Electronic flight bag

An Electronic flight bag ( EFB) is an electronic device for information management, aircrew helps lighter, more efficient and perform flight management tasks with less paperwork. It is a general purpose computing platform, which will help to reduce or replace, which was found previously in paper form in the hand luggage of a pilot material. These are, for example, documents how the aircraft and crew operating manual and the navigation maps. In addition, the EFB process special software applications to automate been manually performed functions, such as performance calculations.

The EFB was given the name of the traditional pilot case (English: flight bag), which is an up to 18 kg document pocket, with the pilots in the cockpit take. The "electronic flight bag " is the replacement of documents in a digital format. There are numerous benefits of EFB as weight savings, reduced costs and increased efficiency due to elimination of the paper flow. The lower pilot workload contributes to flight safety.

According to the definition of the American Aviation Safety Authority Federal Aviation Administration (FAA ) is an electronic flight bag, an electronic display system that is intended primarily for cockpit or cabin use.

EFB devices can display a variety of aviation data or perform basic calculations (including performance data and calculations for fuel). They are divided into three classes and three kinds of software.

Hardware classes

• Class 1: Commercially available devices, including laptops and handhelds. These devices exist as loose equipment and stowed during critical phases of flight. Portable electronic devices are considered Class 1 EFBs. You can be connected to the power supply of the aircraft or related to other systems via defined Docking Stations in conjunction. This allows the class 1 devices with other systems to contact. Commercial flights you have to get approval to use by the Authority ( LBA). Detailed information on the approval procedure describes JAR TGL 36

• Class 2: These are also portable electronic devices, which range from modified standard to custom-built devices. They are fixed on the plane, so that their displays are during all phases of flight, in view of the pilot. Class 2 devices can be connected to the power supply and data communication of the aircraft. For operations, the data exchange is limited to read-only access to the aircraft system.

• Class 3: In this class of device is built instruments that are required for flight safety. They must therefore be considered in the design of the aircraft. The hardware for this class is limited to shared by the Authority device.

Types of software

On the EFBs variety of applications can be used. These are divided into three software categories:

• Type A A static application such as a document viewer (PDF, HTML, XML format)
• Electronic version of paper cards representing the static maps
• Electronic Checklists
• Manuals for aircraft crews and other printed documents such as airport NOTAMs

• Type B Dynamic map display, which includes the ability to pan and zoom. Automatic updating of maps by comparison with the GPS.
• Real-time information about the weather, which may include weather maps.
• Calculations for flight performance

• Type C These programs can be used as a multi- function display ( MFD), maybe they are also part of the automatic dependent surveillance (ADS ). The Type C applications are part of the flight safety and therefore require a certification. Type C software must run on a Class 3 device.