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Mobile devices continue to be a hot topic in the airline industry, and Gulf Air is the latest group to express the desire to incorporate iPads into the tool box of their crews. Gulf Air is partnering with Bahrain’s leading telecommunications provider VIVA Bahrain to provide 355 iPads that will be incorporated into Gulf Air’s electronic flight bags.
Gulf Air Acting Chief Executive Officer Mr. Maher Salman AlMusallam commented on the agreement: “We are proud of our existing strategic relationship with VIVA Bahrain and pleased to extend this partnership to include the provision of iPad devices as part of Gulf Air’s Electronic Flight Bag project. This is an essential component of our ongoing commitment to all new technology that provides integrated solutions for managing information in the air and on the ground.”
The willingness of airlines to use the iPad in the cockpit is a testament to the reliability of it’s design. Carrying stacks of paper is certainly less efficient, but a tablet requires a charged battery, a protective case so that it isn’t accidentally dropped and rendered useless, and the assurance that the electronics won’t fail for unexpected reasons.
Gulf Air Director Information Technology, Dr. Jassim Haji, stated: “At Gulf Air we always endeavor to leverage the latest technologies in order to improve the efficiency of the airline’s operations and provide better services to our passengers. This collaboration ensures we deliver the latest technology to our team and, as a result, to our passengers.”
I support using iPad technology in the cockpit as long as pilots aren’t playing AngryBirds instead of flying. Perhaps this is another example of needing separate user accounts with parental controls. There is no indication on when Gulf Air will officially begin using the iPads or what else will be a part of the kit.
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