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Old 26th Jul 2010, 12:06
  #18 (permalink)  
IO540
 
Join Date: Jun 2003
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No one has come up with European moving map software
For the Ipad, there appear to be a relatively obscure generic GPS moving map application which can read Oziexplorer-compatible graphics and .map calibration files (via a converter). More here. I don't know of anybody who has tested this though.

You are still facing the same challenge which is obtaining the charts in the appropriate "open" format (no longer possible with Memory Map, except where somebody has scanned a paper chart and posted it on bit-torrent) but that is the same situation for everybody.

I fly with paper printouts and am not interested in filling the cockpit with gadgets, each doing a part of what I need; especially "portable" stuff which needs to be plugged in. One can get a ~ 100% solution but it inevitably will run windoze and with a suitable type of LCD it costs a lot more than an Ipad - around £2000 + VAT. Having paid out almost that much for the LS800 in 2005 (which can displa approach plates, just about) I am not spending any more money.

Something with a big screen can enable a 50+ pilot to read approach plates without needing reading glasses but if people are going to use the Ipad just as a file browser for the display of approach plates and other static documents, it is a very close call between it and the much more readable (but incapable of running any applications) e-book readers.

BTW it is possible to get satellite phone derived wifi right now but it is awfully expensive. The next step down - much cheaper - is a standalone satellite phone used with a dial-up connection to get tafs/metars etc, for tactical decisionmaking enroute; this is what I have and is quite cheap. But I don't think the Ipad can do a PPP dial-up connection - currently you still need a windoze computer for that.

Last edited by IO540; 26th Jul 2010 at 12:18.
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