Pocket PC on the flight deck

"FUji" wrote in message ...
"EDR" wrote in message
...

Those little palm-things are fine for smooth air.
Just wait until you really need it and are bouncing up and down and
sideways trying to hit a little box on the screen with the stylus.

...and Microsoft (PPC OS) software has no place on an airplane. Especially
with something as critical as an AI, even if it is used only as a backup.

Gee, I guess you've never watched an MX20 boot up. NT 4.0.

On Wed, 31 Dec 2003 11:36:13 -0500, Ron Natalie wrote:


"FUji" wrote in message ...
"EDR" wrote in message
...

Those little palm-things are fine for smooth air.
Just wait until you really need it and are bouncing up and down and
sideways trying to hit a little box on the screen with the stylus.

...and Microsoft (PPC OS) software has no place on an airplane. Especially
with something as critical as an AI, even if it is used only as a backup.

Gee, I guess you've never watched an MX20 boot up. NT 4.0.

Or an Avidyne, also NT.

I have a friend that has a MicroEFIS installed in his plane. It works
pretty nice. There is a little box he mounts on the dash that provides
attitude information. He has an IPAQ PPC mounted to the left side of this
instrument panel and that displays the AI. All of the wires are hidden
and the whole thing is powered from a cigarette lighter.

jerry

In article k.net,
Michelle P wrote:

Until Apple make one that is more stable then we are stuck with it.

Already been done!
Burt Rutan had at least one of his aircraft running on an Apple
Powerbook about ten years ago. (Catbird?)

"FUji" wrote in message
...
"EDR" wrote in message
...

Those little palm-things are fine for smooth air.
Just wait until you really need it and are bouncing up and down and
sideways trying to hit a little box on the screen with the stylus.

...and Microsoft (PPC OS) software has no place on an airplane.
Especially
with something as critical as an AI, even if it is used only as a backup.



I'm no Microsoft fan, but if you have never used XP, it is much more stable
than any of the others.
--
Jim in NC

I have the HP (no more Compaq) Ipaq 5555 and Controlvisions Tracker Blue
GPS. It's a wireless bluetooth GPS with WAAS. While they say its line of
sight and limited in range, I've had it work through two floors in my house
and at opposite ends. In the airplane the gps doesnt point directly at the
Ipaq, the gps is towards the very front and out of sight, but it never
hiccups.

For now though the AI/WX don't work if you use bluetooth gps. If you go
totally wired, all three integrate together fine. Hiding the wires was
never a problem when I had them.

The software has a rough air interface giving you larger buttons. Even in
moderate turbulence I rarely use them though and once your flight plan is
set up you don't fool with the unit much. Maybe you zoom in or out, but you
dont have to touch the screen for that. It's not an issue.

As far as the neverending MS slamming, this program froze ONCE on me in two
years, and it probably wasn't the operating system. And even if you need to
reboot everything it's not like rebooting a PC, it only takes one push on
the bottom of the unit and its back up and ready to go. This is a backup
system, all of it, the AI/WX/Moving Map. Would I trust WinXP as the PRIMARY
system as it is now? I'd be hesitant. But this isnt a primary system.

As far as PocketPC's, I love mine, I'm on my second (wife inherited the
first and likes it alot). Some like the PalmOS better, and Garmin makes
their IQue that uses the PalmOS and has a moving map and built in GPS.
There are lots of programs out there, aviation and others, for the Palm,
including EFIS types. At the time of my decision I didnt like Palms
handwriting recognition, you had to use their Grafitti, which is special
characters. With PPC, you just wrote like you normally do, and the latest
OS is even better at deciphering your writing no matter how sloppy.

You probably need to go out and use each kind, see what you like. But also
decide on which aviation software you prefer as they are usually made for
one OS or the other, not both. Waiting for anything from Apple would be
like waiting for hell to freeze over. And as usual there'd be only a couple
of overpriced choices with no support after a few years.

So, how would it operate? Turn it on (AI/Moving Map), leave it on, and
enjoy. The AI would automatically display itself over the moving map in
case a spiral is detected. If all electrical is lost, the AI would power
the Ipaq and the GPS for longer than you'd choose to stay in the air if it
were to happen, and probably longer than your tanks would give you. If
you're in total darkness the Ipaq would be backlit with the moving map and
AI at your disposal. If you want WX you can easily add it, and in case of
emergency you have a working satphone to make voice calls. Dont take my
word for it, check out their website and their user forums. And once
again, I dont work for them, just a satisfied customer.

Chris

In article ain,
Jerry Kurata wrote:

...and Microsoft (PPC OS) software has no place on an airplane.
Especially
with something as critical as an AI, even if it is used only as a
backup.

Gee, I guess you've never watched an MX20 boot up. NT 4.0.

Or an Avidyne, also NT.

neither are critical.

--
Bob Noel

In article , "Morgans"
wrote:

I'm no Microsoft fan, but if you have never used XP, it is much more
stable
than any of the others.

"stable" is relative. When it comes to safety-critical applications,
nothing microsoft or apple has is suitable.

--
Bob Noel

John,

Option 3 sounds like it would work, except for this plan to work
effectively. It would have to be mounted and running at all times.


Some people think it foolish to venture into IMC without some kind of
back-up nav device running along independently of on-board systems. A
handheld GPS qualifies just as well as a running PocketPC/GPS system.

--
Thomas Borchert (EDDH)

I also noted that the product will 'PopUp' (forced focus) if your attitude
gets out of whack. Good feature!

--

Thx, {|;-)

Victor J. (Jim) Osborne, Jr.



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