‘Electronic Flight Bags’: Air Force Wants Tablets in the Cockpit Too
- Posted on February 9, 2012 at 8:58pm by
Liz Klimas
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With the first commercial airlines beginning to bring iPads into the cockpit to replace loads paperwork consisting maps and charts, the U.S. Air Force is seeking to cut down on bulky binders too.
Popular Science reports that the Air Force will be buying up to 18,000 iPad 2s or a similar, equivalent tablet, which is it calling “electronic flight bags”:
“Moving from a paper-based to an electronically-based flight publication system will not only enhance operational effectiveness, it can also save the Department of Defense time and money,” Maj. Gen. Rick Martin, the director of operations for the Air Mobility Command, said in a statement.
In Dec. 2011, American Airlines was approved as the first airline by the FAA to cut out carrying the 40 pounds of paper work by using the iPads. In doing so, it expects to save up to $1 million on fuel each year by reducing the weight. Popular Science reports that Air Force flight binders can weigh up to 70 pounds and time is often wasting updating charts every 28 days.
The military has been testing the tablet at Travis Air Force Base in California for use in C-5 Galaxy and C-17 Globemaster. Popular Science also notes that nearly 3,000 tablets will be used by Air Force Special Ops Command crews.
Update: This post was updated to include that the Air Force is considering all devices that meet its requirements, not just the iPad. An Air Force spokesperson said in an email “AMC’s request for proposals will solicit offers from any vendors who can meet the requirements, as they are entitled to a fair and open competition. Once the RFP closes, all offers on the table will be considered, and the right decision will be made for AMC’s mission. Until then, any reference to a brand decision is inaccurate and premature.”
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Comments (48)
nivek
Posted on February 10, 2012 at 10:08amDoesn’t this prove that electronic devices would have no effect on commercial flights?
Report Post »miren
Posted on February 10, 2012 at 10:22amAll the data and history goes to the Apple information bank. So much for secret missions.
Report Post »Ruler4You
Posted on February 10, 2012 at 11:22amenhance operational effectiveness “IS” flyboy jargon for “mental break” or “relax”.
Report Post »liberalsarealiens
Posted on February 10, 2012 at 9:19amI hate all the revisions. Put 3 in each aircraft and go I say! However I would much rather have it all integraded into the cocpit. For a hard copy backup just put the gov. issue charts in the place where your Jepps used to be. Cheap, out of the way and there if and when needed.
Report Post »cyclops
Posted on February 10, 2012 at 10:06amIntergration into the cockpit’s console makes sense. You might have an idea there…..
Report Post »Gladsheim
Posted on February 10, 2012 at 9:17amI do not understand how AMC could be test driving an IPAD for EFB. IPAD is not FIPS 140-2 compliant. Loading any information on this device that is not available for full and public release is a violation of the Air Force’s Data At Rest Policy.
Report Post »BOMUSTGO
Posted on February 10, 2012 at 7:28amMy last duty station while in the USAF, was at a F-111 base in New Mexico. I took aviation ground school at the local college (back in 1992).In the class was a F-111 navigator/WSO as well. He bought a personal GPS device to use while flying in the F-111.
Report Post »BOMUSTGO
Posted on February 10, 2012 at 7:23amRemember the movie “1941” where the opening scene is a P-40 flying and John Belushi is lost and trying to figure out where he is on a big map,The camera pans out and we see he is flying over the Grand Canyon.He could of used one of thos IPADS or just looked out the cockpit window.
Report Post »Legal Immigrant
Posted on February 10, 2012 at 6:13amEMP.
You fly blind skyboy.
No substitute for paper map.
Now. Flying can be boring. Angry birds at 45 000 enroute to opening up a can o’ whupass is another thing. :D
Report Post »Captain Morgan
Posted on February 10, 2012 at 2:47amOur company will be using them soon. and updates with at push of a button, aaahh no more Jepp updates. Did I mention no more updates.
TXPilot
Posted on February 10, 2012 at 1:49amSorry, no computer toy for me. I want to continue using my Jepp’s, because they won’t break if you drop them, they don’t have a battery to run down, and I enjoy watching the co-pilot get irritated every time he has to sit down and update them.
Report Post »cyclops
Posted on February 10, 2012 at 9:59amBe nice now to your co-pilot……………….LOL!!!!!!
Report Post »markdido
Posted on February 10, 2012 at 12:12amSo lemme get this straight.
The pilots can have iPads mere inches from all that delicate electronic equipment, but the guy in 27C playing Angry Birds on his iPhone is going to crash the aircraft?
Report Post »Marci
Posted on February 10, 2012 at 12:54amExactly what I was thinking Markdido….and what happens when it crashes? It‘s kind of like the generation that can’t count money back because the register does it for them…..
Report Post »ILOVEBACON
Posted on February 10, 2012 at 2:01amLimiting the usage of electronic devices is not the result of the airlines, rather the fed.
Report Post »KangarooJack
Posted on February 9, 2012 at 11:45pmHmm, so the Air Force is intent upon removing ANYTHING having to do with a Judeo/Christian God…yet, an IPad is a must?
Report Post »The_Jerk
Posted on February 9, 2012 at 11:09pmAir Force pilots need pictures. Without them they couldn’t find the front of the airplane from the back. Navy wings are made of gold and Air Force wings are made of lead.
Report Post »single stack
Posted on February 10, 2012 at 10:59amWhen you get out of the Navy you leave your buddy’s behind.
Report Post »Dismayed Veteran
Posted on February 10, 2012 at 11:52amBut if you really want to be a pilot join the Army. The Army has more pilot slots.
