I bet Lucky Lindy is laughing his ass off watching these girlie men...
(Full Title: "IPad Glitch Affects Several American Airlines Flights, Issue Likely Related To Recent Software Update")
I’ll have to agree...the last update for iPad has made mine almost useless. I have at least 10 “page reloads” a day, for no discernible reason.
When you click the field to post on Facebook, the keyboard covers the field, then the field will not accept the cursor.
And the “disappearing tabs” !
I pretty much hate this iPad now.
Here’s something interesting for the iPad owners on the list.
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.
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.
Cockpit Chronicles: The iPad Flight Bag Is Finally Here (Video)
http://www.airlinepilotforums.com/american-us-airways-merger/73912-american-ipad-flight-bag-finally-here.html
The long awaited, previously announced iPad Electronic Flight Bag (EFB) has finally been approved for most of our airplanes at the company. In fact, we’re the first U.S. airline to receive FAA approval for the use of the iPad as a replacement for all of our paper Jeppesen approach plates.
The process started in 2007 when we were allowed to use laptops to hold our company manuals. This meant we could leave three to four manuals at home that weighed about ten pounds. When the iPad came on the scene, we were allowed to use it as an alternative to the laptop. That left only our “Jepps,” two to three large manuals that weighed even more than the company books, for us to lug around.
Some airlines went a different route, investing in a built-in laptop solution called a Class II EFB that included Jepp support. This 2009 cockpit video by Gadling shows how Virgin America deployed that solution.
Later, our company worked with Jeppesen and the FAA to offer an iPad that would be provided to every pilot and a RAM mount that stays in the aircraft. In addition, the company also provided us with a Hypermac backup battery that’s capable of extending the life of the iPad for an additional 24 hours.
Since both pilots will be carrying an iPad, coupled with the extended batteries, the FAA feels this is as redundant as the regular manuals.
A few weeks ago we saw our first mounts in our MD-80, so I felt a video tour might explain how the setup works and just what it replaces.
CLICK HERE FOR YOUTUBE VIDEO
So far American has approval for the 777, 737, MD-80 and is just awaiting approval for the 757/767 fleet. Hopefully, this will be just in time for my return to that airplane, as once you use this setup, you won’t want to go back to the paper.
To get that approval, American had to have the iPad tested in a hypobaric chamber to simulate how the device would handle during a rapid decompression. They also had to arrange for mount testing with the FAA, which is ironic since our manuals weigh far more than the iPad and aren’t secured in place. Many takeoffs have resulted in a book or two sliding off the side table and onto the floor.
Next up on the list are the reams of dot matrix printed paperwork we take with us on the flights that I covered in a previous video. Once that is accomplished, and weather is incorporated into the iPad, we can finally claim to be flying in the seemingly mythical “paperless cockpit” that has long been the goal since sometime just after the Wright Brothers took to the air and discovered how difficult it was to fold up their maps in the open cockpit.
[Photo/Video credit: Kent Wien]
Related: “Cockpit Chronicles: Paper Makes an Airplane Fly”
“Cockpit Chronicles” takes you along on some of Kent’s trips as a captain co-pilot on the MD-80 757 and 767 based in New York. Have any questions for Kent? Check out the “Cockpit Chronicles” Facebook page or follow Kent on Twitter @veryjr.
United Airlines — Cleared for takeoff with iPad.
http://www.apple.com/ipad/business/profiles/united-airlines/
Countless business travelers rely on iPad as an essential flight companion. But at United Airlines, iPad isn’t just for passengers. Following extensive testing and FAA approval, iPad recently became standard equipment on the flight deck, providing pilots with one-touch access to charts, maps, and other crucial navigation tools that help keep United flights on track and on time.
“United has always been a technology leader in the airline business,” says Pete McDonald, Chief Operations Officer of United Airlines. “We’ve always had the most advanced aircraft, and our flight planning systems have always been the most efficient. iPad gives our pilots access to more accurate information more quickly. It’s the best, most comprehensive technology that not only United, but the FAA has approved and supported.”
