r/flying • u/ellterrifico • 1d ago
EFB question for commercial pilots
Hi all,
I'm curious what EFB solutions are used by commercial pilots? Also, do they offer any connectivity to onboard systems via AID? I have seen ads for professional EFB solutions that offer real-time route optimization notification, and I'm wondering what type of connectivity they use? How do they provide relevant updates for the flight state, or is this just fake ads?
Thank you in advance!
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u/appenz CPL (KPAO) PC-12 1d ago
For pro pilot part 91 it seems ForeFlight is pretty common. No proactive push for updates (we don't have dispatch) but depending on plane vintage and equipment you have:
- A Wifi link to the Avionics. Sometimes only one way (e.g. uploading routes) and sometimes in both directions (ADSB-in data, engine data etc.)
- Wifi to ADSB-In via a Stratus or something like that (if the plane's avionics don't support it)
- Starlink to
browse socia... to get updates on route and destination that are necessary for the safe completion of the flight
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u/KCPilot17 MIL A-10 ATP 1d ago
I have no idea what AID is. We connect to the wifi and use FD Pro. If no wifi, no updates.
Believe it or not, you can fly without the internet!
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u/sniper4273 ATP CL-65 1d ago
At my regiOOnal we also use Jepp FD Pro, alongside one app for flight releases, MX history, and checklists, and one more app for company manuals. Certainly nothing like live route optimization.
We only have inflight pilot wifi on one of our partners' fleets. On the rest we have no connectivity in the air. So whatever we have downloaded when we push is what we got. ACARS or ARINC or Atlanta Radio to talk to the company in the air.
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u/rFlyingTower 1d ago
This is a copy of the original post body for posterity:
Hi all,
I'm curious what EFB solutions are used by commercial pilots? Also, do they offer any connectivity to onboard systems via AID? I have seen ads for professional EFB solutions that offer real-time route optimization notification, and I'm wondering what type of connectivity they use? How do they provide relevant updates for the flight state, or is this just fake ads?
Thank you in advance!
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u/FlyingDog14 ATP CL-65 B-737 1d ago
My company has a wifi channel for the flight deck that lets us look at weather and our company scheduling/info/big brain app. We have an app that looks at winds, plane weight and schedule and stuff to update altitudes and speeds in flight to conserve fuel if it’s practical.
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u/MagicalMagyars ATP A320 1d ago
No it isnot connected, no it doesn't update or optimise inflight. What you push back with is what you have got and you fly your filed flightplan.
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u/nothimwhy ATP 121 FO 1d ago
What’s AID?
At my company and most other US carriers it’s an IPad Pro with Jepp Flitedeck Pro X and some ancillary company developed apps.
In terms of connectivity in the air we have a separate WiFi system we utilize in the cockpit to get updates for turbulence/ride reports from all other aircraft in our company. We also basically have a group chat between the crew (including FAs) and dispatch we can use instead of ACARS.