An overview of EFB usage in Scandinavia - discrepancies between EASA’s recommendations and operators’ implementation

Abstract: The use of Electronic Flight Bags (EFBs) have become widespread and common among a majority of commercial airlines in Scandinavia and the United States in recent years. This development was enabled by modernized rules and regulations and the availability of suitable and affordable commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) devices. This bachelor thesis studied EFB usage and user experience among pilots in commercial airlines in Scandinavia and identified if there were any discrepancies between usage and associated recommended best practices issued by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). Focus areas were EFB training, performance calculations and documentation. Over 500 pilots from 11 airlines in Scandinavia responded to an online survey consisting of 42 questions. The survey showed that a large majority of the pilots used their EFB for mission critical purposes such as performance calculations. The results revealed discrepancies between recommendations by EASA and operators’ implementation regarding EFB training and procedures for performance calculations. Furthermore, the new technology must be implemented in a structured way. Information shall be made available based on the needs and abilities of the pilots within their various roles and not based solely on available software features.