“United has always been a technology leader in the airline business,” says Pete McDonald, Chief Operations Officer of United Airlines. “We’ve always had the most advanced aircraft, and our flight planning systems have always been the most efficient. iPad gives our pilots access to more accurate information more quickly. It’s the best, most comprehensive technology that not only United, but the FAA has approved and supported.”
Featherweight flight charts
In a business where extra weight translates directly into extra costs, choosing iPad means fewer pounds on every route United flies—not to mention less baggage for United pilots to lug through the airport.
“A pilot’s flight bag weighs about 45 pounds,” says Captain David Sambrano, who has flown United planes for 22 years. “With iPad, we get rid of that big 45-pound bag. Being able to take all those books and charts and bring it down to about a pound and a half is incredible.”
Eliminating all that paper translates into serious savings, says Captain Joe Burns, Managing Director of Technology and Flight Test, another 20-year United veteran. “With iPad we’re able to save 16 million sheets of paper a year. Just removing the weight of that paper works out to 326,000 gallons of fuel saved per year.”
But replacing traditional flight charts with electronic documents on iPad does more than merely lighten the load. It also helps United pilots pinpoint essential flight information the moment they need it.
“In the past we’d have to pull a binder out, find the airport and the approach code, pull the paper out, clip it onto a chart holder somewhere, then enter that data into the flight control computer on the aircraft,” Burns recalls. “We view iPad as a big safety and time saver.”
“The iPad display allows us to see the chart very clearly,” Sambrano adds, “and it’s readable in different types of lighting, which is extremely important. And you can get to that particular chart or that particular piece of information so quickly.”
In-air Apps
United Airlines is no stranger to mobile tools that ease the way for passengers, from mobile-friendly booking and travel management tools to boarding passes that can be scanned directly from an iPhone or iPad display. Bringing iPad into the cockpit signals a new phase in the airline’s commitment to technology that improves both efficiency and service.
“United flies to 61 countries on six continents,” Sambrano says, “and no matter where I am in the world, I have all that flight planning information at my fingertips on iPad. Having the best technology allows you to make the best decisions to fly efficiently and arrive safely. If you have an accurate display like iPad on board, you’re able to plan a better route.”
The airline’s in-house development team has created several custom applications that help pilots quickly locate flight information on iPad. For example, the Content Locker app automatically pushes the latest flight data to each iPad, so pilots don’t have to spend time searching for and uploading the correct materials before each flight. They also have access to the Jeppesen Mobile Flight Deck application, which displays approach charts and en route chart data on iPad.
“Other applications include our flight operations manual, aircraft flight manual, and worldwide operations manual, which encompasses all the charts and approach plates we routinely use,” says Burns.
iPad also supports United’s stringent security requirements with both built-in security settings and compatibility with third-party Mobile Device Management (MDM) systems. “Security is paramount to United Airlines,” Burns notes. “We’re very confident that both the data and the device itself will stay secure throughout our operation.”
Smooth flying with iPad
With iPad and custom apps onboard, United is ready to launch a new era of flexible, compact resources for its flight staff. “iPad is a breakthrough from a technology and efficiency standpoint,” says McDonald. “I’m very proud that we’ve been able to put something as sophisticated and efficient as iPad in the hands of our pilots.”
The pilots couldn’t agree more. “With iPad we have a device that’s almost custom-built for our application,” Burns says. “One that’s lightweight, runs on battery power for a long time, is easy to program, and give us the information we need at the moment we need it.”
Most importantly, iPad helps the airline do what it does best: get people to their destinations safely and on schedule.
“One of the greatest things about being a pilot is being able to connect people,” says Sambrano. “We’re able to bring businesses and families together across the globe, and we’re able to bring our soldiers back home to their families. iPad helps us do this-and in my opinion, there’s no better job.”
What, you never heard of a plane being grounded because the map was broken?
