I thought this until last weekend (I got to fly right seat on a cross country trip). (Forgive me if I get some of these terms wrong. I'm not a pilot) The iPa

I thought this until last weekend (I got to fly right seat on a cross country trip). (Forgive me if I get some of these terms wrong. I'm not a pilot) The iPad has completely revolutionized the way that pilots interact with their navigation equipment. Normally, pilots carry around a stack of maps called "sectionals". These have got things called IFR cooridoors, which are like interstate highways for aircraft, VOR intercepts (like checkpoints), radio frequencies, airport information etc. They're annoying, and they change every so often, and you have to keep them up to date. My pilot didn't have these. He had an iPad that automatically updates its maps (with FAA approved "sectionals"). The iPad has a moving-map (like what you see in a car's satnav) with terrain (this is a big deal. Terrain means "There are mountains here, here, and here. Judging by your elevation, you will run into a mountain if you go that way, so don't.). This isn't just private pilots, either. I guess major carriers are putting iPads in all of their cockpits (I think the carrier a pilot friend was telling me about was fed ex). This $800 device is literally replacing thousands of dollars worth of cockpit equipment, and it can also watch netflix.