iPad App Issue Delays 'a Few Dozen' American Airlines Flights

MacRumors · Apr 28, 2015

Issues with an app on iPads provided to pilots on American Airlines flights have delayed "a few dozen" flights, making it difficult for planes to take off and causing them to return to the gates to fix the issue, according to The Verge.

An American Airlines pilot's iPad

"Some flights are experiencing an issue with a software application on pilot iPads," American Airlines spokesperson Andrea Huguely later 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 spokesperson said that the issue affected "a few dozen flights" across the airline. "We've identified the issue, we've identified the solution, and we are working on it right now."

Passenger Bill Jacaruso was traveling to Austin from Dallas / Fort Worth when his flight was delayed. He told The Verge that the pilot got on the intercom and told the passengers that his co-pilot's iPad had went blank. About 25 minutes later he got on the intercom again, noting that his iPad had also went blank. At the time, the pilot said that all 737 airplanes were affected, but 45 minutes later he said the issue was affecting "random" American Airline planes. Another passenger told The Verge that "two systems" had failed and needed to be rebooted.

American Airlines received FAA approval for iPad use by pilots in the cockpit back in 2011. In 2013, the airline company began giving its pilots Electronic Flight Bags (EFB) containing the iPads, the first major commercial carrier to do so. The EFB's goal is to use the iPad to replace the 40 pounds of manuals and maps that pilots usually carry. The iPads also come with a long-life battery that keeps the iPad powered for 24 hours.

Article Link: iPad App Issue Delays 'a Few Dozen' American Airlines Flights

Carac · Apr 28, 2015

1st-gen iPad?

gkarris · Apr 28, 2015

Over 100 years of flying without an iPad now we can't fly without one...

Vanilla Face · Apr 28, 2015

Did they try turning it off and turning it back on again?

C00rDiNaT0r · Apr 28, 2015

You're holding it wrong?

sethlution · Apr 28, 2015

Should have bought an iPad air because you know know plane and air

I'll let myself out now...

On a more serious note, is this just a precaution thing or do they actually need the iPad to take off?

iCore24 · Apr 28, 2015

I hope that doesn't affect their decisions to replace all 40lb books with the iPad. Very bad PR indeed.

christarp · Apr 28, 2015

Carac said:
1st-gen iPad?

Hey man, I still use mine!

Z400Racer37 · Apr 28, 2015

NSA hit the wrong button? lol

FrankieTDouglas · Apr 28, 2015

MacRumors said:
...was traveling to Austin from Dallas / Fort Worth when his flight was delayed.

Wait, what?! That's a three hour drive. Factoring in arriving and exiting an airport, waiting at the gate to board, and the flight itself, there's no time saved. Maybe even time lost.

mrjr101 · Apr 28, 2015

Wait, you are telling me that these pilots don't have a plan B to use their backup manuals? Hellooo!

bmunge · Apr 28, 2015

Sounds like poorly written software. The fact that it's running on an iPad is largely irrelevant.

Vanilla Face · Apr 28, 2015

FrankieTDouglas said:
Wait, what?! That's a three hour drive. Factoring in arriving and exiting an airport, waiting at the gate to board, and the flight itself, there's no time saved. Maybe even time lost.

It was probably just a connecting flight; I do that as well. It's much better to be able to sit and get work done in an airport than be behind the wheel.

joshuaclinton · Apr 28, 2015

sethlution said:
Should have bought an iPad air because you know know plane and air I'll let myself out now...

On a more serious note, is this just a precaution thing or do they actually need the iPad to take off?

It's a part of their 'Electronic Flight Bag'. Basically, it hosts the navigational maps needed for enroute, as well as various flight manuals. It's not needed if you have the hard-copy documents....but if you don't have them one way or another...no go for flight.

Vanilla Face · Apr 28, 2015

bmunge said:
Sounds like poorly written software. The fact that it's running on an iPad is largely irrelevant.

To add to this, the fact it went out on numerous iPads simultaneously points to a server or network error.

andrewket · Apr 28, 2015

The problem is that the flight attendant insisted he turn it off before take off. The door was closed!

dampfnudel · Apr 28, 2015

So what happens when they lose the ability to use their iPads in the air?

alfonsog · Apr 28, 2015

FrankieTDouglas said:
Wait, what?! That's a three hour drive. Factoring in arriving and exiting an airport, waiting at the gate to board, and the flight itself, there's no time saved. Maybe even time lost.

One of my best friends lives in Tampa and flies to nearly every city with an airport in Florida and back home daily, even cities as near as Fort Myers where I live, only a two hour drive. You can work waiting in the airport which you can't if you are driving and they have the super fast lane for security. One advantage is he gets the frequent flier miles hence the free first class tickets for him and his husband's vacations to Australia, Germany, etc. over the past few years.

swarmster · Apr 28, 2015

This just in: airlines have crappy software. Film at 11.

SchneiderMan · Apr 28, 2015

My god that's a first gen iPad! Not safe, dude. Not safe.

SteveJobs2.0 · Apr 28, 2015

First the removal from schools and now this. Apple needs to renew their commitment to corporate customers.

coolfactor · Apr 28, 2015

iCore24 said:
I hope that doesn't affect their decisions to replace all 40lb books with the iPad. Very bad PR indeed.

bmunge said:
Sounds like poorly written software. The fact that it's running on an iPad is largely irrelevant.

Yup, this had nothing to do with the iPad itself. The fact that returning to a Wifi network fixes the issue clearly states that the iPad was not at fault, but rather other parts of the infrastructure were. The pilot was incorrect in highlighting that the "iPad went blank"... more like his flight data system was not working correctly.

I wonder if they were running Android tablets.. would he have announced that "My co-polite's Android tablet just went blank"? I think this whole thing was cooked up by Apple's competitors...

Flow39 · Apr 28, 2015

If they would have just bough Samsung Galaxy Tabs this never would've happened. Samsung is superior.

/s

TechZeke · Apr 28, 2015

Vanilla Face said:
To add to this, the fact it went out on numerous iPads simultaneously points to a server or network error.

If it's a reliant on a server or network, then that's a problem. Way too much reliance on technology. Everything should be stored locally.

I love Tech as much as the next guy, but for an entire fleet of multi-million dollar jet-aircraft carrying thousands of people to be crippled and delayed over an iPad App is quite frankly, ridiculous.

Inthraller · Apr 28, 2015

FrankieTDouglas said:
Wait, what?! That's a three hour drive. Factoring in arriving and exiting an airport, waiting at the gate to board, and the flight itself, there's no time saved. Maybe even time lost.

I bet it's a connection for another flight.

iPad App Issue Delays 'a Few Dozen' American Airlines Flights

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