Does anyone have any insight on the airlines that are currently using iPads? I know Alaska, American, and United have all claimed they are going to issues iPads to their pilots. Are these being used just as e-readers or has the FAA granted approval to use them for Jepp charts too?

I have heard that there have been issues with the initial iPad usage. Does anyone have any insight on where these airlines are with iPad usage?

I have been carrying an iPad for about a year and a half with my company manuals on it. It would be so much easier if I could just ditch the paper copies of my manuals since I never pull them out anyway.

 

Nothing at United. I was told I'd get one last August. Still waiting.

 

UPS will start testing them next month. The goal is to have full use (manuals & Jepps) by June/July of this year. Draft copies of all the training materials are on one of our employee websites and I have been going thru them since last Friday.

50 volunteers will start a 30 day test trial of all manuals (ops above 18,000 feet) in February. This will be expanded to 150 crew members after that. If that proves successful, then it will be expanded to using Jepp charts via the Jeppesen TC app. The FAA was out on our ramp today in SDF checking mounting locations in each of the aircraft. Along those lines, the two currently approved mounting schemes are via a kneeboard setup and a RAM branded double suction cup mount. The suction cup unit will be mounted somewhere on the L2/R2 windows. The FAA is determining exactly where on the window it will mount so as to not interfere with the window opening latch, yet be in a useful position for viewing the iPad.

That's the latest scoop at UPS.

 

I saw Sun Country using an ipad for weight and balance and such last time we dealt with one of their charters.

 

Ask an Alaska pilot.

 

Fractional operator CitationAir uses iPads now. All Jepps and company manuals are stored on the iPad. They even have copies of the airplane manuals and other company docs loaded. They were issue to the pilots, not the the individual planes. Just a quick check to make sure you are up to date before your trip is all it takes. Trip paperwork and flight plans sent via email. Nice to be paper free!

EXTW

 

This question was just asked on our company website (alaska) so the answer is only a couple of days old from the program manager. To answer your question, yes, every pilot at Alaska has been issued one and we are required to carry both the Ipad and paper manuals with current revisions. They are trying to get approval in a two-step process, first replace the F.O.M. and Flight Handbook and secondly JEPs. The first approval should be "very soon" and complete flight status by "June 2012".

 

The FOM bulletin just came out today and Alaska pilots can finally leave the FOM and Flight handbook at home Finally!! We've had to carry both for almost a year now. Jepps still in the process.

 

I just read the bulletin…that is good news!!! Can't wait for JEPs to go, plan on replacing with 20Lbs of food instead!!!

 

Horizon has just 1 more hurdle to clear before we start our iPad testing/etc...heard last week in GS that it could be early summer when we get ours and hopefully get to use Alaska's testing as part of our own.