ipad mini vs Garmin 660 gps
 

Garmin has just come out with a new version of the aera series and it looks pretty nice. smaller than the 795, bigger than the 550, even has a wire avoidance feature. Its $849.00 u.s
Any thoughts on comparing the iPad mini, and using a gps app ?

The wire feature sounds pretty clever, but aside from that, everyone I know that has GPS on their mini and uses it in the cockpit, is really happy with the choice.

I have a "normal-sized" ipad, but I have enough room. I would´t trade it, as I have everything I need, in a clear screen and good battery life. In the car and on the motorcycles, I use WAZE or NAVIGON (both now owned by Garmin (darn)) and never have to pay for upgrades of the maps.

Some friends have special motorcycle GPSs, the same with pilots….but having everything in only one format works for me. One less item to charge, one less thing to carry, one less cable, one less charger. I have 5 iPads combined in house and cockpit and none have failed me. I have had 5 iPhones and have never had a failure. Maybe I am lucky, I met a guy who claimed that he had broken 14 phones in 3 years. I think it was more him, though…..

:-)

Good luck with what-ever you choose.

Redundancy
 

I tend to agree with Ferry. And having several iOS devices (as you would automatically have) gives you the redundancy in the event of one device failing (and they do fail, in my experience, flat battery, cigarette lighter power adapter dies, iPad overheat, apps crash). As with all other aspects of aviation, redundancy is king.

Also, Garmin wire aware database only available for U.S.

Ferry Pilot

WAZE is owned by Google, it uses Google Maps database.

Hi Charlos,

I would also go for an iPad or iPad mini (you need the version with a sim-card - the others don´t support GPS)

Then you are free to choose the aviation apps you wan´t - i.e. the Jeppesen ones or Air Navigation Standard/Pro or or or.

There are several aviation apps available - adding weather information, weight and balance and so on.

You can also run a loogbook - and

have a copy of your flight manual just to your hand (I added jumpmarks to all emergencypages (pdf), so with a click I´m on the right side - and pdf supports searching, so if you´re not quite sure, just type the word and find all the pages, where the word is used.....

Very interesting responses, and they certainly have me feeling that the iPad is the way to go. Probably the mini.
I have heard some say they would worry about hitting the wrong icon, or something along those lines, and maybe have it jump to a different or unwanted program, maybe just because it contains so much more stuff, that theres more things to get mixed up with somehow.
They'll say that a stand alone gps, in that sense, is more reliable to the user.
I have never heard it from someone who actually uses the ipad though.
From what I am learning, people seem pretty happy with the gps apps like Waze and Navigon. I have never seen or used them, I wonder if they are as user friendly as the garmin touch screens for the basic functions like, say, putting in co-ordinates on the fly, saving present position on the fly, maybe seeing your previous track lines etc..
Sure appreciate your thoughts and ideas, thanks !

Hi Charlos,

our boss actually provides iPads as well as an iPad mini for us - with Jeppesen VFR and IFR Apps.

They are really great - but as with every equipment on board, you have to get used to.

you can lock the screen, add assistive touch for easyer handling when in a case - and you have to look after the updates of the appinformation.
You get in time airspacewarnings with relevant frequencies popping up as well.

Additionaly I use my private iPad mini with AirNav as a Backup on a modified knee board.

Works great!
Lately I had it running on a window seat at an commercial flight - and I could monitor the whole flight, even at 34.000 feet ;-)