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The U.S. Air Force has awarded a $9.36 million contract to purchase as many as 18,000 iPad 2s, according to Bloomberg. The plan is to replace bulky and heavy flight bags full of navigational charts and other materials with iPads in order to reduce the weight of pilots' bags and save fuel on flights.
The Air Mobility Command, which is purchasing the iPads, provides transport and refueling services using C-5, C-17, and C-130 cargo planes, and KC-10 and KC-135 tankers.
A number of airlines have begun testing iPads to replace heavy flight bags, including United, Delta, American, and the Marine Corps.
The iPads will streamline pilots' work by eliminating the need for thumbing through sheafs of paper or waiting for pages to print. The iPads will reduce clutter on cramped flight decks and offer quick and easy access to required data at all times.
Top Rated Comments
(View all)They should wait a week and buy the iPad 3.
they have to test all this **** for months bro.
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That's a lot of iPad's! Now the Pentagon is going to write new policies for locking them down and restricting their use so that they're almost useless.
They have to lock them down so they're secure bro. they'll use private networks and all kinds of ****, and it may be annoying but it's VERY important.
They should wait a week and buy the iPad 3.
I agree. Retina displays would make a big difference when viewing flight data.
That's a lot of iPad's! Now the Pentagon is going to write new policies for locking them down and restricting their use so that they're almost useless.
Isn't that kinda the point? They aren't so pilots can play angry birds...Don't worry, they will make them very useful for the jobs they are intended.