Posted by Courtney E. Howard
ENGLEWOOD, Colo., 14 Feb. 2011. Executive Jet Management has received authorization from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to use the Jeppesen Mobile TC App for iPad as an alternative to paper aeronautical charts. The authorization allows Executive Jet Management to use Apple’s iPad and the Jeppesen Mobile TC App as the sole reference for electronic charts, even during taxi, takeoff, and landing.
Executive Jet Management, a wholly owned subsidiary of NetJets Inc., is a provider of worldwide jet charter and aircraft management services.
This announcement is the result of a three-month, extensive, in-flight evaluation managed by Executive Jet Management and Jeppesen with regular engagement of the FAA (including local and national Electronic Flight Bag authorization authorities). The cross-industry collaboration sets an important precedent for the aviation community, says a spokesperson. Lessons learned, processes established, and templates developed during this project may benefit other companies seeking to deploy EFB solutions on iPad.
"The exceptional collaboration between operator, supplier, and the FAA was remarkable," says Mark Van Tine, Jeppesen president and chief executive officer. "This serves as a model for how the FAA can be engaged in working through a challenge and defining a solution that moves the industry forward safely and efficiently. Executive Jet Management's role was critical to the success of this project. They possess the necessary skills, credibility and EFB experience to help all parties understand, from an operator's perspective, the unique issues and benefits related to using iPad in flight."
The Jeppesen Mobile TC App and iPad were evaluated by Executive Jet Management pilots who logged more than 250 flight segments. Pilots participating in the evaluation reported that they were particularly pleased with the App's ease of use, simplicity to manage, speed, and display clarity. As a result of the full analysis, enhancements to crew procedures, training updates, and software improvements were included in the Jeppesen Mobile TC App version 1.2, released last month.
The authorized EFB configuration is a Class 1 portable, kneeboard EFB solution that is secured and viewable during critical phases of flight as defined in FAA Order 8900.1. Information obtained from this evaluation will also be useful in gaining future authorization for Class 2 mounted configurations using iPad.
"Executive Jet Management was pleased to collaborate with Jeppesen and the FAA on this leading-edge iPad EFB solution and to support the introduction of this technology to the industry," says Executive Jet Management’s president, Robert Garrymore. "The collaboration with Jeppesen and the FAA was key in making this innovation possible and we are proud to be a part of it."
In support of the authorization effort:
- A total of 55 pilots and 10 different aircraft types from the Executive Jet Management fleet were involved in 250 flight segments to ensure a broad scope of feedback
- Jeppesen commissioned a successful rapid decompression test on iPad to 51,000 feet in altitude
- Executive Jet Management completed successful non-interference testing on the evaluation aircraft
- The project followed established FAA EFB authorization requirements applicable to an air carrier
