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Connected Panel connects iPad and cockpit
In the ever-increasing trend of iPads in aviation, whether that be in the cockpit or the cabin, iOS games or the next long-haul flight halfway around the world, iPads are becoming synonymous with flying. And Aspen Avionics is the latest to follow that trend, integrating the iPad even further into the avionics field with Connected Panel. By installing the CG100 box, a wireless transmitter that connects with the plane's electronic avionics behind the cockpit panel, pilots will have control over flight communications, navigation and more, all from their iPad. And at just US$2500 for the CG100 box, it's touted as being the cheaper alternative to traditional wireless avionics systems. Better still, this is the first of many more Connected Panel enabled apps on the way, partnering with other aviation companies as well as opening the Connected Panel technology to third party developers. Check out the Connected Panel promo video below, and click here for further information. [Via Macworld]
World of Warplanes debuting at Gamescom
If you're curious about Wargaming.net's upcoming World of Warplanes MMO, Gamescom 2011 is the place to be. The World War II-based flight simulator's gameplay will be shown for the first time at the convention in Cologne, Germany from August 17th to August 21st. World of Warplanes was initially announced during this year's E3, but no media, gameplay footage, or web presence has been forthcoming as of yet. Wargaming.net will also be holding an open World of Tanks tournament at Gamescom, and the company has plans to announce its newest development project, according to a press release issued this morning.
iHUD Remote app brings glass cockpit to any pilot
The big bash for aviation fans, EAA AirVenture, has just started in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Among the static and flying displays of airplanes of all sizes, attendees can expect to see a lot of iPhones and iPads -- in the cockpits of many aircraft. Virginia-based Hunter Research and Utah-based Aerovisions International will be demonstrating a preview of iHUD Remote for iOS, an app that works with onboard sensors to creates a glass cockpit display on an iOS device. What's a glass cockpit? Well, if you've peeked inside the cockpit of any modern aircraft you know how they're dominated by a set of large screens displaying the aircraft attitude, navigation and status information. Light aircraft have had to stay with old-technology electromechanical gauges due to the high cost of the new systems. What iHUD Remote does is display attitude and heading information wirelessly beamed from hardware created by Levil Aviation. Levil's AHRS (attitude and heading reference system) weighs as little as 5 ounces and uses an ad-hoc Wi-Fi network to send engine, attitude, heading, and pressure information to the iOS device, where it is displayed with a simulated horizon and vehicle reference symbol. Speed, altitude, and vertical velocity ribbons are also displayed along with a rotating compass card, a slip/skid ball, and an accelerometer. For devices with a rear camera, there's an augmented reality view that creates a true "heads up display." The iHUD system is not intended as a primary cockpit instrument, as it lacks FAA certification, but can be used as an educational tool for pilots and even an auxiliary or backup system. The iHUD app that the system is built upon is available on the App Store for US$5.99. If you're at AirVenture in Oshkosh this week, drop by Hanger B, Booth #2125 to see the system in action at Levil Aviation's venue.
TUAW's Daily iPad App - Warplanes: A History of Aerial Combat
Gameloft recently released a new iPad book-app, Warplanes: A History of Aerial Combat (US$6.99). This app is follow-up to Gameloft's earlier book-app, War in the Pacific. This latest offering includes detailed information on 43 historic war planes including popular bombers like the B-52, fighters like the F-15 and reconnaissance airplanes like the SR-71 Blackbird. You can view a 3D model of the plane, browse vintage photographs, read detailed specs and even watch a video of the plane in action (though not all planes have a video). The app opens to a home screen with clickable images of all the planes and is organized as reference guide, not a chapter book that you read. The content is organized nicely and there is a lot of information for users to comb through, especially if you are new to military aviation. Besides background information, there is an interactive cutaway diagram of each plane and a rotatable 3-D model. The 3D model is a bit disappointing as you can only move it left and right. You cannot spin it to see the top and bottom of the plane. %Gallery-128298% The photo gallery for each plane is also inconsistent. When you click on gallery, sometimes you get a nice slideshow of pictures for each plane. Other times, you open a grid of images for all the planes, not just the one that you are viewing. The latter is a tease as you see fifteen thumbnails on the screen, but only two or three are for your selected plane. Overall, the app is geared towards the beginning aviation buff or the more experienced aviator who wants a quick reference guide. It's not for the seasoned aviation veteran looking for a lot of stellar pictures and heart-pounding video of the planes in action. This media-rich content which would look great on the iPad is lacking. I would love to see more images and, especially more videos of the planes in various aerial maneuvers. More planes would also be a welcome addition as 43 entries only scratch the surface of historic military planes. It is also worthy to note that the book-app is heavily weighted towards US planes and jets. There's a rich history of early World War I and World War II propeller planes that's missing.
