American Airlines is preparing to retrofit its Boeing MD-80 fleet with Class 2 electronic flight bags (EFBs), as part of its fleetwide expansion plans. According to a pilot tasked with developing the programme, American will begin retrofitting its 327-strong MD-80 fleet within the next 12 months.
The Class 2 EFB is a flightdeck-mounted computer display unit that provides pilots with flight operations data, as well as check weather and maps.
The introduction of EFBs is expected to save the airline “a significant amount” of money, primarily through flight efficiencies resulting from use of the data, says Allied Pilots Association (APA) national safety committee member Hank Putek.
American has been in talks with several suppliers as it determines which Class 2 EFBs are best suited for the MD-80s. Vendors of Class 2 systems include Miami-based Avionica, Boeing subsidary Jeppesen and Chicago-based NavAero.
The task of equipping American’s fleet beyond its MD-80s is likely to begin within two years. The airline’s plans to launch a fleetwide Class 2 EFB deployment were decided after its pilots revealed that a six-month voluntary test programme for Class 1 systems on Boeing 777-200ERs would begin next month.
Putek says American can move towards Class 2 deployment while conducting tests with Class 1 units, which use commercial, off-the-shelf laptop computers, because they are mutually exclusive – Class 1 systems can include data displayed on the pilot’s personal laptop computer, while Class 2 systems involve hardware that is mounted on the flightdeck.
The potential for equipping American’s fleet with Class 3 EFBs – which are integrated into the flightdeck’s avionics to provide additional information such as airport moving-map displays – is still seen as a long-term objective, says Putek.
A cost-benefit analysis has to be conducted for the Class 3 systems before a decision is taken on their implementation.
American is currently considering Class 3 systems for its Boeing 757, 767 and 777 fleets, Putek adds. Early cost estimates for Class 3 EFBs are between $275,000 and $300,000 for each aircraft.
Source: Flight International
