cessnapete ........... I don't deny !
Flying North and approx 25 nm North of Auckland all controlled airspace is no longer a factor - if you stay below 4500' No ATC to worry about, no 'towered' airfields, unlimited visibility ( usually, at least when I fly now !) no requirement to file a flt. plan if you don't want to - tho it is a good idea from a SAR point of view - as ATC don't care where you are in Class G airspace, don't even need a radio, tho' it is a good idea to keep an ear cocked ( as well as eyes ) for other traffic in the same locality.
I'm just being an anti-electronics Old Fart I guess, not being overly delighted with either the Ipad or any touch-screen device, especially in the cockpit of small aeroplanes.
I recently flew with a friend in his Cessna 172 around Southern California, and whereas it was nice to get Notams and Weather on demand on his iPad, I was somewhat anxious by not having a paper chart - he didn't carry one ! - to give me situation awareness, from a navigation point of view I wanted to see our route end to end on a large chart, not just follow a small section of it on a magenta line. True, I could minimise the presentation, by"pinching" it, to see the start and finish, but then I need a 10x magnifying glass to read it !
but .......The aviation world is becoming more concerned at the over-reliance on electronic gadgetry and computer controlled flying. When in doubt fly the beast - if you still can.
I'm mindful of that cartoon showing an airline captain and co-pilot on finals and approaching the threshold of a major airfield, and gazing at a blank computer screen showing the message " Your licence to use this programme has expired, swipe your credit card to purchase further time" !!
It'll happen.
A navigator instructor told me I'd never make a navigator so long as I had a hole in my a***e until I'd been over Berlin with the shells coming through the cockpit as I tried to work out a wind velocity from three steady headings observed through the drift sight - I never had to. Later, I felt similarly about some of my own students as they fought the sextant in turbulence - they never had to, along came INS and now GPS and Ipads.
Horses for Courses, what you are used to I guess.
Best of luck.
Last edited by ExSp33db1rd; 16th Aug 2013 at 22:47.