I'm in the same boat. On my original surface still, but I am glad we are going to the ipad.

Looks like they have stopped updates pushing to the Surface... proboly a food thing. Heard Ipads November...


About I.T....
Just go to any AA pilots house and have him show you how they try to trip trade.. one on the company . Comand computer, one on the union website and one on the “paid” monthly website... ask how AS applicants feel about being locked out of the application because of i.t. Issues, ask to look at delta pilots scheduling programs... then if they flew for SkyWest. Ask there opinion.. yes. Our I.T. Department gets a bad rap.. (Dixie HS) but in the end. SWOL is leeps and bounds above the majors... The only one ive seen come close is Alaska pilot scheduling software..

My surface was one of the good ones, so I was very careful not to drop it or lose it. I'm not an apple fan boy, but ipads are better for this application, if only because they're more stable. But even so, I try to avoid doing IMC approaches on day one of any software update (especially with the surface).

How long do the FAT guys expect to be on reserve? How much have they flown?

Im on my original surface also. Only use it for flying. Seems guys i talk to with issues use it for Netflix, doing Taxes, ect...

Yeah, I only used it for work. For one thing don't really want some app to crash the OS at the marker for a CAT-II. Also don't necessarily want to company to have access to what I'm doing or where I'm doing it.

Word to the wise, people have been fired at other airlines (big airlines) because they took their EFB (ipads in most cases) on some trip while they were out "sick". Company asked them where they were, they said "home" and got fired for lying since the ipad is like a lojack. Apparently it tracks location even when completely off (to enable the "find my ipad" feature), and of course you can't take the battery out. Mine goes into a closet at home and stays there until my next trip.

Mailing your iPad to a relative while documenting each day at home actually sick with a doctors note sounds like a maybe genius yet dumb way to get out of some work with back pay.
Haha

Going a bit techie/nerdy on this, the iPad only tracks your location if you or (and this is the important part) the management software has configured it to do so. As you point out, the "Find my iPad" functionality does this, but it can also be enabled by the device management capabilities used in conjunction with management software such as Jamf Pro. You can easily disable this management software by removing the installed profiles via settings, but of course doing also alerts the IT group that the device is no longer under management and that's a bit of a red flag. (I used to be a software architect and engineering manager at Jamf, so know the process pretty well).

I believe your advice is best - just keep work and personal devices separate.

I'm former Skywest. I went to US Airways/American and compared to what we have Skywest is light years ahead. I'm specifically talking about swol and sked plus, vacation management, viewing and verifying your paycheck, and phone tree when calling scheduling.

How easy is it to get west coast base (I live I California would prefer in california) the recruiters always says about 4-6 months after finishing IOE. I never believe recruiters, would like some actual line pilots. I read that it's a crap shoot, but would like a estimate. Thanks!