LIFT Aviation Navigator – T1 Knee Board
$94.95
The kneeboard for pilots flying with a tablet. Ballistic nylon, a proper quick-release buckle system, and an integrated mount that takes an iPad mini alongside the included clipboard.
- FIDLOCK quick-adjust buckle fit system
- Over knee leg strap with silicone printed no-slip grip
- Removable Velcro EVA leg pad
- Integrated tablet support, fits up to an iPad mini
- LIFT Aviation acrylic clipboard included
Low cost flat rate shipping anywhere in Canada.
Available on backorder
Description
LIFT Aviation Navigator T1
Most kneeboards are a clipboard with an elastic band stapled to the back. This one is built like a piece of flight kit: ballistic nylon, a quick-release buckle system you can work one handed, and a strap that actually stays where you put it instead of creeping down your thigh over a two hour leg.
It is the board for pilots who have moved to a tablet and are tired of improvising. The integrated mount takes an iPad mini, and the acrylic clipboard is included, so you can run the chart on glass and still write a clearance on paper without choosing between them.
FIDLOCK buckle system
Magnetic quick-adjust buckles that close by feel and release with one hand. Noticeably better than threading a strap through a loop while taxiing.
No-slip leg strap
Over the knee, with silicone printed grip on the inside face. It holds position through turbulence and does not need retightening mid flight.
Removable EVA leg pad
Velcro attached and takes the hard edge off the board against your leg. Comes off when you do not want it.
Tablet support
Integrated, sized up to an iPad mini. A clear PVC document retention strap with a Fidlock closure holds paper underneath.
Is it worth three times the basic board?
For a student flying circuits, no. The basic VFR kneeboard at $28.95 writes on just as well, and we would rather you spent the difference on flying.
It is worth it if you fly often, fly with a tablet, and have found that the cheap board slides, digs in, or forces you to choose between the iPad and your paperwork. Those are specific complaints and this board is built to answer them. If none of them sound familiar, buy the cheap one.
Flying with a tablet in Canada
A tablet is not a substitute for knowing where you are, and it is not permitted in the exam room. Carry the documents the Canadian Aviation Regulations require on board, keep a current paper chart within reach, and treat the glass as the convenience it is rather than the only plan.
That is the practical argument for this board specifically. It holds both. The tablet sits in the mount, the paper sits under the strap, and when the iPad overheats on the glareshield in July you are not reaching into the back seat.
The rest of the range
- VFR Kneeboard, $28.95, the basic aluminium board most students start with
- VFR Tri-Fold, $61.95, three panels for cross country flying with paper
- Long Tri-Fold, $64.95, for full size approach plates
- All four on the pilot kneeboards page, and the rest of the gear in the pilot shop
Questions about the Navigator T1
Will a full size iPad fit?
No. The integrated support is sized up to an iPad mini. A full size iPad on your leg is a lot of board in a light aircraft cockpit anyway, which is part of why the mini is the common choice for kneeboard mounting.
Does the clipboard come with it?
Yes. A LIFT Aviation acrylic clipboard is included as standard, so you can write on paper with the tablet mounted. There is also a clear PVC document retention strap for holding a chart or plate.
What is a FIDLOCK buckle?
A magnetic quick-release buckle. It snaps closed when the two halves come near each other and releases with a sideways pull, so you can fasten and remove the board one handed without looking down. It is the main thing that separates this board from a strap and a clip.
Will it slide down my leg?
That is the problem the silicone printed grip on the leg strap is there to solve, and it is the most common complaint about cheaper boards. It goes over the knee rather than around the thigh, which also helps it stay put.
Can I use it for the flight test?
Yes, though nothing about the test requires a board this capable. Examiners care that you can copy a clearance and work a diversion, not what it is strapped to. If you are buying specifically for the test, the basic board is the sensible purchase.
