Bad Elf and iPad Deliver a 21st Century Flight Bag!
Photograph by Andy Rusch
Add the Bad Elf GPS for aviation to your flight bag. Combine the elegance of the iPad and your favorite iOS aviation app with a GPS that operates at high speeds and at high altitudes. Whether in a single engine aircraft or a commercial jet, this new kit delivers peace of mind as a back up to your in dash system, as one pilot discovered during an electrical emergency en route from the Bahamas to Florida.
A variety of aviation accessories enhance use of the Bad Elf GPS with your iPad in the cockpit.
Charging Accessories
GPS receivers consume power with their radios, but the huge iPad battery still yields eight to ten hours of usage with the Bad Elf GPS attached. With the smaller iPod touch and iPhone batteries, expect only three to five hours of comparable usage.
To address your power consumption concerns, the Bad Elf team engineered the device with a pass-through micro-USB port to continuously power your iOS device and GPS, thereby maintaining a fully charged battery.
Due to the higher charging current requirements of the iPad (2.1 amps @ 5VDC), please ensure you use a charger specially designed for the iPad.
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Scosche reVIVE II Dual USB Car Charger for iPad |
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Kensington K33497US PowerBolt Duo Car Charger |
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MyGoFlight Power Dual Charging Kit |
Kneeboard Accessories
Kneeboards keep your iPad secure and accessible while flying. As long as your case does not block access to the iPad’s 30-pin dock connector, it should be compatible with the Bad Elf GPS. A variety of options match your personal preferences and cockpit configuration. Several Bad Elf customers recommend kneeboards from MyGoFlight.
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MyGoFlight iPad Kneeboard Pro C |
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MyGoFlight iPad Kneeboard Sport |
Mounting Accessories
RAM Mount makes some of the best mounting options across several markets, including aviation. RAM Mount offers access to an online tool to find a base that will work well for your cockpit and a paired cradle that will work with your iOS device.
Extension Cables
Depending on your cockpit environment, getting or keeping a GPS lock could be a challenge. In some cases, heated windshields and excessive RF interference degrades weak satellite-based GPS signals. Some customers report success adopting a 30-pin dock extension cable, allowing placement of the Bad Elf GPS near a side window for a clearer view of the sky. Please note that extender cables are not authorized or tested by Apple. Therefore, Bad Elf cannot officially support them. Build quality varies considerably and many will not work with the Bad Elf GPS at all. Customers have reported excellent results with the CableJive cable.
- I already have GPS in my iPad 3G or iPhone 3G. Why do I need the Bad Elf GPS?
- How do I know the Bad Elf GPS will work well in my cockpit?
- What sort of guarantee do I have if it won’t work in my cockpit?
- Additional FAQ Topics
I already have GPS in my iPad 3G or iPhone 3G. Why do I need the Bad Elf GPS?
The GPS receiver inside these 3G devices works great on the ground, particularly when in range of a 3G cellular network. The internal Apple GPS is a real GPS receiver, but the size of the device and its proximity to other antennas limits performance. To get around this, these internal GPS receivers use Assisted GPS data from cellular network towers to obtain a faster signal lock. The GPS works even if you don’t pay for monthly 3G service from a wireless provider.
These internal GPS receivers were not designed for aviation, so most pilots report that they lose lock, or have trouble maintaining a lock, when at altitudes greater than 2,000 AGL or when operating at high speeds. Under such conditions, lock times can take 5-20 minutes, if you get lock at all. In contrast, the Bad Elf GPS delivers better performance with rock solid WAAS GPS locks at altitudes up to 60K feet and at speeds up to 1,000 mph. Acquire a satellite lock in as little as 30-45 seconds and observe accuracy to 2.5 meters.
The Bad Elf GPS delivers…
- Twice the accuracy (2.5m vs 5m)
- Ten times the sampling rate (10Hz vs. 1Hz)
- More sensitivity, enabling use in urban canyon environments!
How do I know the Bad Elf GPS will work well in my cockpit?
Most pilots have no trouble getting a satellite lock with the Bad Elf GPS anywhere in their cockpit. Some pilots set up the Bad Elf GPS under the glass during pre-flight to obtain an initial lock. They then place the iPad on a kneeboard during flight without losing lock. In a small percentage of aircraft, pilots have adopted a 30-pin dock extender enabling greater placement versatility for an unobscured view of the sky.
What sort of guarantee do I have if it won’t work in my cockpit?
If you find that the Bad Elf GPS will not work in your particular cockpit, we will refund your purchase. No hassles.
Aviation Reviews
- Foreflight Blog, ForeFlight Flies on iPad 2: Performance Tests from Launch (3/13/2011)
- AVWeb, An iPad Cockpit? (2/20/2011)
- MyGoFlight, iPad EFP In An Emergency (1/24/2011)
- Baron Pilot Blog, “Bad Elf” (11/17/2010)
- Van’s Air Force Forum. “iPad GPS Dongle” (11/13/2010)
- Beechtalk Forum, “ForeFlight Announces External GPS for iPad” (11/9/2010)
- ForeFlight Blog, “External iPad GPS Receivers for ForeFlight HD” (11/9/2010)
General Bad Elf Reviews
- Amazon Reviews (various)
- Cio.com, Finding yourself with a Bad Elf (12/2/2011)
- Pocket GPS World, Bad Elf iOS GPS Dongle Review (9/7/2011)
- About.com, Easy GPS Upgrade for iPad, iPod (5/28/2011)
- Wired Gadget Lab, “Tiny Dock-Dongle Adds GPS to iPad, iPod Touch” (10/19/2010)
- Geeky Gadgets, “Bad Elf Adds GPS to iPad and iPod” (10/18/2010)
- Engadget Germany, “Bad Elf Dongle bringt GPS auf iPad und iPod touch” (10/18/2010)
