FLYER Exhibitions
"This software is an aid to VFR flight planning and navigation only. It does not replace your chart, your cockpi instruments or any other tools mandated for the safe planning and navigation of flights"
So such it says every time I start SD on the iPad. Seems pretty clear to me. Sure, I've had the odd SD crash, but that's not been an issue. Anyone who chooses to ignore the start-up guidance is being an idiot, a hazard to themselves and to other aviators. It's not SD, it's the pilot who goes off with nothing more than am iPad. No one should be putting themselves and their airplane in a position where a simple crash of SD (or any other single non-certified electronic aid) causes problems. As as been said, those who now solely rely on SD probably previously did't bother with things like NOTAMs or up-to-date charts.
And the flip side is that, at least as far as I'm concerned, SD on ipad (rare crash or not) has actually contributed to flight safety. I dn't use any other GPS and pre-SD I just used the chart etc.as I was never able to really get on with the earlier offers - ANP, MM, etc. Post iPad, SD has twice caught a NOTAM I hadn't noticed trawling the more traditional sources using the much vaunted "manual" methods, on one of those occasions it being a NOTAM that was fairy important to my flight. SD has also once brought to my attention a navigational error I made in flight - I'd have caught my error manually, but with SD as an aid I realised the mistake sooner than I would have done relying on just a printed chart.
So, far from being a detractor to flight safety, I view SD as a huge positive even if it has dropped out once or twice.
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Tuesday 18 June 2013 22:31 UTC |
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There are old pilots and there are bold pilots, but there are no old bold pilots
+1 I have done far more "adventurous" flying as a result of Skydemon than I ever would have done using old fashioned charts etc. (though I still run them concurrently) For example I flew up to Glenforsa, going via the Manchester low level corridor, SD made that a much safer operation as I could easily find the various reporting points whilst keeping a much better lookout. Pre flight briefing is far better as it's all integrated and relevant. I've even found myself sitting watching Tv and doing some fantasy flight planning just for fun! Just in terms of avoiding airspace infringements has made it worthwhile. It has often been said on here that many pilots do no more than a bit of local flying once they've got their licenses, anything that would encourage people to get out more has to be good for GA. BTW I haven't had any SD crashes while flying, iPad2 wifi with xgps150.
Looking out of the window plays no part in navigation
 That's what Skydemon and GPS boxes are for. If I really thought you meant that statement I would bite, but I don't and so I won't!
That sounds like me. I hate to sound a Complete numpty, but how do I ensure that apps are not running when I have finished using them?
It is only really an issue
1) on the iPad 1 2) if the apps you have left open perform background tasks On iOS, apps that are 'still running' 99% of the time actually are not even in memory any mor PHENOMENOUS DANGEROUSNESS
On the iPad, double click the home button. The screen will then scroll vertically, revealing a strip showing all your running apps. Touch and hold on one of these, and a little x will appear on each app icon. Touching these x's one by one will close the apps.
The answer is both. Have one for reliability, the other for all the bells and whistles. There *are* electronic things which are reliable - a panel mounted GNS-430 for example, and then it goes down to the hand held GPSs, starting with the aviation specific ones - Garmin, Lowrance, etc, then goes down to things based on PDAs or cheap Chinese units, and then down to the ipad and Sky Demon. So, ideally, you'd use a panel mounted 430 plus Sky Demon. I think that's a good combination. To rely on Sky Demon alone at the moment as perhaps a life-or-death tool - perhaps using it in VMC minima in the mountains and such like - isn't perhaps the best idea in the world, I think that's all that Mono is trying to say. SKymonster and Malcolm Frost - but that would apply to *any* GPS. Back in '97 when I bought my first aviation GPS (Lowrance Airmap), it gave me the confidence to actually go places - 1. Avoiding airspace, 2. Not getting lost and 3. Finding the destination airfield!
Very true, I came back into GA just as SD was launching so am particularly evangelical about it. I do use a panel mounted GPS as a back up, but all the route/waypoint loading is a real faff in comparison, plus without my glasses I can't read the writing on it 
Many thanks 
Never seen an RV4 cockpit then Paul? Rob P Forum Diversity & Equality Officer (unpaid)
"We sleep soundly in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would do us harm." - George Orwell-
First time I encountered someone else with a panel GPS, they set up the entire route on the GPS and then proceeded to fly "head down" all the way in what to me was tantamount to a flight in virtual-IMC when in fact they were operating VFR in the open FIR with no air traffic service. Looking out seemed to be irrelevant. I can't say I enjoyed them taking that approach to flying.
We don't have a certified panel GPS in our aeroplane, but SD provides me with a nice backup to the chart and old-fashioned navigation instruments - and OK, sometimes my first choice of VFR en-route navigation tool but used without (a) me losing chart-based awareness or (b) going head down for most of the flight... If SD crashes, so what - I'm still in control via the chart plus any VORs, DME, and NDB/ADF combo im using. Anyone who absolutely, solely and continuously depends on a non-certified device (iPad) with a non-certified database (SD) using technology that isn't certified in the UK for sole-use navigation on any device (GPS) is a fool IMHO, whether or not the device or its software crashes or is 100% stable. I don't see the CAA/EASA ever certifying the iPad and SD for navigation so the prospector depending on it is a non-starter whether stable or not. In other words,despite me being a huge fan of SD I don't really care if it crashes very occasionally... At worst a SD crash is/would be a very minor and temporary inconvenience which doesn't threaten flight safety. But SD has picked up things I haven't in traditional planning, meaning that for me it is most definitey a positive aid to flying. So I hope Tim keeps improving the package - it'll make my flying less stressful and more error-free irrespective of whether its 100% stable. There are old pilots and there are bold pilots, but there are no old bold pilots
You've got two legs ain't ya?!
Hi Which iPad version, and which version of iOS are you running? Steve PHENOMENOUS DANGEROUSNESS
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