Review of Aviation Theory Centre eBooks reader

[mnewbery]

Original thread:

 

[/url]http://www.recreationalflying.com/threads/ppl-traing-videos.66770/#post-476514

 

Link to book store:

 

https://aviationtheory.net.au/digital-store/

 

I was looking at some stuff on my bookshelf and decided my Aviation Law book from 2009 was probably dangerously out-of-date and needed to be chucked. While looking for replacements I discovered that Aviation Theory Centre has had e-book versions of most of its titles for at least a couple of years. I originally contacted the authors some years ago and asked for this feature.

 

I downloaded Visual Flight Guide 2019 and the 17th edition of flight Rules and Air Law into the e-book reader. At the same time my copy of the VFRG version 6 arrived in the mail. I am expecting all three books to contain more or less the same information but with slightly different emphasis.

 

I am using an iPad 3 as my reading device which probably isn't ideal because it's dead slow. I have much better platforms in the house but this is the one I am most likely to take on trips where I need the books to be available offline

 

The VFRG is available online but there is no electronic version other than that and no plan to have one. It's quite heavy too.

 

Pros:

 

I like ATC titles for their easy to read language and minimal re-quoting of the regulations, but they are referenced as required

 

I can leave the reader open on a page and pop the iPad on charge. If I leave a book out opened to a page and it's not a cookbook I usually get yelled at

 

I can sign up for addenda and have them send to my device

 

No postage, no waiting, no heavy books to carry

 

I can search, share, bookmark and add pencil notes in the application

 

I could also send images of the page with notes on it I guess

 

Content can also be viewed as HTML online anywhere

 

Cons:

 

The e-reader is proprietary which I don't mind too much but it quite slow on the iPad3. I might try a more modern tablet but it's not an issue for me because I read sloooow

 

Only one e-reader can be registered

 

The electronic versions aren't particularly cheap at 2/3 of the paper book price before postage

 

I'm happy with my purchase so far even if it took a few years for the format to be available