American Airlines pilots begin using Apple's iPad during all phases of flight - Page 2

Quote:

Originally Posted by muppetry 

 

I don't think that is quite correct. Even though in theory they can measure high speeds (which would be limited by their ability to keep the shifting signals locked - a processing limitation rather than a speed of light limitation), I believe that civilian GPS units are required under ITAR not to report speeds in excess of 1000 km/hr to prevent them being used for weapons system applications.

Only for GPS units capable of functioning above 18,000 meters altitude. The limit is 515 meters/second (1001 knots). And those limits apply only to GPS units built for export. Otherwise you need a State Department export license to export the GPS. You can get a permit for darned near anything these days.

I am a pilot who uses the ipad3 (also had an ipad2) and iphone4S in the cockpit all the time.  The GPS signal is rock solid, as long as you have a relatively clear line-of-sight between the unit and the window, sighting up toward the satellites.  You don't really need an outside or Bluetooth external antenna, although it certainly wouldn't hurt. Once it locks on, you can even put the ipad3 on the floor of the co-pilot's side, and it still works OK, even though you have obscured the line-of-sight drastically (but I haven't tested it much this way) - I typically have my ipad anchored to the pilot's yoke, right in front of me,and remove it for takeoff and landing, and place it on the co-pilot's seat, where is works perfectly also.  It also works on the commercial flights in the passenger seats, but is harder to maintain lock, due to the smaller windows of a passenger aircraft. (haven't been fortunate enough, yet, to fly in the new 787, which has the largest windows available so far - but hope to do so someday soon.).

Incidentally, it gives very accurate altitudes, since it is WAAS based GPS antenna accuracy.  If all my avionics and airspeed data went south on my aircraft (almost impossible, by the way), I plan on using the ipad as an emergency navigator, and many aviation sources have tested this out with fantastic results.  Nice piece-of-mind to have.

It doesn't really matter, the point of this isn't for using the GPS anyway.  The GPS on the aircraft will be far superior to the one built into the iPad, so they know physically where they are already.

What it's good for is having all the checklists, and constantly updated, the Airport/Facility Directory (that you are supposed to carry and always have an updated copy of), and all the maps.  For a cross country flight, the pilot will have IFR Enroute High and Low altitude charts, IFR Terminal Procedures publications, and relevant VFR Sectionals and Terminal Area Charts.  This stuff is all heavy, and it's worth noting that the charts expire every 6 months - keeping them updated is a pain in the arse.

As to the need to turn off electronics below 10,000ft, it's rules set by the airlines, with pathetic guidance from the FAA.  The relevant CFR is 14 CFR 91.21, which says all electronics devices (with a few minor exceptions) are banned on flights operating in Instrument Flight Conditions (so most scheduled flights), but that the Pilot in Command can make an exception to this rule if he/she deems it safe.

The FCC governs mobile phones (not the FAA), and they state, "Cellular telephones installed in or carried aboard airplanes, balloons or any other type of aircraft must not be operated while such aircraft are airborne (not touching the ground). When an aircraft leaves the ground, all cellular telephones on board that aircraft must be turned off."

Having been Pilot in Command of a light aircraft when a passenger didn't turn off their phone, I can say that the problem is the interference of the phone signal with your headphones.  Every time the phone communicated with the mast you could hear it in your headphones.  If it happened when you were trying to talk to a controller, it's very distracting, and if you fly around the Bay Area as I do, there is a lot of communications with the controllers to keep track of.