I got to "play" with one yesterday, and yes it is a bit heavier and thicker than an iPad. About the same as an iPad with a substantial leather case. It is going to take some getting used to, with different swipe functions, but it does have some features that I liked better than my iPad. The ones we get will be 64Gb, and they have a separate slot for a micro SD card for personal storage. I love the Jepp product, very cool.

In the end, it is still going to be a "company" device, so I will likely still carry an ipad for my stuff. A huge improvement over just 7 years ago when we were lugging around a huge bag for all the manuals!

Yeah... the good lookin guy. :) Going to the basketball game in Thompson Boling tonight, and the UT Vandy game tomorrow. I'm gonna TRY to get a pic with the Vandy girls... no guarantees.. but I'll give it the effort.

There is a reason that every other airline is using the iPad.

I think Flight Ops was pretty clear that because of our business relationship with Microsoft, we were getting the Surface. I suspect that Microsoft is giving them to us at a large discount, and/or paying to develop the software we need. Notice how Flight Ops said two pilots were at Microsoft Business seminar or something, demoing the device?

"It's such a good device, even Delta pilots are using it" :rolleyes:

It's all overrated IMHO. As long as I don't have to carry or update the Jepps, I would just as soon stick to using them. I'd rather the company/FAA enact some policy that would make using a smart phone (which I do not have believe it or not:D) for local weather radar etc.... I just don't see that all this technology is gonna make my life in the cockpit that much better.

Fire away all you young whipper snappers.

I believe the turbulence application you are demoing made life a lot easier...

I'm with you.... I prefer having paper charts, as long as I don't have to take care of them or lug 'em around.

However, you do get the gratuitous picture of the Angry Old Man for not having a smartphone:

http://thumbnails.hulu.com/425/40030..._generated.jpg

It's my wife's fault. She invented copper wire. She actually rewound an alternator once, and it only cost a shiny penny. Who knew there was enough copper in a little Abe?

True. It is an interesting tool conceptually. I do like it, but it has a ways to go before being a real value on a daily basis. But like all technology, ya gotta start somewhere. :) I'm mostly kidding about the tablets thingy. I am just hoping that whatever software we wind up with makes transitioning from.... airport diagram to departure to enroute to.... a simple one and that it allows you to pull up unforeseen changes easily.

Case in point: Anybody been to HND? I have no idea how you are supposed to devise a simple plan for getting in there. You have no real idea as to which arrival you are gonna get until it is assigned (or you prompt center to give you an idea) and even then if your arrival time is right around midnight you could get several different avenues... I had literally briefed 4 different possibilities for the arrival, and each of those had different runway options. After landing it looked like the floor of the stock exchange after Black Monday... I would think this would be a lowest common denominator for devising the software... I digress.

No I get it, but who else would MS go with that does not use Ipads.

Hey, you burst my bubble! I thought copper wire was invented by two pilots fighting over a penny!?!:)

Denny