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Date: Fri, 27 Jun 2014 10:34:32 -0400
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From: Tim Olson <Tim@MyRV10.com>
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Subject: Re: [LML] iPad
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I think with a bit of work, it wouldn't be too hard to
engineer in an ipad mount with integrated cooling.  The
simplest may be to just use a blast tube connected to the
CPU area, mounted to one of the ram mount holders, with
the back side cut like swiss cheese to allow the cooling
air to hit it.  There are also other active electrical cooling
options from what I have seen.  So perhaps rather than
waiting for someone to innovate with an environmental
case for the ipad, a homebuilder could do that themselves.

Also, one thing to keep in mind is...  You don't need
to use the ipad in every phase of flight.  If you keep
it out of the sun, and only pull it out for the times
when you really need it, it won't have that constant
CPU heating.  And, charging it while you fly is also
just going to raise the temperature of the battery.
So, start the flight with it charged, and don't charge
it while you use it.  If you do have to charge it,
try not to use it and charge it at the same time, especially
if it's going to be kept in the sunlight.

There's no reason why your EFIS can't show you all of the
waypoints and flight planning info you need while in cruise,
so I just hand-hold the ipad and refer to it occasionally
along the route.  Then, once I get where I'll be flying
an approach, it's kept out and running the whole time, but
not attached to the charger.  Doing this, the thing just
never gets that warm.

Of course, it also depends on the plane.  I fly an RV-10,
so I have less sunlight to deal with (at times). I'll
be using one in an RV-14 in a year, hopefully, which will
change things a bit too.

I'm just saying...we're homebuilders.  We can build our
own cooling solutions if we think about it, and by changing
our expectations a bit, and our style of ops, I think that
the iPad can be plenty good in the cockpit.  No, it's not
rugged, but if it were, it would be as big and heavy as
the old Motion LE1600 tablet I used to fly with.  That thing
was far worse for heat, but nobody would prefer to fly with
something that large over an ipad...so complaining about the
ipad not being rugged enough isn't going to produce a product
that itself is going to make you happy.  You need to find a
way to adapt the product that works well, and has a good
form factor and user interface, to your needs.

Hell, if you were flying with Charts, you'd have to deal
with paper flapping all over, and keeping them up to date.
I certainly think that an ipad adds more than it removes
to the safety equation. I fly with usually 2 ipads, and my
iphone as backup, loaded with all the plates and charts,
so I'm not particularly worried about one single ipad failing...
but I don't leave the thing hard mounted and try flying it
while charging all day either.

Tim

On 6/27/2014 8:50 AM, rwolf99@aol.com wrote:
>     /<<This happened to me today and does not inspire confidence in the
>     =E2=80=98electronic flight bag=E2=80=99!>>/
>
> <<This is why an iPad is not an "Electronic Flight Bag" and never will
> be, despite the claims to the contrary by those who do not know any
> better.>>
> I'm on the same page as these guys, but I admit I'm a dinosaur.  My job
> gave me the opportunity to go to Jeppesen Galactic HQ (which is right
> down the street here in Denver) a few months ago.  They showed me some
> eye-watering technology.  Like, having the GPS show you a little
> airplane on an approach plate so you don't have to do mental gymnastics
> to figure out where you are.  Charts that you can magnify so I don't
> need these dang reading glasses.  Truly awesome stuff!  Screens ten
> times the size of a Garmin 430, which used to be the coolest thing ever=
.
> But then I realized it's on an iPad or iPad mini (my sister-in-law says
> "Don't be calling it a Mini Pad!") and I choked at the thought of peopl=
e
> using consumer-grade stuff in an aviation environment.  Yikes!  There's
> a reason why DO178 and TSOs exist.  When was the last time your KX-155
> crapped out due to environmental factors?  Probably never.  The iPad?
> Probably yesterday or last weekend.
> But this stuff is really cool and I hope there's a way we can get a
> ruggedized platform to run them, like they did when IBM PCs first came
> out.  Ruggedized laptops, ruggedized chassis.  Heck, I think there were
> TSOd radar displays 15 years ago that were just IBM PCs mounted to the
> panel.  (Gives a whole new meaning to "blue screen of death", doesn't i=
t?)
> This is what Angier is asking for, what Hamid is warning us that we
> need, and that I'd be willing to buy.
> So, what's out there, guys?  Anything rugged enough for the aviation
> environment yet, at prices that 320 builders can afford?  Not the Legac=
y
> and 4P guys -- they can afford anything!  (That last item is just a
> joke.  I salute and envy you Legacy and 4P guys!)
> - Rob Wolf
>