Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Contact us at support@obds.com if you have questions not answered here. We will update this FAQ with questions that will help the OBDS Cloud community.
  • iPad Questions
  • My PDF file slow to display pages that I've scanned. How can I speed it up?
    Many scanners scan at a high resolution such as 300-600 dots per inch so that the scanned image will print nicely. The problem is, the higher the resolution the scan, the larger the page.

    For example a 600dpi page that is 11.5" x 8" will be 6900 x 4800 pixels. The reason the iPad takes a long time to render this is that it must compress the size down to a size viewable on the iPad.

    An iPad displays at 132 dpi, therefore there is no good reason to scan at a higher resolution.

    To solve the problem, simply lower the resolution setting on your scanner when scanning.

    Also, an iPad 2 is twice as fast as an iPad 1, with more RAM memory available as well, so you'll notice a performance jump if you use an iPad 2.
  • What does the FAA think about the iPad?
    The iPad is a Personal Electronic Device and subject to all airworthiness directives related to onboard PEDs.

    If not used during critical phases of flight, and without charts, you may have considerable leeway to use it without the need for submitting and EFB Plan if you are a Part 91 (Section 703 in Canada) operation provided that you follow the general airworthiness guidelines of AC-120-76a.

    If you are Part 91K, 121, 125, or 125, you'll best consult the link below for a full explanation of the FAA's position on iPad use which includes links to all the important documents.

    http://www.faa.gov/other_visit/aviation_industry/airline_operators/airline_safety/info/all_infos/media/2011/InFO11011.pdf

    If you'd like more help with regulatory information contact us at support@obds.com for our REGULATORY KIT which includes a pack of regulations, plus a special FAA Powerpoint that clearly spells out all the rules.
  • Setting up Wireless Access on the iPad
    In order to SYNC the AviationDocs application, you will likely need a WIFI connection established.

    Follow these instructions to set this up.

    Join the network
    Verify Wi-Fi is enabled and that you are connected to a Wi-Fi network.
    Tap Settings > Wi-Fi. If Wi-Fi is off, turn it on by tapping the on/off icon.
    Available Wi-Fi networks appears under "Choose a Network..."
    Locate and tap the Wi-Fi network you want to join.


    Note: If the Wi-Fi network is not displayed on iPad as an available option, it may be a "closed" or "private" network. This requires entering the name to join. See this article for more information.

    Verify password
    Some Wi-Fi networks require a password to join. Password-protected Wi-Fi networks are indicated by the padlock icon . If you receive an error while joining a password-protected Wi-Fi network:
    • Type slowly to verify you are entering the correct password.
    • If you cannot tap Join, the password is too short for that Wi-Fi network.
    • If you don't know the password, check with the Wi-Fi network administrator.


    Note: Some Wi-Fi access points or routers may have default passwords. Check the manufacturer's website for more information.
    Check connection
    Check the Wi-Fi signal strength in the status bar or Wi-Fi menu. The more bars the stronger the signal .
    If you only have a single bar or you still cannot locate your Wi-Fi network:

    Next, check your connection by using Safari to open a web page.
    When using some public Wi-Fi networks, Safari may display a web page that allows you to sign in to use the service. Check this web page for additional information on signing into or subscribing to the Wi-Fi network service at that location.


    See this article for more information about using public Wi-Fi networks that require a subscription.

    Check the Wi-Fi network
    If you have a strong Wi-Fi signal, but still can't access the Internet, verify the Wi-Fi network you are using.
    • Ensure you are connecting to the correct Wi-Fi network, and not another nearby Wi-Fi network.
    • Check the cable connection to your Wi-Fi access point or router.
    • If you can't identify your Wi-Fi network due to other networks with similar names nearby, contact the ISP or manufacturer for assistance in naming your Wi-Fi network.




    Reset network settings
    To reset your network settings, tap Settings > General, then tap Reset > Reset Network Settings.
    When the device restarts, try to locate and join the Wi-Fi network again.



    Note: This will clear your current network settings, including saved networks, Wi-Fi passwords, and VPN settings.
  • What is standard operating procedure for synching?
    Prior to flight, when an internet connection is available, in order to reduce errors, pilots should aim to ensure that the following goals are met:

    GOALS
    1. The correct aircraft has been selected in AviationDocs
    2. The latest information has been "synced"
    3. The program is operating correctly in AIRPLANE MODE without a wifi connection
    4. The pilot has read the latest documents.

    To ensure these goals are met, follow these steps prior to departure:

    PRE-START PROCEDURE
    1. Launch the AviationDocs program
    2. Select the aircraft you wish to fly using the "COG" icon
    3. Press the SYNC button to check for new files.
    4. Check that the 4 tabs work.
    5. Change the flight bag to "AIRPLANE MODE ON" in the iPad Settings app. This turns WIFI off.
    6. Switch back to AviationDocs and test that the 4 tabs function and that all need documents are there.
    7. Press the COG icon and verify the latest SYNC REPORT to see what files have changed and should be read.

    Finally, read any files that have been added to the library.
  • When I click "Manage Files" on the website, I don't see a folder to drag and drop into
    The online console currently requires Internet Explorer to run. You'll need to run Windows XP, Vista or Windows 7 in order to see the folder.

