Lufthansa - do you get a laptop?

[Ray Darr]

This isn't a "Computer Help" posting, and I didn't think "Rumours and News" was appropriate for this. If it should be elsewhere, moderator(s), feel free to transfer it. Thanks.

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My airline needs some laptop-policy direction.

Rumour has it that Lufthansa arranged a bulk-purchase for all pilots to get a top-notched laptop. In return the pilot group gave up one single day off for the year (one day in that first year, not forever!). And that was it - the laptop becomes yours.

With the move towards "paperless" for any company correspondence, manuals, etc, a purchase-plan like this makes lots of sense! Anyone know of this or similar schemes? PM me please as well as leave a message here for the benefit of others too.

Cheers,
Ray Darr

NB: Replies DIRECTLY related to this quest would be appreciated. Thanks.

[Pub User]

Britannia have this arrangement.

As well as all reference material being available on the laptop, they also have a take-off performance calculator, which (we are told) in itself has an overall cost benefit in terms of power reduction and take-off capability, versus the cost of the hardware.

Personally I am very sceptical about the whole thing. Mr Gates will become richer as the airline becomes more IT dependent, and is forced to spend more on IT support and upgrades.

[Daysleeper]

Lufthansas laptops are OK. Dunno bout giving up a day off. What happens when they need upgraded Right thats another day off, more memory another day off?

Laptops can be aquired for very little money by companies, its tax deductable. There are potential cost savings. But there are significant reasons against as well.

On the other hand, paper performance/ops books are hard to break, less likely to be stolen and if you spill your coffee on them they are easy to dry.
They also dont catch viruses from the porn mag in you flight case.
Which is another point. Most companies partition the hard drive so that there is all the company info, performance, ops manuals etc on "C" and "E" is free for personal use. However, there is an issue of liability. Lets say you use your "private" bit of the hard drive to store your illegal MP3 downloads. Then the laptop breaks, back it goes to the company for repair, the repairer reports you to the copyright theft people. So who is liable for the music/films/animal sex mpegs? Its not as clear cut as it first seems.

THen you have to deal with those who refuse to take or carry the laptop.
"its not in my contract" "I dont want to be responsible"
Do you stop in hotels, anticipate having 5% a year stolen from hotel rooms. Then you have to deal with who pays.

Another option is to supply 2 to each aircraft. YOu will need to install a locked steel box in the cockpit as they will go walkies otherwise. However
if you have 20 aircraft then thats 40 laptops rather then 200 if you issue them to individuals.

As for "top notch" remember moores law, They will be scrap in 2 years BYs laptops look like they were used by Noah to calculate his performance pre flood, hmm "captain I can see its a WET runway but what do I put in the option for Pairs of Elephants"

[Ray Darr]

Thanks for the feed-back so-far.

Can anyone go into specific details on what plans different airlines have for the purchases? The pros / cons of going digital are already dealt with...we are moving towards this. But before we are all stuck with using our laptops (or BUYING one, for those that do not have one) I need some hard facts on the actual bulk-purchase experience other airlines have gone through, and I will cite their cases to make this happen. If the costs are as low as this Lufthansa rumour is, then everyone can happily benefit.

We have a few thousand employees and this would bid well if this worked out - but I need some facts on what other airlines are doing.

Thanks.
Ray Darr.

Attn Mods: Would this be better in the "Terms and Endearment" forum? If so, feel free to move it. Thanks!

[Ray Darr]

Thanks again studi for the info.

There must be someone else that has had bulk-purchase experience out here in Aviation Land that can share some of the wealth of knowledge on this matter. Any takers?

Thanks,
R.D.

[airmail]

Ray Darr

There are numerous schemes for organisations who wish for their staff to buy computer equipment. Having read your posts I am unsure as to whether you are looking for an efficient way for your staff to be able to get kit (for their own use but with software loaded that could also help their jobs), or you want to introduce laptops for flight crew to help them in their planning (i.e. you would expect them to be taken on trips etc).

Can you clarify the above and I may be able to help (also, are you a UK based airline?)

airmail

[Ray Darr]

G'day airmail.

I want to drive our airline to introduce laptops for flight crew, as you said to help them in planning. The crew would be able to use them for personal use as well.

I know there are schemes out there for bulk-purchasing, AND other airlines have gone the route of paying fully for the laptops.

My (uphill) task is trying to show the cost benefit of having the company purchase laptops for all the flight crew, and do away with the paper-libraries totally. This means justifying losing the cost of swapping manuals all the darn time...maintaining that department...subscriptions...etc etc vs the paperless-concept for flight-planning (flight-plans, take-off / landing calculations / charts / aircraft manuals / SOP's / various notifications and memos given to the crew / NOTAM's...all of this is also part of the "do you get a laptop?" quest I am after here.

Cleared up a little more?

Oh - to answer your last, this is for a major, but non-uk-based, airline. One that requires SAND-PROOF laptops. :D

Cheers,
Ray Darr

[Left Wing]

Darr,
sent u a PM