iPad!

Apple announced some changes to their iPad lineup today and I’m just thrilled! I’m still reading up on the announcement, but the iPad Air and the iPad Mini have both been refreshed with the latest Apple processor and Apple Pencil support. What wonderful news!

I truly believe the tablet will be the computing device of choice in the future, so seeing the “lower end” iPads get refreshed by Apple helps build that momentum to the future I’m envisioning.

I’m especially excited about the new iPad Mini with Apple Pencil support. Before my iPad Pro 10 (with Pencil support), the iPad Mini was always my tablet of choice for when I was flying. It ran my preferred Electronic Flight Bag (EFB) ForeFlight beautifully, even though the iPad Mini 4 was starting to fall behind in horsepower for that particular use. Using the iPad Pro 10 and an Apple Pencil in the cockpit has been wonderful, as ForeFlight has grown in leaps and bounds over the past couple of years and features beautiful functionality with the Apple Pencil, but the iPad Pro 10 is slightly too big for the airplanes I fly (primarily the Piper Cherokee series, Cessna 172s, and now the Diamond Sky DA-40). It works and works well, it just feels like it takes up a little too much space. Having an option to go back to the smaller iPad Mini is wonderful news.

I’m happy to see that Apple made this iPad announcement today, so they can focus on their new services offerings and their big announcement next Monday on 3/25.

You know I’ll be watching the keynote.

18 March 2019 by Apple. 1

Flying.

So I went flying today. It was the first time in 2019 that I sat behind the controls in the cockpit. It was the first time ever for partaking in this activity in a Diamond Star DA-40. After some ground school, a very pleasant instructor went up and I tried my hand at flying the DA-40 for the first time.

I’m expanding my horizons. I have personal goals I want to meet this year. Now that weather is starting to cooperate, it’s time to fly.

I’ll also be reviving my aviation blog during this coming week. In the meanwhile, I’m looking forward to another flight tomorrow.

16 March 2019 by Fly. 0

Friday.

I’d write about the news today, but it would just be too depressing. So here’s a picture of Earl and me in Philadelphia in 2007.

15 March 2019 by Fun and Games Dept 0

Chirping.

Truman makes the oddest chirping noise when he spots a laser dot on the floor. I haven’t heard cats make this noise other than when they see birds outside and they’re inside. But Truman chirps and chirps and chirps as he gallops around chasing the laser pointer.

I decided to look this up and researchers believe cats make this noise when they’re trying to hunt something they can’t physically get at, like when a bird is sitting on a branch outside and the cat is stuck inside. Truman doesn’t see anything physical associated with the red dot on the floor, other than the dot itself, and therefore he apparently starts chirping trying to attract its attention.

One of these days he’ll get this dot.

14 March 2019 by Fun and Games Dept Le Chat. 0

Mood.

I went to the airport tonight for a monthly safety briefing with the flying club. We spent the evening reviewing what to do in the event of an in-flight emergency. It was a good review of the basics and it’s always interesting to discuss with other pilots various approaches to dealing with non-standard events while flying an airplane. I learn a lot just by talking with other pilots. No matter how many certifications I earn during my aviation career, I will always be a student pilot because one should never stop learning.

As I was visiting with my fellow pilots, I couldn’t help but think about how “avgry”, or “angry due to lack of aviation”, I have been for the past couple of months. I’ve been super surly and didn’t even realize the depths that I was feeling this way.

I’m scheduled to fly this weekend and the weather is looking promising. I’m determined to earn more ratings and to get checked out on a couple of different aircraft this summer.

The “avgry” mood will dissipate soon.

12 March 2019 by Pilot. 0

About J.P.

Just a guy with a husband. We’ve been together 28 years and he still makes me see fireworks on a daily basis. Hiker. Storm Chaser. Private Pilot. Tech Guy. Hackerish.

Weird? Eccentric!

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