Instructor pilot reported being unable to power on an ipad during a VFR training flight and question...

Attributes
ACN	1382481
Time
Date	201608
Local Time Of Day	0601-1200
Place
Locale Reference	ZZZ.Airport
State Reference	US
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft High Wing 1 Eng Fixed Gear
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	Cruise
Route In Use	Direct
Flight Plan	None
Component
Aircraft Component	Tablet
Person 1
Function	Instructor Pilot Not Flying
Qualification	Flight Crew Flight Engineer Flight Crew Multiengine Flight Crew Instrument Flight Crew Flight Instructor Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 50 Flight Crew Total 15700 Flight Crew Type 7
Events
Anomaly	Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe

Narrative:

This was the third training flight in the owners newly acquired [tail wheel aircraft]. While enroute from landing practice at a nearby airport; I decided to use my ipad to demonstrate some of the features; but I could not get it to turn on. I last used it the evening before when I downloaded the latest charts; airport data; etc. I bought it [over 18 months ago] and had experienced no issues with it. I took it to the [retail] store the next day and the technicians could not get it turned on or operate. It had to be replaced.my concern is that if the ipad was my only source of charts and navigation data it could present a real hazard to safety. Fortunately I was intimately familiar with the area and also had charts and airport directory with me. As more pilots start to depend upon this type of electronic aid; events such as this could present a serious safety hazard.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: Instructor pilot reported being unable to power on an iPad during a VFR training flight and questioned what would happen if the tablet was the sole source of charts and data in flight and failed.

Narrative: This was the third training flight in the owners newly acquired [tail wheel aircraft]. While enroute from landing practice at a nearby airport; I decided to use my iPad to demonstrate some of the features; but I could not get it to turn on. I last used it the evening before when I downloaded the latest charts; airport data; etc. I bought it [over 18 months ago] and had experienced no issues with it. I took it to the [retail] store the next day and the technicians could not get it turned on or operate. It had to be replaced.My concern is that if the iPad was my only source of charts and navigation data it could present a real hazard to safety. Fortunately I was intimately familiar with the area and also had charts and airport directory with me. As more pilots start to depend upon this type of electronic aid; events such as this could present a serious safety hazard.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.

Instructor pilot reported being unable to power on an ipad during a VFR training flight and questioned what would happen if the tablet was the sole source of charts and data in flight and failed.