Terrafugia Transition aircraft gets DOT roadworthiness sign-off, can now drive you to the airport
For most experimental aircraft, earning an airworthiness certificate is enough of a challenge. But the Terrafugia Transition is a unique type of flying machine, requiring approval not only from the FAA, but also from the USDOT's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), since this air / land hybrid is likely to spend just as much time cruising down the highway as it will flying 5,000 feet above. The Transition is now slightly closer to takeoff, with the NHTSA granting exemptions for absent airbags, a missing electronic stability system, and the plane's lightweight polycarbonate windows (polycarbonate is lighter than automotive safety glass, and won't shatter and obscure a pilot's vision in the event of a bird strike). Unfortunately the Transition still has other hurdles to fly over -- its cabin is limited to carrying 330 pounds when fully fueled, including passengers, and the price has jumped 41 percent, to $250,000. In the meantime, Terrafugia hopes to move forward with production later this year, bringing the 'flying car' slightly closer to a runway (and highway) near you.
Singapore to hand out iPads to its soldiers
The Defence Ministry of Singapore said on Monday that it will be issuing 8,000 iPads to new recruits this year. Armed with the iPad, new soldiers will be able to snap photos and videos of the battlefield, which can be uploaded to a central database. They can also communicate with officers and other soldiers via messaging. The Singapore Armed Forces wants to expand the iPad's capabilities and is working with private contractors to create secure apps for military use. The iPad program begins this year with new recruits and will extend to other soldiers next year. This is not the first example of military units using the iPad and other iOS devices. US Marine Corp aviators recently replaced their paper-based navigation system with one driven by the iPad, and the Army is working on its own secure App Store. In the UK, soldiers are using the iPad to train for combat before their deployment for Afghanistan. The Army App Store is work in progress, while the USMC and UK programs are considered an early success by their respective military leaders.
Navy blends Jet A and algae-based biofuel, uses it to power Seahawk chopper (video)
Considering that helicopters are entirely dependent on a spinning rotor to remain in the air, an MH-60S Seahawk doesn't exactly seem the most likely candidate for experimental fuel. That didn't seem to stop the US Navy, however, which successfully completed a test flight with a 50 / 50 blend of algae-based biofuel and Jet A (traditionally the flavor of choice for turbine-based aircraft). The mixture used is known as Solajet HRJ-5 Jet fuel, which doesn't quite have the same ring to it as good ole Jet A -- but it does happen to be based on a renewable resource and managed to keep the rotor spinning. There's no word on how much the new fuel costs to produce or when it might be ready for commercial use, but if all goes to plan, we may soon be using the green stuff for more than just sushi rolls and miso soup.
