A proliferation of built-in and portable tablet computers, and an expanding array of aviation-specific software applications, have made electronic flight bags (EFBs) — cutting edge technological marvels only a few years ago — common fixtures in airplane cockpits.
As new hardware and software have emerged, studies of their roles have followed, along with the development of new guidance from civil aviation authorities on the installation and use of three classes of EFBs (see “Hardware and Software”).
Hardware and Software
Electronic flight bags (EFBs) are defined by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) as electronic display systems “intended primarily for flight deck use that [include] the hardware and software needed to support an intended function. EFB devices can display a variety of aviation data or perform basic calculations (e.g., performance data, fuel calculations, etc.)…
