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United Airlines Deploying 11,000 iPads to Pilots as Electronic Flight Bags
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It's actually less than that. But it is economies of scale. Anyone who thinks saving 326,000 gallons of fuel doesn't matter isn't very green. That's a full tank of gas for over 16,000 automobiles, from one simple savings. We actually measure fuel on the aircraft by weight, not gallons. That is equal to 2.5 million pounds of fuel. My aircraft, the MD-88, typically uses about 20,000 pounds of fuel for one flight. That savings is equal to 127 flights worth of fuel on my aircraft - simply by switching to iPads. That's nothing to you? I guess you leave your lights on at home when you are gone as well, I mean, heck, is one person leaving 6 lights on at 15 to 60 watts per bulb REALLY going to make a difference in our environment? If it isn't a savings, how 'bout we send you a bill for that 2.5 million lbs of fuel, you do have around $1,000,000 of credit available on your Visa, right?
and in hospitals
and schools
and thousands of other businesses
I just don't get why people struggle to accept that something that has recreational uses can also have important other functionality.
Millions of PCs are used JUST for gaming and recreation, that doesn't mean ALL PCs are 'toys', in the same way yes a lot of iPads are just used for surfing, and playing and consuming media, but that doesn't mean the whole lot should be classified as 'iToys'
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There are Parental Flight Deck Controls.
CChrisG said:
There are Parental Flight Deck Controls.
Let me guess
You listen to Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Roger Hedgecock and relate to the Tea Party. You want to "Take our country back"
Am I right?
In this case, they're still being used to consume content... for real work
The difference is, the pilots can immediately turn their own devices off if they think they're causing a problem.
Pilots have been using EFBs since the 1990s. These are simply cheaper and cannot connect to aircraft systems as some EFBs can.
I think most pilots learned from what happened back in 2009 on Northwest Airlines.
It probably makes pilots happy to have/hold/use an iPad. Perhaps even having pilots jump "ship" to try out the new system.
It isn't the sole driver of the plane. Planes have lots of electronics already aboard the plane. They too could all go out and have.
This isn't solely about reducing fuel costs but sure it does slightly but the other idea is saving on paper and printed costs as well as getting these to the pilots. And it alleviates the pilots from lugging around big bags.
My wife's Dr uses an iPad for jotting down notes, explaining symptoms and pointing to a body chart for reference.
Good for them. Though I can see the hint of Greenwashing here I also see it as a savings device for the airline and why not use it for PR.
It isn't the sole driver of the plane. Planes have lots of electronics already aboard the plane. They too could all go out and have.
This isn't solely about reducing fuel costs but sure it does slightly but the other idea is saving on paper and printed costs as well as getting these to the pilots. And it alleviates the pilots from lugging around big bags.
My wife's Dr uses an iPad for jotting down notes, explaining symptoms and pointing to a body chart for reference.
Good for them. Though I can see the hint of Greenwashing here I also see it as a savings device for the airline and why not use it for PR.
So I guess electronic devices don't really interfere with aircraft's computers..
Isn't that the whole problem? Let's say during an small emergency or computer glitch, pilot recognizes that the iPad is causing a problem, he turns it off, and then what? He no longer has paper manual to get tips from. How the hell is he going to solve the problem when his electronic manual is causing the problem.
Isn't that the whole problem? Let's say during an small emergency or computer glitch, pilot recognizes that the iPad is causing a problem, he turns it off, and then what? He no longer has paper manual to get tips from. How the hell is he going to solve the problem when his electronic manual is causing the problem.
This question is for anyone who REALLY uses these EFB ipads (i.e. real pilots or engineers).
When taxiing around the airport do these ipads or Boeing electronic flight bags have a capability to clip to the yoke when displaying the taxi diagrams or will one pilot call out taxiing navigation directions to the other while holding the device.
Just curious.
When taxiing around the airport do these ipads or Boeing electronic flight bags have a capability to clip to the yoke when displaying the taxi diagrams or will one pilot call out taxiing navigation directions to the other while holding the device.
Just curious.
They don't need 100% reliability because it is easy and cheap to keep spare iPads on board.
