Best iPad Mini Mount for DA 20?

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Tz19
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Best iPad Mini Mount for DA 20?

Post by Tz19 »

I recently purchased an iPad Mini. What's the best mount system and setup for use in a DA 20? Thanks!
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gshepherd
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Re: Best iPad Mini Mount for DA 20?

Post by gshepherd »

I use an X-Naut fan assisted cooling tray with a RAM suction mount to the canopy just ahead of the door release handle. Very high quality product and keeps my iPad cool and steady even on a sunny day in the desert southwest.

The mount is adjusted to keep the ipad vertical, out of the way of the stick, and to the left of the instruments. I make sure I can still see all instruments including airspeed.

Hope that helps!
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gshepherd
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Re: Best iPad Mini Mount for DA 20?

Post by gshepherd »

I should also add that I recently upgraded to the iPad Mini 6. Really great for running Foreflight and gives about 3/4" of more vertical screen height, plus it's a fast little machine. The startup speed of Foreflight on it is 2 seconds compared to about 30 seconds for my old unit. The Mini 6 in particular has one of the nicest low-reflectivity gloss screens I've seen yet.

One downside of the new Mini 6 is the polarization angle changed 90º compared to the previous models. This is only an issue if you wear polarized sunglasses (absolutely love my Drivewear transitions for flying). Where my old iPad Mini 4 was brightest in portrait mode through the sunglasses, the Mini 6 is brightest in landscape mode.

The solution is to apply a quality matte screen protector. This seems to scatter the polarization effect, and helps with point-source glare. So, problem solved in that regard. I use the amFilm Matte/Paper tempered glass with good results. It does add some thickness, though.

The protector also gives me some peace of mind as far as scratching the screen, and it reduces the effect of fingerprints. But, other than the positives, I wouldn't have it for day-to-day-use. the protector overall reflect more light than the stock glass surface giving a feeling of lower contrast during the day.
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Re: Best iPad Mini Mount for DA 20?

Post by Steve »

Geoff:

Do you see any dichroic effects through the canopy when wearing polarized sunglasses? I (as a former Navy Flight Surgeon and retired ophthalmologist) always recommended against polarized sunglasses in my aviators for this reason.

Steve
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Re: Best iPad Mini Mount for DA 20?

Post by soarer20 »

After trying several IPad and IPhone mounts the best BY FAR that I have found is the Arkon Road Vise. The DA-20 cockpit is so small I have found my iPhone max is plenty big and doesn’t get in the way. The mounts have rods that you can modify for larger tablets. They do make an IPad mini mount, which appears just to be a standard Road Vise mount with longer rods.

My criteria: Won’t cause injury in crash/ hard landing, wont scratch the canopy, easy to get the phone/ tablet out, holds in turbulence.

Arkon Road Vise and Road vise ultra
https://www.arkon.com/product/RV131-cla ... mount.html

https://www.arkon.com/product/KNRM2XAMP ... mount.html

I mounted the road vise with a Ram 1” diamond mount. This is the perfect location just to the left of the ASI.
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Re: Best iPad Mini Mount for DA 20?

Post by gshepherd »

Steve wrote: Mon Jan 03, 2022 6:19 pm Geoff:

Do you see any dichroic effects through the canopy when wearing polarized sunglasses? I (as a former Navy Flight Surgeon and retired ophthalmologist) always recommended against polarized sunglasses in my aviators for this reason.

Steve
Sorry for the late response, Steve. I enjoy crystal-clear vision through my DA-20's canopy while wearing polarized sunglasses. I have seen the effect you're referring to, but only when viewing through car windows with aftermarket tint, especially two such windows lined up while wearing polarizers.

The DriveWear lenses are both light- and UV- photochromic, so as the day wanes to sunset and dusk, they lighten to a pale yellow/green, but not light enough to leave on much past sunset. What that does for me is give a longer window of time where I can decide to swap to my clear lenses for dusk/night flying. Before, with non-photochromic sunglasses, there was more of a need to switch immediately when the light changed, and that was its own distraction at times.
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