United replaces 38 lbs of pilot p-books with 1.5 lbs of e-books

[kjk]

And now NFL football players and pilots have something in common:

Every year on every NFL team, the Turk nervously ambles next to players in the locker room, dorm room or cafeteria, his role a designated dream killer whose only job is to signal the death knell to somebody's career.

He delivers two messages: The coach wants to see you, and bring your playbook.

Well, never again in Tampa Bay.

Instead, he'll ask them to bring their iPad.

That's because rather than producing thick periodicals the size of the Yellow Pages, the Bucs have downloaded their playbooks on iPad 2s and distributed them to each of their 90 players.
What's more, players can use the tablet computer to reference video files of games, and practice and situational videos of any NFL team.

[RockdaMan]

I'm pretty sure that the thought of e-documents replacing those dead-tree books occurred well before the iPad became available.

I also find it pretty amazing that a consumer engineered device is tough enough to survive the FAA testing without any adjustments.

[DiapDealer]

Well, never again in Tampa Bay.

Instead, he'll ask them to bring their iPad.

That's because rather than producing thick periodicals the size of the Yellow Pages, the Bucs have downloaded their playbooks on iPad 2s and distributed them to each of their 90 players.
What's more, players can use the tablet computer to reference video files of games, and practice and situational videos of any NFL team.

Anyone else seeing an iPad-gate headline in the near future?

[Skydog]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

The same pilot that flies the same flight, to the same destinations, day after day after day looks at paper approach plates and airport diagrams? Please. ARTCC hands them off to Tower Control where they lock onto the ILS. Once they're a few feet off the runway, they land and apply brakes. There's no scrutinizing of paper charts as part of a routine flight.

Emergencies are another story completely, of course.

You are absolutely wrong.

[Skydog]

Originally Posted by RockdaMan

If we're going to be serious about this...it's been rigorously tested by both the FAA and by the individual airlines. There are links above detailing what was done to test.

No need to worry or to stop flying.

I have been flying with "electronic flight manuals" for several years now and while glare/bright sunlight can be a problem the display is still readable. Conversely, there is a "night" mode rendering the background black with white text and appropriately colored charts.

In all cases, the unit can be removed from the bracket for better positioning out of direct sunlight.

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by Skydog

You are absolutely wrong.

Well there you have it. Someone on the internet is wrong.

[Skydog]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Well there you have it. Someone on the internet is wrong.

Sarcasm is unnecessary as is making completely inaccurate statements.

[Pinecone]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

The same pilot that flies the same flight, to the same destinations, day after day after day looks at paper approach plates and airport diagrams? Please. ARTCC hands them off to Tower Control where they lock onto the ILS. Once they're a few feet off the runway, they land and apply brakes. There's no scrutinizing of paper charts as part of a routine flight.

Emergencies are another story completely, of course.

How many hours and ratings do you do you have?

Ariline pilots brief EVERY approach as if it were being flown to minimums.

[Pinecone]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

I realize they're old, but it doesn't take rocket science to retrofit a small PC.

Why would they? What would a PC do for operation of the airplane?

Yes, there are a number fo computers in modern aircraft, and even more in mo=dern avionics, but not general purpose PC like computers.

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by Skydog

Sarcasm is unnecessary as is making completely inaccurate statements.

Almost as unnecessary as making blanket statements of "wrong!" with absolutely no clarification of any kind.

Just so I understand... you're saying that the pilot of a commercial flight (the pilot... not the copilot or any other member of the flight staff) flying his regular red-eye from ANC to DEN has hard-copy approach plates and airport diagrams in his lap and checking them every time he makes that particular run? Does he use his E6-B on every flight, too?

[RockdaMan]

A quick Google search for Plane and Pilot magazine tells me that aviators are generally happy with using the device in the cockpit.

If you’re already a subscriber of the paper version, you might want to head out to buy an iPad, because even the $500 low-end model will radically change your cross-country piloting experience.

[Pinecone]

There have been other devices available before.

But the FAA had not approved any devices to replace carrying the paper materials.

The FAA has not approved just the iPad, but the whole concept of having ONLY electronic versions in the cockpit.

The iPad is just one such device that can be used.

[Skydog]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Almost as unnecessary as making blanket statements of "wrong!" with absolutely no clarification of any kind.

Just so I understand... you're saying that the pilot of a commercial flight (the pilot... not the copilot or any other member of the flight staff) flying his regular red-eye from ANC to DEN has hard-copy approach plates and airport diagrams in his lap and checking them every time he makes that particular run? Does he use his E6-B on every flight, too?

First, the cockpit crew is not referred to as "the pilot" and "the copilot" -- all individuals on the flight deck are fully qualified pilots. Common error made by the general public. The correct terminology is Captain and First Officer.

And (to respond to your smart-alec, childish comment) yes, every professional airline pilot (either the captain or first officer, depending on who is flying the leg) reviews and briefs the crew for each and every approach, landing and taxi routes at every airport every time. This is required by all airline operations and the FAA. And this is not exclusive to airline pilots -- this includes all professional pilots.

[Skydog]

Originally Posted by Pinecone

There have been other devices available before.

But the FAA had not approved any devices to replace carrying the paper materials.

The FAA has not approved just the iPad, but the whole concept of having ONLY electronic versions in the cockpit.

The iPad is just one such device that can be used.

Electronic devices in airline cockpits, more commonly referred to as EFBs (Electronic Flight Bags), have been in use for some years now -- I know because I have been using them. Announcement of iPad authorization is simply an addition to existing devices.

[WT Sharpe]

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