Where to locate iPad M20J

[GA Guy]

I’m new owner of an M20J.  You could describe me as an old steam gauges pilot.  However, I’ve got an iPad with ForeFlight and can’t figure out a good place to fit it without blocking either most of the instruments or a good amount of outside vision.  A CFI I’m working with to getting an IPC (been away from flying for 30 years) suggested an iPad Mini, but my old eyes don’t need a smaller screen.  He then suggested I ask other Mooney pilots what they do.  Suggestions appreciated.

[dominikos]

I’ve got mine mounted on the yoke using Ram mount. I have ipad pro, for a moment I was worried that it is going to be too big but it actually fits quite nicely. Unfortunately, just got back from the airport so don’t have a good picture. Attached is the only picture I can find, you can see that mount goes under the yoke and back plate sits on the yoke. It also has a handle for apple pencil so it is easy to scribble ATC notes.

those are the parts that I bought:

- RAM-B-201U

- RAM-B-121BU

- RAM-HOL-AP23U

[carusoam]

Welcome aboard Georgia Guy...

Or is that General Aviation guy..?

You are a steam guy, so am I...  except for that GPS and iPad thing...

Check out this thing...

https://mooneyspace.com/search/?q=iPad location&updated_after=any&sortby=relevancy&search_and_or=and
 

They call it the search function...   it doesn’t work very well...

But when it comes to simple ideas that everyone has gone through...  every time a new iPad comes out, there will be a discussion about where and how to mount it...

Which iPad do you have?

How many do you have?

There will be somebody just like you around here... 

Trying to find the people with the same preferences can be a challenge...

Mine is an electronic knee board...

Enjoy,

-a-

Edited January 19, 2021 by carusoam

[Niko182]

on the yoke upright with a skosche mount.

[GA Guy]

Thanks for your input - and it’s Georgia Guy (born in Savannah, now live in Houston).  Don’t remember what Apple named my iPad, but it measures 6-3/4 in x 9-1/2 in.  That Ram setup that dominikos posted looks like it might work, even if it means switching to a mini.  P.S. Can’t believe how hard it is to get a paper sectional - had to order online.  Wow, has the world ever changed!

[dominikos]

The mount that I sent you also supports other devices - I have another mount just for my iphone. But I find ipad more readable with more real screen... Where are you based in Houston? I fly out of Cleveland.

[carusoam]

Guy,

You are going to love the amount of material around here...

Just the other day, somebody said they took 40 years off from flying...

Small things change every year... this past year we got ADSB requirements...

It will be interesting to recognize all the things that are familiar...

And all the stuff that is completely new...

Is the alphabet airspace new to you, or did you get that before your time off?

 

Ask as many questions as you can... there will be somebody to answer them...  even in the middle of the night...

Do we know your CFI?

Best regards,

-a-

[jonhop]

 

I have an iPad Pro 11" sitting on a magnetic yoke mount in picture format. It fits just right and I can pull it off and stick it back on with ease. I can substitute it with my phone, android tablet--backup--or anything that has a metal backplate. Here is a link to the magnet mount:: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07K1QPQSZ/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A3PEORXDHEWCJ1&psc=1 

Chris @Fly_M20R looks like he has an iPad 12.9 mounted to his yoke with RAM mounts, which is something I may consider in the future. 

 

On 1/15/2021 at 7:28 AM, Fly_M20R said:

 

 

 

Edited January 19, 2021 by jonhop

[carusoam]

My CFII ( @Cris ) had two iPads going in his Eagle... a regular sized one and a mini...

Cris was a flight data hound...   

So... if you end up with the wrong size and get the other... they both may still be useful...
 

Best regards,

-a-

[Jay Bird]

1st post for me, I recently purchased an 81, 201 and spent some time reading every iPad mounting post. I have an iPad min 5 in a pivot case. The yoke is where my Aera 660 is mounted so an yoke mount was not an option for me. 
 

I used a modified Ram ball mount for motorcycle handle bars and mounted the RAM ball on the bottom screw for the hand strap at the door entry. Used a 2” Ram arm with the pivot base on the end. It works well and I plug it in to my GMA345 for power.

Edited January 19, 2021 by Jay Bird

[Jay Bird]

[Ragsf15e]

So I’ll offer a contrarian view... 

what are you using the iPad for?  Do you need it in your sight all flight or just to check once in a while like your sectional?

So if you’re using it to display traffic from ADSB, you’ll want it mounted in plain sight.  I have a mini on my right side for this.  It is really too small to read anything well in FF, but you can see traffic, glide ring, and nearby airports reasonably.

If you want to use it as a map, for checking weather on occasion, looking up atis freq, etc, don’t mount it.  Put in on your lap or the copilot seat/lap.  It will sit there most of the flight if you like to look outside.  Sometimes I put mine in a bag on the floor right in front of my seat. If I’m flying an instrument approach I have it on my lap just like I would have the paper chart.

 I swear some of the whippersnappers these days fly the whole sortie staring at 2 ipads and a phone!

The Ram mount is on the far right edge of this picture for my traffic display.

Edited January 19, 2021 by Ragsf15e

[Skates97]

I'm not an Apple guy, I like Android for a number of reasons, including the lower price point. I have an 8" Samsung on the yoke with a similar setup as @dominikos shows above, same clamp but slightly different piece that holds it. I also have a 10" Samsung on the right side with velcro. The two Galaxy Tablets come in for less than the price of one iPad. The one on the right is big enough for me to see and also both entertains the right seater and they enjoy looking for and spotting the traffic that shows up on it. I used to run DroidEFB but a year ago switched to iFlyGPS which I like more. A number of pilots run either Avare or FlightPlanGo for free.

