Image Source: (United Airlines)

BY MADISON MACK

ANCHOR ZACH TOOMBS

The Air Force is looking to switch to paperless cockpits and in the process — buy iPads. Financial News Network reports.
 
“The services Air Mobility Command plans to issue a request for proposal to buy between 63 and 18,000 iPad 2s or similar devices to lighten the load of flight crews. “

The military wants to replace the heavy flight bags that pilots must bring aboard flights. Popular Science says they can weigh up to 70 pounds — filled with materials pilots are required to carry like aviation charts and regulations, especially because flight charts are updated once a month.

“It’s time-consuming to wade through it all, and the added weight could also be a problem, even on airplanes designed to carry enormously heavy cargo.”

But -— the outlet notes potential problems …

“Though iPads are certainly lighter and sleeker than a binder … imagine what could go wrong if the homescreen froze. Or if the pilots forgot to charge them …”

The Marines have already tested the tablet for use in 30 helicopters and fighter jets. Capt. Michael Christman gives PC Magazine a first-hand account of how pilots make use of the tablets.
 
“Essentially there is no room to carry all of the maps in the small cockpit of the Cobra. It can be a real inconvenience to pull them all out and reference them during flight … Instead of scanning sheets of paper, we type in a sector name or a four-digit grid coordinate and the iPad will center on the desired area...”

And a spokesperson for the Air Force’s Air Mobility Command tells Bloomberg, the military is trying to catch-up with commercial airlines.

“The airline industry is way ahead of us on this … Most, if not all of the major airliners are already switching to tablets.”