Report Post »Glockfan19
Posted on February 9, 2012 at 11:08pmWhy IPads? Guess D’OHbama made a deatbed promise to Steve Jobs that for his past political support, he’ll (D’OHbama) will support future Apple products during his regime.. Everybody knows Android is a much better design and available system. Hopefully a Conservative President and Congress will repair this problem starting January 2013.
Report Post »Charles
Posted on February 9, 2012 at 11:01pmOops! Dropped the ipad and we’re sol! Hard copies. Gotta have them in critical situations
Report Post »DeOppressoLiber
Posted on February 9, 2012 at 10:50pmWhats funny is these guys will conduct low level combat missions and drop supplies and troops while flying, navigating, talking to the ground troops, avoiding ground fire, and working the IPAD. Multi tasking at its best. Then they will get a ticket if the use their IPHONE while driving on base. I never understood the USAF.
Report Post »tzion
Posted on February 9, 2012 at 10:38pmIn 2 years someone will decide to design something to do the same job that’s specifically designed for plane use.
Report Post »US-First
Posted on February 9, 2012 at 10:37pmSomeone please explain. Instead of increasing Apple stock and basically brainwashing new generations of flight crews to Apple devices, why aren’t flight bags done away with altogether. Why should the bag go with the pilot in the form of an iPad? Planes cockpits should be updated to include access and updating to the pilots flight records as needed. Clearly the iPad is not going to be the notebook but the device to access the notebook remotely. SO the plane should do it not the iPad. Of course I see the use for this for private planes but not for commercial and especially not in military!
Report Post »ILOVEBACON
Posted on February 10, 2012 at 2:14amThe iPad may not deserve a place in military cockpit, but sometimes we don’t need to buy a car when a simple oil change will do.
Report Post »seeker9
Posted on February 9, 2012 at 10:06pmAs an AAPL shareholder, they need at least 2, one primary and one backup! (What a great day to be a shareholder, up $18. I can see a new Lexus from my house).
Report Post »godhatesacoward
Posted on February 9, 2012 at 10:01pmI’m all for the latest tech gadget but that is all it is. If you do not have a hard copy of your plans you will regret it!
Report Post »USAMEDIC3008
Posted on February 9, 2012 at 11:15pmI still like the low tech gear
Report Post »Back in 1977 I picked up a USAF Jetset skirt for my Wife
You know the one, Just long enough to cover the cockpit…
Dinkiecb
Posted on February 9, 2012 at 9:44pmHaven‘t crashed yet for having MY cell phone on during take off’s and landings…gee wonder why..
Report Post »Do The Right Thing
Posted on February 9, 2012 at 9:34pmI spent enough years as a flight engineer to know this is a good thing, flight pubs can be maintained in the aircraft on board library, as well as the -1, in hard copy. For common use, an electronically updated set of manuals and regs would have been a blessing!!!
Report Post »ILOVEBACON
Posted on February 10, 2012 at 2:17amExactly
Report Post »CatB
Posted on February 9, 2012 at 9:24pmDidn’t we just hear that solar flares could render electronics useless?…. paper maps and charts would not be. I guess since the whole aircraft is electronics .. it won’t matter.
Report Post »Quiata
Posted on February 10, 2012 at 8:00amSolar flares, EMPs, and whatever else threatens delicate electronics. What is the backup plan?
Report Post »DirtyDeeds
Posted on February 9, 2012 at 9:23pmSo when it slides off of your lap when you maneuver and it goes under your seat you loose your chart, your approach plates and your porn. “Hey, Eng! Can you get my IPad it fell down again.”
Report Post »DirtyDeeds
Posted on February 9, 2012 at 9:26pmIPads are an incredibly dumb idea unless you fly strat-airlift.
Report Post »Joey8
Posted on February 9, 2012 at 9:39pmthey’ll be using docks…
Report Post »The-Monk
Posted on February 9, 2012 at 9:14pmCan’t these things be hacked and the data (maps) be changed? Not a good idea.
Report Post »colascguy
Posted on February 9, 2012 at 9:11pmSo how do you hand corrupt map data or worse an EMP
Report Post »seeker9
Posted on February 10, 2012 at 12:13amIf there was an EMP, the iPad would be least of their worries. No radio, navigation, etc.
Report Post »jetblast3500
Posted on February 10, 2012 at 12:42pmThe engines would also stop working.
Report Post »Bart in OKC
Posted on February 9, 2012 at 9:11pmWill they be on during take-off and landing??? If so, no matter how left leaning liberal and pathetic Alec Baldwin is, he was RIGHT this whole time!!!!
The airline industry is a joke!!!
Report Post »FLYOVERSTATEIOWA
Posted on February 9, 2012 at 9:26pmexactly! Will they be able to have them on during takeoff? Will they be able to use the WIFI for free? Or will they have to pay the extra 25$ each flight?
Report Post »tom
Posted on February 9, 2012 at 10:36pmSome people just don’t get it. It’s not the airlines, it the government via Federal Aviation Regulations that mandate that all electronic devices have to be turned off. The airlines have to comply with the federal regulation or get fined!
Report Post »ILOVEBACON
Posted on February 10, 2012 at 2:19amThe fed is responsible for shutting your phone off for take off and landing
Report Post »BOMUSTGO
Posted on February 10, 2012 at 7:33amI don’t know if it is true or not?? I was told that the real reason they don’t want you to use a cell phone in flight is that you are being passed from one tower to the next so quickly that it is too hard to track you for billing purposes..It’s all about the $$$$$$.
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