Prepare the tablet, not just the route

Make the setup usable before departure

A route saved in an app is only one part of preparation. Consider where the tablet will be, how you will power it, and how you will access required information if it stops working. FAA AC 91-78A addresses EFB use in Part 91 operations, including current information, workload, placement, training and system failures. It does not make every app or tablet an approved replacement for required aircraft equipment.

A repeatable equipment review

• Information: open the charts and airport documents you expect to use. Check their dates and confirm downloads actually completed.
• Position: identify the selected GPS source and confirm a current usable fix. Know what a stale or lost position looks like.
• Power: check tablet and receiver charge, cable condition and the intended power arrangement. Rehearse a loss of that arrangement on the ground.
• Placement: check reach, readability and secure placement without blocking controls, instruments or outside visibility.
• Fallback: decide how required information remains available after a device, app, cable or receiver failure.

Plan for the sunlit cockpit

Apple documents that excessive heat can slow charging, dim the screen or temporarily disable an iPhone or iPad. Direct sunlight and extended navigation use in hot conditions can contribute. Review the manufacturer's temperature guidance and avoid a setup that depends on the display remaining at full brightness in the hottest location.

On the ground, ask whether the charging cable creates a snag, whether your backup shares the same power source, and whether you can read the screen from your actual seat. Record the answers once as a short personal setup checklist, then revise it when equipment changes.

A useful rehearsal

With no flight underway, temporarily remove internet access and reopen the downloaded information. Separately test the receiver connection; receiver Wi-Fi may be needed even when internet is unavailable. Do not assume that one successful download verifies every chart, source or failure mode.

Practise recovery with an instructor before depending on a new setup. The goal is less cockpit troubleshooting, not more equipment to manage.