What was printing again? I vaguely remember something from years ago involving dead trees...
Seriously, it's not hard to do without paper. The iPad is a good document view and the mobile phone a good backup.
This whole AirPrint stuff has never worked which is why Apple canned it (and things like HandyPrint try to activate the remains of it).
I really don't print anything anymore. I have my flying iPad on board with runs Jepp. And my normal tablet which has an emailed routepack on it. My phone is a backup with the same routepack.
How do you sync the routepacks?
Assume: no internet connection, and no wifi.
Agreed. You really don't need to print out anything anymore. iPad with iPhone as b/u and you're good to go.
How do you sync the routepacks?
Assume: no internet connection, and no wifi.
That a strange assumption, why would I not have internet/wifi when planning my flight? My iPad has 3G, my phone has 3G and wifi of course, there is always a way. I use GoodReader on the iPad to download the documents and I have all approach plates as PDF on my iPad + phone.
PS: one can also upload documents to the iPad using the cable and a PC but I hardly ever do that.
That a strange assumption, why would I not have internet/wifi when planning my flight?
Hotel, last minute, abroad, your domestic SIM won't do data roaming on that particular foreign carrier, hotel wifi doesn't work (the chimp at the desk has only the one password and it doesn't work) etc...
Been there, done that, many many times.
I cannot confirm this, this sounds like a year 2000 experience. My SIM card has never failed to work in a foreign country and I can also tether the iPad to my Android phone.
There is always internet, always somebody you can ask, it is ubiquitous. And as a last resort, I can call the Ops hotline of RocketRoute and in case I'm flying back to Germany, I can even call AIS Germany and they will create an IFR flight plan for me including CFMU etc.
Out of the many things that can put my flight at risk, not having internet access is the least I'd say. I have had more issues with printers not printing back when I still used paper...
We do plan import and export, both as a GPX file and a custom format (which is a simple JSON, anyone can make one). Haven't seen the routepack format, but I think one of our users in Australia has created a converter.
iOS 7 will have AirDrop, file sharing without a network. Just 'raw' Bluetooth and/or Wifi between multiple devices. I haven't played with AirDrop yet, no idea if it'll work for us - but it looks good.
iOS 7 will have AirDrop, file sharing without a network
Will there be any restrictions on file format or contents?
That will be good, because currently there is no generic way to get a file out of an Ipad, except via internet. You can get photos out to an SD card plugged into a 3rd party adaptor (drag from the Camera Roll) but that's about it.
What I've seen it's essentially the same thing as opening an attachment from your email and getting the popup letting you choose which app to open it with, but instead it shows other iOS devices. I've tried to make it work with my macbook, but I'm not sure it is supposed to work (with mountain lion).
Generally, if you want to get files out of the ipad, the app needs to support that. AirDrop just builds on that, and allows any app developer who wishes to share something to do so between devices, not just apps.
