Skip to Content

iCub puts an iPad in a plane

by Victor Agreda, Jr. Jul 1st 2010 at 4:30PM

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.

Maybe not the first time?


View Tags

Related Stories

Categories

iPad

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...
 

Add a Comment

Sign in »
*0 / 3000 Character Maximum

9 Comments

Filter by:
Damian Jaques

Anyone interested in more on this from a pilot's point of view may want to trawl through the sometimes highly animated discussion on this UK based pilots forum http://forums.flyer.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=64257. I think that one of the main problems using any in-flight aviation software outside the US is with the cost of licensing chart and other data. Not sure why... haven't dug too far.

Yakov - there is a comment within the thread that alludes to the existence of some very good marine software.

On a separate note... we have 2 iPads in our home. Does this make us a BiPad Family..? Just asking... I'll get my coat...

July 02 2010 at 6:33 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Yakov Chodosh

But can we get the iPad ON A BOAT?

July 02 2010 at 5:19 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Omrigaron

I am a private pilot, mostly renting twins but also the occasional cessna single or lsa. I use my iPad every time using the apps shown here. It's an excellent tool and the software out there is excellent. I wouldn't want to fly without it frankly.

July 01 2010 at 8:05 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
CmpsdNoMore

People looking at this who don't know much about aviation may think this is weird or silly, but I think it's great. I know of a lot of people who own kit planes, ultralights or sport rated aircraft that would love this. The iPad wouldn't replace anything in the cockpit of small aircraft, but would be a great supplement to paper charts.

Glass cockpits are coming down in price and being more common, but the iPad would be a great deal for someone who doesn't want to dish out a lot of cash for things they don't "need".

July 01 2010 at 6:53 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Buzz

Where's the parody that screams about getting the mf ipad off this mf plane?

July 01 2010 at 6:41 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Flyboybob

The FAA has very strict rules for installing and using a permanently connected EFB (Electronic Flight Bag) in a airplane. However, there are many hand held devices that can be used to supplement paper charts and other documents that are not installed. The iPad lends itself very well to this task.

The cub is not only a bush plane but it is a great trainer and sport aircraft. Many of the bush planes flown in Alaska are equipped with very sophisticated avionics as a result of the FAA's 'Capstone Project' that tested using GPS data as a primary tool for air traffic control. GPS and other aircraft data is transmitted to air traffic control via radio links on the ground. Capstone was a test of this technology which is the future air traffic control system called ADS-B (Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast).

Avweb has a video of pilot using an iPad in a single engine airplane.

July 01 2010 at 6:03 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Alva Elver

What's that weather app that's displayed?

July 01 2010 at 6:00 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to Alva Elver's comment
Omrigaron

That's not weather, it terrain data.

July 01 2010 at 7:59 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Nezza

"... leave it to good ol' American ingenuity (or largess)" - or photoshop judging by that picture. Nice drop shadow.

July 01 2010 at 4:45 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Buy an ad here

Hot Apps on TUAW

Tweets

© 2012 AOL Inc. All Rights Reserved.