[gsxrpilot]

[jaylw314]

I use the RAM yoke mount system for a 9" Android (Samsung) tablet.  It it was panel mounted, it would be too far away to read any text.  With the yoke mount, the only part of the panel I can't see are the knobs at the bottom of the HSI.  Occasionally I forget which one's the heading bug and which one's the course heading, but it's a small price to pay.

[ArtVandelay]

Try mini in horizontal mode:


It does block the right side of the yoke at bit but I fly with one hand most of the time anyway.

[midlifeflyer]

9 hours ago, dominikos said:

I’ve got mine mounted on the yoke using Ram mount. I have ipad pro, for a moment I was worried that it is going to be too big but it actually fits quite nicely. Unfortunately, just got back from the airport so don’t have a good picture. Attached is the only picture I can find, you can see that mount goes under the yoke and back plate sits on the yoke. It also has a handle for apple pencil so it is easy to scribble ATC notes.

those are the parts that I bought:

- RAM-B-201U

- RAM-B-121BU

- RAM-HOL-AP23U

 

I'll add my photo to yours because it's not a Mini. It's my old iPad 1 or 3 (full size) in horizontal. The one thing I have a bit different is a rotating addition to the cradle which allowed me to change from portrait to landscape. Cant recall the part number offhand. I've moved to a mini long since (I've been using an EFB 10 years this month).

[Fly_M20R]

15 hours ago, jonhop said:

 

I have an iPad Pro 11" sitting on a magnetic yoke mount in picture format. It fits just right and I can pull it off and stick it back on with ease. I can substitute it with my phone, android tablet--backup--or anything that has a metal backplate. Here is a link to the magnet mount:: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07K1QPQSZ/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A3PEORXDHEWCJ1&psc=1 

Chris @Fly_M20R looks like he has an iPad 12.9 mounted to his yoke with RAM mounts, which is something I may consider in the future. 

 

I actually have an iPad Pro 11 innthe video. Same as you have. The RAM mounts are superb! I use the same arms but a separate mount for my other iPad which is a mini 5 whenever I find it more convenient to use. 

Uploaded pictures of the mount with a narrow ring mount on the yoke and two short articulating arms for freedom of orientation and positioning

Pardon the cables....

Hmmm.... can't get two of the pictures to appear upright. 

[StevenL757]

17 hours ago, GA Guy said:

I’m new owner of an M20J.  You could describe me as an old steam gauges pilot.  However, I’ve got an iPad with ForeFlight and can’t figure out a good place to fit it without blocking either most of the instruments or a good amount of outside vision.  A CFI I’m working with to getting an IPC (been away from flying for 30 years) suggested an iPad Mini, but my old eyes don’t need a smaller screen.  He then suggested I ask other Mooney pilots what they do.  Suggestions appreciated.

Personally, I wouldn't take up valuable panel space with a tool that was never intended to be panel-mounted.  In our airplanes, I could see putting a RAM ball somewhere in the right panel (where an attached tablet wouldn't block your view to anything pertinent), but not permanently mounted.

With the exception of many modern jets that has a built-in iPad holder in an innocuous yet convenient location (the 777 is an example, among many), you'll find many airline guys attaching their company iPads to a RAM suction mount on the left or right window, depending on which seat they occupy...but they're portable, and never mounted permanently on the CA or FO panel.

[GA Guy]

These replies and photos have been very helpful.  Thanks to everybody who took the time to post.  The RAM under the yoke looks like it would do the job for me.  In answer to some questions, I’m based at Houston Southwest (KAXH), and I’ve been flying with Cameron Smith as CF I while waiting (and waiting and waiting. . .) for the FAA to approve a special issuance medical.

[carusoam]

Welcome to the SI club too...

We have many members navigating those health hurdles...

For extra challenges we have SODAS user too... an alternative method of demonstrating abilities...

For more simple issues... once you have a Class III medical already, you can opt for the less stringent Basic Med... as long as the class III wasn’t taken away for some reason...  lots o details to follow...

If there is a will there is a way...

Best regards,

-a-

[Matt M]

On 1/18/2021 at 8:16 PM, GA Guy said:

I’m new owner of an M20J.  You could describe me as an old steam gauges pilot.  However, I’ve got an iPad with ForeFlight and can’t figure out a good place to fit it without blocking either most of the instruments or a good amount of outside vision.  A CFI I’m working with to getting an IPC (been away from flying for 30 years) suggested an iPad Mini, but my old eyes don’t need a smaller screen.  He then suggested I ask other Mooney pilots what they do.  Suggestions appreciated.

I was in the same predicament as you were. I have the full size iPad 6th Generation 9.7". I didn't want to buy a iPad mini, but didn't want to block the instrument panel. I did a bunch of research and bought some RAM parts to build mine. Mounting it underneath is the way to go. I also have a Otterbox Defender Rugged case on it so it is a bit bigger than no case at all. This is what I ended up with. You can see it doesn't block the view of my Aspen. Room for my hand is reduced because of the case on it, but I still have plenty of room to grip the yoke. It doesn't hit my knees at all either and I am 6' and like the seat high.

 

Matt

 

 

[larrynimmo]

I’ve got my mini....it’s bigger than you think...when it’s mounted on the yoke...and that’s no joke!