iPad Use Being Reviewed by FAA During Aircraft Takeoff and Landing

[Michael Essany]

As MMi has covered in great detail over the last twenty four months, iPad use on commercial airliners has evolved rapidly. From being a device that keeps passengers entertained, to becoming a device used by pilots to help keep passengers safe, Apple's touchscreen tablet has become a fixture of the friendly skies.

But the iPad, of course, remains an electronic gadget that is lumped in with all others when the flight crew asks for all such items to be turned off during taxi, takeoff and landing of commercial aircraft. Those are the FAA's rules.

But those rules might be changing. According to a report published Sunday in the New York Times, the FFA is actively reviewing whether the iPad can safely be used during those previously prohibited times. Laura J. Brown, deputy assistant administrator for public affairs for the F.A.A., reportedly told the paper that the FAA is taking a “fresh look” at the matter.

As it now stands, the FAA will specifically look into e-readers and tablets for potential expanded use on board aircraft. It is not believed, however, that smartphones are up for consideration in the testing and review process believed to now be underway.

Source: New York Times

[CustomSS1]

(for pilots)
I just don't understand why they would use an iPad. What if the iPad crashes? Pappers wont do that!

Also, it would be a better idea if a "custom" made tablet were created JUST for aviation purpose.
I mean what's the point with an HD camera and the other features the iPad offers?
The tablet will only be used to read checklists and other types of texts. Or did I miss something?

[feidhlim1986]

I just don't understand why they would use an iPad. What if the iPad crashes? Pappers wont do that!

Also, it would be a better idea if a "custom" made tablet were created JUST for aviation purpose.
I mean what's the point with an HD camera and the other features the iPad offers?
The tablet will only be used to read checklists and other types of texts. Or did I miss something?

This is about passengers using iPads during takeoff and landing. So yeah you missed something.

Frankly I'd prefer people just put away their electronics and just pay attention in the off chance that something does go wrong during the short time of takeoff and landing.

[snoozkewl]

Why don't they just say what it's really about, people will understand it more than using an old obsolete problem to make an excuse. Sure when cell phones were bricks they could have possibly interference and why risk it.
Now with electronics these days, it's not if they will interfere with the plane, is if they will interfere with your ability to be attentive in case of an emergency. Which are you most likely to chuck to the floor in case the breath masks come down, your book, or your $400 iPad. The most important times are take off and landing, any the airline just wants to make sure they have your most undivided attention.

[santacruzlocal]

If it's such a threat, I would hate to be the one to "Test" it!!!

[PoEtikly]

This is about passengers using iPads during takeoff and landing. So yeah you missed something.

Frankly I'd prefer people just put away their electronics and just pay attention in the off chance that something does go wrong during the short time of takeoff and landing.

Well, I think you should actually read the article before correcting somebody because it also states that it'll be used to help pilots (keep passengers safe). So it's actually you who has missed something.

[k2pilot]

(for pilots)
I just don't understand why they would use an iPad. What if the iPad crashes? Pappers wont do that!

Also, it would be a better idea if a "custom" made tablet were created JUST for aviation purpose.
I mean what's the point with an HD camera and the other features the iPad offers?
The tablet will only be used to read checklists and other types of texts. Or did I miss something?

We have to do a lot more than just check lists. The biggest benefit for pilots is that we traditionally have to carry a giant binder that we're constantly replacing half of every 15-30 days with different approach procedures for every airport, so now rather than manually going through all the approaches and updating them, we have it all in one device. Granted the aircraft also has its own version of these approaches, it's extremely beneficial to have another copy you can look at in your hand.

[ipadpilot]

(for pilots)
I just don't understand why they would use an iPad. What if the iPad crashes? Pappers wont do that!

Also, it would be a better idea if a "custom" made tablet were created JUST for aviation purpose.
I mean what's the point with an HD camera and the other features the iPad offers?
The tablet will only be used to read checklists and other types of texts. Or did I miss something?

As a pilot who utilizes an iPad currently I can tell you that the checklists are not the only thing being read on it. Actually I utilize my iPad more for navigation and Instrument landing procedures then I use it for anything else in the cockpit. Your not wrong in saying that paper doesn't crash, yet not having to carry 65 lbs worth of paper navigation charts, airport/facility directories, instrument landing procedures, and checklists is a huge help! also that saving of weight while it may seem insignificant while looking at an airliner, is huge for a corporate flight department like the one I manage. In a crew of two (including the weight of the chart cases needed to transport from plane to plane), its a savings of close to 150 lbs. Which is the addition of 22 gals more of jet fuel, or one more person of smaller stature to help with the sales meeting, or 150 lbs more of luggage, product, demonstration tools, or the difference of making it to your ultimate destination with required fuel reserves instead of landing to get more fuel. Check out ForeFlight for both the iPad or iPhone, free to try, but it will show you and others interested in knowing just what is being missed an idea of the sheer amount of information we pilots can access all in one touch screen device rather than carrying that big black leather box of suitcase you see us pilots towing behind us in the terminals.

