Virgin Atlantic Will Equip Entire Fleet with navAero EFBs

Virgin Atlantic Airways will equip its entire fleet with navAero class-2 EFBs (electronic flight bags) that will use electronic applications and documents supplied by Lufthansa Systems.

According to navAero Virgin Atlantic chose its class-2 t∙BagC22 system because its lower retrofit cost, without having to sacrifice many of the operational functionalities of a class-3 system.

(Class 2 EFBs, unlike class 3 systems, aren't integrated with an aircraft's other systems, but they may be used to display flight critical pre-composed information such as charts or approach plates for navigation.)

The dual hardware cockpit installations that includes a navAero ARINC 429 receiver interface and its t∙Pad 1000 10.4" display will be installed on Virgin Atlantic's aircraft by Avionics Support Group, navAero's partner for engineering services.  Avionics Support Group also will execute the STCs (supplemental type certificates).

Virgin Atlantic will use Lufthansa Systems SkyBook for its EFB applications and content that will include Lufthansa's eRouteManual electronic charting solution, the Lido OC route planning system, and its Topas (take-off performance calculation) tool.

Data updates for flight preparation and ground briefing will be accessed via update stations at Heathrow, Gatwick and Manchester via a USB (universal serial bus).  Updates at all other airports will be accessed through the Internet using a Web application.

Virgin Atlantic will conduct flight trials of the EFB system this year, which should be deployed and operational on its entire fleet by the end of 2007.  04-15-2006.

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