Choosing the right handheld EFB | Aviation International News

Choosing the right handheld EFB

In the last couple of years the concept of portable cockpit computers has caught on in a big way.

By Stephen Pope

January 14, 2008

In the last couple of years the concept of portable cockpit computers has caught on in a big way. Not only can such devices be used to cut pilot workload, they also have been shown to help corporate flight departments and airlines shave costs and reduce aircraft weight by replacing reams of paper approach chart binders with slim handheld PCs. Yet with so many devices to choose from, it’s not always easy to decide which one is the best for your cockpit.

At least 12 airlines recently have submitted requests for proposals to companies that market such hardware. Southwest Airlines, JetBlue, FedEx, Finnair and Lufthansa have already made the switch from paper charts and checklists to the so-called electronic flight bags (EFB)– defined by the FAA as lightweight yet rugged computing devices that may be used to perform a wide variety of flight-related duties from calculating weight-and-balance figures to viewing detailed moving maps, approach charts and airport diagrams, and even downloading current weather maps.

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