We did cover the story of American Airlines being given the nod of approval by the FCC to use an iPad app instead of having pilots deal with paper navigation charts earlier this year, and now the FAA has expanded the use of iPads for American Airlines pilots, by letting them use the iPad 2 in all aspects of a commercial flight. This move will see a reduction of 40 pounds off the weight that an average flight carries, helping save the airline a cool $1.2 million each year. It might not sound like much in a multi-billion dollar industry, but every penny counts now, considering how American Airlines did file for bankruptcy.
The iPad Electronic Flight Bag (EFB) app that runs on the famous Apple tablet device was designed by the Allied Pilots Association and American Airlines in conjunction with navigation company Jeppesen, who incidentally is part of Boeing. This app is the only FAA approved digital replacement where paper maps and guides are concerned, although American Airlines has yet to confirm whether they will use this version of the EFB.
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