    Flight Docs Upload option can be used on any browser.

    A new program is available for free to Aviation Docs users called the "Aviation Docs Ground Console" which can run on any version of Windows and significantly speeds up fleet management.

  • Can I view my documents on the iPad?
    Yes -- Any documents sent via the OBDSCloud can be viewed on the iPad using the free app "AviationDocs" available at the Apple App Store (search for keyword "AviationDocs".
  • How do I get a USER ID for the AviationDocs app?
    There are 3 ways to obtain a USER ID for the AviationDocs iPad app:

    1. You may request a 30 day trial account by filling in this form. We recommend you test 10% of your fleet and can supply the required pilot forms you'll need as part of your FAA EFB plan submission.
    2. By purchasing any OBDS Cloud account, we will send you USER ID's for that account within 1 business day.
    3. Current user's of OBDS MFB can simply contact OBDS at support@obds.com or by calling 450-476-1420 to obtain their free USER ID.

  • What is the purpose of the Aircraft ID in AviationDocs Setup?
    If you have a Fleet account, we supply an Aircraft ID code that allows your aircraft's document status to be communicated to the server, allowing the Fleet manager to monitor that your iPad documents have transferred successfully to the iPad
  • What happens if I lose my iPad?
    Recommended procedure is to install Apples "Find my iPhone" free application which can wipe all data off the iPad.

    If your iPad is lost you should use the service as soon as possible to locate and wipe your iPad.

    http://www.appolicious.com/tech/apps/251464-find-my-iphone-apple-inc
  • Gulfstream index files not showing up
    Gulfstream uses a .PDX file which is an indexing file to locate subfiles.

    For the moment you need to implement a work-around to view files referenced by this scheme.

    You'll note that Gulfstream also has a folder called "PDF". Since the keyword "PDF" has special meaning to AviationDocs, please rename the folder "PDF" to the name of your manual.

    On the next sync, you'll be able to open up this folder and access the files referred to by the .PDX file.

    At the moment, there is no way for an iPad to read the .PDX file, however we doubt you'll miss it.
  • Sporadic delay accessing next PDF file after closing one.
    When closing very large PDF files, iPad 1 units can take a few seconds to clear the memory used, this may result in a delay in the user interface being available for 1-3 seconds.

    iPad 2 units, which have double the RAM memory available to them, typically do not experience this problem.

  • The text search feature crashes the app on one of my PDF files, but works in all the others. What's up?
    The text search feature in version 1.6 currently has a problem with PDF files created by Microsoft Word for Macintosh due to a formatting oddity in that file format.

    The problem does NOT occur with files created by Adobe Acrobat, so a workaround for files with this problem it to import them into Acrobat then export and the problem will disappear.

    Contact us if this is a problem for you, as we have the resources to fix the files for you, at no cost.

    This problem will be addressed in early May with an interim release.


  • Windows-based EFB Questions
  • Do I need to purchase MFB to send documents to my EFB?
    No -- The OBDSCloud account now comes with MFB for free. You can choose between AviationDocs for iPad and MFB for Windows-based EFB's depending on your mission.

    We recommend if you need to run Jeppesen Flight Deck to use Windows-based EFBs. If you only need terminal charts, then the iPad is more cost effective.
  • What happens if I lose my EFB?
    If your EFB is running OBDS MFB or OBDS Sync, contact us as soon as possible and we can arrange so that the next synchronization action will completely erase all documents off the unit.
  • General Questions
  • How big is the OBDS Cloud?
    The OBDS Cloud architecture is an extensible architecture capable of delivering every document to every pilot in the world.

    As our subscriber base grows, the system automatically upscales.
  • What happens if I accidentally erase a document on your server?
    OBDS Cloud backs up automatically, both on and off-site, every day. Call us and we can recover your document.
  • What happens if the OBDS Cloud's server connection goes down?
    OBDS Cloud uses 2 different ISPs, both with fibre-optic backbones so that if one provider fails, the next takes over.

    Should there be a very unusual circumstance where both fail simultaneously, the EFBs and iPads still hold the documents, and MFB is capable of having documents loaded from a USB stick as a backup.
  • Can someone see my document during transmission?
    No, all document transmission is strongly encrypted during transmission and afterwards.

    MFB provides an added level of encryption by offering AES and other forms of encryption on demand.
  • What happens if someone accidentally slips a virus into our files?
    OBDS Cloud uses sophisticated firewalls which provide bi-directional malware detection and removal before the file ever touches a hard disk.

    The system is constantly updated to address new threats as they become known.
  • Will the system slow-down my access to documents as more pilots use your system?
    The OBDS Cloud architecture is extremely robust. It can burst up to 2Gbytes of information per second, the key limitation in speed is your own Internet connection. As more pilots use the system, the system is designed to adapt itself to be support load, from any location in the world.


  • What kinds of documents can I send?
    On the Windows-based version, you can send virtually any document or data file you have on your computer.

    On the iPad version, you can send any PDF, HTML, Image file, or any document that can be viewed in the iPad web browser (including Microsoft Word, Excel and Powerpoint).