Before a student pilot can legally fly solo, they must be able to demonstrate not just control of the airplane but command of the environment around it.
That environment is not limited to weather and airspace. It also encompasses items such as charts, procedures, regulations, frequencies, weight and balance data, and performance calculations. In short, the sometimes tedious but always vital “paperwork.”
Until a few decades ago, pilots carried binders and books, heavy kneeboards crammed with VFR sectional charts, terminal procedures, and note cards scribbled with frequencies and waypoints. Then, a decade or so ago, the iPad arrived. Soon after, so did the electronic flight bag (EFB).
What Is an EFB?
The term EFB stands for electronic flight bag. An EFB is, according to FAA Advisory Circular 91-78, any portable electronic device used to display charts, documents, or other materials typically found in a pilot’s flight bag. This could be a tablet, a smartphone, or even a laptop, as long as it contains the proper software.
What an EFB really does is change how pilots interface with the cockpit. Instead of flipping through paper sectional charts while trying to fly a traffic pattern, a student pilot can tap a screen and see their aircraft’s position relative to nearby airspace, terrain, or a runway. Instead of dialing Flight Service to file a VFR flight plan, they can submit it from the same app they use to check NOTAMs and METARs.
For student pilots, that matters. Especially when decision-making time is compressed and every ounce of cognitive load counts.
The Learning Curve
Student pilots often ask whether they need an EFB during training. The answer depends on their instructor, budget, and learning goals. But increasingly flight schools and CFIs are recommending some form of EFB early in training. If not on day one, then soon after the basics of stick and rudder are mastered.
Not because it replaces core knowledge, but because it reinforces it and is, in most cases, what pilots will fly with in practice long-term these days.
A well-designed EFB does not remove the need to learn how to read a VFR sectional or decode METARs. What it does is contextualize that learning. It shows the student pilot, in real time, how their decisions affect navigation, planning, and situational awareness.
It also gives them a set of tools they are likely to use for the rest of their flying career.
Choosing an EFB: What Matters Most
There are many apps that can qualify as an EFB. For a student pilot, the ideal choice is not necessarily the one with the most features. It is the one that helps them learn faster, think clearly, and stay safer, without becoming a distraction.
Take iFly EFB as one such example.
Yes, there are other well-known options out there like ForeFlight or Garmin Pilot, but they are aimed primarily at professional pilots.
iFly EFB is a full-featured tool available on Android, iOS, and Windows that was developed by Adventure Pilot and was designed with general aviation (which includes the flight school environment) in mind. Aside from being one of the most cost-effective options on the market, what sets it apart is not just its extensive feature set, but also the way those features are presented. iFly’s interface is designed for simplicity and usability, with a clean layout, large fonts, and incredibly fast access to commonly used tools.
Perhaps its most practical feature, and one that student pilots, especially, will appreciate, is that almost all functions are available within two taps. That makes a difference when a student pilot is looking for frequencies during a cross-country flight and does not want to take their eyes off the sky for more than a few seconds, for instance.
Preflight Planning and Navigation
One of the most important functions of an EFB is flight planning. This includes route selection, weather analysis, TFR checks, fuel calculation, and filing flight plans.
Most EFBs, including iFly EFB, include some form of a graphical route planner that allows pilots to draw out a route, visualize terrain, and identify controlled or restricted airspace. With a simple drag-and-drop interface, pilots can insert waypoints and alternate airports, check elevation profiles, and even run simulated flights to preview their trip.
METARs and TAFs are integrated into the route planning interface, allowing a quick check of weather conditions along the route or at the destination. Color-coded weather overlays make it visually obvious when conditions might interfere with training plans.
iFly also features AutoTaxi+, which overlays a moving map with airport diagrams during ground operations. For student pilots navigating a busy field, this reduces confusion during taxi and helps reinforce airport layout knowledge in real time.
In-Flight Tools and Situational Awareness
Once airborne, the utility of an EFB increases tenfold.
iFly EFB provides real-time moving maps that show the aircraft’s position over a VFR or IFR chart, terrain, or satellite imagery. When paired with ADS-B In receivers like the iFly Aviation Tablet or compatible third-party devices, pilots can view live traffic, subscription-free weather, and FIS-B data.
This creates an evolving picture of the airspace, including other aircraft, weather fronts, and special use areas, all without touching a radio.
For student pilots, this can be a powerful confidence builder. It is one thing to hear a traffic advisory from ATC. It is another to see a nearby aircraft appear on your EFB screen, complete with a readout of its altitude and heading. While screens must never replace a good visual scan for VFR pilots, instructors often report that this added level of awareness leads to calmer, more deliberate radio calls and overall better decision making when used responsibly.
Terrain awareness features provide an additional layer of protection, especially during cross-country legs in unfamiliar areas. The app’s SmartAltitude system, for instance, gives alerts when the planned route intersects with rising terrain or obstacles. Again, while not a replacement for good planning and visual scanning, tools like these serve as an added layer of security and enhance situational awareness.
Recordkeeping and Postflight Review
Especially for pilots planning to go on to a professional aviation career, good record keeping is crucial, and EFBs can serve as or otherwise integrate with a digital logbook.
They can also provide pilots with a way to look back at, analyze, and learn from their flights.
iFly EFB automatically saves flight tracks, for example, which pilots can review after the fact to visualize things like route deviations, pattern work, or maneuver practice. Doing this can be helpful for student pilots who want to improve their consistency or understand how wind and traffic patterns influenced their flight path.
Track logs can also be shared with instructors during debriefs, offering flight schools a built-in system for assessing progress and identifying areas for improvement.
Why It Matters
Ultimately, the question is not whether student pilots should use an EFB. It’s how to thoughtfully use one. As with any other tool in aviation, an EFB can sharpen or dull your skills, depending on how it is used.
Used correctly, an EFB supports good airmanship. It does not do the flying for you. It gives you the information you need to make better decisions more quickly. It streamlines planning, reduces clutter, and builds habits that will be valuable at every stage of your training and career.
For student pilots just beginning their journey, tools like iFly EFB offer a foundation for learning that is both practical and forward-looking.
The paper charts may still be on the syllabus, and rightly so. But in a cockpit shaped by evolving technology and increasingly integrated systems, knowing how to use an EFB is not optional. It is part of what it means to be a modern pilot.
iFly EFB, with its clean interface and intuitive design, is a prime example of how the right tool can support better learning and safer flying.
When your mind is still learning how to manage airspeed, altitude, and attitude, dissecting information should not be harder than it needs to be. That is what a good EFB does. It clears the noise and lets you fly.
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