US Air Force Agrees to Purchase $9 Million Worth of iPads

[snowmoon]

I accept your point. But then a related question: why all this was not done with laptops e.g. tablet versions? Thinkpads have nice and light tablet versions which could serve pretty well for the task.

Because of the investment in testing and process by which devices are cleared by the FCC to be used for EFB.

http://www.faa.gov/other_visit/avia...afety/info/all_infos/media/2011/InFO11011.pdf

iPads are just one of the first tablets where the COTS device is both common enough to get certified and cheap enough that it's a no brainer to use.

 

[Dr McKay]

The Royal Air Force is thinking about updating Flight manuals to iPads. As it apparently costs something like £9,000 to print each flight manual after it gets amended. Amending it and them transferring to the iPad will be much, much cheaper. The British Army already uses iPads to train Apache pilots.

 

[faroZ06]

An iPad 2 just to read manuals? Can't they get something cheaper and more directly suited for the job?

 

[SprodeBoy]

One EMP shockwave and it'll be all over... army needs to make sure not to depend too heavily on these things

Sir... you understand that an EMP shockwave would bring down the plane whether it was using an iPad or not.

 

[kdarling]

I accept your point. But then a related question: why all this was not done with laptops e.g. tablet versions?

It has been done since the early 1990s. FedEx began providing computers early on. The military was also an early adopter in some units.

Now I think Jet Blue has all their manuals on computer. Private pilots and many charter operations have been using tablet EFBs since 2000. I know, because I used one back then.

The industry is full of attempts as using laptops, palmtops, Palm Pilots, WindowsCE devices, and even actual custom made devices, but none was an adequate solution (laptop batteries rarely lasted long enough for a flight).

No need to run on battery. We simply plugged the tablets into the lighter socket. In case of electrical emergency, you certainly didn't need hours of runtime, since you should be on the ground long before then.

Because of the investment in testing and process by which devices are cleared by the FCC to be used for EFB.
...
iPads are just one of the first tablets where the COTS device is both common enough to get certified and cheap enough that it's a no brainer to use.

Nothing to do with being common. iPads aren't approved in general. They have to go through the same testing as anything else, and have to do so for each and every installation type. So there's no money savings there.

However, I think you're right that being inexpensive per device is why more airlines are buying them. Plus more managers have heard of iPads

 

[PracticalMac]

No need to run on battery. We simply plugged the tablets into the lighter socket. In case of electrical emergency, you certainly didn't need hours of runtime, since you should be on the ground long before then.

It is one more wire to get in the way, and for 24V aircraft, the adapters are a little less common.

Took an 8 hr flight (each way) in 172, and the iPad lasted the entire way there, and had enough juice for another full day of casual usage, with 3G on.
It had a smart cover so only opened it up to look at progress, but being on the moment I opened it up made it incredibly useful.

iPad is far and away the best aviation accessory after AvGas.

----------

An iPad 2 just to read manuals? Can't they get something cheaper and more directly suited for the job?

Much more then just charts and manuals.
BA is using it to keep track of passengers, for instance.

Private aircraft as using them to create flight plans and en-route backup navigation.

List of uses is growing fast.

 

[faroZ06]

It is one more wire to get in the way, and for 24V aircraft, the adapters are a little less common.

Took an 8 hr flight (each way) in 172, and the iPad lasted the entire way there, and had enough juice for another full day of casual usage, with 3G on.
It had a smart cover so only opened it up to look at progress, but being on the moment I opened it up made it incredibly useful.

iPad is far and away the best aviation accessory after AvGas.

----------



Much more then just charts and manuals.
BA is using it to keep track of passengers, for instance.

Private aircraft as using them to create flight plans and en-route backup navigation.

List of uses is growing fast.

I guess there are a lot of uses, but I really can't think of anything they'd need the best tablet for. I would say that they could use something cheap and Android, but I just realized that that would open up security vulnerabilities.

Anyway, I love your signature. USB should be destroyed as a standard.

 

[kdarling]

Took an 8 hr flight (each way) in 172, and the iPad lasted the entire way there, and had enough juice for another full day of casual usage, with 3G on.

I totally agree that the iPad has an amazingly long battery life, especially in standby mode.

iPad is far and away the best aviation accessory after AvGas.

Or perhaps an STC for auto gas

I guess there are a lot of uses, but I really can't think of anything they'd need the best tablet for. I would say that they could use something cheap and Android, but I just realized that that would open up security vulnerabilities.

Actually there have been government certified Android tablets (plus the government and high ranking military are about to get secure Android smartphones).

The RIM Playbook is also validated for secure use.

iOS is not certified because Apple doesn't let its source code out, and thus is not considered a secure option. (For this flight application, high security is not needed.)

 

[PracticalMac]

I guess there are a lot of uses, but I really can't think of anything they'd need the best tablet for. I would say that they could use something cheap and Android, but I just realized that that would open up security vulnerabilities.

Anyway, I love your signature. USB should be destroyed as a standard.

Android is not getting much support in aviation community, for same reasons iPad is so popular.

Thanks!
USB is the BANE of our company, lots of headaches. USB is perfect for what it was made for, not what some of the uses for it.

Or perhaps an STC for auto gas



Actually there have been government certified Android tablets (plus the government and high ranking military are about to get secure Android smartphones).

The RIM Playbook is also validated for secure use.

iOS is not certified because Apple doesn't let its source code out, and thus is not considered a secure option. (For this flight application, high security is not needed.)

STC for AutoGas would be great, IF I could find AutoGas to use! And the mandatory 10% ethanol is a wrench in the idea.

I hear Apple has changed tune and are working to get security clearances. The irony is, the stricter software control makes it quite secure in some aspects.

 

[twoodcc]

great! the rest of the government needs to join in!

 

[MUrhino]

[/COLOR]

Present day avionics are heavily shielded, so an EMP would certainly cripple an iPad, but perhaps some avionics could survive a little EMP? (especially the military cold war grade equipment from the '80's? They just need a reboot?)[/QUOTE]

There are certain aircraft in the inventory that are shielded from an EMP that I won't go into. If your claim of individual avionics being "heavily shielded" (I'd love to see your source on that by the way) is true, what about all the circuits connecting the avionics? Are they shielded? My point is the whole aircraft would need to be hardened against an EMP, otherwise you'd still have a breakdown in basic fly-by-wire commands, among multiple other system failures, regardless of whether or not the avionics were shielded or not.

So far the EFBs are useful and still undergoing testing for in-flight cockpit sole use.