Delta Airlines places a large order for 11,000 Microsoft Surface 2 tablets

[Poke]

Lets hope they don't try flying with a Surface2.

http://www.phonearena.com/news/Delt...for-11000-Microsoft-Surface-2-tablets_id47858

 

[jayn_j]

Lets hope they don't try flying with a Surface2.

http://www.phonearena.com/news/Delt...for-11000-Microsoft-Surface-2-tablets_id47858

The article states that these are being used as electronic flight bags. An electronic flight bag replaces the big briefcase full of maps, weather charts and airport procedures and conventions. There have been a number of ipad based flight bag solutions out for a few years now.

Dislcaimer: My company produces the electronic flight bags used in the Boeing 787 and 777. They are more complex, built in to the aircraft itself and integrated with the rest of the avionics. That allows them to provide interactive maps showing things like the aircraft position on the map and locations of other planes as well. Especially useful on ground while taxiing around the airport. Weather maps tie to NOAA and show changing conditions.

EFBs are generally for use on the ground and are disabled in flight. They are built to DAL level C, which means they cannot influence any flight controls.

(yes, I knew it was a joke)

 

[lparsons21]

One problem is how long it will take for them to implement the Surface into being the EFB since it isn't certified for that yet.

?The iPad is.

 

[yourbeliefs]

Hope for their sake they're getting the Pro and not the regular ones.

 

[jayn_j]

One problem is how long it will take for them to implement the Surface into being the EFB since it isn't certified for that yet.

?The iPad is.

That was my thought as well.

I expect the contract is actually for a surface based, certified EFB and that contract number is based on certification of platform and software. As Lloyd implies, you can't just put in software and call it good. The surface itself is going to have to go through an exhaustive set of enviromental and EMI tests to prove that not only it can survive, but that it can also be a good citizen and not cause harm.

Harm comes in a lot of flavors. It can't radiate emissions beyond a certain level. It can't be affected by emissions. Its power must be clean and not corrupt the main bus. It can't cause undo glare in the cockpit. It probably needs to be flat gray or black. It needs to work at temps from -5 deg-C to 70 deg-C. On and on. Our boxes have about 800 pages of enviromental and EMI tests we need to pass for certification.

And unless they got early units and have been working with Microsoft, I see a minimum of 2 years to get through all the requirements. How obsolete is the surface by then??

 

[lparsons21]

I thought that the testing and certification was very exhaustive, thanks for confirming.

Assuming the worst, that they don't actually have any certified yet or not even on the table to get certified, and assuming that 2 years is a valid figure, and from other readings, it seems it is. Then how much is the cost to delay that 2 years? Did MS pay or will pay for the certifications?

Why go with an unproven product that is currently not certified instead of one that is like the iPad? Even money says that there is some palm scratching going on to get that contract.

If it all works out, who really cares though?
?

 

[mperdue]

If you click the link in the article it takes you to the specs for the Tegra 4 based tablet. Not a good sign.

 

[mike123abc]

http://www.dailytech.com/Delta+to+G...rtedly+Fought+Hard+for+iPads/article33474.htm

Pilots fought for iPads but the Surface 2s are less expensive. Not that it probably matters anyways, it will just be running a couple custom apps and not be in general use by the pilots.

 

[jayn_j]

Looks like a rather sucky EFB. Static data, no interaction with airport or plane.

Sounds like a non-certified solution that will be little more than an electronic copy of what's in the bag.

Wait until the first time there is an incident because data on one of those tablets is inaccurate or out of date.