Pilots leverage apps for guidance, information
April 24, 2012, 08:30 am
The Federal Aviation Administration has approved the use of tablets in cockpits allowing pilots to access mobile applications that provide navigational support, weather information and other destination details to aid in their flight. Pilot insurance is another important tool pilots should use to ensure a safe flight.
The Economic Times reported pilots are using tablets as navigation tools and frames of reference as a faster means of obtaining information compared to flipping through a dense paper manual. Tablets and aviation apps on them can provide aviation charts, weather forecasts, notams and airport information, approach path to runway, location of taxiway and parking bays. The information can be accessed with one tap, and the information provided is constantly being updated through an internet connection.
One Jet Airways pilot told the Times he uses the tablet at home to become familiar with a flight path, weather predictions and airport details prior to taking off. Other pilots prefer to keep the information handy and deploy the mobile apps while in the cockpit. An Air India pilot said the information on specialist aviation websites and mobile apps are accurate even for smaller airports in remote locations.
"Tablets will also be of help for long-haul flights because pilots often have to grapple with too much of paper while cruising," an Air India pilot told the Times. "Every possible information about route, en route airports and others will pop up on the screen."
Garmin Pilot aviation app, for example, offers intuitive navigation, charts, flight planning and filing capabilities to pilots in the sky via mobile devices. The app incorporates an intuitive pilot interface, easy-to-use menu icons and many features seen on other Garmin products. Using the app, pilots can start with pre-flight planning, make better-informed flight decision and plan for any potential inclement weather they may encounter en route.
In addition, the app comes equipped with pre-flight planning tools such as an airport directory, fuel pricing information to plan refueling stops, built-in calculators to help determine fuel burn, enroute legs and arrival times.
Pilots can enter a flight plan onto a map screen, allowing the user to overlay weather, pan across an entire route, zoom or graphically modify a portion of the flight. Once the flight plan is prepared, the app makes it easy for pilots to file, amend and close the flight plan.
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