Paper, I Knew Thee Well

My social security card, first pilots certificate and various other government-issued documents I got years ago were all typed by hand. Computers? Those were barely in the vernacular, much less on the desk. Everything we did was on paper.Computers promised to eliminate that paper. Before I became a professional pilot and later editor of this magazine, I spent 30 years in the computer industry. I did my part to fulfill that no-paper promise, but few others did. If computers were going to eliminate paper, why were we developing printers that could spit out reams of the stuff in seconds? A paperless society seemed an empty promise.

Key Takeaways:

• The article reflects on the decades-long, initially unfulfilled promise of a paperless society, noting that early computing didn't deliver until Apple popularized tablets, making the vision practical.
• The author, a pilot, emphasizes the tedious and wasteful nature of managing traditional paper aviation charts, such as Jepps, as a significant pain point in his profession.
• He details his personal journey from being a "paper holdout" to fully embracing iPad-based electronic flight bags (EFBs), which has finally eliminated his need for paper charts and fulfilled the paperless promise in his piloting life.

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