Terminal Procedures Plates App on iPad

[MistyBlue 8]

I just got the latest Sporty's Pilot Shop catalog and while flipping through the pages came across a nifty Terminal Procedures iPad app called Sporty's Plates. It's free to try from the app store for 30 days and it's $49.95 per year for a subscription. I don't know if you can continue using the initial plates you download after 30 days if you choose not to subscribe but that would be nice. Anyway, you get all the airport diagrams, approach, and departure plates for the US (and looks like US only) in a nicely organized iPad app. Of course, you can go to Airnav and download them for free, or buy something like SimPlates X, but this puts it all nicely at your fingertips without having to look hard. I can see this being quite useful while flying the NGX (or any other airliner), especially combined with regular Navigraph AIRAC updates.

[chapstick 2,757]

I've also been using it lately with my iPad 2 and I agree it's a nifty app. I also have the MD-11 checklist and QRH on my iPad.

[ricky76 46]

I think that the Ipad is going to be a perfect and fairly close replica to the EFB in the T7 panel! From what I have seen in cockpit videos, The size and pinch type zoom will be handy for those airport diagrams and taxi charts. Hope it can be linked to the sim for "moving map" situations.

[MistyBlue 8]

The iPad is really turning out to be great with Flight Sim. I use iDisplay to drag the CDU to the iPad and now can use it for charts, EFB, whatever. Wish I had two!

[badderjet 181]

The iPad is really turning out to be great with Flight Sim. I use iDisplay to drag the CDU to the iPad and now can use it for charts, EFB, whatever. Wish I had two!

Wait, wait... Are you implying you are extending your desktop onto your mobile device, undocking the CDU and then be able to use it on the device?? :( I'd be totally freaking out it that was true. Just checked out iDisplay on the Store, priced at 3.99 atm. Anyways, I only own the phone, not the pad, but yet having the CDU on a touch device... Holy smokes, that'd be something! :( How does that iDisplay thing work though? Since you're using it with FSX I suppose it works with PCs as well, but you sure need some app running on your comp as well in order to extend your desktop onto your mobile deivce?Thanks for the heads-up already...:(

[gman1986 14]

Wait, wait... Are you implying you are extending your desktop onto your mobile device, undocking the CDU and then be able to use it on the device?? :( I'd be totally freaking out it that was true. Just checked out iDisplay on the Store, priced at 3.99 atm. Anyways, I only own the phone, not the pad, but yet having the CDU on a touch device... Holy smokes, that'd be something! :( How does that iDisplay thing work though? Since you're using it with FSX I suppose it works with PCs as well, but you sure need some app running on your comp as well in order to extend your desktop onto your mobile deivce?Thanks for the heads-up already...:(

Yes you need to install air display software on your computer as well and then it interfaces with the iPad/iPod through your wifi.In my opinion it is ok but very laggy. In order for it to work on my computer I have to start the app after starting FSX, run FSX in windowed mode, undock the FMC 2d pop up and then drag it onto the iPad with just a bit of the to corner of the fmc still in my pc monitor. If I didn't do those things it wouldn't work.

[falcon999 24]

Yes you need to install air display software on your computer as well and then it interfaces with the iPad/iPod through your wifi.In my opinion it is ok but very laggy. In order for it to work on my computer I have to start the app after starting FSX, run FSX in windowed mode, undock the FMC 2d pop up and then drag it onto the iPad with just a bit of the to corner of the fmc still in my pc monitor. If I didn't do those things it wouldn't work.

AOPA has some great tools included in the membership. You can view and download plates, flight planning and airport information. I use it all the time on iPad.

[MistyBlue 8]

Hi Etienne,Yes, that's correct. You can drag the undocked CDU over to your iPad and it will work like the real thing. You can push the buttons with your finger and they will operate as if they were pressed (essentially, it moves the mouse over the button and acts like a mouse click).I do not recommend AirDisplay. I had countless problems getting it to work after the first time I used it. So I switched to iDisplay and it has worked perfectly every time. I noticed no real lag issues with either app.Basically, you download the app from the Apple Store onto your iPad, then you go and download the free PC or Mac companion utility. You then just run the iPad app and simultaneously run the utility on the PC/Mac and the iDisplay software will see the PC/Mac and allow you to easily connect to it. It just requires that all machines are connected to the same wireless network. The iPad then becomes an extension of your desktop. I have it running as a third display in my current setup.

[NoahBryant 26]

Thanks for the tip on iDisplay - I was having the same issues with AirDisplay so I will check it out.

[badderjet 181]

Hi Etienne,Yes, that's correct. You can drag the undocked CDU over to your iPad and it will work like the real thing. You can push the buttons with your finger and they will operate as if they were pressed (essentially, it moves the mouse over the button and acts like a mouse click).I do not recommend AirDisplay. I had countless problems getting it to work after the first time I used it. So I switched to iDisplay and it has worked perfectly every time. I noticed no real lag issues with either app.Basically, you download the app from the Apple Store onto your iPad, then you go and download the free PC or Mac companion utility. You then just run the iPad app and simultaneously run the utility on the PC/Mac and the iDisplay software will see the PC/Mac and allow you to easily connect to it. It just requires that all machines are connected to the same wireless network. The iPad then becomes an extension of your desktop. I have it running as a third display in my current setup.

