Delta has begun deploying new electronic flight bags to its pilots with 5G-enabled iPad Pro models.
The airline is working with Apple and AT&T to upgrade the bags, with existing EFBs upgraded for an iPad Pro. Apple’s latest M1-powered tablet will be deployed alongside the AT&T IoT Global SIM and AT&T Control Center so that pilots and crew can access their iPad Pros wherever they are in the world, with support for 200 countries.
An electronic flight bag serves as an alternative to the original flight bag, which would contain documentation and maps for flights. By switching to the iPad Pro EFB, pilots don’t have to carry around pounds of paperwork, which is better for their backs and for fuel efficiency onboard.
Speaking of the news, AT&T Business chief product and platform officer Rasesh Patel, said: “What we’re seeing is that when 5G is paired together with iPad Pro and innovators like Delta Air Lines, the combination has the potential to not only transform their own business but also to help shape the future of an entire industry”
Earlier in the year, Delta supplied almost 20,000 flight attendants with the latest iPhone 12 to take orders in-flight and connect with colleagues. The rollout also includes augmented reality technology to help flight attendants perform tasks and understand cabin inventory. Back in 2019, Delta became the first airline in the United States to offer Apple Business Chat in Messages.
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