Originally Posted by
Capn Bloggs
Only because the regs haven't caught up with the technology. Do you really think it's a good idea to blast off with a made-in-china domestic-grade ipad only with no guarantee an app isn't' going to freeze or otherwise disable it, on an IFR flight, with no backup? You're crazy. Battery failure? Did you check that the latest ios update didn't stuff your Ozrunways/Jepp View?
Sure, they work most of the time; so does the aviation-rated gear in my aeroplane that costs hundreds of thousands of dollars to do the same thing, and with which I cannot fly if some go belly-up, despite what I believe to be adequate backup. As I said, some people need a reality check.
OK, so you think I'm crazy: we'll agree to differ, but Qantas seem to think the same as me. (I thought it was bluetooth but the connection will be WiFi):
Australian airline Qantas has announced that it will be giving its pilots iPads for use during flights.
Qantas has teamed up with mobile provider Telstra to bring more than 2,200 64GB iPads to the cockpit, to enable pilots to access operational information digitally, replacing paper charts, flight plans, manuals and forms for good, reports GeekZone.
Currently, Qantas prints around 18,000 pages a day, a figure that will be reduced to just 3,000 pages with the introduction of iPads. Plus, the weight of the paper on board will drop by 20 kilograms.
Each of the iPads will have two apps that have been developed specifically for use by pilots. One app is for flight charts and the other is developed by Qantas itself for other flight information.
“The revolutionary capabilities of iPad technology, combined with the powerful customised apps, give our pilots the ability to replace cumbersome hard copies – saving time, resources and costs,” said Qantas Technical Pilot, Captain Alex Passerini.
Several other airlines have also been scrapping paper for iPads over the past couple of years, including Alaska Air.
Macworld
IT wasn't so long ago that news Qantas was giving its pilots tablets before they took off would be enough to cause passengers to rush for the emergency exits.
But the flying kangaroo is set to become the world's first airline to issue aircrew with iPads, which they will place in holders inside the cockpit to interact with their aircraft's flight and navigation systems.
Virgin have already introduced wireless tablet entertainment to some passengers while Qantas is trialling iPads through its QStreaming program.
But now aircraft crew will no longer have to lug through the airport heavy cases full of navigation charts, weather information, aircraft manuals, flight plans and forms which they have studied, as all will be available on their third-generation 64-gigabite iPads.
The airline plans to give 2200 pilots the iPads with wireless connectivity, installed with its own Manual Library, Forms & Flight Plan app.
It will also be installed with the Jeppesen Mobile Flight Deck Pro app, providing terminal and route charts designed to work with Boeing aircraft.
Boeing 737 pilots will get iPads first followed by B767, B747, A330 and A380 pilots.
The tablets will cut save $500,000 in printing costs but equally importantly, cut a precious 20kg off the weight carried - in paper - on each flight.
It comes as manufacturer Airbus this week unveiled its own iPad app for pilots, a "Fly Smart with Airbus'' which puts manuals and operating systems designed with work with the specific aircraft - the A320, A321, A330 and A380 in Australia - which the crew will be flying.
Licenses for the "Electronic Flight bag'' app is available exclusively to Airbus customer airlines and have been ordered for its flight test and training crews.
But Qantas has already taken a step ahead and hopes to begin issuing its own iPads by September, subject to approval by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority. Virgin Australia is still examining how well iPads can perform.
Qantas will do simulator tests and trials on flights without passengers will be completed first.
Herald Sun