iPad for flying

I've seen that happen!

 

Check out Ultranav. They make a ton of aircraft W&B, balanced fuel length calculations, and other cool stuff. You honestly don't think I do weight * arrm = moment, total weight/ total arm= CG anymore right, ha ha. Actually, once every 6 months at the Brand X Simulator school...
What are you flying? I've seen Sporty's whip up some cool W&B stuff for GA stuff too. Ultranav is 135 approved, and kind of spendy because it is 135 certified with a few POI's around the US.

 

OMG!

Having worked with Microsoft stuff for many, many, years that statement makes me very, very nervous!..... I assume they all have additional (non Microsoft) "backup" systems? At least I hope so - I'm only half joking when I say I wouldn't fly on a plane "controlled" by their S/W

Brings to mind the US Navy ship that was refitted with PC control in San Diego - It's maiden voyage didn't get far out of the harbor before the wheels fell off and it was *towed* back! [Seriously - the 'puters pretty much all died....]

Cheers,
Ian

 

I agree. I'm in a 3, which is the last of the analog planes: No FADEC, FMS's are independent, and the EFIS tubed are independent. The automation that goes into these new systems blow me away.
Now I'm told that the Microsoft systems are more redundant, and reqire 2 computers with proprietary info to update. I'm also told that the internet access to passengers is totally independent from the aircraft automation. I'm just not sure how you keep the systems separate from each other. Kind of reminds the of the Ford Edge system, which is also Microsoft driven.

 

Air France 447 is somewhere on the bottom of the Atlantic ocean (RIP). I think there is a good case for automation software that was not designed properly to take into account sensor loss. Automation isn't always a good thing if you don't have a KILL switch.

Personally, I'm avoiding A330's until more is known.

PS - It wouldn't surprise me, in the least, to find Microsoft has something to do with the Airbus software...

 

Indeed.

I was talking with someone "who knows" about this, and he claims Airbus recently issued a memo reminding the pilots that if the 'puters all go tits up they should really concentrate on flying the plane rather than rebooting the 'puters! Apparently, they've discovered that the drivers tend to concentrate on getting 'em back up, and in the meantime the plane crashes...... Dunno if there's any truth in the story, but I do know I'd get off should I see a BSOD in the cockpit

Cheers,
Ian

 

Your friend sounds connected...

The last few minutes of AF447 sent some ACARS messages which indicated the crew may have been trying to reboot the flight computers... While they were doing that, the aircraft may have been stalling into a flat spin or mach tucking... Either way, the computers were useless to the crew and they got fixated...

Getting the memo after the fact is always lame... and deadly.

It appears the flight computers listened to the bad airdata (pitot in this case) as long as possible and then handed a badly trimmed aircraft to the flight crew with several faults all simultaneously in likely severe turbulence. As usual, an accident is caused by multiple additive events, and a flight computer that sets you up for the im(possible/probable) is very unfair...

 

I can see Job's next endeavor. Apple Airlines, all you ned is an Ipad.

 

The iPad did not catch it?
Truly amazing the ability of the iPad in aviation. Plus the kids have watched movies but in need of a backup you can always tell them to "Turn off Harry Potter and hand me the ipad, dad is lost... again".
BTW Rob, absolutely gorgeous plane. Are you keeping it at 52F?

 

I agree. 52F is convenient and I have never noticed any big bumps on the runway . Ever been to Magee's Catfish outside of Ardmore? Now that's a bumpy runway. I flew in there in a Travelair once. We had to abort the first takeoff attempt and go back and do short field TO.
Your plane is beautiful. Perfect step from a 172 imo. Air conditioning alone is a huge plus!!

 

Very cool!

Slightly OT: if has such a good GPS lock been thinking about using as platform for in-car notes display in live tarmac rally stages.. tests on windows version I used in events proved concept but as iPhone developer I like this hardware as better solution.. if can do flying as well all the better!

 

Hijack alert! [Interesting stuff though ....]

Should work a treat! Caveat:

- How good is the fix in the passenger seat of a tin top? [We use external GPS antennas to ensure a good fix, but AFAIK the iPad is devoid of ports (?)]

Assuming a good fix, some of the data that's now installable is amazing - As demonstrated by this thread..... Somewhat back on topic;

My understanding (probably out of date) is different GPS units are optimized for different purposes - Walking -v- driving and so on (User selectable in most units now). Further, there's "marine" and "aero" boxes which I suspect treat ALT info very differently

I do know the GPS signal includes enough data to compute an altitude, but guess the computations have different priorities and some apps don't even bother to display it.

Cheers,
Ian

 

Continuing the modest OT.. in the windows version I used the latest 12 channel GPS connected by USB and with long cable was mounted clear of tintop and it acquired and hung onto the signal like a terrier.. at one stage I was even contemplating dual GPS for maximum redundancy.

With the iPad would be interesting to see performance.. in Nav seat duty would be forward mounted and certainly some windscreen access to sky.. whether enough for reliability would be subject to testing to see if the package performs in that context.

The good points would be good batt life independent of car's electrical system, clear screen and size, touch control and (hopefully) enough vibration and heat robustness if reasonably mounted.

One thing I'd like to develop would be circuit training functionality.. so take 1 drive around the Nurburgring logging the circuit and from there text to voice to feed into your helmet giving you upcoming corners by your 2nd lap!

(end thread divert)

Yes I've got aviation interest too but apart from recent test flight not up to spending much time on it remainder of this year.. but if get involved will be sure to flog iPad useage by looks of Rob's report!

 

no wonder mine doesn't have it ...

 

Thought this might be of interest: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/05/business/05pilots.html?src=me&ref=general

 

I was just thinking about getting an iPad for this very application! I'm going to be doing A LOT of flying for one of my bands now, and less clutter and easy access to weather are very nice things to have in the cockpit. Think I'll do it!

 

All the airlines are headed in that direction..........I cant wait!!!

http://www.tipb.com/2011/05/29/alaska-airlines-ipad-flight-manuals/

http://gadgetmedia.info/2011/03/airlines-thinking-about-using-apples-ipad-as-paperless-cockpits/

 

So, i bought one and downloaded foreflight...AWESOME!!

 

I saw that! Looks cool, think I'll grab it...

 

I grabbed an iPad and ForeFlight to try this out in the chopper. I was very disappointed to find that I am unable to see a thing in portrait mode when I'm wearing my sunglasses because of the polarisation of the lenses. When I turn it to landscape mode, no problems and I can see everything on the screen, but then it takes up too much space (gets in the way of the collective).

 

Well, we don't want some appliance getting in the way of the collective now do we ... Not that the collective is important... LOL!

What are you flying? A Robinson?

 

Haha nah I'm flying a Schweizer 300C