In addition to the many airlines in the USA using IPads to put all their 6,000 pages of info that the pilot had to carry on before, the partnership of IBM and Apple are also developing enterprise apps for use in the airline industry, “on the ground” ... :-) ...
These iPads are just doing amazing things for productivity.
AND ... I’m typing this on an iPad, too! ... :-) ...
— — —
IBM launches three more iPad apps in Apple partners
http://www.techrepublic.com/article/ibm-launches-three-more-ipad-apps-in-apple-partnership/
Continuing in its quest to launch 100 iPad apps by the end of 2015, IBM revealed three new iPad apps this week as part of its MobileFirst for iOS platform.
The partnership with Apple, initiated in the middle of last year, already saw the launch of 10 apps back in December across a number of verticals including airlines, banking, retail and insurance.
Now, IBM has launched new transportation, retail, and banking apps. Let’s take a closer look.
Passenger Care
First up is Passenger Care, aimed at airline customer service agents. Rather than keep airline representatives stationary at gate counters, this app is meant to allow them to move around the airport, helping travelers rebook flights or change their seats from almost anywhere in the terminal — or just to help people find the nearest restroom.
As someone who saw first-hand this week what cancelled flights can do to an huge and busy airport, anything to help improve airline customer service will be welcomed with open arms.
Jet Blue Joins the Mile-High iPad Cockpit Club, Will Supply Realtime Info to Pilots During Flights
http://www.mactrast.com/2013/06/jet-blue-joins-the-mile-high-ipad-cockpit-club-will-supply-realtime-info-to-pilots-during-flights/
Jet Blue Joins the Mile-High iPad Cockpit Club, Will Supply Realtime Info to Pilots During Flights
Jet Blue has joined the Mile-High Club. No, not that one. The airline has joined the likes of American Airlines, United, and British Airways in issuing iPads to its pilots to replace the heavy flight bags they traditionally carry. However, they are taking the idea one step further than the other airlines.
TNW, via 9to5Mac:
The New York-based budget airline has been given approval from the Federal Aviation Administration, which will see its pilots receive custom-equipped iPads that serve up real-time information related to the flight.
Each JetBlue pilot will be trained to use three apps that are pivotal to their job – real-time weather, pre-flight planning and digital airport and aircraft charts – and the iPads will replace laptops and a “mound of paper manuals and charts” …
The FAA certified the iPad for use on flight-decks back in 2011, and other aviation regulatory agencies are taking the same approach, the British CAA also approved iPads for use by cabin crew.
Jet Blue is taking things a step further than most airlines, as it plans to allow pilots to connect to the airline’s on-board Wi-Fi, to allow pilots to receive updated weather reports and company documents during flights.
More airlines are expected to follow suit, and the FAA is also expected to approve gate-to-gate usage of electronic devices such as iPads by passengers.
UPDATE 6/26/13 - The original post listed Delta as a member of the “pilots have iPads on the flight deck” club, it has been corrected to “United.” Our source for the correction, who wished to remain anonymous, also tells us that United will be implementing a program similar to Jet Blue’s, but will be installing a separate Wi-Fi network for use only by the flight crew, to avoid connection issues.
OT: Software glitches leave Navy Smart Ship dead in the water
These iPads aren't controlling anything, they are used for charts.
UK CAA Approves Gama Aviation for iPad EFBs
http://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/2014-03-11/uk-caa-approves-gama-aviation-ipad-efbs
Gama Aviation has received approval from the UK CAA for flight crews to use Apple iPads for flight-planning and airborne chart purposes when flying G-registered aircraft.
Gama pilots will use iPads equipped with Jeppesen’s Mobile FliteDeck app. The iPads also feature the Airwatch Secure Content Locker, “a cloud-based library publication system that allows crews to download and manage operational flight-deck documents,” according to Gama.
So far 22 Gama pilots are trained to use the iPad EFBs, which also contain operating manuals, reference handbooks and checklists.