iPhone XR/XS Max equipment?

With the size of the screens on the newest iPhones XR/XS Max (6.1/6.5 inches respectively), has anyone thought about using one in place of an iPad?

Lots folks on this forum recommend the mini with a 7.9in screen size (and waining apple enthusiasm) and the 9.7 in iPad with cellular so those are pretty established.

But with the iphones mentioned you kill two birds with one stone by having your cellular accurate GPS and cell phone in one tool that’s big enough IMO and can still run ForeFlight and the recommended tools from ATP.

Just thinking about taking the leap to the next evolution of cockpit equipment. Thoughts?

I don’t have the new iPhone, I have the iPhone X and the 6th generation iPad with foreflight pro. My iPad and iPhone are on the same plan with verizon and my iPad will display my location almost 100% of the time but on my phone its only about 50% of the time. I’m not sure if the iPads have something in them that phones don’t maybe a better GPS? Maybe someone else knows. But thats just been my experience.

Reeves,

Haven’t thought of that, but I wouldn’t go down that road if I were you. ATP requires an iPad because they know it’s reliable and the right size. Could you use your phone? Maybe. You would probably be the first to try to, but again, I wouldn’t. Doing so would be deviating with knowledge, as we say in the airlines.

Tory

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The ForeFlight software is going to be your main issue there. The iPad and iPhone versions of the app are not identical. When you sign up for ATP, they give you access to a giant folder of documents on ForeFlight (currently about 130 documents) that includes supplements, checklists, handbooks, advisory circulars, and probably most importantly the Pilot Operating Handbooks for the Piper and Cessna aircraft at ATP. The iPhone version of the app does not include a “Documents” section to be able to access that binder. In addition to that, the iPad version is designed to make altering your flight plan and loading procedures, such as instrument approach procedures, fairly easy while in flight. I fly with a yoke-mounted iPad Mini 4 and I have an iPhone 7 Plus in my pocket and I can tell you that that is enough of a screen size difference to make the iPhone uncomfortable to use ForeFlight while in-flight.

Also, what Tory said. :slight_smile:

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^^^ What Kyle Said^^^. Two different versions of ForeFlight for IPad and IPhone. You will need an IPad for ATP.

I think the best use of an iPhone with Foreflight is as a backup in case your iPad completely dies. The iPad/iPhone Foreflight versions are much closer now than ever before but there are still differences, as already pointed out, that make an iPhone not a good primary.

I have the iPhone XR and will tell you that the problem is you can’t access the “documents” tab on the iPhone version. I would recommend the iPad mini however as it’s a small space in the archer. I would also invest in a battery pack of at least 20,000 mAh. You will want it for crew phase as well. Look for amazon and most of the guys I fly with have the Anker power cores.