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Get an iPad mini & GPS antenna to suit - load it with a a reputable EFB (I have OzRunways) - place Ipad in Ram Mount fixed to suitable part of aircraft that suits you (mine is central tilted toward s me for good visibility and in flight adjustments) - away you go!!

 

Forget kneeboard.

 

Good luck

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I still have a kneeboard immediately available, though not always strapped on, for noting things like multiple regos inbound, or other tidbits I can't easily do with an iPad. A4 is far too big, mine is A5.

 

Apologies for the stonkin' huge photo but I can't find a smaller version of it, though the timer isn't typically included. I acquired mine with Defence years ago, but you can still buy them from the likes of Sporty's, Spruce, et al, for about 0.1AMU, heck, they're even on eBay shipped from Brisbane for $60AUD shipped.

 

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There are plenty of kneeboards that do both. Just in case you do get an EFB later. I made one, but there are ones on the market that are soft or metal that will hold an iPad or mini (A5 size) with a cover and clipboard on top, which I find is good as it stops the iPad overheating in direct sunlight on hot days.

My metal one is unpainted to reflect heat better. Black is bad for absorbing heat. It also has a space between the back of the iPad and my leg to allow airflow and the back plate acts as a heatsink.

 

A lot of chopper pilots I know use these.... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007SQEPJ6?tag=aircraft-compare-20&linkCode=ogi&th=1&psc=1

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The use of electronic devices as a backup to the legal documents has been interesting to watch, and tends to get into football team type barracking, so I just spent 20 minutes pulling up RAA incident reports that are likely to involve someone not knowing where they were, getting lost and eventually running out of fuel, giving wrong radio reports because they didn't know where they were, not doing proper flight planning.

 

I found the fascinating list below, covering the last six months for RA aircraft:

 

“Pilot believed they were out of CTA…..”

“After becoming disoriented to their location"

Fuel exhaustion

Fuel exhaustion

Controlled airspace incursion

Lost on circuit approach

RPT go round after position confusion

Pilot lost

Airprox with RAAF aircraft, then airprox with civil aircraft

Proximity event

Drifter airprox with RAAF Hornet

Airprox not certain of altitude

Incorrect steep turn on departure

Pilot lost in circuit, incorrect calls

Airprox with three military aircraft, NOTAMS not read

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The use of electronic devices as a backup to the legal documents has been interesting to watch, and tends to get into football team type barracking, so I just spent 20 minutes pulling up RAA incident reports that are likely to involve someone not knowing where they were, getting lost and eventually running out of fuel, giving wrong radio reports because they didn't know where they were, not doing proper flight planning.

 

I found the fascinating list below, covering the last six months for RA aircraft:

 

“Pilot believed they were out of CTA…..”

“After becoming disoriented to their location"

Fuel exhaustion

Fuel exhaustion

Controlled airspace incursion

Lost on circuit approach

RPT go round after position confusion

Pilot lost

Airprox with RAAF aircraft, then airprox with civil aircraft

Proximity event

Drifter airprox with RAAF Hornet

Airprox not certain of altitude

Incorrect steep turn on departure

Pilot lost in circuit, incorrect calls

Airprox with three military aircraft, NOTAMS not read

Perhaps you could explain how most of these relate specifically to EFBs? I mean really,......all the information you could possibly want is right there accessible in a moment, better than it ever was and you think EFBs are to blame......

And do you have any data on incursions prior to EFBs?

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After reading your replies on several threads turbo, I'm convinced you have NO IDEA what an EFB is and what it does....

 

To the task at hand. I keep an A5 sized board onboard. Great for random notes and rego's....

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Being situationally aware in relation to the aerodrome seems a common. problem.. At your own home circuit you have a lot of memory turning points etc you use to aid your navigation around the circuit. In an unfamiliar place you don't have that backup. Your only reference is the stipulated runway you are using and where you are in relation to it only. "Timing" legs of a circuit in such a situation works if you've been trained properly. If you haven't been shown you will find out the hard way and overload yourself. There are other ways like using the position of a wingtip etc. Few when asked, will know where they are in relation to a place. You need a distance and a "bearing" or 10 miles E/SE from Paradise HS at 6000. tracking "someplace to another place" (or tracking 050). Enough to tell someone where you are and what you are doing Nev

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Get an iPad mini & GPS antenna to suit - load it with a a reputable EFB (I have OzRunways) - place Ipad in Ram Mount fixed to suitable part of aircraft that suits you (mine is central tilted toward s me for good visibility and in flight adjustments) - away you go!!

