Posted on 04/29/2015 1:42:41 AM PDT by Mad Dawgg
Several American Airlines flights were delayed Tuesday night after a software glitch occurred in the Apple iPads provided to pilots, forcing authorities to return planes to the gates to fix the malfunction, the Verge reported. The affected flights reportedly included AA2413, AA2276, AA1654, AA235 and AA128.
Passengers were reportedly asked to exit the aircraft. American Airlines first confirmed the issue to a passenger, named Bill Jacaruso, who was traveling to Austin from Dallas/Fort Worth airport on flight AA1654.
“Some flights are experiencing an issue with a software application on pilot iPads,” Andrea Huguely, a spokeswoman for the American Airlines, told the Verge. “In some cases, the flight has had to return to the gate to access a Wi-Fi connection to fix the issue. We apologize for the inconvenience to our customers. We are working to have them on the way to their destination as soon as possible.”
Another representative for the airline said that the issue, which had affected "a few dozen flights," had been identified and that a fix was being worked on.
(Excerpt) Read more at ibtimes.com ...
Just as for a ship’s captain, having charts “in your head” is a stupid idea.
The apps are not the issue - the updates are for content. Aviation charts change very often.
How did professional Airline pilots get to a point where the can't fly a plane without a handheld widget?
It just boggles the mind...
I looked up the info on that and see that American Airlines updated to iPads a while back ... :-) ...
The amazing thing is that just by doing that, they save ONE MILLION DOLLARS in fuel!
American Airlines also has a big facility in Tulsa, where I’m at.
— — —
American Airlines Drops Flight Manuals For iPads
American Airlines has now ditched heavy flight manuals and become the first major commercial carrier to introduce iPads to all of its cockpits in a move that is expected to save more than $1 million in fuel costs every year.
The company first began piloting (get it?) the scheme back in April, when it used Apple’s device alongside traditional paper manuals, which typically weigh around 35 pounds. Now those manuals have been phased out completely in favor of digital versions.
iPads are now fitted inside American’s Boeing 777, 767, 757, 737, and MD-80 aircraft. Not only are they significantly lighter than the paper flight manuals at under two pounds, but they also offers plenty of advantages, such as quicker updates.
“Our Electronic Flight Bag program has a significant positive environmental and cost-savings impact,” said David Campbell, American’s Vice President of Safety and Operations Performance. “In fact, removing the kitbag from all of our planes saves a minimum of 400,000 gallons and $1.2 million of fuel annually based on current fuel prices.”
“Additionally, each of the more than 8,000 iPads we have deployed to date replaces more than 3,000 pages of paper previously carried by every active pilot and instructor,” Campbell continued. “Altogether, 24 million pages of paper documents have been eliminated.”
American also announced that beginning July 10, American Eagle Airlines pilots will also have the opportunity to replace traditional flight manuals with iPads, making it one of the first regional carriers to do so.
Before the iPad, they couldn’t get by without having more than 3,000 printed pages by each active pilot and instructor ... LOL ...
I used to fly my own plane, carrying along my pile of charts. Haven’t flown in a private craft since 1985. Last year I took a hop to one of the Maine islands - a 15 minute trip. Sure enough, the pilot had a tablet mounted on the yoke. Really neat.
Cool Things: American Airlines Pilot Shows Off iPad in the Cockpit
http://ipadinsight.com/cool-things/cool-things-american-airlines-pilot-shows-off-ipad-in-the-cockpit/
[Video by American Airlines Pilot in the cockpit of his plane demonstrating it ... at link ...]
We’ve known for some time about American Airlines’ plans to use iPads as electronic flightbags, but all the previous articles I’ve seen have been third party reports. Today I spotted a TUAW post that linked a video where an American Airlines pilot who’s been involved in the program talks about how the iPad is being used in the cockpit.
And he’s full of enthusiasm about the iPad replacing 30 to 40 pounds of traditional printed manuals. He calls it fantastic and also says this about the program:
This is huge, it’s a big step up for us.
