IPad Glitch Affects American Airlines Flights, Issue Likely Related To Recent Software Update

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.

The Aviation iPAD Revolution
Aviation Management Association

http://www.avmgt.com/ama/AMA_Publications/Entries/2012/1/11_The_Aviation_iPAD_Revolution_files/The%20Aviation%20iPAD%20Revolution.pdf

The FAA issued an Advisory Circular (AC 91-78) in 2007 that “provides aircraft owners, operators, and pilots operating aircraft under Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) part 91, with information for removal of paper aeronautical charts and other documentation from the cockpit through the use of either portable or installed cockpit displays (electronic flight bags (EFB)).”

On the commercial airline front, on December 9th 2011, American Airlines became the first airline in the world to be fully FAA approved to use iPads during all phases of flight. Pilots will use iPads as EFBs for electronic chart and digital flight manual readers.

But as history has shown us many times, from the industrial revolution to Steve Job’s revolution, technology can change everything. AOPA Pilot Magazine, published in October of 2011 reported, “In less than one year, the iPad has been transformed from a weight-and-balance calculator to a pre-flight planner, to an onboard electronic flight bag with charts, checklists, and instrument approach plates”.

Will your pilot use an iPad in the cockpit?
http://www.airsafenews.com/2011/02/will-your-pilot-use-ipad-in-cockpit.html

For most consumers, the personal electronics revolution of the past 20 years has meant massive changes in the kinds of affordable technology that we use at home, at work, or back in the passenger cabin. In the front of the aircraft, change doesn’t happen very quickly. Innovations like GPS or even digital displays often take a slow and winding path over several years before the FAA would approve them for use in the cockpit.

It seems that this process has been sped up considerably in the case of the iPad. Less than a year after the iPad was initially offered to the general public, the FAA has allowed air charter company Executive Jet Management, which is a subsidiary of Warren Buffet’s NetJets company, to use Apple’s iPad, combined with a specific software application, as an approved alternative to paper charts. Not only has this electronic device been approved for aviation use, it has been approved without any major design changes. Other likely early adopters would include companies providing Private Jet Charter services.

According to February 2011 Wired magazine article, the FAA approval process included demonstrating that an iPad could endure a rapid decompression from a simulated altitude of 51,000 feet and still provide critical navigation information. Prior to approval, Executive Jet Management also developed procedures for dealing with system or software crashes and other situations that are described in detail in FAA Advisory Circular 120-76A, which deals with requirements for electronic flight bags.

At present, this means that only those few passengers who fly in sleek corporate jets may see their pilot carrying an even sleeker iPad rather than a bulky case full of paper charts, but that may change soon. Rather than carting around suitcase-sized flight bag stuffed with dozens of charts and other reference materials, your pilot will be able to add to as many materials as he or she may need for the safe conduct of your flight. After all, no matter how many electronic documents are in an iPad, the weight doesn’t change.

This is another innovation that may mean improved safety at all levels of aviation. While the iPad has been popular with pilots since its introduction last year, until now it had not been approved for use by the FAA either as a replacement for traditional paper charts or as a replacement for currently approved, but much more expensive, electronic flight bags. While the iPad can be purchased for several hundred dollars, most electronic flight bags cost at least several thousand dollars.

Coming soon to a major airline near you?

This first FAA approval for using the iPad in the cockpit gives airlines the opportunity to do the same. Currently, Alaska Airlines has about 100 pilots evaluating the iPad, and a spokesperson for Jeppesen; the Boeing-owned subsidiary that provides aeronautical charting and navigation services, including the TC Mobile software application in the recently approved iPad system; claims that several air carriers are interested in using the system as well.

Check it out for yourself

This is one of those rare situations where the average passenger, at least those who own iPads, can easily use and evaluate the same FAA approved equipment that a pilot can use. The TC Mobile application is free, and can be found through your iTunes app or online at the iTunes store. While the app is free and has free demonstration charts, downloading and using real aeronautical charts will cost you.

Qantas pilots get iPads to replace flight docs
http://www.zdnet.com/article/qantas-pilots-get-ipads-to-replace-flight-docs/

Qantas has partnered with Telstra to provide its pilots with iPads for use in the cockpit.

Starting in September this year, 2200 64GB iPads will be distributed to Qantas pilots, who will use them to access operational information instead of referencing paper documents. The devices will replace the flight plans, manuals and forms, and will keep pilots up to date with flight data.

Two apps have also been created specifically for pilot use: a charts app created by Boeing subsidiary Jeppeson, and a Qantas-built app to provide other flight information.

