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Comparing Mooney and Debonair for cockpit solar heat


Skybrd

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I fly with an I-pad and recently had one overheat while sitting on my lap exposed to the sun. The plane was a Beech Debonair. This problem never occurred while flying the Mooney. I think the raised sitting arrangement in the Beech airplanes exposes more sunlight to the Pilot. In the Mooney we sit lower and have less glass. I have tinted windows on the Mooney and that probably helps. Any of you experienced the same hot cockpit problems.

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I fly with a mini and an air, and never had problems with overheating, u bring up a interesting thought since my best friend has a Deb. And his iPad mounted on his center bar has overheated. I just figured it was just hotter in his plane that day. Since your scenario is similar it makes you wonder, also the difference between overheating or not may be just a couple of degrees or maybe each iPad has a different boiling point. My plane has strong overhead vents and on hot days they are directly pointed at my iPad and the one on my knee I keep a white of paper over it when I'm not looking at it which I believe keeps the direct sunlight away, actually I have no clue since mine has never overheated nor has my Stratus?

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Ipad1 with sunshine directly on it would overheat...

Ipad1 low in the cockpit out of he sun would not overheat

But ipad1 low in the cockpit requires an antenna like SkyRadar to receive satellites.

My experience...

Best regards,

-a-

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My Ipad overheated once when I had it on the seat in direct sunlight.  I have the black face iPad2.  When I get my Mini, it will be white for heat purposes.

 

I will also mount the mini, where the Ipad 2 has been like a paper chart for me.  I place it in my lap, hold it up, place it in the seat, or have the passenger hold it.  I've been very careful of direct sunlight since the day it overheated.  I also take it with me when I land somewhere for lunch or a short period on warm days so it doesn't overheat in the airplane.

 

-Seth

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I've had my mini overheat a few times while on my knee. It took a couple of hours. I don't recall that it was in direct sunlight, but it was on full bright. I have started to turn it down, or turn it off when in cruise to prevent the issue.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I haven't had heating issues yet but I have had minipad to lock up once in awhile and that to me is unacceptable. Some folks do but I would NEVER rely on a non aviation piece of hardware. It ain't worth it

 

I have had that too. Basically a software crash. I fear that with all the new synthetic vision and artificial horizons along with the fabulous moving map displays, there may be people tempted to buy an iPad, or any tablet, clamp it on the yoke and go fly in the clouds, in the dark of night and in really poor visibility and think they are good to go. I personally would never ever trust my iPad that much. I guess we'll see in the future NTSB reports if my fear is unfounded or not.

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Never had my I pad over heat but I have to put my Dual sat antenna in the side window away from the sun if I set it on the panel pad it quits working. I use my instruments and VOR for primary navigation and my little 296 Garmin provides lots of back up information like ground speed and time and distance it's really amazing how much data that little gadget provides. I like to check the I pad to look at our position on out route and as I approach way points or planned heading changes.

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I admit my glasses prescription is dated and I am scheduled to go to the eye Dr. .......but ..... That's a weird lookin Mooney ya got there Tom. LolI

I guess I have the same problem - have an eye doctor apt tomorrow...want me to schedule one for you when I'm there?

 

Figured it needed updating - I still miss that bird but this is making it a lot easier!

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