[bartzjosh]

(for pilots)
I just don't understand why they would use an iPad. What if the iPad crashes? Pappers wont do that!

Also, it would be a better idea if a "custom" made tablet were created JUST for aviation purpose.
I mean what's the point with an HD camera and the other features the iPad offers?
The tablet will only be used to read checklists and other types of texts. Or did I miss something?

why would it be crashing? if the app is made stable then it shouldn't crash. most crashes occur on jailbroken devices. and knowing a pilot personally, he loves it because you just scroll around, instead of needing multiple maps and flipping through them to find out where your going. think of it along the same lines as the average person switching from road maps to a gps.

[PoEtikly]

It's also about how with a cellular signal a "terrorist" can remotely trigger bombs. The FAA is also investigating whether a tablet can also be used in the same way. I'm sure there is somebody out there who can develop a way to use a tablet to do the same.

[ddonuts4]

The picture is kind of decieving. I don't believe this applies to pilots. I believe they just mean people in general.

[Mr. Russian]

why would it be crashing? if the app is made stable then it shouldn't crash. most crashes occur on jailbroken devices. and knowing a pilot personally, he loves it because you just scroll around, instead of needing multiple maps and flipping through them to find out where your going. think of it along the same lines as the average person switching from road maps to a gps.

It's not true that most crashes occur on jailbroken devices...

[1shuttle1]

I would not be surprised if wifi dollars for the carrier are not at least partially behind this. On short flights the extra half hour you would get from boarding time till you hit that magical height when they say you can use portable devices. Not to mention the time when they tell you to turn them off. I guess it's more like an hour. This would make a lot of people pay for the service that would normally not.

I've never given much credence to the whole cell phone interference problem anyway. I do agree that no one would pay attention to the flight attendants if they could use their devices before take off.

It will be interesting if Apple's influence can change this law.

[Eonhpi]

Just have the flyers put the devices in airplane mode as they take off and land or make an app to preview take off and landing procedures or something .have them with just wifi so no 3g interference is there just for entertainment propose gps Internet and such .

[firetwuck]

(for pilots)
I just don't understand why they would use an iPad. What if the iPad crashes? Pappers wont do that!

Also, it would be a better idea if a "custom" made tablet were created JUST for aviation purpose.
I mean what's the point with an HD camera and the other features the iPad offers?
The tablet will only be used to read checklists and other types of texts. Or did I miss something?

The iPad doesn't fly the plane, the pilots do. The iPads are used for specific procedures and maps. And since there is a co-pilot, there are two of them. The odds of both crashing are pretty damn slim. And if they did, they have long range transceivers to contact the airline's base of operations to ask for help, not to mention ATC.

[steve-z17]

The iPad doesn't fly the plane, the pilots do. The iPads are used for specific procedures and maps. And since there is a co-pilot, there are two of them. The odds of both crashing are pretty damn slim. And if they did, they have long range transceivers to contact the airline's base of operations to ask for help, not to mention ATC.

Actually the pilots don't even really fly the plane, they're there to take off and land it or in case something goes wrong. Other than that it's all done by computer. My bro in law is a pilot for SouthWest and he says that they don't turn their phones or iPads off during take-off or landing and that while they're in the air most of them play Sudoku or read the newspaper lol.

[CustomSS1]

We have to do a lot more than just check lists. The biggest benefit for pilots is that we traditionally have to carry a giant binder that we're constantly replacing half of every 15-30 days with different approach procedures for every airport, so now rather than manually going through all the approaches and updating them, we have it all in one device. Granted the aircraft also has its own version of these approaches, it's extremely beneficial to have another copy you can look at in your hand.

Wont most info be given via ATIS? And found in the FMC/CDU?
Also some cockpits are equiped with stock tablets made just for airport information.(usually seen in B777 and a321)
Im a bit curious since I want to be a pilot.

[moveandstore]

Well most airlines want to eliminate a lot of paper. That's what's being told because a fully loaded flight bag weights a lot. The iPad is being tested by most airlines and it is supposed to compliment the electronic flight bag that most advanced aircraft have, like the Boeing 777. I guess that they have special aviation based apps specifically made. I read somewhere that there was testing between tablets and the iPad was superior and was the best available.

[fourplay]

(for pilots)
I just don't understand why they would use an iPad. What if the iPad crashes? Pappers wont do that!

Also, it would be a better idea if a "custom" made tablet were created JUST for aviation purpose.
I mean what's the point with an HD camera and the other features the iPad offers?
The tablet will only be used to read checklists and other types of texts. Or did I miss something?

The cost of creating that tablet wouldn't be worth it when you have this great platform to start with. With the redundancies and the fact that I haven't seen an iOS device brick itself under regular use they'll have no problem.