For many pilots, the idea of an Electronic Flight Bag (EFB) is the stuff that dreams are made of (dreams geared towards reducing job-related paperwork that is). As much as we all love flying we hate the paperwork. Unfortunately paperwork is a necessary part of our job. The good news is that with the advances in technology and newly certified products, some visionary airlines have realized the vision of a paperless cockpit and are saving money in the process.
Getting rid of the paper maintenance logbook is particularly difficult because it’s so data-entry centric. Unlike charts in which information is only referenced, the maintenance logbook is constantly being updated by pilots as well as by maintenance. It’s the one place where Flight Operations and Maintenance Operations use the same paperwork, which oh by the way just happens to be the official maintenance record that’s auditable by the regulatory authorities. No page can be lost or misplaced which is one reason why all log pages are serialized. The airline must keep logbook entries for the life of an aircraft, yet we immediately dump old charts the day they expire. Big difference! (more…)
The word ‘professional’ when attached to the word ‘pilot’ means much more than just flight ratings and number of hours at the controls. In my 18 years of providing career advice to professional pilots I have learned a great deal about how non-technical characteristics can help you rise to the top of the applicant pool…and ultimately allow you to achieve your highest career goals.