Hey,thanks for all the hints. Now I understand there's iDisplay and AirDisplay OTOH. Will go ahead and do some more research. So iDisplay is significantly less laggy than AirDisplay? I am actually quite worried about the fact of running FSX windowed, I kinda hate that. Not even sure if I have to in order to undock just one panel window, e. g. a CDU. I hope not. Have never really worked multi-monitor and hence had never really a reason to window/undock anything. Anyways I have not run FSX for months since my video card has been smoking away since and yet not replaced haha. Well, got some reading to do. Nevertheless, maybe I could think of other ways making use of an extended desktop on a touch device besides FSX, hm...? :Thinking:Regards

[MistyBlue 8]

I haven't noticed either iDisplay or AirDisplay to be laggy across my network. There might be an almost imperceptible lag, but it's so slight that it doesn't affect operation. Now, if you were trying to run the FlightSim visuals on the iPad, then yes, you'll probably notice a more significant delay because all that information has to be transmitted over wireless. But for the CDU, throttle quadrant, overhead, etc, it works perfectly (albeit small for everything but pretty much the CDU).Now, I have experienced frame rate drops on my multi-monitor setup when I move the CDU to a second monitor. I haven't done any testing with how much the frame rates drop with the iPad, but if they do, it hasn't been really noticeable. Then again, I run a pretty high-end rig, so results will vary.And yes, of course iDisplay will act as a second monitor so you can drag anything on your desktop to it. I use it that way at work with my laptop.

[melodious 0]

Air Canada Express - new Q400 service from Toronto City Center (CYTZ) and Montreal, have announced that they will be using iPads on board with each pilot assigned one, as well as one extra per aircraft. They will include charts, wxr, etc...http://www.thestar.com/business/article/983500--plane-check-ipad-checkJamesMatthews

[JRBarrett 3,048]

Air Canada Express - new Q400 service from Toronto City Center (CYTZ) and Montreal, have announced that they will be using iPads on board with each pilot assigned one, as well as one extra per aircraft. They will include charts, wxr, etc...http://www.thestar.com/business/article/983500--plane-check-ipad-checkJamesMatthews

I know that in the real-world corporate and charter segment, the IPad has rapidly become THE platform of choice for use as an in-cockpit EFB. It's a match made in heaven, with the IPad's light weight, large & bright display, user-friendly interface and large data storage capacity.My employer operates a mixed fleet of small, mid and large business aircraft. For several years we have been using Fujitsu tablet computers for EFBs. While the Fujitsus were OK in their day, by comparison to the IPad, they are horribly clunky and slow.Each of our IPad EFBs has a subscription to Jeppesen JeppView software, providing world-wide approach chart coverage, and we have just received approval from the FAA to convert all of our company manuals (Flight Operations, General Maintenance, RVSM, Ground Handling etc) to PDF format to be loaded on each aircraft's EFB. As a result, we'll be able to remove about 30 pounds of bound, printed manuals from each aircraft - which will be a substantial savings in weight and space on the smaller airframes.I'd love to have a copy of JeppView to use on my own IPad at home while simming, but at a cost of $12,000 per subscription, I'm afraid that won't be in the cards!Jim Barrett

[badderjet 181]

Folks, not exactly on topic, but found it to be quite funny. iPad 2 decompression test from FL510... :(

[Krister 51]

I just got the latest Sporty's Pilot Shop catalog and while flipping through the pages came across a nifty Terminal Procedures iPad app called Sporty's Plates. It's free to try from the app store for 30 days and it's $49.95 per year for a subscription. I don't know if you can continue using the initial plates you download after 30 days if you choose not to subscribe but that would be nice. Anyway, you get all the airport diagrams, approach, and departure plates for the US (and looks like US only) in a nicely organized iPad app. Of course, you can go to Airnav and download them for free, or buy something like SimPlates X, but this puts it all nicely at your fingertips without having to look hard. I can see this being quite useful while flying the NGX (or any other airliner), especially combined with regular Navigraph AIRAC updates.

OR, you can get Noah Bryant's EXCELLENT FSKneeboard for about 10 USD which is a one time fee and no subscription necessary. All the plates you mentioned PLUS terminal, sectional, IFR High and Low charts. Plus weather for any station in he US including lots of different weather "charts" with different SIGMET info (icing, turbulence etc), winds aloft etc.Does it sound like I like it? You bet I do and I wouldn't fly anywhere without it. One side effect for me as a VATSIM flyer, is that I now have a more open minded view on which airports I choose to fly to/from. Earlier, I usually picked airports that I had charts printed out for. I also used to put them on my laptop but the desk became too cramped. With FSKneeboard and my iPad I'm no longer restricted by this. Team it up with a copy of Goodreader, which incidentially is what Alaska Airlines have been using in their iPad trials and you have one heck of competent gadget!