Qantas said that it currently prints 18,000 pages of flight-operation information each day; it hopes that the introduction of iPads will reduce this number to 3000, and cut the weight of paper that pilots carry on-board by 20kg.

“The revolutionary capabilities of iPad technology, combined with the powerful customised apps, give our pilots the ability to replace cumbersome hard copies — saving time, resources and costs,” Qantas technical pilot, captain Alex Passerini, said in a statement.

Cockpit iPads
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cockpit_iPads

Cockpit iPads are iPads used in the aviation industry to replace paper charts and manuals. This technology is currently being used by both private and commercial aircraft pilots.

History and testing

The iPad has been used in General Aviation in conjunction with its paper backup counterpart, which is mandated by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). There are many applications available which include everything that would be on the paper charts plus aviation tools including navigation charts, taxi procedures, weather maps, GPS, Minimum Equipment List, Company Policy Manual, Federal Aviation Regulations and flight controls. Although these tools have been used in the private sector, the use of the iPad in commercial aviation is just taking flight.

The Federal Aviation Administration finished a three-month testing project which included putting the device thru adverse conditions such as rapid decompression testing and tests to make sure the tablet did not interfere with the avionic equipment. Early in 2011 the FAA authorized charter company Executive Jet Management to use iPad records without the backup paper charts. This helps make way for the iPad to become an aviation instrument for the rest of the industry. Alaskan Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and American Airlines planned test programs.

Practicality

The main motive to use the iPad as a navigation tool is the practicality of the product. The iPad would replace about 25 pounds of paper charts used by pilots that include aircraft flight manuals, approach plates, navigation charts, policy manuals, minimum equipment list and taxi charts. Major airlines based in the United States are mainly paper based, which includes some who have fleets of 900 plus planes. This translates to a lot of paper in the form of charts that could be saved by the iPad. The switch to an electronic system would also make life easier on the pilot. No longer would pilots carry around a heavy flight bag. It would be replaced by the 9.5 inch by 7.31 inch 1.33 pound tablet. When used in conjunction with a specially designed strap, this small size allows them to be used in place of kneeboards. Flight planning is also made easier by the iPad. The pilot would be able to use one device to check everything from weather, other airport facilities and flight plans. All this makes a pilot’s life a lot easier.

Safety

The iPad brings several safety advantages into the cockpit. First is the currency and completeness of the charts. Paper chart revisions are issued every two weeks. A pilot can easily missfile a paper chart, remove the wrong one or forget to file the chart altogether by the time of the flight occurs. An outdated or misplaced chart can increase the possibility of accidents.

Secondly, carrying the 40+ pound kitbag that holds all of the navigation charts is a cause of personal injuries of the pilots themselves. According to Patrick O’Keeffe, American Airlines’s vice president of Airline Operations Technology, “[American Airlines has] reduced the single biggest source of pilot injuries: carrying those packs.”

The iPad also allows for a decrease of clutter in the cockpit. This leads to a safer flight for the pilot and passengers. Pilots need not spread out the large charts in the small cockpit, hence they don’t obstruct the view. Pilots can quickly swipe their fingers around the chart as well as switch charts in matter of seconds. This give pilots more time to look out the cockpit window and allows them to be able to just take a glance instead of searching around on a map.

A number of issues have been brought up including distractions in the cockpit, but the Internet on the iPad could not be used at those altitudes and pilots would still be using onboard GPS instruments. Other safety issues include software failure and power outage, but in the three-month test Executive Jet Management conducted, not once did the application shut off or have a failure. Tests did show that if a failure did take place the program could reboot in four to six seconds. Extra iPads in the cockpit are also being talked about as a backup to a system failure. Airlines are also looking into the safety of the placement of the iPads in the cockpit. The most popular placement is on a pilot’s kneeboard, a strap that connects to the pilot’s upper thigh and makes the device hands free, but many commercial airlines are looking into a dock that is connected to the plane itself.

Top 12 iPad Tips for pilots
http://ipadpilotnews.com/2013/12/top-12-ipad-tips-2/

The iPad is a reliable and easy-to-use addition to the cockpit, perfect for charts, moving maps and even in-flight weather. But there’s a lot to understand to make sure you’re getting the most out of your investment. Over the past several years, we’ve learned a lot through trial and error flying with the iPad in general aviation aircraft, and have assembled our top 12 tips:

1. Pre-flight your iPad (and verify your charts are downloaded)

What’s our number one recommendation for iPad pilots? Always, always, always pre-flight your iPad!

Sure, the iPad is easy to use and awfully reliable. But just like with your airplane, you want to find out about any issues with your iPad while you’re on the ground (and have an internet connection). This could take 30 seconds or 10 minutes, depending on how you use your iPad and how comfortable you are with the technology.

