iPads being distributed to pilots now

Haven't picked up the iPad yet, but if it is one with cellular radios as reported previously, I found an interesting fact about the LTE radio in the iPads (see:  http://gigaom.com/2013/11/01/ipad-air-with-lte-tip-you-can-switch-carrier-sims-at-will/).  So, if the company doesn't supply the mobile data with an issued At&T SIM, it looks like you may not be tied to AT&T as your only LTE option for the company-issued iPad (if you are willing to put your own SIM card into a company-issued device).
 
P.S.  It looks like iPad2s are no longer being sold by Apple.  All current iPads being sold have the lightning connector--leaving the iPhone 4s as the only 30-pin connector mobile device currently being sold by Apple.  More cables/adapters to carry? 
 
USAirways has not carried flight bags in about 8 years.    All airplanes have ship sets in them.
 
So for the airways pilots the IPAD's represent something else to lug around with us.   
 
I guess it makes financial sense to somebody,  but it seems that 2 sets of paper charts per airplane would be much cheaper than 15000 ipads, one for every pilot.   even accounting for paying somebody to keep the aircraft charts up to date.     I guess some bean counter has run the numbers out far enough into the future to make the ipads more economical to the company.
 
re-pilot said:
Haven't picked up the iPad yet, but if it is one with cellular radios as reported previously, I found an interesting fact about the LTE radio in the iPads (see:  http://gigaom.com/2013/11/01/ipad-air-with-lte-tip-you-can-switch-carrier-sims-at-will/).  So, if the company doesn't supply the mobile data with an issued At&T SIM, it looks like you may not be tied to AT&T as your only LTE option for the company-issued iPad (if you are willing to put your own SIM card into a company-issued device).
 
P.S.  It looks like iPad2s are no longer being sold by Apple.  All current iPads being sold have the lightning connector--leaving the iPhone 4s as the only 30-pin connector mobile device currently being sold by Apple.  More cables/adapters to carry? 
Click to expand...
 
The Ipad being issued is the Ipad Air. I does have an AT&T sim card in it, however the service is not activated at this time. And it does use the lightning connector...
 
Keroseneuser said:
USAirways has not carried flight bags in about 8 years.    All airplanes have ship sets in them.
 
So for the airways pilots the IPAD's represent something else to lug around with us.   
 
I guess it makes financial sense to somebody,  but it seems that 2 sets of paper charts per airplane would be much cheaper than 15000 ipads, one for every pilot.   even accounting for paying somebody to keep the aircraft charts up to date.     I guess some bean counter has run the numbers out far enough into the future to make the ipads more economical to the company.
Click to expand...
Part of the savings could be fuel.   iPads weigh a negligible amount and thus don't cost any increased fuel burn.   If two paper sets of charts weigh, say,  60 pounds, then you can calculate the additional fuel burn and systemwide, it's substantial.   And while there's still continuing subscription costs to keep the charts up-to-date, theoretically, that subscription price should be less since there's no paper, printing, distribution and mailing of the paper updates.   
 
algflyr said:
 
The Ipad being issued is the Ipad Air. I does have an AT&T sim card in it, however the service is not activated at this time. And it does use the lightning connector...
Click to expand...
 
Good to know.  As per the article, you supposedly can swap out SIMs with other providers and you should be good to go.  However, they are nano-SIMS, and not sure if it's worth the trouble given the privacy issues.
 
The iPad, and any iOS device for that matter, can most definitely be fully turned off where it's not transmitting/receiving.  There's no need for a faraday bag.  But also putting it into airplane mode, and insuring that the wifi transceiver is off *AND* removing the SIM card will also eliminate any possibility of the unit sending/receiving signals.
 
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PHL said:
The iPad, and any iOS device for that matter, can most definitely be fully turned off where it's not transmitting/receiving.  There's no need for a faraday bag.  But also putting it into airplane mode, and insuring that the wifi transceiver is off *AND* removing the SIM card will also eliminate any possibility of the unit sending/receiving signals.
Click to expand...
 
Will it dream?
 
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