ipad

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    Several AA Flights Delayed Due to Third-Party iPad App Glitch

    American AirlinesSeveral American Airlines flights had to be grounded on April 28 due to a software glitch in pilot iPads.

    The airline has been using Apple’s tablets since 2012 as a replacement of conventional flight bags and manuals for pilots. However, the recent glitch in a third-party iPad application delayed several flights.

    An airline spokesperson was quoted saying, “We experienced technical issues with an application installed on some pilot iPads…This issue was with the third-party application, not the iPad, and caused some departure delays last night and this morning…Our pilots have been able to address the issue by downloading the application again at the gate prior to take-off and, as a back-up, are able to rely on paper charts they can obtain at the airport…We apologise for the inconvenience to our customers.”

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    United Airlines Launches Paperless Flight Deck With iPad

    FIRST NETWORK CARRIER TO INTRODUCE PAPERLESS AERONAUTICAL NAVIGATION CHARTS; MOVE ENHANCES EFFICIENCY, SAVES FUEL, IMPROVES SAFETY

    CHICAGO, Aug. 23, 2011 — United Continental Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: UAL) today announced that it is converting to paperless flight decks and deploying 11,000 iPads to all United and Continental pilots. The electronic flight bags (EFB) replace paper flight manuals, and as a first for major network carriers, provide pilots with paperless aeronautical navigational charts through an iPad app. Distribution of iPads began earlier this month, and all pilots will have them by year end.  

    “The paperless flight deck represents the next generation of flying,” said Captain Fred Abbott, United’s senior vice president of flight operations. “The introduction of iPads ensures our pilots have essential and real-time information at their fingertips at all times throughout the flight.”

    Navigational Charting App Breaks New Ground

    The iPads are loaded with Jeppesen Mobile FliteDeck, the industry’s premier app featuring interactive, data-driven enroute navigation information and worldwide geo-referenced terminal charts. The enhanced full-color, high-quality information display ensures the right information is displayed at the right time.

     

    “We are proud to partner with United Airlines on a project of this magnitude with Jeppesen Mobile FliteDeck,” said Mark Van Tine, president and CEO of Jeppesen. “Jeppesen and United share a long and storied history that includes development of numerous innovations for the aviation industry. We look forward to continuing this partnership in integrating our digital mobile solutions that increase efficiency, reduce costs and optimize operations.”    

     

    Saving 16 Million Sheets of Paper and 326,000 Gallons of Jet Fuel a Year

    Each iPad, which weighs less than 1.5 pounds, will replace approximately 38 pounds of paper operating manuals, navigation charts, reference handbooks, flight checklists, logbooks and weather information in a pilot’s flight bag. A conventional flight bag full of paper materials contains an average of 12,000 sheets of paper per pilot. The green benefits of moving to EFBs are two-fold—it significantly reduces paper use and printing, and, in turn, reduces fuel consumption. The airline projects EFBs will save nearly 16 million sheets of paper a year which is equivalent to more than 1,900 trees not cut down. Saving 326,000 gallons of jet fuel a year reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 3,208 metric tons.

     

    iPad Improves Efficiency and Safety

    With iPad, pilots are able to quickly and efficiently access reference material without having to thumb through thousands of sheets of paper and reduce clutter on the flight deck. United and Continental pilots’ work will be streamlined as they can immediately download updates on iPad to their electronic flight materials, rather than waiting for paper updates to be printed and distributed. In addition, by eliminating bulky flight bags loaded with paper, pilots will have less to lift and carry through airports and onboard the aircraft, reducing the risk of injury while on duty.

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    Jeppesen and Executive Jet Management Collaborate to Gain FAA Authorization for Use of Jeppesen Charts on iPad

    ENGLEWOOD, Colo., Feb. 11, 2011 — Jeppesen today announced that Executive Jet Management has received authorization from the Federal Aviation Administration to use the Jeppesen Mobile TC App for iPad as an alternative to paper aeronautical charts. The authorization allows Executive Jet Management to use iPad and the Jeppesen Mobile TC App as the sole reference for electronic charts, even during taxi, takeoff and landing. Executive Jet Management, a wholly owned subsidiary of NetJets Inc., is a leading provider of worldwide jet charter and aircraft management services.

    This announcement is a result of a three-month extensive in-flight evaluation managed by Executive Jet Management and Jeppesen with regular engagement of the FAA (including local and national Electronic Flight Bag authorization authorities). The cross-industry collaboration sets an important precedent for the aviation community. Lessons learned, processes established, and templates developed during this project may benefit other companies seeking to deploy EFB solutions on iPad.
    “The exceptional collaboration between operator, supplier and the FAA was remarkable,” said Mark Van Tine, Jeppesen president and chief executive officer. “This serves as a model for how the FAA can be engaged in working through a challenge and defining a solution that moves the industry forward safely and efficiently. Executive Jet Management’s role was critical to the success of this project. They possess the necessary skills, credibility and EFB experience to help all parties understand, from an operator’s perspective, the unique issues and benefits related to using iPad in flight.”

    The Jeppesen Mobile TC App and iPad were thoroughly evaluated by Executive Jet Management pilots who logged more than 250 flight segments. Pilots participating in the evaluation reported that they were particularly pleased with the App’s ease of use, simplicity to manage, speed and display clarity. As a result of the full analysis, enhancements to crew procedures, training updates and software improvements were included in the Jeppesen Mobile TC App version 1.2, released last month.
    The authorized EFB configuration is a Class 1 portable, kneeboard EFB solution that is secured and viewable during critical phases of flight as defined in FAA Order 8900.1. Information obtained from this evaluation will also be useful in gaining future authorization for Class 2 mounted configurations utilizing iPad.

    “Executive Jet Management was pleased to collaborate with Jeppesen and the FAA on this leading-edge iPad EFB solution and to support the introduction of this technology to the industry,” said Executive Jet Management President Robert Garrymore. “The collaboration with Jeppesen and the FAA was key in making this innovation possible and we are proud to be a part of it.”
    In support of the authorization effort:

    A total of 55 pilots and 10 different aircraft types from the Executive Jet Management fleet were involved in 250 flight segments to ensure a broad scope of feedback
    Jeppesen commissioned a successful rapid decompression test on iPad to 51,000 feet in altitude
    Executive Jet Management completed successful non-interference testing on the evaluation aircraft
    The project followed established FAA EFB authorization requirements applicable to an air carrier

    For more information on the Jeppesen Mobile TC App, please visit www.jeppesen.com/jeppesen-mobile-tc.