A Pilot's Best Friend?

A Pilot’s Best Friend?

Wednesday, January 25, 2023 at 01:39 PM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

Electronic Flight Bags (EFBs) offer significant advantages over traditional paper charts, providing greater convenience, data currency, and enhanced situational awareness for pilots.
Despite their benefits, EFBs introduce new safety considerations such as the need for reliable hardware, robust battery management, and comprehensive pre-flight data updates.
Pilots must proactively mitigate EFB-related risks by ensuring fully charged devices with backup power, carrying redundant EFBs or alternative information sources, and using the devices judiciously to avoid distraction during critical flight phases.

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I have dealt with paper chart updates both as a student pilot and a professional pilot, and I can safely say I prefer EFBs. The worst luck I ever had with paper charts occurred before my private pilot checkride. I ended up weathered out on my first attempt, and the charts expired a few days before my rescheduled ride. The local flight schools near me were sold out, and I ended up driving an hour or so to the closest place I could find.

Looking back, I am 99-percent sure the DPE never even checked to make sure my charts were current. Either way, it was not worth the risk. After I finished instrument training the old-school way, I decided to buy my first iPad and a ForeFlight subscription. It was well worth the investment.