Commercial Fixed Wing
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Confusion; Distraction; Situational Awareness; Training / Qualification
Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
General None Reported / Taken
Aircraft; Environment - Non Weather Related; Procedure
IPAD issues. 1. Blocks my view out of right side of aircraft. View is already restricted due to narrow slit side windows. 2. I have to make unusual gyrations in cockpit in order to see traffic in the air/on the ground and taxi lines out of right side of aircraft when parking. 3. First Officers are slow in switching between pages...they are constantly asking me for ramp/ops frequencies which previously were either written on paper pages or more readily accessed by flipping a paper page with one's finger. 4. Some First Officers do not know how to dim the device at night causing a very bright distraction in dark cockpit. 5. Have caught some First Officers looking at info other than the airport diagram while taxiing; i.e.; INTERNET stuff; pictures or newspapers/magazines. Summary: My biggest beef is the visibility issue which is not that good to start with; followed by the speed at which info is accessed; followed by the distraction of poor discipline in the proper use of the device. The IPAD needs to be mounted on the existing chart holder in the aircraft which is located well below the side window! I am most certain that some simple clamp/bracket can accommodate the light weight of the IPAD on the existing side chart holder. First Officers need additional training in accessing ramp/ops/ice frequency data bases for each airport without bugging the Captain while he is driving the boat...this was not a problem before IPAD use. I should not have to remind a First Officer to stick with pertinent gouge on his IPAD. He can look at his pictures/INTERNET in the hotel room.
A Captain comments on a variety of issues caused by adaptation of iPad technology including visual disruptions while taxiing; visual interference; difficulty accessing information in a timely manner; and device speed.