WSJ: IPads Help Airlines Cast Off Costly Load of Paper
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WSJ: IPads Help Airlines Cast Off Costly Load of Paper
In the Cockpit, Navigation Charts Go Digital; American Sees $1.2 Million in Fuel Savings
Do people foresee any new interesting failure modes? Coffee spills? Virus that modifies approach charts? Both ipads dead and nonchargeable? Turbulence smashed my ipad?
In an environment where everything from pilot-seats to microwave ovens is custom designed it was interesting to see that a commodity piece of hardware could qualify. Are these ipads specially modded in any way to aviation harden them?
Also, if electronic charts are the way forward, is there any push by the aircraft manufacturers to integrate this function into their avionics? Or does an independent device boost reliability.
Is there a reason why they have ipad-ized Jeppsons but not the QRH? Or just a project in progress?
"Airline pilots, who fly some of the world's most technologically advanced machines, have long relied on paper navigation charts and manuals, which clutter the cockpit and have to be lugged around in cases that can weigh as much as a small child.
Now, however, airlines are catching up with the tablet era.
JetBlue Airways Corp. said Wednesday that it has received regulatory clearance to provide its 2,500 pilots with Apple Inc. iPads that will store digital copies of the heavy paper manuals they refer to during flights.
Earlier this week, AMR Corp.'s American Airlines said its 8,000 pilots had largely gone paperless now that the carrier has completed the rollout of its own iPad program.
By storing manuals and navigation charts on iPads, American figures it has eliminated 3,000 pages of paper per pilot.
The volume of paper traditionally required by cockpit crews is almost overwhelming in the confines of a cockpit.
Before the start of a flight, pilots typically remove the necessary papers from their bags and affix them to clipboards, a process they call "building the nest."
When plans changed, the pilots had to root around for the necessary charts in leather flight bags so heavy—often more than 35 pounds—that toting them around was one of American's biggest sources of pilot injuries, said Capt. Jim Kaiser, the carrier's managing director of flight operations.
American estimates that removing the bags from all its planes saves about 400,000 gallons of fuel annually, worth $1.2 million at current prices.
Capt. Jim Freeman, a senior Alaska Airlines pilot who has led his airline's iPad project, said having the approach plates, arrival charts and runway diagrams available at the touch of a tablet is a lot quicker and more user-friendly.
"It's about information management, the human factors of managing charts," he said. The change helps pilots be "safe and compliant" and helps the airline run a "better business."............."
Do people foresee any new interesting failure modes? Coffee spills? Virus that modifies approach charts? Both ipads dead and nonchargeable? Turbulence smashed my ipad?
In an environment where everything from pilot-seats to microwave ovens is custom designed it was interesting to see that a commodity piece of hardware could qualify. Are these ipads specially modded in any way to aviation harden them?
Also, if electronic charts are the way forward, is there any push by the aircraft manufacturers to integrate this function into their avionics? Or does an independent device boost reliability.
Is there a reason why they have ipad-ized Jeppsons but not the QRH? Or just a project in progress?
"Airline pilots, who fly some of the world's most technologically advanced machines, have long relied on paper navigation charts and manuals, which clutter the cockpit and have to be lugged around in cases that can weigh as much as a small child.
Now, however, airlines are catching up with the tablet era.
JetBlue Airways Corp. said Wednesday that it has received regulatory clearance to provide its 2,500 pilots with Apple Inc. iPads that will store digital copies of the heavy paper manuals they refer to during flights.
Earlier this week, AMR Corp.'s American Airlines said its 8,000 pilots had largely gone paperless now that the carrier has completed the rollout of its own iPad program.
By storing manuals and navigation charts on iPads, American figures it has eliminated 3,000 pages of paper per pilot.
The volume of paper traditionally required by cockpit crews is almost overwhelming in the confines of a cockpit.
Before the start of a flight, pilots typically remove the necessary papers from their bags and affix them to clipboards, a process they call "building the nest."
When plans changed, the pilots had to root around for the necessary charts in leather flight bags so heavy—often more than 35 pounds—that toting them around was one of American's biggest sources of pilot injuries, said Capt. Jim Kaiser, the carrier's managing director of flight operations.
American estimates that removing the bags from all its planes saves about 400,000 gallons of fuel annually, worth $1.2 million at current prices.
Capt. Jim Freeman, a senior Alaska Airlines pilot who has led his airline's iPad project, said having the approach plates, arrival charts and runway diagrams available at the touch of a tablet is a lot quicker and more user-friendly.
"It's about information management, the human factors of managing charts," he said. The change helps pilots be "safe and compliant" and helps the airline run a "better business."............."
Last edited by ross_M; 27th Jun 2013 at 06:15.
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Especially the last point is quite easily done on an EFB Class II. In the simulator we do not even carry a paper QRH anymore, since not the complete fleet is yet changed over to Class II we still have to carry paper QRHs on the real airplanes, but do not use them anymore.
EFB non-normal checklists are much easier to use, especially those that send one to other checklists and use decision step point procedures since they are hyperlinked and a touch of the finger sends one to the correct procedure step.
But then, paper charts and manuals have been a thing of the past for over 10 years now over here, no need for an iPad to make that happen, although most of us carry our private iPad.
