electronic flight bag

An electronic flight bag (EFB) is an electronic information management device that helps flight crews perform flight management tasks more easily and efficiently with less paper providing the reference material often found in the pilot's carry-on flight bag, including the flight-crew operating manual, navigational charts, etc. In addition, the EFB can host purpose-built software applications to automate other functions normally conducted by hand, such as take-off performance calculations. The EFB gets its name from the traditional pilot's flight bag, which is typically a heavy (up to or over ) documents bag that pilots carry to the cockpit.

An EFB is intended primarily for cockpit/flightdeck or cabin use. For large and turbine aircraft, FAR 91.503 requires the presence of navigational charts on the airplane. If an operator's sole source of navigational chart information is contained on an EFB, the operator must demonstrate the EFB will continue to operate throughout a decompression event, and thereafter, regardless of altitude.

History

The earliest EFB precursors came from individual pilots from FedEx in the early 1990s who used their personal laptops where are referred as Airport Performance Laptop Computer to carry out aircraft performance calculations on the aircraft (this was a commercial off-the-shelf computer and was considered portable).

The first true EFB, designed specifically to replace a pilot's entire kit bag, was patented by Angela Masson as the Electronic Kit Bag (EKB) in 1999. In 2005, the first commercial Class 2 EFB was issued to Avionics Support Group, Inc. with its Constant Friction Mount (cfMount) as part of the EFB. The installation was performed on a Miami Air Boeing B737NG.

In 2009, Continental Airlines successfully completed the world’s first flight using Jeppesen Airport Surface Area Moving Map (AMM) showing “own ship” position on a Class 2 Electronic Flight Bag platform. The AMM application uses a high resolution database to dynamically render maps of the airport.

As personal computing technology became more compact and powerful, EFBs became capable of storing all the aeronautical charts for the entire world on a single three-pound (1.4 kg) computer, compared to the 80 lb (36 kg) of paper normally required for worldwide paper charts. Using EFBs increases safety and enhances the crews’ access to operating procedures and flight management information, enhance safety by allowing aircrews to calculate aircraft performance for safer departures and arrivals as well as aircraft weight and balance for loading-planning purposes accurately.

The Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) purchased an initial supply of over 3,000 iPad-based EFBs which were launched in December 2011. In a similar acquisition, Air Mobility Command initiated a contract for up to 18,000 iPad-based EFBs. The Air Force Special Operations Command internally developed a secure method of transferring the National Geo-Spatial Intelligence Agency's (NGA) monthly Flight Information Publications (FLIP) dataset to all its users worldwide.

After trialing iPads as EFBs in 2011, Delta Air Lines announced in August 2013 it would replace a policy allowing pilots to use personal tablets as EFBs. Delta planned to provide new certified EFBs to all of its pilots by May 2014, after FAA approval in February. Early risk of breakage to iPads used as EFBs was addressed through rugged case design.

However, the purchase of iPad from AFSOC was cancelled in February 2012 due to security concerns, where Russian-made software procurement issues may cause potential risks to expose end users.

Design features

EFBs were initially divided into a number of hardware classes and software types. However, later EFBs simply were categorized as "Portable" (PEDs) or "Installed". Portable can be considered to consolidate the previous Class 1 and 2 distinctions, while Installed is equivalent to Class 3. These simplifications made to reduce confusion and to harmonize with already-released EASA and ICAO guidance.

Legacy EFB hardware classes were:
* Class 1 – Standard commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) equipment such as laptops or handheld electronic devices. These devices are used as loose equipment and are typically stowed during critical phases of flight (below 10,000 feet). A Class 1 EFB is considered a Portable Electronic Device (PED). Class 1 EFBs, such as Cockpit iPads, may be used to display Type B applications in critical phases of flight provided that they are 'secured and viewable'.
* Class 2 – Portable Electronic Devices, and range from modified COTS equipment to purpose-built devices. Mounting, power (ship's power as primary) or data connectivity of an EFB typically requires the application of an STC, Type Certificate or Amended Type Certificate. (ref: FAA Order 8900.1)
* Class 3 – Considered "installed equipment" and subject to airworthiness requirements and, unlike PEDs, they must be under design control. The hardware is subject to a limited number of RTCA DO-160E requirements (for non-essential equipment—typical crash safety and Conducted and Radiated Emissions testing). Class 3 EFBs are typically installed under STC or other airworthiness approval.

EFB may host a wide array of applications, initially categorized in three software categories.
* Type A
** Static applications, such as document viewer (PDF, HTML, and XML formats);
** Flight Crew Operating Manuals, and other printed documents like airport NOTAM;
* Type B
** Static or dynamic electronic "charts" to include (though not requiring) panning, zooming, and scrolling; (AC120-76(), Appendix B)
* Type C
** use as a Multi-function display (MFD); in at least one case as part of an Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast system. Type C applications must run only on Class 3 EFB.

Initially Type C applications were considered as subject to airworthiness requirements and as such must be developed in conformance with DO-178/ED-12 objectives and run on Class 3 EFB. Later, with release of AC 120-76D in 2017, reference to Type C applications were removed, and their functionality no longer an EFB functions.

Regulations

While FAR Part 91 Operators (those not flying for hire, including private and corporate operators) can use their pilot-in-command authority to approve the use of EFBs which are PEDs, operator with OpSpecs (Part 135, Part 121) must seek operational approval through the OpSpecs process based on the following requirements:
* PEDs used as EFB configuration must meet the rapid decompression testing requirements of standard RTCA DO-160E.
* Any mounting or attachment or data connectivity of PEDs used as EFB to aircraft systems shall be performed in accordance with an approved data (such as Supplemental Type Certificate, Type Certificate or Amended Type Certificate).

See also

* Quick Reference Handbook (QRH)
* Flight Management System (FMS)

References

Further reading

*
* FAA AC 91-78 (July 2007 – Use of Class 1 and 2 EFBs)
* FAA Order 8900.1
*
* AMC 20-25 (February 2014)

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