Электронный бортовой комплект (ЭБК)

Flight Information management device

An electronic flight bag (EFB) is an electronic information management device that helps flight crews perform flight management tasks more easily and efficiently with less paper providing the reference material often found in the pilot's carry on flight bag, including the flight crew operating manual, navigational charts, etc. In addition, the EFB can host purpose built software applications to automate other functions normally conducted by hand, such as take off performance calculations. The EFB gets its name from the traditional pilot's flight bag, which is typically a heavy (up to or over ) documents bag that pilots carry to the cockpit. An EFB is intended primarily for cockpit/flightdeck or cabin use. For large and turbine aircraft, FAR 91.503 requires the presence of navigational charts on the airplane. If an operator's sole source of navigational chart information is contained on an EFB, the operator must demonstrate the EFB will continue to operate throughout a decompression event, and thereafter, regardless of altitude.

The earliest EFB precursors came from individual pilots from FedEx in the early 1990s who used their personal laptops where are referred as Airport Performance Laptop Computer to carry out aircraft performance calculations on the aircraft (this was a commercial off the shelf computer and was considered portable). The first true EFB, designed specifically to replace a pilot's entire kit bag, was patented by Angela Masson as the Electronic Kit Bag (EKB) in 1999. In October 2003 KLM Airlines accepted the first installed EFB on a Boeing 777 aircraft. The Boeing EFB hardware was made by Astronautics Corporation of America and software applications were supplied by both Jeppesen and Boeing. In 2005, the first commercial Class 2 EFB was issued to Avionics Support Group, Inc. with its Constant Friction Mount (cfMount) as part of the EFB. The installation was performed on a Miami Air Boeing B737NG. The AMM application uses a high resolution database to dynamically render maps of the airport. The Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) purchased an initial supply of over 3,000 iPad based EFBs which were launched in December 2011. In a similar acquisition, Air Mobility Command initiated a contract for up to 18,000 iPad based EFBs. The Air Force Special Operations Command internally developed a secure method of transferring the National Geo Spatial Intelligence Agency's (NGA) monthly Flight Information Publications (FLIP) dataset to all its users worldwide. After trialing cockpit iPads as EFBs in 2011, Delta Air Lines announced in August 2013 it would replace a policy allowing pilots to use personal tablets as EFBs. Delta planned to provide new certified EFBs to all of its pilots by May 2014, after FAA approval in February. Early risk of breakage to iPads used as EFBs was addressed through rugged case design. However, the purchase of iPad from AFSOC was cancelled in February 2012 due to security concerns, where Russian made software procurement issues may cause potential risks to expose end users.

For guidance on airworthiness and operational considerations for Electronic Flight Bags (EFB) for operators within Europe, EASA AMC 20 25 applies.

The UK Ministry of Defence takes the approach of clearing the airworthiness of EFB on specific aircraft types as 'Equipment Not Basic to Air System (ENBAS)' as described in Regulatory Article 1340. The Type Airworthiness Authority (TAA) and supporting Delivery Teams are responsible for this clearance to ensure that the EFB device in and of itself does not negatively impact the airworthiness of the aircraft in question. Regarding the approval of use of specific applications, this is the responsibility of the Aviation Duty Holder (ADH) chain.