Gaijin announces World of Planes MMO
Is the World War II aviation-based MMO market big enough to support multiple titles? We'll soon find out, as Gaijin Entertainment has just announced its upcoming World of Planes MMO (not to be confused with Wargaming.net's World of Warplanes title, which took a bow earlier this month). Gaijin's press release calls World of Planes a "flying simulation game," and the company will be drawing on its previous genre experience thanks to titles like Wings of Prey and Wings of Luftwaffe. According to the new World of Planes website, the game will feature "hundreds of historically accurate planes" and "flying skills that can be honed and improved with each mission." The site also hints at ground- and sea-based combat along with co-op missions, solo play, and a realistic damage model. The game will operate under a free-to-play business model, and you'll want to check out our screenshot gallery below before heading to the official World of Planes website to sign up for beta. %Gallery-126603%
eGenius electric plane takes flight with Airbus backing
It's been mere months since we introduced you to Deutschland's PC-Aero Elektra One, and now the Germans are at it again with the maiden flight of a new electric flying machine: eGenius. The aircraft successfully completed a 20-minute flight on May 26th, followed by a two-and-a-half hour trip on Sunday. Where the Elektra one boasted cruising speeds of 160 km/h (about 99 MPH), eGenius is capable of hitting 235 km/h (146 MPH) for up to 400 kilometers (248.5 miles). It sports a 60-kilowatt motor, weighs 850 kilograms (1,874 pounds), and has some big backing from the likes of Airbus. Considering its relatively limited range and equally limited capacity -- it fits two humans with a combined weight of 397 pounds -- we have a feeling it'll be a bit before we're popping pretzels on one of these bad boys.
Marine Corps aviators depend on iPad
Aviators for the United States Marine Corps (USMC) in Afghanistan have ejected heavy stacks of paper charts and grid reference graphics from their cockpits and replaced them with the iPad according to a report by Tony Osborne for The Shephard Group. The popularity of the iPad among marine flight crews took off last November when one Cobra pilot figured out how to load digital maps onto the device. In Afghanistan, identifying compounds and landmarks from the air can be difficult. To eliminate guesswork and better coordinate missions with international ground forces, USMC pilots arm themselves with a plethora of maps of the region. Prior to digitization, paper charts and grids would fill cramped cockpits and require additional training and attention to read correctly. The iPad saves space and allows pilots to search for locations with a few quick taps of their fingers, making it significantly easier for aviators to identify compounds and quickly offer air support. "It's a game changer," Capt. John Belsha told The Shephard Group. "It's all about sharing situational awareness and using the iPad is much better than using a paper chart." Work is reportedly underway to integrate the iPad into aircraft in the US to allow Marine aviators to receive flight training with digital maps. USMC pilots aren't the only group embracing iPads in the cockpit. Earlier this month, Alaska Airlines announced plans to replace various flight, systems, and performance manuals (and eventually paper aeronautical charts) with digital copies on the iPad. Apple's tablet would eliminate up to 50 pounds of paper that its pilots must lug onto every flight.
Martin Jetpack hits the 5,000 feet milestone, could come to market within 18 months (video)
OK, so the Martin Jetpack may not have gone into commercial production quite as soon as we'd anticipated, but there's still hope on the horizon. Over the weekend, Glenn Martin's flying machine successfully climbed some 5,000 feet above sea level, marking a new milestone in the 30-year, $12 million project. Remotely controlled by a tailing helicopter, the 250-pound craft used its two "superfans" to power itself skyward at about 800 feet per second minute, before safely parachuting back to Earth from a height of about 3,000 feet. As with its last test run, however, the Martin Jetpack was equipped not with a human being, but with a crash dummy. It may have been for the best, though, considering that the machine sustained some damage upon concluding the ten-minute flight. Nevertheless, Martin seems confident that yesterday's test "brings the future another step closer," and is hoping to deliver his brainchild to customers within the next 18 months -- plenty of time for us to hawk enough family heirlooms to afford that $86,000 price tag. Soar past the break for a video of the jetpack's big launch, or check out the source link for a more extensive interview with Martin and some background footage of his invention. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
