Gulf Air Makes Use of iPads as Electronic Flight Bags

On a meeting held recently, Gulf Air announced its intentions of rolling out an Electronic Flight Bag program making use of Apple’s iPad device. The meeting, held last Sunday, revealed the carrier’s Information and Communication Technology initiatives on how they wish to make use of this technology.

As announced, the carrier will be purchasing and distributing a total of 355 iPad devices to be included throughout their fleet. “We are proud of our existing strategic relationship with VIVA Bahrain and pleased to extend this partnership to include the provision of iPad devices as part of Gulf Air’s Electronic Flight Bag Project,” the carrier’s Acting CEO, Maher Salman Al Musallam announced during the launch. “This is an essential component of our ongoing commitment to all new technology that provides integrated solutions for managing information in the air and on the ground.”

Despite this huge number of iPad devices, it still does not compare to the investment other major airlines have made. One such example is American Airlines, which already has over 8,000 iPad devices issued under its EFB program throughout its fleet. Additionally, the U.S. Air Force has also made use of this program, as a way of cutting down on its fuel costs. Because of how functional this integration has been, the Air Force plans to deploy 18,000 iPads as EFBs over the next ten years.

The good thing about using the gadget on the airlines is that it replaces the traditional heavy kitbags that are being carried by a flight’s pilot and crew. In the process, this saves weight and fuel on the part of the airline. This proves that there’s more to the iPad than just its personal use.

Source: AppleInsider