'No Technical Objections' Seen For EFB Implementation

After an extensive cooperative engagement, Jeppesen has successfully passed an EASA Operations Evaluation Board (OEB) review, clearing a major hurdle toward European airline use of Jeppesen FliteDeck Pro and Jeppesen Mobile TC Pro applications for iPad/iOS. This evaluation report is the first that EASA has ever granted for mobile electronic flight bag (EFB) with navigation charting.

The report states, “The EASA-OEB sees no technical objections to the grant by National Authorities of an operational approval for the use of TC Pro iOS and FD Pro iOS software applications taking the recommendations in this report into account.” This endorsement clears a path for EASA-based certificated operators to gain Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) approvals for the operational use of Jeppesen’s iPad applications, and thus further accelerating the tablet EFB revolution.

Because the iPad applications can be used in all phases of flight, integration of tablet EFB allows wide-scale reduction of paper flight materials resulting in substantial fuel savings while providing crew-based mobile platforms as key building blocks towards the ultimate goal of the connected digital airline.

The EASA evaluation report was based on EFB standards JAA TGL 36 and draft AMC 20-25, “Airworthiness and operational consideration for the approval of Electronic Flight Bags (EFBs).” Local CAAs who have working agreements with EASA for EFB can refer directly to the published report in support of operators seeking operational approval of Jeppesen iPad EFB solutions.

“We are grateful for the opportunity to engage with EASA on this project. Their team was professional and knowledgeable,” said Thomas Wede, Jeppesen senior vice president and general manager, Aviation. “The spirit of cooperation throughout led to an outstanding outcome, with quality and safety always being the top priority. EASA provided thoughtful feedback, leading to product improvements, and re-emphasized the importance of EFB administration and content delivery tools and processes.”

The EASA report is the latest in a series of regulatory milestones for Jeppesen EFB on iPad. On February 1, 2011, Executive Jet Management (EJM) received the first FAA authorization after an extensive joint program with Jeppesen and the FAA. On May 13, 2011, the FAA issued InFO bulletin #11011, codifying the use of iPad and similar tablets for EFB, referencing the work done by Jeppesen and EJM. And recently, on September 18, 2012, the FAA Seattle Airplane Evaluation Group (AEG) issued a Letter of Operational Suitability for Jeppesen’s consumer and professional iPad applications.

To date, Jeppesen business and commercial aviation charting customers in the U.S. have amassed approximately 1,000 formal FAA authorizations, most of which cover multiple airplanes or fleets. A significant majority of the authorizations have been granted in less than two years, since iPad was introduced. This number does not include general aviation pilots, who are not required to file formal authorizations.

FMI: www.easa.europa.eu/certification/experts/OEB-reports.php