securing an ipad ?

[double_barrel]

I use a standard size (9.7") ipad in this kneeboard in rented C172's

I find it bulky and clumsy, I have to have it open on my knee with the cover getting in the way, and the whole thing catching on the controls. I thought being able to flip it up like in the picture on Pooley's website would be nice, but there is nothing like enough space to do that. WhenI need to scribble things down on paper, I have to awkwardly close it up to get to the paper on the outer cover, and find a pencil by which time the paper has usually fallen off the outer clip.


Any thoughts on a better arrangement ? I have seen mounts for the control column, but they look very awkward, does anyone have experience with them? Maybe I should have gone for an ipad mini, but I find it much easier to get the nav big picture on a bigger screen.

[mikehallam]

Leave it at home, use a neatly folded paper Chart ?

Look out of the window once in a while ?

Try not to worry !

[Flyingmac]

That's not a sensibly sized tablet. It's a wide screen TV.

[Jonzarno]

Here is a link to a Sportys review of four different iPad kneeboards.

Personally, I use the Mygoflight with an iPad Air because I like to use the notepad to write down frequencies, squawk codes etc.

[Dave Gittins]

Personally, I have my iPad on my left leg and a knee board strapped to the right. Works fine. If solo, put the iPad on the RH seat occasionally.

[Romeo Tango]

I have my standard iPad mounted on the yoke.

IMHO The standard one is good if you want to display approach charts with lots of small writing, otherwise a mini is fine for Skydemon etc.

[double_barrel]

Originally Posted by Dave Gittins

Personally, I have my iPad on my left leg and a knee board strapped to the right. Works fine. If solo, put the iPad on the RH seat occasionally.

That was the conclusion I was reluctantly coming to. For now I have performed surgery on the Pooley's kneeboard so that it opens flat across both knees with paper one side and the ipad on the other side. No chance to try it yet; today is the 1st day for ages with decent weather and the !@#^^%&$ airspace is closed.

[Slaine]

I use a Mini and after various mounting experiments have settled for strapped to my left leg, apart from any space considerations I find it far easier to use the touchscreen in bumpy conditions

[flyingfemme]

I find a mini is a better size for flying and have it strapped to my left leg with a strap I made from some spare bits of elastic, velcro and ally u-channel. The right leg holds a standard kneeboard so I can scribble and keep chewing gum, kleenex, cheat sheets etc.

[India Four Two]

I use an iPad mini, which is much more manageable in the cockpit.

I have a yoke mount and a suction mount. Most of the pilots I know use the same kind of mounts, whether for a small or large device.

I have tried knee-pad mounts and the front seat, but in my experience, having the device within your scan is much more useful and less distracting than having to look down/sideways. Doubly so if you are flying on instruments, where there is the potential issue of leans/vertigo.

[double_barrel]

Thanks, I worry that mounted on the yoke it would block the view of instruments and on a suction mount arm it will be hard to use in any kind of rough air; it must be on a long arm to reach from the windscreen to the edge of the glareshield, and then my arm will be stuck out into space to reach it. The advantage of the kneeboard is that you can rest your wrist on it so your hand bounces in synch with the ipad! I will see if I can get hold of one of the RAM mounts that can be used for either yoke or suction mount. Any thoughts on how easy/acceptable these systems are to use on a rented a/c?

Also, I wonder what people's personal preferences are on North-up vs course-up? For sailing, I have always used North up and expected that I would prefer that, but for some reason I find it a bit non-intuitive for flying.

[TheOddOne]

Also, I wonder what people's personal preferences are on North-up vs course-up?

Ask 10 pilots and get 15 different answers!

It seems most people who have used a paper chart in the past go for North-up. I've tried both and can't make my mind up. I tend to use a 7" tablet orientated portrait mode where track-up seems to make more sense. Lots of folk go for landscape, which seems to be the way for panel-mount kit and North-up makes more sense there.

Experiment, preferably with a flying companion to help with lookout while you're heads-in...
TOO

[Maoraigh1]

"The advantage of the kneeboard is that you can rest your wrist on it so your hand bounces in synch with the ipad!"
I've used an Android Nexus7 on a kneeboard. I had to learn to keep my hand, and headset cables clear. Otherwise when I looked at it, what I saw was what the touchscreen had thought I wanted, responding to every accidental touch.