GlobalNavSource, a Florida company that does certification and testing of the iPad for aviation use, has reported that the latest iteration of the tablet computer, which Apple is just calling the iPad, has passed rapid decompression testing to 51,000 feet.
The test is necessary, says the company, in order to confirm that the pilots have the necessary charts for performing what might be an emergency landing after a sudden depressurization.
The company says that the testing is necessary not just for the new type of iPad but on every example and not just for rapid decompression but for electro-magnetic interference (EMI) too. To take the hassle out of the process, GlobalNavSource offers iPads for sale that it puts through the wringer before you take delivery. The cost is a few hundred dollars over Apple’s list price. GlobalNavSource also offers iPad accessories, too, including a TSO’ed power supply for it that lists for $1,059.85. The good news is that none of this is required for most Part 91 pilots like you and me. We can put the new iPad, however you choose to refer to it, to use right out of the box.
For more on the 'iPad 3', check out "Five Reasons Pilots 'Need' the New iPad."
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