Use of EFB in helicopter ops

[tecpilot]

Would like to know your experiences/hints/problems with EFBs in helicopter operations.

On the way to the "paperless flight operation" :} (sure we will never see it) some CAAs in Europe allowed the use of EFBs for helicopters not restricted to the big ships or IFR, but also to the smaller types and VFR ops.

It's allowed to have all the needed papers like MEL, FOM, W&B, ..., ..., ... all that stuff on the EFB. To make the flight logs. And it's helpfull to have a www 3g connection while standing outside the base for flight plans, weather checks, ... PPRuNe :ok:

Some of the problems i see,
if we use a class1 EFB, like the Panasonic CF-19 we need a second EFB as backup.
On the most ships there is no safe place or docking gear to fasten the EFBs while flying. In case of an emergency this can be dangerous.

[ShyTorque]

EFB = Electronic Flight Bag.

I still prefer paper docs to an electronic gizmo, simply to avoid having all the eggs in one basket and no power supply to fail.

[birrddog]

I use the best of both.

Electronic flight planner before flight, print out the results so have paper copies (incl. airport and taxi way diagrams for enroute airports/heliports)

Call WxBrief for "manual" report.

Then use a paid for app on my iPhone for flight plans, wx, etc.

Then paper maps, plus the items I printed out on my kneedboard.

[Shawn Coyle]

Do you need a backup if you are only using paper?

[ShyTorque]

Maybe, if you fly with the window open.... ;)

[tecpilot]

In this crazy world of bureaucrats we need allways a backup :mad:
The bureaucrats followed that order since long times and reproduced themselfes again and again and again... and their papers. Now we the pilots have problems to find the right helicopter able to carry all their stuff.

If your helicopter in JAA world isn't equipped with a fire safe bank vault, you need to have all the really indispensible flight papers/flight prep as backup on ground.

And if you have all the really indispensible flight papers on electronics onboard you need the ground copy and 2 equal EFBs on board, if one feels bed with a flat battery :\

The ground copy is allways needed according to my CAA, cause helicopters can burn up and there is nothing to read left.

I don't understand why 2 equals are enough cause there can be flat batteries on both systems. :eek: and i get lost on a remote landing site cause unable to read the last CAA orders.