A pilot for United States-based Delta Airlines has stated that the company’s employees "fought hard for the iPad" as the airline sought to save paper and reduce weight in moving to electronic flight bags, but the effort was vain as Microsoft yesterday announced that the carrier will be equipping 11,000 pilots with Microsoft Surface 2 electronic flight bags, reports AppleInsider. The airline was one of the early testers of iPads for use as electronic flight bags in 2011.

pilots_ipad

"We fought hard for iPad," a pilot working for the airline told AppleInsider. He described the Delta deal as being about money, travel contracts, and Delta's Information Technology staff historically being "in bed" with Microsoft.

Microsoft stated in its announcement that it would save the airline $13 million per year in "fuel and associated costs", with the company's upcoming Surface 2 running on the Windows 8 RT 8.1 platform offering "real-time access to essential tools and the most up-to-date flight-related resources including key charts, reference documents and checklists".

The announcement comes after a number of other airlines and military divisions have begun testing iPads to replace heavy flight bags, including United, American, the U.S. Air Force and the U.S. Marine Corps.

While airlines have been looking to embrace the use of mobile devices in the cockpit, the industry has been divided over personal electronics usage by passengers during takeoff and landing. A Federal Aviation Administration advisory committee, however, recommended the relaxation of electronic device restrictions on commercial aircraft just last week.

Related Roundup: iPad
Buyer's Guide: iPad (Neutral)
Related Forum: iPad

Top Rated Comments

northernmunky Avatar
130 months ago
"This flight has been delayed due to our Microsoft Surface Pro on a blue screen!"
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
myemailisjustin Avatar
130 months ago
Oh management..why do you never listen?

This is a prime example of management assuming they know what's best..it's all about saving money in this one. If the surface pro2 is anything like the original - stay away from Delta.
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
osofast240sx Avatar
130 months ago
IT departments in general don't like or trust Apple. It's pretty irrational.

I remember in a previous job one of the IT guys went mad at me and starting calling me a "hipster" because I wanted to switch my Windows workstation for a Mac. The Mac would actually have been cheaper and had advantages related to the job, but that's the way these guys think.
My IT guy told me he would be out of a job if everyone was Macs
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
DTphonehome Avatar
130 months ago
Bet MS gave them a real sweetheart deal. Gotta get those Surfaces out there at any cost.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Mike MA Avatar
130 months ago
Ok, at least they won't be misleaded by Apple Maps :D
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
apple_iBoy Avatar
130 months ago
So did the iPads not work out as well during the beta phase, or did delta really just make a decision on mission-critical technology based on money and cronyism, as the pilot suggested?
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iPhone 16 Mock Header With Dynamic Island

Skipping the iPhone 15 Pro? Here's What's Rumored for iPhone 16 Pro

Friday September 22, 2023 9:29 am PDT by
Are you skipping the iPhone 15 Pro and waiting another year to upgrade? If so, we already have some iPhone 16 Pro rumors for you. Below, we recap new features rumored for the iPhone 16 Pro models so far:Larger displays: The iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max will be equipped with larger 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch displays, respectively, according to Ross Young, CEO of Display Supply Chain...
Update Your iPhone 15 to iOS 17

Warning: Update Your iPhone 15 to iOS 17.0.2 Before Transferring Data From Another iPhone

Friday September 22, 2023 6:36 am PDT by
If you are unboxing an iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, or iPhone 15 Pro Max today, make sure to update the device to iOS 17.0.2 before transferring data to the device from another iPhone, or else you might encounter issues. iOS 17.0.2 is only available for the iPhone 15 lineup. Apple says the update fixes an issue that may prevent transferring data directly from another iPhone...
iOS 17

Apple Releases iOS 17.0.1 and iPadOS 17.0.1 With Bug Fixes, Plus iOS 17.0.2 for iPhone 15 Models

Thursday September 21, 2023 10:28 am PDT by
Apple today released iOS 17.0.1 and iPadOS 17.0.1 updates for the iPhone and the iPad, adding bug fixes to the new software. The iOS 17.0.1 and iPadOS 17.0.1 updates come just a few days after Apple launched iOS 17 and iPadOS 17. The software, which is build 21A340, can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. There is a...
Apple Watch Ultra 2 double tap gesture 230912

watchOS 10.1 to Enable Apple Watch's New 'Double Tap' Gesture

Thursday September 21, 2023 12:52 pm PDT by
The new Double Tap gesture for the Apple Watch Series 9 and the Apple Watch Ultra 2 will be enabled starting with watchOS 10.1, according to Marques Brownlee, host of the popular tech-focused YouTube channel MKBHD. The first beta of watchOS 10.1 will likely be available by next week, and Apple announced that the software update will be released next month. Brownlee shared his impressions...