iPad?
 

Would you all recommend an iPad or iPad mini for a private pilot student? What about an instrument pilot? Is it truly necessary these days?

If you to recommend, will they need one with lots of memory or is 128GB fine? Thanks.

Is it truly necessary? No. Is it considerable help with even the basic version of ForeFlight and a stratus or clone for situational awareness and ADS-B input? Yes it is, particularly for automating the filing of IFR flight plans, current approach/departure plates, sectionals/IFR charts/etc., and keeping abreast of TFRs which pop up constantly over major league stadiums, forest fires, and movements of some politicians and military equipment.

For my GA flying I use a somewhat elderly mini that’s 128GB. If the aircraft you are using has in intercom input you can get a dongle to Bluetooth the ForeFlight audio into your headphones.
I have a full size iPad but the smaller one on a suction mount is quite adequate without threatening to obstruct the yoke or the view of the aircraft instruments or the travel of the yoke.

https://youtu.be/D7nJ7WR-sk8?si=vTQ1xiRqgy7ys78-

Today, nearly every airline pilot is issued an ipad; it's become the norm. In general aviation, they're very common, and with the ability to get aeronautical charts in an electronic format, the ipad is nearly unbeatable for cockpit organization. You can use the same ipad for charts, studying, documentation, searches, weather, and even navigation purposes. Applications have flight calculations (E6B...performance calculations) and many other functions and features, including radio and instrument training programs, test preparation, aviation regulations, The ipad is a lot easier to carry than the bulk of all the things it can supplement or replace.

More capability is better than less; I find that a 256 gb memory is better, or more. My company-issued, and my personal ipads are both 256 gb.

I'd check apple, for apple refurbished, before buying new. The hardest part of learning to fly is paying for it, and it's expensive these days. An ipad is a wise investment, as is a good headset.

The standard for 121/135 is that the electronic device can show you an approach chart and you can read all of the chart w/o having to zoom. The old standard was it had to show the chart "full size", but the FAA has changed that. So you can have it displayed and keep hands on the airplane controls. The mini will do this for most people, but a phone does not. Far-sighted and older folks may still benefit from a larger one. Phone could be a backup to the ipad or other device. If the airplane cockpit is big enough, a standard size ipad may be the way to go, but usually cockpits are pretty constrained. While there's no requirement to follow this, it would probably be a good idea for general aviation, the entire idea is that the ipad be usable in flight and not create more problems than it solves.

Inquire at the flight school. At some places it is required.

Ipad Mini, with cellular (don’t need service, just the GPS), 256gb will allow for full download of all available documents in FF..FAR/AIM, ACS, POHs, PHAK, AFH, IFH, everything that you need will be at your fingertips with plenty of room to spare. a 6th gen or later with Apple pencil 2 is optimal!

Thank you everyone for the replies. It sounds like the iPad is almost a requirement these days at least once he begins working on his instrument. Every dollar counts right now so I think we will have to wait until he finishes the private.

If you must, but the expereince he will get while using it for XC planning, weather review, etc is immense. If you can swing it, they are VERY valuable even at the PPL level. Having a solid usage baseline is greatly beneficial when it comes time to do the instrument rating. I recommend them to all my students.

I highly recommend and iPad. Right now I use an iPad Mini 7 with cellular capability for when I’m actually flying and I use an iPad Pro M4 13” for all of my books, manuals, etc since it is about the same size and books. If you can only get one get the Mini for now.