Well, I pulled the trigger and purchased my first plane - A Liberty XL2. We had to fly it from Shreveport LA to Sullivan County NY (about 1200nm). I guess as with any used purchase you hope all is functioning and been properly checked but somethings just don't become apparent until you use it.
As planned, the iFly was perfect for route planning, airport information, etc and worked flawlessly. The plane has a Garmin 530 and I found they both served well together. What I didn't plan on...............
At least 2/3rd's of our second day of flight was planned to be at night (about 720nm). We were already delayed several days due to the heavy storms that were now passing and we had a small window before the next front on its way. Off we went. As it was getting dark we adjusted the rheostat for the panel lights and ........ no back lighting on the 6 pack (all other instruments were properly illuminated). With about 6hrs of night flight ahead of us I thought this just wouldn't be safely possible. Holding a flashlight would be just too cumbersome (we have no auto pilot).
Then it hit me......the iFly. I use mine when needed for reference so it sits between the seats. What i did was simply set it on its side, on my lap facing the panel. It cast a perfect glow on all the instruments and made everything completely readable. The flight went without a hitch.......
I've come across a lot of pilots who feel things like the iFly are no more useful than paper charts or they create too much of a distraction......(Ha, ha ,ha) So the next time someone tells you that these "gizmos" are only for those who are too lazy or don't know how to use paper charts, tell them my story of how the iFly truly saved the day (or night in this case.)
Rgds,
Dave