It’s a shame nobody told this guy that the iPad is just for watching movies and playing games. Check out the video to see how excited American is about the iPads getting into the cockpit:
FAA OKS IPAD FOR PILOTS’ CHARTS
http://www.wired.com/2011/02/faa-ipad/
From the earliest days of aviation, pilots have relied upon paper maps to help find their way. Even in an era of GPS and advanced avionics, you still see pilots lugging around 20 pounds or more of charts. But those days are numbered, because maps are giving way to iPads.
The Federal Aviation Administration is allowing charter company Executive Jet Management to use Apple’s tablet as an approved alternative to paper charts. The authorization follows three months of rigorous testing and evaluation of the iPad and Mobile TC, a map app developed by aviation chartmaker Jeppesen.
The latest decision applies only to Executive Jet Management, but it has implications for all of aviation. By allowing the company’s pilots to use the Apple iPad as a primary source of information, the FAA is acknowledging the potential for consumer tablets to become avionics instruments.
The iPad has been popular with pilots of all types since its introduction last year. But until now, it could not be used in place of traditional paper charts or FAA-approved devices such as more expensive, purpose-built electronic flight bags. The iPad was OK for reference, but not as a pilot’s sole source of information. The new FAA authorization changes all that.
To receive FAA authorization, Jeppesen and Executive Jet Management went through a rigorous approval process. It included rapid-decompression testing from a simulated altitude of 51,000 feet and ensuring the tablet will not interfere with critical navigation or electronic equipment.
United Pilots Get iPad Flight Manuals
http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/08/23/united-airlines-to-give-all-pilots-ipad-flight-manuals/
United Airlines said on Tuesday that it would give iPads to the 11,000 pilots who fly United and Continental Airlines planes. The new iPads are being labeled electronic flight bags, or E.F.B., and the airline said they would completely replace the pilot’s paper flight manuals.
In a press release issued by United, the airline said that it began testing iPads as flight manuals for pilots earlier this year. Seeing benefits over paper, it now plans to distribute the tablets to all of its pilots by the end of the year. The E.F.B.’s will include aeronautical navigational charts, flight log information and other pertinent flight plan information for the pilots to access during the flight.
Two other major airlines, Alaska Air and Delta, have already deployed iPads.
The difference between the paper manuals and the new iPad version is staggering. Current paper flight manuals, which a pilot needs to carry before, during and after a flight, usually contain 12,000 sheets of paper and weigh 38 pounds. The iPad weighs only 1.5 pounds.
Don’t Update Your Apple Device to iOS 8.3 if You Rely on an External GPS Receiver
The latest iOS update is not allowing the data from most external GPS receivers to reach marine navigation apps.
They're going to include info on long-closed airports in case of an in-air fuel exhaustion?
I doubt it.
Communist Chinese slave labor made.
For iPad users here, you’ll probably want to post an individual thread on the topic to get it noticed. It will get lost in here ... :-) ...
After you post your own thread on the issue, then ping Swordmaker in order to ping the other Freepers who have the iPad.
Post #29 has an American Airlines pilot demonstrating it and Post #31 is info about the FAA approving it ... :-) ...
Any solution is going to downsides and unintended consequences.
If you just keep repeating the benefits over and over it'll all be good.
American Airlines Pilots Lose 40lb With Apple iPad Electronic Flight Bag
http://www.forbes.com/sites/matthewstibbe/2013/05/03/american-airlines-pilots-lose-40lb-with-apple-ipad-electronic-flight-bag/
American Airlines recently got permission to use its iPad Electronic Flight Bags in the cockpit during all phases of flight, saving an estimated $1.2 million of fuel annually. (Hat tip Mactrast, image)
For pilots, it’s a huge benefit. A bag full of airways charts, airport maps and operations manuals can weigh 35 or 40 pounds. If you think your carry-on bag is heavy, try adding that for every trip.
There’s a big safety benefit too. Pilots can find the right charts quickly and easily and, at least when I use Jeppesen plates on my iPad, you can see where the plane is on the airport. When I flew into Schiphol last time, I had a 20 minute taxi across the airport and this georeferencing was incredibly helpful.
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