 

Forget kneeboard.

 

Good luck

Thats exactly my set up. Works great.

Ive experimented with kneeboards as well, and dont like the constricted feel of the leg strap and having to look down to see the screen.

Only downside with the suction cup mount is that sometimes it falls off into my lap but hasnt happened too much,

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After reading your replies on several threads turbo, I'm convinced you have NO IDEA what an EFB is and what it does....

 

To the task at hand. I keep an A5 sized board onboard. Great for random notes and rego's....

 

I think that what Turbo is saying is that if you just follow the magenta line, you will not have a clue when your fuel will run out, if you are in controlled airspace or what frequency you should be on.

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I think that what Turbo is saying is that if you just follow the magenta line...

I once did that for twenty minutes until I noticed the country below didn't match my expected location.

I had confused my track with a nearby restricted airspace boundary and had followed the red line instead!

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This is the only kneeboard to have.

1582605262303.thumb.png.3349dbac3c57471a7dd615918490c8a7.png

I always draw my desired track on the map & have a flight log with frequencies, alternates, fuel checks, tank changes, waypoints, reporting points, ETAs, EET etc on a pad a bit smaller than A5 I get free from CASA. I run Airmate on my phone & use it to keep on track & work out the crosswind component. The phone is on the panel & the pad on the seat along with the map. If I have a passenger then I have a map and pad holder, spotter & scribe as well.

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Guest Machtuk

I think that what Turbo is saying is that if you just follow the magenta line, you will not have a clue when your fuel will run out, if you are in controlled airspace or what frequency you should be on.

 

If that's the case then a pilot doing that has no business being in charge of anything other than a mouse trap!

My take on all this is that it's way too easy to get a license at the GA level grass roots. This shows all too often in R/T and poor airmanship! Having flown ( now retired) from LSA thru to heavy metal I've seen it all and it ain't pretty!

Pilots ought to be doing it better, much better, it's a privilege to fly not a right!

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This is what I normally use. Have used a number of different things in the past (ex-military so have had different things for different types of ACFT and different types of flight).. But for Rec flying this one does it for me, has enough room, sits well on my leg ad holds the important stuff...

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IMG_0216.thumb.JPG.1bb8f0b09ab5d41973e14e99abad3420.JPG

IMG_0215.thumb.JPG.5c2ef4c67298a284457fb4bc4b3b77f1.JPG

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Thats exactly my set up. Works great.

Ive experimented with kneeboards as well, and dont like the constricted feel of the leg strap and having to look down to see the screen.

Only downside with the suction cup mount is that sometimes it falls off into my lap but hasnt happened too much,

I have two RAM mounts - one for dedicated Garmin hand held GPS fixed (not suction cup) to left side of cockpit -second fixed (not suction cup) for iPad mini , centre of panel, tilted towards me. After about three heat rlated iPad shut downs I made a dedicated eyeball vent, behind RAM, just for iPad cooling.1724238119_IMG_08231.thumb.jpg.e009fdfea39bb121c137e3a89c0e5b42.jpg1724238119_IMG_08231.thumb.jpg.e009fdfea39bb121c137e3a89c0e5b42.jpg

IMG_0824.thumb.JPG.4c3012614eb4541a304970b89e0126b3.JPG

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Thanks for all the replies, decided to give the freebie from casa a go. Cant really complain about free gear for the sole cost of postage, plus the extra information included in the pack. Will redesign my own flight plans to fit the pad size.

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There are plenty of kneeboards that do both. Just in case you do get an EFB later. I made one, but there are ones on the market that are soft or metal that will hold an iPad or mini (A5 size) with a cover and clipboard on top, which I find is good as it stops the iPad overheating in direct sunlight on hot days.

My metal one is unpainted to reflect heat better. Black is bad for absorbing heat. It also has a space between the back of the iPad and my leg to allow airflow and the back plate acts as a heatsink.

 

A lot of chopper pilots I know use these.... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007SQEPJ6?tag=aircraft-compare-20&linkCode=ogi&th=1&psc=1

This is the one I have... great, easy to strap and doesn’t get in the way

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Get an iPad mini & GPS antenna to suit - load it with a a reputable EFB (I have OzRunways) - place Ipad in Ram Mount fixed to suitable part of aircraft that suits you (mine is central tilted toward s me for good visibility and in flight adjustments) - away you go!!

 

Forget kneeboard.

 

Good luck

Can you provide more info on the GPS antenna you say you use with your iPad?

 

Thanks

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