Employees paying for electronic flightbag

[FlyingJ]

First time poster here, anyone out there who has had the privilege of buying their own ipad's for company use? We're getting rid of paper charts and have been told that we will have to pay for our own ipad...

[DrSpaceman]

Definitely not industry standard.

[Elessar_44]

We were given an amount that would cover a "basic ipad", eg. the 16gb, and if you wanted more features the rest was up to you.

[goingnowherefast]

Even that seems weird. The cost savings on a set of charts, plates and CFS will pay for the iPod at the end of the first year. Something smells fishy.

I'd show up some day and say "sorry my son/daughter spilt apple juice on my personal iPod"

[Liftdump]

Not a chance

[ahramin]

Even that seems weird. The cost savings on a set of charts, plates and CFS will pay for the iPod at the end of the first year. Something smells fishy.

I'd show up some day and say "sorry my son/daughter spilt apple juice on my personal iPod"

Oh dear.

It's an iPad, not an iPod.

[JBI]

I'm at a 705 operator and ours are fixed in the plane. Taking a quick look at info about the different US carriers, a few will require pilots to have their own tablet/iPad but provide a stipend.

[flyinhigh]

I know many operators that have the crews pay for 50% of the unit.

You will find however that may 705 operators (Air Canada, Jazz, etc) affix them to the plane, or give them to the crews. Very good companies, such as Air Sprint will pay up to 50% of the units cost.

I don't know any operators that don't cover some form of the cost.

Even that seems weird. The cost savings on a set of charts, plates and CFS will pay for the iPod at the end of the first year. Something smells fishy.

FYI, electronic charts are the same cost of paper charts. There is very little savings in this regard.

Cheers,

[trey kule]

FYI, electronic charts are the same cost of paper charts. There is very little savings in this regard.

Quit challenging his claim with the facts

[DrSpaceman]

FYI, electronic charts are the same cost of paper charts. There is very little savings in this regard.

You save a ton on man hours not spent dealing with replacing paper charts. Also a lot easier to update the company manuels on there. Less paper printed = more savings.

One could also argue that not transporting all that library weight around saves a lot of fuel when looking across the entire fleet.

[spruceair]

My company buys the iPad, it is yours to use as long as you work there. Foreflight is paid for by the company. Of course, the iPad is monitored and tracked by the company.

[AirFrame]

The cost savings on a set of charts, plates and CFS will pay for the iPod at the end of the first year.

The cost to produce the digital charts, is different from the cost to produce the paper charts. What NavCanada charges for the two is identical.

Oh, and for the OP, if the company provides the iPad, it's a taxable benefit. If you buy your own, you should be able to deduct it as a business-related expense.

[Taxivasion]

Of course, the iPad is monitored and tracked by the company.

I had a discussion about this the other day... please do enlighten us on how they would do such a thing without being connect to their network/server. For practical purposes not spending a ton of dough. i'm fairly certain 90% of operators don't track your activities on the Ipad.

I've also never heard of anyone having to pay for their own Ipad. They should provide you with one. If they don't, send them a monthly bill for the hydro used to charge it for their use if they want to play games like that.

[readyou5by5]

Of course, the iPad is monitored and tracked by the company.

I had a discussion about this the other day... please do enlighten us on how they would do such a thing without being connect to their network/server. For practical purposes not spending a ton of dough. i'm fairly certain 90% of operators don't track your activities on the Ipad.

I've also never heard of anyone having to pay for their own Ipad. They should provide you with one. If they don't, send them a monthly bill for the hydro used to charge it for their use if they want to play games like that.

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202837 Apple provides a way for organizations to manage iPads but from the looks of it they can't really track your position (unless they put it in lost mode and you'd know). They can force you to use an HTTP proxy and track your internet useage in theory, I doubt anyone is though. I'd keep my personal device separate from my company device personally.

[altiplano]

if the company provides the iPad, it's a taxable benefit. If you buy your own, you should be able to deduct it as a business-related expense.

It is not a taxable benefit.

[ahramin]

if the company provides the iPad, it's a taxable benefit. If you buy your own, you should be able to deduct it as a business-related expense.

It is not a taxable benefit.

Being able to park your car at the airport for work is apparently a taxable benefit so I wouldn't be surprised if RC decides a work iPad is as well.

As for deducting business expenses, whahaha. Airline pilots are employees, not businesses or contractors. No business expenses allowed.

[FlyingJ]

Thanks for all the insight everyone! Im wondering what the federal labor standards cite regarding this issue. I never had to pay for charts, or the cfs, so why, if the company is saving all this money, should I now have to pay for the digital versions?! iPads aren't cheap, a $500 hit is not something to be taken lightly.

[SuperchargedRS]

Id wager much like a headset most pilots already have one

[goingnowherefast]

Headsets are a personal thing. Fit, adjustment, features and amount of spit on the mic are all down to the individual pilot. Every pilot needs underwear too, but I don't expect the company to provide it.

I don't have an iPad. Don't really want one. I'd be mighty pissed if my company forced me to buy one.

[AirFrame]

if the company provides the iPad, it's a taxable benefit. If you buy your own, you should be able to deduct it as a business-related expense.

It is not a taxable benefit.

I should have been more verbose. If the company loans it to you for the purpose of work, and the expectation is that you return it if/when you leave, then you're right.