When it comes time for Delta passengers to power down and stow their electronic devices, Delta pilots will be powering up their Surface 2 tablets. The airline said today that all 11,000 of its pilots are getting the Surface 2 for use as an “electronic flight bag to replace heavy paper-based flight kits containing navigational charts and aircraft operating and reference manuals.” Delta said current flight bags weigh 38 pounds each, and that eliminating them will save 1.2 million gallons of fuel each year. The airline will start the tablet rollout later this year and wants all cockpits to be paperless by 2014.
Software was one key reason Delta chose Microsoft’s Surface 2. The Windows 8.1 tablets will run FliteDeck Pro, a Windows app that provides real-time navigation information. A number of Delta aircraft are equipped with on-board Wi-Fi, which will enable pilots to access the latest information. Delta said it has been testing the tablets extensively on Boeing 757 and Boeing 767 aircraft, and expects to receive approval from the FAA to use the tablets during all phases of flight next year.
The Surface 2, priced at $449 for consumers, is the successor to the Surface RT. It is sold with a Touch Cover to enable typing. It is powered by Nvidia’s ARM-based 1.7GHz Tegra 4 processor, which Microsoft says enables up to 10 hours of video playback.
American Airlines deployed iPads in its cockpits some time ago. More recently, the airline decided to outfit its flight attendants with Galaxy Note smartphones, which are sometimes called “phablets.” The Note is equipped with a stylus for note taking, but also supports voice calls.
