[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LzybomB5yt0&feature=player_detailpage"]Aspen Avionics Connected Panel[/ame]

The iPad has been authorised by the FAA for use in the cockpit for quite some months now, but TUAW and MacWorld both have reports today on a system that has been produced by Aspen Avionics that enables a pilot to totally integrate the iPad into the cockpit on a much more interactive level than ever before. According to TUAW, the system uses the CG100 wireless (Bluetooth or Wi-Fi) transmitter box to connect with the plane’s electronic avionics behind the cockpit’s instrument panel, giving pilots the ability to control flight communications, monitoring, management and navigation, to and much more, directly from the iPad. This means, according to MacWorld, that the pilot will be able to track flight plans or tune to different radio frequencies straight from their iPad, for example.

Aspen Avionics plans to release many different version of its Connected Panel system, the first of which will be Connected Pilot, which MacWorld says will include the CG100 box, as well as the Aircraft Manager iPad app from AvConnect, and will retail for $2500, which is apparently quite reasonable for this sort of equipment!

“Until now, pilots have had to buy dedicated aviation handheld devices that offered basically the same functionality for thousands of dollars,” Aspen Avionics vice president of marketing Brad Hayden told MacWorld. “Now, with an iPad, some robust aviation applications, and Connected Panel, those pilots can have an even better handheld device for a fraction of the cost.”

Source: Connected Panel connects iPad and cockpit | TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog
New technology connects the iPad with the cockpit | Navigation | iOS Central | Macworld

Woahhh.... I will not be surprise that one day a passenger with an ipad onboard an airplane will be flying the aircraft ..... Hehehe

This brings new meaning to "Airplane Mode"!

-stevnim