I have just purchased a new Ipac. Is there any thing anyone is using them for for there flying. I have my flightsoft planer inthere. Has anybody done the weather thing. Flightsoft will have there weather brefing in it soon. Also W&B but I would like to have it now. wondering if it is out there now Don
Speaking of laptops and tablet PCs, I was looking at two different tablet PCs, and both had a maximum operating altitude of just over 9,000. (NO, it didn’t specify if it was density, pressure or absolute.)
My question is, is this a limitation that should be followed?
Marty
Don:
My favorite iPaq aviation application is PC-EFIS. If you fly at night or IFR it can bail you out in the case of total power loss. I know that could never happen in a Cirrus, but …
For those who are not familiar with this device, here is the web site: http://www.pcflightsystems.com. It comes with a small box (8"x4"x2"), a data cable for the iPaq, a power cable (cigar lighter style) and (optionally) a cable for the portable GPS.
Line the box up along the axis of the plane (velcro is recommended), calibrate it during pre-flight, and for the remainder of your flight you will have an color artificial horizon on the iPaq. Hook up the portable GPS and you also get groundspeed, pressure altitude, waypoints, ETA, etc. The iPaq and the box have battery back-ups, so it continue working when you really need it to.
The negative is all the cables. I originally bought it for my old 182, and decided to wait to install it in my Cirrus until I have time to find a really elegant way to install it. The trick is to hide the cables and make the iPaq be in my forward field of vision without making it a permanent installation (since it is not STC-ed).
I would also like to use Jepessen FlightStar, but at Aopa they said they have no plans to port it to the iPaq. Too bad!
Don,
I have the Controlvision moving map with weather. It works really well, even with my first generation IPac.
Neil,
how reliable is the setup? I was playing with a PC-EFIS in a friend’s Mooney, and I managed to crash the AI by cycling through some of the view modes; I got into a superimposed view where the AI was over the map, and then when I went to the AI screen it was stuck in a left bank and needed to be reset. Not good.
-Curt
Curt:
I used it for about 100 hours in my Cessna 182 and it never hung. I use a pretty hefty iPaq (3955) and I make sure I never run any other applications while flying. It sounds like your friend was running the moving map application in addition to the PC-EFIS, perhaps that was the problem.
It has been completely reliable in my experience.
Anyone has compared the PC-EFIS to the Anywhere map and AI combo. Just curious I have Controlvision’s combo with the independent AI box, it works real well and i never had a problem with the moving map or AI getting stuck either. Please respond. You picked the PC-EFIS over anywhere map and why?
jt
JT:
I actually didn’t look at Control Vision … the one I copmpared it to was panel mounted (not an option for a certified plane since they don’t have a STC). Looking at the Control Vision site now it looks very nice. I am happy with PC-EFIS, but perhaps we can compare notes at some point at a fly-in. I like the looks of the AI box on the Control Vision unit better.
Hello Neil
Glad u had a chance to look at Anywhere map site as well. Since we live in Calif chances are we will come across each other at some fly in. I am getting SR22 April 21 with PFD, I still think that it is a smart idea to use some backup programs both for moving map and control information. It makes me feel better. I love my IPAQ and all the extra stuff I can do with it. I like the idependent box concept for Anywhere AI. So let;s compare notes when we can. Technology changes faster sometimes then we can keep up. Let’s all help each other.
jOseph Levay
For those in the Palm camp, there is also PalmEFIS. While I haven’t pitched for the EFIS portion of the software, I do have the moving map as a back-up. I have spoken to the developper, and he is easy to reach and was very helpful when I tried an unknown configuration (Garmin gps III+ with Sony Clie NX70).
You can find info about it at: http://www.hangarb17.com/home.html
I will probably get PalmEFIS soon…if anything the wind strength/direction indicator will be a nice thing to have in front of me.
ControlVision has a very nice product. My only issue is with the Ipaq. It is too big for a pocket, and carrying a purse somehow ruins my look ; )
Marty
836C, SR20