Electronic flight bag solution: Luxair introduces paperless cockpit

Luxair Luxembourg Airline has developed its own electronic flight bag (EFB) Class II solution over the past two years. All Luxair aircraft are now equipped with this solution, which contributes to optimising its flight operations thanks to a significant weight reduction and a swift and reliable access to relevant and up-todate information for the cockpit crew.

“Since we are a small independent regional airline, it was a major challenge for Luxair to develop our own EFB Class II solution. The success of this project, which included the in-house developing, comprehensive testing and obtention of certification from Luxembourg’s national aviation authorities, constitutes a major achievement we can legitimately be proud of”, Martin Isler, EVP Luxair Luxembourg Airlines and Accountable Manager, commented.

Daniel Colling, Luxair Luxembourg Airlines’ head of flight operations, who oversaw the implementation of this project, added: “Many suppliers of similar systems as well as flight operations officers from major global airlines have judged the Luxair EFB II solution to be one of the best and most efficient products currently available. We were able to achieve this thanks to our own work expertise and with the much valued contribution of Luxair flight engineers, pilots and Luxair operations management”.

The electronic flight bag replaces the paper-based documentation such as maps, routes, weather reports or airport notifications which pilots until recently had to update manually for each flight and carry around in their so-called “flight bag”. This documentation is now collected automatically from the relevant sources and handily made available in a device connected to the airplane. Thanks to this connection, the device also displays real time technical data received from the aircraft systems. For the pilots and co-pilots, this means safer and faster access to the information they need before, during and after the flight. The EFB constantly keeps track of the flight evolution, alerts the pilot of any problems with routings or fuel and enables him to further optimise flight parameters during the flight, thus also contributing to improved flight safety. Additionally, the regulatory reporting routine is made easier.

The EFB solution also enables the pilot to optimise flight parameters and aircraft performance, thanks among other to real time wind and temperature data, thus achieving fuel savings of about 200,000 liters per year and a non-negligible contribution to Luxair’s effort to reduce its CO2 emissions. The EFB also helps diminishing the non-payload weight of Luxair’s aircraft as well as, on a more global scale, paper consumption.

Luxembourg, 28 July 2015