Avionics News July 2014 - 69

True Blue Power's TA102
dual USB charging port

As an aircraft owner (and pilot)
myself, I'm very aware of this -
whether piloting the Cessna Skylane I
co-own, or flying right-seat in a Pilatus
PC-12, I've got an iPad strapped to
my leg, and frequently it's talking
wirelessly to an external GPS/ADS-B
receiver and attitude source. For flights
that involve only a single leg, battery
power on those devices is adequate. But
if I'll be flying all day, at least one of
those devices will require a charge. In
my role as an aviation columnist, I've
tested portable avionics that require
DC power to operate and others with
internal batteries that run down too fast
for battery power to cover a typical
flying leg.
The solution most light general
aviation pilots use for this situation is the cigar lighter
typically built into the panel of older airplanes with 12-volt
electrical systems. It's adequate - indeed, typically fused at
10 to 15 amps, it's capable of providing more power than
even the most gadget-happy pilot might want. However, it's
not ideal, for a number of reasons.
First, cigar lighters were designed to do just that - light
cigarettes and cigars - not power portable devices. And
even if the old nicotine-stained cigar lighter is replaced with
a brand-new, TSO'd accessory socket, it's still an awful
way to connect devices, leading to cables in odd places.
Moreover, what about 28-volt airplanes that never had a
cigar lighter in the panel?
There are several alternatives. FAA policy statement PSACE-23-01 states that installation of mounting hardware
for portable electronic devices in normal, utility and
acrobatic airplanes, including "system power and (one-way)
data connectivity may be considered a minor alteration,"
provided guidelines are met. FAA advisory circular 120-76B
defines Class 1 and 2 electronic flight bags (usually tablet
computers running EFB software) as portable electronic
devices, which may be covered under the same rules.
To get a clear picture of what this means for installers and

shops, I spoke with representatives of several manufacturers
offering aviation-specific products for powering portable
devices. I think you will find what they told me enlightening
- and in some cases, a little worrying.
Max Probasco is a partner at AirGizmos, which
manufactures "panel docks" for a wide range of portable
devices. His understanding is that providing electrical
power typically requires form 337 approval from the local
FSDO (Flight Standards District Office) "and may require
load analysis depending on current draw." Their most
popular models are for Garmin portable GPS units, but they
are seeing increased demand for docks to support iPads.
When asked what installers should do, he said, "Read the
instructions." He then went on to tell a surprising story: The
single issue that causes the most support calls is the force
required to pull a Garmin 696 out of the dock - which is
designed to hold the unit in place with up to a 6.5-G forward
acceleration. Why so much? "Burt Rutan showed one of our
early panel docks in a mock-up for SpaceShipOne; so later
units were designed to support large forward accelerations,"
he said.
Jim Mantos, president and chief executive officer of Lone
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Avionics News July 2014

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