You’ll want to create a checklist that works for your apps, accessories and your airplane. Customize it so that you’ll actually use it before every flight. With that in mind, though, here’s a basic checklist to consider that applies to most apps:

— Battery charged on iPad–it’s a good habit to always take off with a full charge (it takes 4-6 hours to charge a drained battery)
— Battery charged on external GPS or Stratus weather receiver–these have about the same life as iPad, so charge alongside your iPad
— Backup power or charging cables available–make sure you have a plan B if the battery dies
— Run the application once–especially if you’ve updated the app, check to make sure it won’t crash or lock up on initial start-up
— Load routes and favorite airports–doing this on the ground saves a lot of heads-down time in the cockpit
— Databases installed and current–verify your charts are there without an internet connection (see this tip)
— Turn off wireless functions that aren’t needed–turn off Bluetooth, cellular data and WiFi unless you’ll need them in flight, as they drain the battery. More info on how to configure these settings here.
— Clean the screen and adjust the screen brightness to less than 100% if conditions permit. Lowering the screen to around the 70 – 80% brightness level can add an extra hour or more of battery life.

2. Secure it in the cockpit

To maximize usability in the airplane (especially in turbulence), you’ll want to secure the iPad either to your leg or use a cockpit mount. Using a kneeboard designed for the iPad is a great option for aircraft renters who want a simple option that easily transfers between multiple airplanes. There are several features you’ll want to pay attention to:

— iPad model – kneeboards are custom made for both the full-size iPad and iPad Mini
— Allows for iPad to rotate between landscape and portrait views
— Allows angle adjustments toward you to minimize glare
— Size – make sure it will not interfere with the yoke or throttle quadrant
— Protection – many kneeboards also double as cases for the iPad outside of the airplane

(check out a variety of iPad kneeboards here)

Another option is to use Ram Mounts to temporarily secure the iPad in the cockpit. Here are some options:

— Yoke Mount – works well in Cessna and Piper aircraft, and can be used on the co-pilot’s yoke if it blocks the pilot’s panel
— Glareshield Mount – good option for mounting the iPad in front of the co-pilot’s seat
— Suction Mount – easily secures to the side window, and works well for aircraft with side stick controls like a Cirrus or Cessna Corvalis

Like the kneeboards, each Ram mount is designed specifically for either the full-size iPad or iPad Mini. If you want to use the Ram mount to hold your iPad and its protective case, make sure to choose the adjustable spring loaded cradle option. This is also the only Ram mount that works with the iPad Air at this time.

(check out all the Ram Mount options here)

3. Use an external GPS for reliable position data

Adding GPS to your iPad allows you to view a moving map display and navigation data on popular apps like ForeFlight, Garmin Pilot or WingX. But how do you get the GPS information? Many pilots are confused by this issue.

The 3G/LTE model of the iPad includes an internal GPS. The GPS is completely separate from the cellular radio, so you don’t even have to have an active data plan for the GPS to work. And while the on-board GPS does work with all the popular aviation apps, it was made for ground use and is not always reliable in the air. It has a tendency to drop offline, especially when switching between apps or sleeping the screen. It’s not necessarily a question of accuracy, but of reliability. For this reason, most iPad pilots–even those with a 3G/LTE iPad–opt for an external GPS. At around $100, it’s cheap insurance.

So which external iPad GPS to buy? There are plenty options: the plug-in Bad Elf, the wireless Bad Elf Pro, the Garmin GLO, the Dual Electronics XGPS150 and the Dual SkyPro (XGPS160). They range from $99.95 to $150, and all offer roughly the same performance. The choice is really personal preference–do you want to plug in the GPS directly to your iPad (Bad Elf) or do you want to put the GPS on the glareshield and connect wirelessly (Dual/Garmin/Bad Elf Pro)? The advantage to the Bad Elf is that you don’t have to charge its battery, as it runs off the iPad. The advantage to the Dual/Garmin/Bad Elf Pro is that you can place it out of the way, but you do have to charge a battery. The Garmin GLO, Bad Elf Pro and the Dual SkyPro allow you to connect multiple devices to the same GPS; the others are limited to one device.

Another option would be to purchase a combination ADS-B weather and GPS receiver. Options here include the Stratus (works with ForeFlight), the Garmin GDL 39 (works with Garmin Pilot) and the Dual XGPS170 (works with WingX and AOPA FlyQ). These are more expensive, but add the major feature of in-flight weather and some add traffic as well.

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Much more at the link!

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