Aircraft Critical Information and iOS 5 Issues

[Brinks]

I am a pilot and noticed when switching to iOS 5 all my stored charts, approach plates were along with all my books and aircraft manuals gone. I only use about 2.75 gigs out of 65 on my iPaD 1 so this is a lot more than just irritating and yes I can restore the books and manuals. This can be dangerous to the aircraft and pilots. Unintended consequences screwing with critical control systems can be more far reaching than may ever imagine. I do not use the iPAD for anything more than a check of where I am at, however I was considering installing ADS-B rcvr/tx and AHRS they work off Bluetooth or wireless network in the aircraft. ADS-B is a transponder type unit that lets approach know where you are and headed plus Receives near real time weather. I will probably not invest now since it is questionable if the data would be "cleaned" at the most inappropriate moment.

I would suggest apple discuss this internal decision to clean the memory of WingX charts and other aviation type software get invoved with the AOPA/EAA/GA by someone(s) from your company that is a pilot and has managerial authority to speak for them and understands that circling round a storm cell and this system dumps then you are likely to end up in a field somewhere dead or you have just passed your FAF and there is 500 ft ceiling. Finally hire a aviation controls engineer that can stand up in a meeting and say "this is stupid, you're going to kill someone and who did the safety analysis."

 

[richsadams]

I am a pilot and noticed when switching to iOS 5 all my stored charts, approach plates were along with all my books and aircraft manuals gone. I only use about 2.75 gigs out of 65 on my iPaD 1 so this is a lot more than just irritating and yes I can restore the books and manuals. This can be dangerous to the aircraft and pilots. Unintended consequences screwing with critical control systems can be more far reaching than may ever imagine. I do not use the iPAD for anything more than a check of where I am at, however I was considering installing ADS-B rcvr/tx and AHRS they work off Bluetooth or wireless network in the aircraft. ADS-B is a transponder type unit that lets approach know where you are and headed plus Receives near real time weather. I will probably not invest now since it is questionable if the data would be "cleaned" at the most inappropriate moment.

I would suggest apple discuss this internal decision to clean the memory of WingX charts and other aviation type software get invoved with the AOPA/EAA/GA by someone(s) from your company that is a pilot and has managerial authority to speak for them and understands that circling round a storm cell and this system dumps then you are likely to end up in a field somewhere dead or you have just passed your FAF and there is 500 ft ceiling. Finally hire a aviation controls engineer that can stand up in a meeting and say "this is stupid, you're going to kill someone and who did the safety analysis."

That's critical information certainly and agreed, it should not have to be a worry. I would certainly give this exact feedback to Apple...

Apple iPad Feedback

I would also go further and contact them directly. They are generally excellent at moving these sorts of things to the right level.

Apple - Support - iPad - Contact Support

Apple - Support - Contact Support

Contacting Apple for support and service

I might even drop CEO Tim Cook an email; it's widely reported that he does read and respond to them (or forwards them to the appropriate department). FWIW I wouldn't recommend sending Mr. Cook an email just because I didn't like how music plays or the color of the iCal calendar, but for something as important as this...it's certainly justified.

[email protected]

BTW, I'm going to give your post its own thread so others can comment and benefit.

Hope that helps and let us know how it goes!

 

[twerppoet]

I'm curious. Did all of this data spontaneously disappear some few hours/days after the update, or was it gone immediately after the update?

If the second: The iOS 5 update was a complete wipe and restore update. Any interruption in the several step process resulted data loss, as many members have found out to their chagrin.

That your data was lost in the update is certainly irritating, and should not have happened; but I rather doubt you would be doing an iOS update while midair on an approach. At least I hope not.

Still, by all means give feedback to Apple. It won't hurt to remind them to take more care when designing the update process.

 

[Brinks]

I'm curious. Did all of this data spontaneously disappear some few hours/days after the update, or was it gone immediately after the update?

If the second: The iOS 5 update was a complete wipe and restore update. Any interruption in the several step process resulted data loss, as many members have found out to their chagrin.

That your data was lost in the update is certainly irritating, and should not have happened; but I rather doubt you would be doing an iOS update while midair on an approach. At least I hope not.

Still, by all means give feedback to Apple. It won't hurt to remind them to take more care when designing the update process.

Don't. Know frankly and don't care at this point. My concern should be perfectly clear and why I use a Garmin 300, IFR certified GPS and not this hooked to my autopilot. All that stated my concern lies in the area of near real time data from ADS-B or synthetic vision systems as stated previously. I asked the company rep at Oshkosh if synthetic vision or ADS-B could overload the system. He ducked the question and said speak to Apple. WingX7 software is really good and nifty stuff, but this little exercise clearly convinced me not to trust any of this stuff nor Apple. I will send a note to Apple and they will send it to their lawyers demonize any using this stuff in flight.

 

[twerppoet]

Well, I can't fault your decision. I certainly would not trust my life to a consumer grade device, especially when it has never been tested or certified for the job.

Last article I read was that the FAA had OKed the iPad for charts and manuals, and maybe checklists; certainly not as a real time navigation instrument.

Your choice to complain to Apple, of course. But I don't see why they would care that you are complaining about a use they never intended the iPad for. Complain to the developer. Complain to the FAA about the developer. That might get the results you want. Complaining to Apple would be a bit like complaining to the CoolWheels bicycle company that their road bike is unsafe on downhill ski slopes.

(Company names made up).