iPads on the flight decks of Alaska Airlines aircraft
I've talked about iPads for pilots a few times here on TUAW, particularly when discussing kneeboards for the device, but our sister site Engadget just pointed me to a press release from Alaska Airlines that caught my attention. The airline with the smiling Inuit on the tail has started a pair of initiatives called "Bye, Bye Flight Bag" that replace paper manuals (and eventually paper aeronautical charts) with iPads. The first part of the plan is underway, and the iPads are loaded with the GoodReader app and PDF versions of various flight, systems, and performance manuals as well as other materials. The manuals have been enhanced with hyperlinks so pilots can find information faster, and updates are done with a single tap on the screen instead of replacing individual pages in the manuals with new ones. Like the iPad you may be carrying back in your comfy seat in the main cabin, the flight deck iPads are considered Class 1 electronic devices and the pilots have to stow 'em during takeoff and landing. Alaska Airlines expects to fully pay back the cost of the initiatives in terms of reduced fuel costs from not having to carry fully-loaded flight bags, which can weigh up to 50 pounds in some cases. The airline also expects savings from fewer employee injuries since the pilots won't be lugging those hefty flight bags around. Show full PR text Alaska Airlines Pilots Go Lean And Green With iPads First major domestic airline to use iPads to replace flight manuals 5/27/2011 9:12 a.m. SEATTLE - As part of an ongoing effort to use technology to enhance flight safety, improve efficiency and protect the environment, Alaska Airlines is issuing iPad tablet computers to its pilots. The 1½-pound iPads replace up to 25 pounds of paper flight manuals that pilots are required to carry when they fly. The iPads are being distributed to all Alaska Airlines pilots, a process that will be complete by mid-June. This follows a successful trial by 100 line and instructor pilots and Air Line Pilots Association representatives, who evaluated the feasibility of using iPads as electronic flight bags this past winter and spring. Alaska Airlines is the first major domestic airline to use the iPad to replace paper manuals. "We've been exploring the idea of an electronic flight bag for several years, but never found a device we really liked," said Gary Beck, Alaska Airlines' vice president of flight operations. "When the iPad hit the market, we took one look at it and said this is the perfect fit." The iPads contain an app called GoodReader that is loaded with PDF versions of 41 flight, systems and performance manuals, reference cards, and other materials. The electronic manuals include hyperlinks and color graphics, enabling pilots to find information faster and easier. Updating these reference materials can now be accomplished with one tap on the iPad screen instead of the former, labor-intensive process of replacing individual pages with new ones. The iPad is considered a Class 1 electronic device, meaning it is stowed during takeoff and landing under Federal Aviation Administration regulations. In conjunction with replacing paper manuals, Alaska Airlines is exploring the replacement of paper aeronautical navigation charts with electronic versions on the iPad, eliminating the need for every pilot to carry their own copy. The two initiatives, dubbed "Bye, Bye, Flight Bag," will save about 2.4 million pieces of paper. The cost of the project is expected to be offset by lower paper, printing and distribution expenses and reduced fuel consumption as some weight is removed from the aircraft. Further savings are expected from fewer back and muscle injuries caused by pilots carrying flight bags that can tip the scales at 50 pounds or more fully loaded. Note to news media: A high-resolution photograph of an Alaska pilot with the iPad on the flight deck of a Boeing 737 is available in the airline's online newsroom image gallery at www.alaskaair.com/newsroom. Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air, subsidiaries of Alaska Air Group (NYSE: ALK), together serve 90 cities throughout Alaska, the Lower 48, Hawaii, Canada and Mexico. For reservations, visit www.alaskaair.com. For more news and information, visit the Alaska Airlines/Horizon Air Newsroom at www.alaskaair.com/newsroom.
