Full iPad Integration for United Airlines
By 
It all started with Alaska Airlines back in May, and now the bigger domestic airlines are starting to fall in line. While other airlines offer tablets to first class passengers, United Continental Holdings has announced that all of their pilots will start to use the iPad in place of cumbersome paper charts and manuals.
Some 11,000 iPads will be distributed to United and Continental airline pilots in a move away from paper flight manuals and navigational charts, which can weigh up to 50 pounds and take up precious cockpit space.
Not only will the new electronic flight bag reduce the egregious amount of paper used, it will also cut back on fuel costs keeping an estimated 3,208 metric tons of greenhouse gasses out of the atmosphere.
The company also estimates saving around 1,900 trees and 326,000 gallons of jet fuel per year. With all the savings maybe we won’t have to keep paying for checked baggage!
You may recall that when Alaska Airlines started using iPads in the air, they lacked the ability to use the tablet as a navigational tool. United Continental Holdings has taken the next step by including navigational charts in their app of choice, Jeppesen Mobile Flight Deck.
The app, with the help of the hardware, is able to pinpoint the location of the iPad as precisely as other instruments already on the flight deck. Using the iPad as a navigational tool benefits the pilot by providing the most up-to-date information on airports and procedures.
Rather than having to page through literally thousands of pieces of paper, all the manuals and reference guides will also be available electronically. This allows pilots to carry lighter, and therefore safer, flight bags. United and Continental have released that all pilots will have the iPads by the end of the year.
Next time you’re on a United or Continental flight, try to ask the pilot how they like the iPad instead of paper and let us know! I know my one pilot friend is a huge fan, but he has only been flying for a couple years and it would be interesting to know how the more season sky captains feel.
