With the Windows RT 8.1 operating system, pilots will be
able to open two applications side-by-side, offering,
for example, the opportunity to assess weather
information alongside proposed flight paths. The Live
Tile user interface in Windows 8.1 can feed
up-to-the-minute information to crew members while the
Surface 2’s true high-resolution 1080p touchscreen
display adds detail to maps and other resources.
Delta expects to receive approval from the FAA to use
the tablets during all phases of flight next year, a
process that follows an extensive period of testing on
board Boeing 757 and Boeing 767 aircraft. Approvals for
all subsequent fleet types are expected by the end of
2014. The Surface tablets fully integrate handheld
technology in the flight deck, streamlining organization
of necessary materials and ensuring continuity of
information accessed by pilots while giving them the
latest tools to drive operational and cost improvements.
The reduction of paper in the cockpit also reduces
clutter and allows pilots to spend more time focusing on
flying the aircraft as they will benefit from an
intuitive user interface that features functions to find
information faster, without having to hunt for
appropriate manuals in flight bags or page through paper
documents.
“The integration of the electronic flight bag is part of
Delta’s broader move to upgrade flight deck equipment,
deploy technology enhancements and take advantage of
airspace modernization efforts,” said Dickson. “With
these improvements, we’re able to reduce the airline’s
environmental impact while providing a great deal of
flexibility to continue to add mobile technology
solutions into our flying operations.”
Rolling out the Surface 2 tablets across the entire
fleet and eliminating paper in the cockpit means the
carrier will remove traditional 38-pound pilot flight
bags maintained on board aircraft for each pilot. That
critical weight reduction is expected to reduce fuel
usage by an estimated 1.2 million gallons per year which
translates to a 26-million-pound reduction in carbon
emissions the equivalent of taking more than 2,300
passenger cars off the road. Additionally, the tablet
will cut the airline’s paper usage by 7.5 million sheets
annually and save an estimated 900 trees each year.
In
the coming years, Delta plans to expand the
functionality of the EFB equipment and increase the
efficiency of the operation by providing pilots with
electronic dispatch and flight release information,
access to real-time weather forecasts, up-to-the-minute
operational information and dynamic communication with
aircraft technicians on the ground.
“We set out to make Surface the most productive tablet,
so we couldn’t be more excited to help Delta pilots be
more productive and help the environment,” said Brian
Hall, Surface general manager at Microsoft. “This
announcement demonstrates Delta’s absolute commitment to
bringing the best in technology innovation into their
flight operations. The full HD Surface screen and
ten-hour battery life will be perfect for flights where
Delta pilots will get seamless real-time data and
visualization in a variety of lighting conditions. And
then they can be productive off the plane with Microsoft
Office and our click-in keyboard. We look forward to
seeing how Delta amazes us with its Surfaces.”
The move to a paperless cockpit follows Delta’s
industry-leading launch of handheld devices for its
19,000 flight attendants that runs on Windows
Phone-based software. Delta flight attendants began
using the Nokia Lumia 820 in August and are able to
access customer and flight information while using
Dynamics for Retail technology for easy onboard
customer purchases.
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