Bearcat
How did we manage before the IPad?
Is it any wonder that basic flying ability and skills of many new pilots are such a worry to us old hands?
What you going to do with the IPad on a dark and dirty night, limiting x-wind, non-precision approach onto a poorly lit r/w?
I very much appreciate your concern with regards to over-dependance on an iPad. I know its imperative that a pilot is capable of working things out on his/her own without the use of technology. And I will strive to not get in a habit of having the iPad work everything out for me.
However, if used appropriately, the iPad is a very useful tool for any pilot. It can make things more convinient and actually help you to concentrate on the important things - like navigating by stop watch and a map. It does this in a few ways - for example, improving ergonomics. The less time you spend taking out/ putting away checklists/ flipping pages over/ taking notes etc etc, the more time you have to concentrate on the actual flying. Equally, it's easy to use a sectional chart on an iPad - no need to spend lots of time folding/ unfolding charts - I guess this is an aspect you might not have thought of?
Another thing about it is - to use hour building time wisely, it would be silly to JUST concentrate on VFR nav. You could easily work in some instrument tuition in there. And The C152 I will be flying doesn't have an ADF for example - this is where the iPad comes into its own - lets you get instrument experience from a plane that wouldn't otherwise allow it.
Have you ever tried using an iPad? I have never met any pilots who try to discourage the use of an iPad altogether in a cockpit.
Going by your own mentaility - "how did we do it in the old days" - you could equally say that - well, the Wright Brothers flew without an Altimeter or an Airspeed Indicator, so why should we. In 50 years from now, they will have even better technology and we can look back and say - well, how did we do it back then with an iPad...
Try Pilot Wizz Pro and flightplan and also flight instruments.
Be sure not to substitute these for the old school navigation which will further your flying career if indeed thats the reason for your hour building.
Remember the whizz wheel reigns supreme in these parts of the world.
Electronic flight computers make flying so much easier but unfortunately
our syllabus hasnt caught up yet with modern technology.
Thanks very much. Yes I understand and will exercise much care to not depend on this technology if it is not accessible to me at some other point