FLYNAS, Saudi Arabia's national carrier, has officially started using tablets (iPad) instead of paper in its cockpits across its fleet as the Electronic Flight Bag after receiving the necessary approvals from the General Authority for Civil Aviation. It started last June 1. By adopting this important step, flynas becomes the first airline in Saudi Arabia and the region to use iPads instead of official papers for all its flight operations inside the cockpit. Captain Mansour Al Harbi, Executive Director, Flight Operations at flynas, affirmed that these achievements is a quality leap for flight operations for flynas as well as an important step to enhance the efficiency of pilots in the cockpit as well as reducing operational efficiencies for its fleet in addition to reducing the effect of the airline's operations on the environment. He added: “The efficiency of the pilot in the cockpit depends a great deal on his ability to pull out the necessary information in order to make the right decision at the right time. Using iPads will contribute in enhancing this ability by deploying modern technologies and moving away from the burden of searching though mounds of paperwork to pull out the necessary information and data.” He further said: “This great achievement is the first of key quality projects for flynas and in the future and we will be launching other key projects that will deploy technology in order to enhance performance, all of which will use Saudi skills and talent.” Wael Al Sarhan, Director of Marketing and Communications at flynas, said global airlines are racing to develop applications that meet the needs and requirements of their pilots, aim at reduce fuel consumption, and reduce workload off the pilots during flights. This is why flynas is proud of adopting international standards. He said “using iPads in the cockpit across the flynas fleet is considered one of the most modern practices in the aviation industry in the world which reflects on flynas's advanced position in adopting the latest technologies to ensure the highest level of safety and comfort during the flight.” – SG
