Ryanair replaces paper flight manuals with Boeing iPad app

Ryanair replaces paper flight manuals with Boeing iPad app

Ryanair pilots flying its entire fleet of 300 Boeing 737s are starting to use iPads in place of traditional flight manuals.

Image via Patryk Kosmider / Shutterstock.com

Ryanair pilots flying its entire fleet of 300 Boeing 737s are starting to use iPads in place of traditional flight manuals.

Crew have full electronic use of Boeing’s Onboard Performance Tool, which includes take-off performance calculations, as well as instant access to electronic flight manuals, which will further improve time management and productivity, reducing dependency on papers.

These two applications are due to be followed by the use of electronic charts and load sheets, subject to testing and approval from the Irish Aviation Authority.

The low cost carrier plans to remove paper from the flight deck, eliminating 15kgs of manuals from each cockpit. This will deliver fuel savings across the airline’s 550,000 flights a year while also eliminating more than 10 million pages of paper documentation.

Michael Hickey, group operations director, said: “With a rapidly growing operation across 71 European bases, the logistical challenges of delivering information to crew are instantly simplified with the introduction of the iPad as an electronic flight bag.

“Ryanair recognises the value of this cutting edge technology as a powerful and flexible solution.

“Our progression towards a paperless flight deck has efficiency benefits recognised across the industry. A paperless cockpit is an efficient cockpit.”