iPad gets approval from FAA to replace paper flight charts and maps
The Federal Aviation Administration is moving with the times, it would seem, as it has just granted the first approval for the use of iPads instead of paper charts for informing airline pilots while on duty. There are already a number of EFB (electronic flight bag) devices in use, however the iPad is by far the cheapest and most portable one that's been validated yet. Executive Jet Management, a charter flight operator, went through three months of testing with the iPad, wherein it was used by 55 pilots on 250 flights, in order to obtain its FAA license to rely exclusively on the Apple tablet for its in-flight mapping data. Other airlines will have to go through the same process in order to dump their big stacks of paper charts for a slinky slate, but the important thing is that the precedent has been set. As to redundancies in case of failure or a software crash, the likeliest scenario is that pilots will carry a spare iPad with them, though there wasn't even a single (software) crash during the trial period -- which also included rapid decompression and electronic interference testing. So there you have it, the iPad's found itself a grown-up job just in time to retire from its throne as consumer sales leader. [Thanks, Andrew]
iPro Aviator pilot's kneeboard: Great in cockpit, car or classroom
The big iPad and flight tech story this weekend involved chart vendor Jeppesen and charter operator Executive Jet Management. The companies received authorization from the FAA to use iPads running the Jeppesen Mobile TC App for iPad as an electronic flight bag, replacing the traditional leather pilot's bag full of paper charts. One of the caveats of using the iPad is that it must be secured and visible during all phases of flight. The usual way for pilots to keep charts and notes at hand is to use a kneeboard, which is essentially a clipboard strapped to the pilot's leg so that it can stay in place and be easily readable. Last year, shortly after the iPad hit the market, TUAW ran a post about an aluminum iPad kneeboard called the iPro. Now Atlanta Flight, the company that developed the iPro, has come out with a less expensive version called the iPro Aviator. The new model is US$79.95; it's currently available in black, and a navy blue version should be out next month. While this is designed for pilots, I found (while using a review unit) that this is useful for students in classrooms, and for passengers in cars. Read on for a short review of the iPro Aviator Kneeboard. %Gallery-116463%
Snowbird ornithopter sets record for human-powered flight (video)
In August this year, a Canadian engineering student achieved a first -- in fact, one of the last firsts in aviation. A human powered ornithopter (a craft that flies by flapping its wings) flew for 19.3 seconds, traveling some 475 feet at an average speed of 15.9 miles an hour. Built by University of Toronto grad students Todd Reichert and Cameron Robertson, the project required that the pilot (Reichert) lose 17 pounds, maintain a special diet, and train daily. Named Snowbird, the craft weighs under 95 pounds and has a wingspan of some 105 -- comparable to a Boeing 737. It was towed aloft by a car, after which the pilot pumped a set of pedals with his feet, which caused the wings to flap. Unlike previous attempts in the past, the Canadian group was able to provide telemetry data to prove that the craft flew under its own power. On confirmation by the Federation Aeronautique Internationale, the craft is set to receive the award for the longest sustained flight by a human-powered ornithopter. Video after the break.
NetJets begins Aircell in-flight WiFi installations, won't stop anytime soon
It's one thing to expect in-flight WiFi on a commercial flight serving two or three hundred addicted peons, but how on Earth has it taken until now for NetJets to hop onboard this bandwagon? For those unaware, NetJets hosts the world's largest fractional fleet of business-oriented aircraft, and those that lay claim to portions of its herd are amongst the most wealthy this world has to offer. Currently, the outfit has just over 800 planes, and starting next month over 250 of them (in the midsize and large-cabin categories) will be equipped with Aircell's high speed internet service. In time, NetJets is planning to have "all future fleet aircraft, including light cabin models, delivered from the factory with high speed internet," and we're guessing that the jetsetters who drop the Benjamins to have their own plane are as anxious as ever for the future to be now. After all, who wouldn't want to tweet images of filet mignon from 35,000 feet?
iCub puts an iPad in a plane
Even though the first iPhone lacked a GPS and compass (not to mention a true gyroscope), there were a few early avionic entries to the App Store, mostly involving crude tilt measurements. When the iPhone got a GPS and then a compass, it became a wee more useful to the flying sort. The iPad brings ample screen size to the table, and the iPhone 4 has a gyroscope. But leave it to good ol' American ingenuity (or largess) to put an iPad smack in the middle of a plane's dashboard. The iCub is a small bush plane with an iPad mounted inside. According to Bill Canino, president of SportairUSA (makers of the iCub), the iPad is more of an accessory than an actual flying instrument. For one thing, it isn't FAA-certified. I doubt any sane pilot would rely on an iPad to actually fly or land a plane. Canino's suggestion, made clear by the selection of apps they will include on the device, is that the iPad is a companion to the plane's occupants. If you land on a beach and are injured, now you'll have the resources available to know how to sew that arm back on. Bush planes don't usually incorporate hi-tech devices, so the iCub hopes to set itself apart with an interesting set of apps that might be useful to the folks who fly these particular planes. I asked Canino how they were going to load the apps and they were still working on that process but it will allow end users to own the apps, probably by setting them each up with an iTunes account (if they don't already have one) and gifting them the apps. There are still details to be worked out, but if you're in the market for a new bush plane plus iPad, you can go ahead and order an iCub today for the low, low price of $92,900 -- slightly more for the Bush iCub model.