EFB non-normal checklists are much easier to use, especially those that send one to other checklists and use decision step point procedures since they are hyperlinked and a touch of the finger sends one to the correct procedure step.
But then, paper charts and manuals have been a thing of the past for over 10 years now over here, no need for an iPad to make that happen, although most of us carry our private iPad.
Last edited by Denti; 27th Jun 2013 at 08:50.
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So these new ipads the article extols, would they be EFB Class 2?
From @denti's post this seems not so novel, so is there any FAA related development here or merely two fleets adopting technology that's already authorized for a while.
From @denti's post this seems not so novel, so is there any FAA related development here or merely two fleets adopting technology that's already authorized for a while.
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Don't think the iPad can currently be certified as Class II, so it would be a Class I device. Even that is not exactly new, the only new thing is the "sexy" iPad as enduser device.
It seems the FAA may be about to allow them to stay on for takeoff and landing.
From FSINFO.org:
So for those of you (flyingchanges) who don't turn them off, merely turn the screen off, you can continue doing that.
It also means that the pilots who couldn't brief a different approach at low level because their gizmos were off may now be allowed to do so. Electronic QRHs at 1500ft, anyone?
From FSINFO.org:
Airline passengers irritated at having to turn off their devices could soon see some reprieve, with regulators set to allow wider use of gadgets in flight.
The Federal Aviation Administration is expected to relax the ban on using some types of personal-electronic devices at low altitudes, allowing passengers leeway during taxiing and even takeoffs and landings, according to industry officials and draft recommendations prepared by a high-level advisory panel to the agency.
The FAA is expected to relax rules for some types of electronic devices at low altitudes. Above, a passenger checks his phone before exiting the plane at Long Beach, Calif., airport in 2012.
For fliers, the new rules would likely mean an end to familiar admonitions to turn off and stow all electronic devices. Cellphone calls are expected to remain off limits, however. The draft doesn't make any recommendations regarding phone use because the FAA didn't authorize the panel to delve into that particularly controversial area.
The Federal Aviation Administration is expected to relax the ban on using some types of personal-electronic devices at low altitudes, allowing passengers leeway during taxiing and even takeoffs and landings, according to industry officials and draft recommendations prepared by a high-level advisory panel to the agency.
The FAA is expected to relax rules for some types of electronic devices at low altitudes. Above, a passenger checks his phone before exiting the plane at Long Beach, Calif., airport in 2012.
For fliers, the new rules would likely mean an end to familiar admonitions to turn off and stow all electronic devices. Cellphone calls are expected to remain off limits, however. The draft doesn't make any recommendations regarding phone use because the FAA didn't authorize the panel to delve into that particularly controversial area.
It also means that the pilots who couldn't brief a different approach at low level because their gizmos were off may now be allowed to do so. Electronic QRHs at 1500ft, anyone?
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I do not turn mine off because it is an approved device from gate to gate. Even though yours may be identical, it is probably not approved from gate to gate. As a passenger, I turn it off when appropriate.
Last edited by flyingchanges; 28th Jun 2013 at 01:28.
In that case, obviously the FAA (assuming you're a yank) thinks they're OK (assuming ipads are all equal), just not quite yet for the masses to have on all the time. I also assume you do not have the cellular version so cannot inadvertently leave it on in the "on", data mode.
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What just kills me is how the pilots believe this stuff. Here we have billion dollar companies that tell the pilots if they take the pillows off the planes it will save $150k a year or something, really making a difference, make or break.
The cost of a set of Jepps vs the cost of an IPAD and a Jepp Subscription is pretty much what American could negotiate with Jepp. Now when you consider how many IPADs have been broken, dropped, had coffee spilled on them, needed a repair etc...
The big plus is not having to carry paper, probably less back surgeries.
The cost of a set of Jepps vs the cost of an IPAD and a Jepp Subscription is pretty much what American could negotiate with Jepp. Now when you consider how many IPADs have been broken, dropped, had coffee spilled on them, needed a repair etc...
The big plus is not having to carry paper, probably less back surgeries.
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i pads in a technical environment
For what it's worth..
.. the issue of i Pads to Siemens wind turbine technicians has revolutionized our service work, instant access to detailed tech instructions/drawings, service schedules, communication/networking, it is a quantum leap from our old [10 mins to start/shut down due to corporate security] windows laptops being light, robust and very, very useable.
.. the issue of i Pads to Siemens wind turbine technicians has revolutionized our service work, instant access to detailed tech instructions/drawings, service schedules, communication/networking, it is a quantum leap from our old [10 mins to start/shut down due to corporate security] windows laptops being light, robust and very, very useable.
Just a question but how are the various airlines powering these Ipads during flight. We are in early stages of introducing Ipads to a fleet of B777/A330/B737/E190 aircraft.
737 is prohibited from using the power supply behind the FO so it will be an issue on the longer days/ sectors.
737 is prohibited from using the power supply behind the FO so it will be an issue on the longer days/ sectors.
Ad Astra, you'd be hard-pressed to run a fully-charged ipad out of juice in a day, unless you're watching movies...
Last edited by Capn Bloggs; 29th Jun 2013 at 04:21. Reason: Grammar.
