during the flight including takeoff and landing times, number of landings and type of approaches.
Originally Posted by
Jhieminga
-Cons:
- You may still need a backup chart, set of approach plates etc. to cover tech issue or battery problem.
Yes, but this is not my problem. The students must bring all the required charts anyway. My iPad is rather a backup for the charts not carried by the students...
Originally Posted by
Jhieminga
-- Cockpits get hot, tablets shut down when overheated.
I keep reading that, but after 9 (or is it already 10?) years of using my iPad in the cockpit (training aircraft and bizjetzs) it has not shut itself down once. Just make sure it isn't exposed to direct sunlight for longer periods of time.
Originally Posted by
Jhieminga
- May be a major distraction as well.
Could be. But working with pen and paper can be distacting too. How often have I had to look for pens dropped by myself or the student under the seats, rudder pedals, ... Sometimes one even has to undo his belt and climb over the seat back in order to retrieve his pen from underneath the rear seats. Not something that is likely to happen with a tablet.
Originally Posted by
Jhieminga
- Must be used in such a way that it does not impair view or obstruct controls or otherwise becomes a hazard.
It is about half the size of a standard kneeboard. Why should it obstuct the view more than a kneeboard?
Originally Posted by
Jhieminga
I don't have one/don't use one myself
Then hurry and get yourself one :-) Apple has just released new models this week. For me, the iPad is the most useful gadget/electronic device that I have come across so far. I use mine for almost everything, aviation and normal life, starting with reading my paper in the morning on it.
And there is a reaon why the vast majority of commercial operators have introduced electronic flight bags (mostly based on tablets or small notebook computers) during the last decade. It is just so much better than paper.