iPads on the virtual flight deck
It's no secret that the iPad is popular with pilots. TUAW has provided coverage of pilot kneeboards for holding iPads in the cockpit, many iPhone apps for pilots that are now making their way to the big(ger) screen, and we've heard from commenters who fly for a living that they think the iPad may be the greatest thing to appear in the cockpit since Charlton Heston. One British firm is now starting to use iPads as electronic flight bags, although not on "real" aircraft. The company, Virtual Aviation, operates Airbus and Boeing full-motion flight simulators at London Heathrow and Gatwick airports. While these expensive and realistic simulators are most often used for pilot training, Virtual Aviation also provides public experience flights and corporate team-building events. With the iPad, Virtual Aviation instructors don't have to lug around their heavy flight cases loaded with maps, charts, manuals, weather reports, flight plans, and checklists. The lightweight iPad displays all of the information. There are a number of photos of Virtual Aviation staff using the iPad to display charts and checklists in a gallery that they've published. What about you? Do you think iPads can be an effective and useful tool for pilots, or are you concerned that they may be a distraction on the flight deck? Leave your comments below.
Pilots: Take your iPad flying with the Tech Board iPro Kneeboard
With its beautiful display, capacious storage, and hundreds of thousands of apps, the iPad is an instant hit with both professional and private pilots. The iPad is much more readable than an iPhone, and it's easy to take PDF files of sectional and terminal area charts with you on the device. As with any electronic device in the cockpit of an airplane, pilots want to make sure that the iPad is secured while in flight so that it doesn't become a projectile in turbulence or abrupt maneuvers. They also want it right at their fingertips for instant reference. Take those seemingly conflicting requirements and what do you get? The Tech Board iPro Kneeboard from For Pilots Only. The all-metal iPro looks like it could withstand a CFIT (controlled flight into terrain), and includes a hinged cover that doubles as a clipboard for jotting non-digital notes. It's padded on the inside to protect the finish of your iPad, and there's an opening for a charger should you need to top off the iPad in flight. Like all kneeboards, the iPro has a strap that fastens around the pilot's upper thigh to hold the board in place. Kneeboards have been used for years by pilots for holding onto objects during flight, but the combo of the iPro and iPad are sure to make this a must-have accessory for pilots. We'd love to hear from TUAW readers who are pilots. How are you using the iPad in the cockpit? Leave your comments below.
Garmin's new aera series gets you there by air or by land
Pilots looking for the hardest-core portable nav unit available tend to flock to Garmin's GPSMAP 696 these days, but there's a problem: the big, bulky tablet doesn't do much good once you're wheels-down and you've got to find your way to the hotel. Enter the new aera series, which you can sorta think of as "nuvi for pilots" with 4.3-inch touchscreens, user-friendly prompts, and dedicated car modes across the board that'll keep casual observers from realizing that your little buddy doubles as a $2,000 beast capable of safely guiding you cross-country at flight level 250. The 696 is still being regarded as Garmin's premier aviation portable, while the four aera models -- the 500, 510, 550, and 560 -- are called "entry or mid-level" with prices ranging from $799 to $1,999 and should finally sunset the aging lower-end GPSMAP models that look like they're straight out of Garmin's GPS III days. The 510 and 560 throw in XM WX weather support while the 550 and 560 feature Garmin's SafeTaxi interactive airport diagrams, integrated AOPA Airport Directory, and high-end car features pulled from the nuvi line like lane assist and speed limit data. All four models are technically launching on the 5th, but appear to be in stock with online retailers now if you're in a rush.