The children's hospital I work for (hint: the largest one in the midwest) just rolled out tablets for patients to use while in the clinics' waiting rooms. They're used to collect data about symptoms. Are they iPads? Nope. Too expensive, I guess. They are using these clunker HP tablets that are about 2 inches thick and weigh about 5 lbs. I think businesses are still trying to figure out if they are cost effective to use.
That's the problem. It is a proven fact that "going electronic" does not cut down on paper use, it actually increases it. Most important documents that exist electronically always have a hard copy somewhere. I really can't see pilots not having a hard copy on board, it's too contrary to being safe.
I know, it doesn't interfere. In fact, there is wifi onboard. It's BS.
Also, they say portable TVs are not allowed, but they do not transmit but receive signals ALREADY IN THE AIR.
There is a difference between one device that has been tested and 200 random unknown devices being used in the cabin.. First off the total radiated power is about 200 times less but I bet it's the "unknown" part that is worse.
Like all avionics. Have you been seen the setup on a commercial flight deck? Here's a photo for you:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Airbus_A380_cockpit.jpg
I'd also like to mention that ANYTHING can fail, not just electronics. Didn't you see Airplane?
Phffbbbttt... If the pilot's iPad runs out of power, they can play Angry Bird on a passenger's iPad. Everybody and their mothers have one nowadays; except me...and my monkey.
Anyhow, I think it's a good idea. But it's better to stick with a proven system. Which reminds me of that joke where the NASA spent millions developing a pen that can write underwater, in space, upside down and so on. The Russians used a pencil.
Keep it simple.
I don't think when there is an emergency, that a pilot uses a manual to get a "tip". There might be some training involved first...
Yep, a penny here, a pound there, pretty soon we're talking about real money
And that's just from not carrying 36 pounds saved by the iPad. Makes me think they should choose one luggage bag per flight and lose it before loading, thus saving millions of gallons a year! Oh wait, that aleady happens a lot. Never mind.
Seriously, I'm interested in how they calculated the savings. Let's see:
326,000 gals / 11,000 pilots = ~30 gals per pilot per year. Then divide that by the number of flights per year to get savings per flight. Perhaps 0.1 gallon per flight?
I looked at this app and it appears that it does not use in-app subscriptions. Imagine for a moment if Apple was getting a cut of every single business that used subscription based apps with the iPad to reduce paper usage?
I'm just excited that the Paperless revolution is starting. I discovered iThoughts HD the other day, and that app just reduced tons of paper and separate files I used to track things into one nice graph.
rofl
I'm just excited that the Paperless revolution is starting. I discovered iThoughts HD the other day, and that app just reduced tons of paper and separate files I used to track things into one nice graph.
Yep, a penny here, a pound there, pretty soon we're talking about real money
And that's just from not carrying 36 pounds saved by the iPad. Makes me think they should choose one luggage bag per flight and lose it before loading, thus saving millions of gallons a year! Oh wait, that aleady happens a lot. Never mind.
rofl
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That's incredible, I wonder if there is anything else that can be done to reduce weight.
No, there's absolutely nothing else the airlines could have cut to reduce the weight of a plane by a mere 80 lbs. It just had to be the elimination of the 1200 documents pilots have to read before/during every flight in favor of iPads.
The valve is now FULLY open!
Charter companies, Alaska, British Airways, others said they where doing trials.
Now that United seems to simply said they WILL do this simply opens the doors for ALL airlines to jump on it.
This is a HUGE income opportunity for Apple and app makers. Easily 100,000 units needed for all the worlds airlines.
It also solidifies iPad as a business machine, and no real commpetition. Anyone who calls it iToy will be smacked down.
And it is a far cheaper solution to some of the other EFB's made.
If Apple is smart they should make a group to custom their software to better serve the industry (like the Earthquake alert built in for iOS 5 in Japan)
Charter companies, Alaska, British Airways, others said they where doing trials.
Now that United seems to simply said they WILL do this simply opens the doors for ALL airlines to jump on it.
This is a HUGE income opportunity for Apple and app makers. Easily 100,000 units needed for all the worlds airlines.
It also solidifies iPad as a business machine, and no real commpetition. Anyone who calls it iToy will be smacked down.
And it is a far cheaper solution to some of the other EFB's made.
If Apple is smart they should make a group to custom their software to better serve the industry (like the Earthquake alert built in for iOS 5 in Japan)