Electronic Flight Bag question (iPad)

[Gallinazo]

Hello, many greetings.

Does anyone know if there are any specific regulations (FAA, especially) regarding what type of iPad should be utilized (ie; screen dimensions, iOS, etcetera) for EFB purposes?

Say, an airline starts to certify for EFB, and dictates all its aircrew should obtain iPads. Apart from their whimsy, is there anything that might stop a crew member using an iPad Mini?

Reference, seems okay according to this, but it is a 2012 article (http://www.paperlesscockpit.com/2012/11/ipad-mini-where-are-you/).

Thank you!

[compressor stall]

CASA (Australia) have regulation dictating screen size etc. iPad mini is fine.

The other factor is that your airline needs to justify to its regulator that the EFB is safe to use and does not interfere with aircraft systems. I don't know about Boeing, but Airbus produce a document for each iPad type showing its testing and non interference with aircraft systems. For this they charge a few grand for each operator for each specific iPad model (ie ipad2, iPad Air, iPad air 2, etc). As such you might need to abide by what documentation your company has purchased which in turn limits you to what you could use.

[Skyjob]

It all depends on what you want to do with the iPads and how you will use them.
You must consider connectivity, storage, personal usage of crew etc.
Corporate purchase and governance may be an option.

There are some basic documents which refer to EFB capability, types, classes and so forth that should be read first as a starting point. Search the FAA website for EFB and the circulars will show up. (AC No: 120-76C is a good starting point)

Regarding devices being able to be used, most iPads can be as they are already proven to be effective and decompression tested etc, however you may need to obtain the certificate for that to prove you looked into that or have done the test yourself (expensive).

FAA may require you to be able to exert control to ensure version control of documents, corporate guidance to ensure document validity is maintained during use and so forth...

[Flying Wild]

Hello, many greetings.

Does anyone know if there are any specific regulations (FAA, especially) regarding what type of iPad should be utilized (ie; screen dimensions, iOS, etcetera) for EFB purposes?

Say, an airline starts to certify for EFB, and dictates all its aircrew should obtain iPads. Apart from their whimsy, is there anything that might stop a crew member using an iPad Mini?

Reference, seems okay according to this, but it is a 2012 article (http://www.paperlesscockpit.com/2012/11/ipad-mini-where-are-you/).

Thank you!

You mean a company would seek regulatory approval, then demand flight crew provide their own iPads?! I don't see how that would work, as presumably the iPads would need to contain all company reference docs/charts/plates to allow for the safe conduct of a flight. If people start being able to use their own iPads with who knows what installed on them, how can their device be relied upon? In my airline, the devices are issued by the company and only company approved apps may be installed on them. I feel that is important particularly when we now have no paper reference documents on the aircraft any more.

[Denti]

I wouldn't buy my own iPad for company usage either, but for different reasons. If a company wants to reap the savings possible with an EFB they better fork out for it as well.

However, there is nothing wrong with private use of a company provided EFB approved iPad, provided enough space is left for the EFB apps and only the approved OS version is used. We have a set up like that, company provides iPad Airs and we can install privately used stuff on it. In that case two different itunes IDs are used on that device, the company one for company use and your private one for your own apps. Personally i don't mix business and pleasure, so i still have my own iPad (mini) and use the company iPad only for company use, but i'm in a tiny minority there.

[Gallinazo]

Thank you for the answers and references. Indeed, the airline in question did start out offering to provide the iPads for the EFB, then retracted on that because it was too expensive, exhorting us all to get our own, and they would manage the acquisition of FD Pro for us. What they omitted in their requirement was the specifications (models) of iPads. I got an iPad mini and installed on it said program plus the aircraft and company manuals. It works perfectly well and is completely legible. Then I get informed that my iPad mini was not what they wanted to see.

Regarding Airbus and their documentation on this subject; have they tested and approved the iPad mini? If not, I see the point. If so, how miserly can this airline get in not approving a wider range of acceptable iPad models for their EFB certification process, considering they retracted on providing the one they wanted to "see"?

[oonez]

Denti

How do you do the 'update' on your IPad?