t·BagC2² for Commercial Aviation

The commercial aviation industry is working hard to make flying safer and more efficient...both for the aircraft, pilots and passengers. Operators have long recognized the benefits of using portable electronic computing devices to perform a variety of functions traditionally accomplished using paper references. With the t·BagC2², an affordable aviation-designed EFB system is now a reality that will let you realize those benefits. navAero also works with products and services from Jeppesen, WingSpeed, FlightExplorer, Sabre Airline Solutions and others for complete hardware and software solutions to fulfill your EFB needs.

Through the FAA Advisory Circular 120-76A and EASA TGL-36, operators are now able to use EFB systems to store, retrieve, display and use a wide variety of required documents and applications such as:

• Document browser
• Electronic charting
• Electronic logbook
• General Operations Manuals
• Minimum Equipment Lists
• Performance calculations
• Video Surveillance
• Weight and balance
• And so much more

Through a Teaming Agreement with Jeppesen, navAero can provide Class 1 and Class 2 EFB solutions including Airport Moving Map to commercial airlines, government and military customers. The combined Jeppesen EFB Software and Data with navAero's t·BagC2² EFB computer and display system brings the commercial aviation industry a complete and integrated professional solution to customers seeking to transition to a paperless flight deck.

Designed for the cockpit as a Certified Class 2 Electronic Flight Bag

The t·BagC2² has been developed as a Class 2 EFB System-a commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) computer and display system designed for use in an aircraft. Although classified as a removable electronic device, the t·BagC2² is an integrated EFB system for use in all phases of flight. The system's components are designed to be attached and connected to the aircraft for normal operation and use.

As technology continues to evolve and expand in the EFB arena, the points of differentiation between Class 2 and Class 3 continue to blur. Initially thought to be basically a document viewer, Class 2 EFB hardware has grown and expanded its capabilities through documented certification (both FAA and EASA) and is now being viewed as a highly suitable alternative to vastly more expensive Class 3 systems.

This has clearly reinforced with Jeppesen’s announcement of achievement of a TSO for Airport Moving Map (AMM) on a Class 2 EFB hardware platform. AMM uses a detailed database to dynamically render maps of the airport surface, and through the use of GPS technology, show pilots their position (“own-ship”) on the airport surface.  The result is much improved positional awareness among flight crews, which is a critical safety factor for reducing runway incursions during ground operations at busy commercial airports with complex runway and taxiway layouts

For almost five years, AMM has only been available for use on a Class 3 platform. And while airlines understand the benefits and safety enhancements of AMM, the expense of the Class 3 hardware has made wide-spread deployment of AMM technology cost prohibitive for most commercial operators. This has been especially true for airlines seeking cost-affordable hardware solutions to retrofit their existing fleets. Now, AMM is available for deployment on both Class 2 and Class 3 EFB platforms.

Issues of cost justification (return-on-investment) will always be near the top of the list whenever an airline begins a serious business case analysis on the viability of implementing an EFB program. Deployments of EFB-hosted software technology like eTechLog, digital charting and other applications can help to significantly lower deferrals and reduce operational costs. But what price can be put on increased safety? According to research conducted by the Commercial Aviation Safety Team (CAST), their estimates are that runway incursions caused by pilot deviations can be reduced by 50 percent when flight crews have AMM.

Over the past months, navAero has been working in conjunction with Jeppesen and Continental Airlines for the first implementation of AMM on a Class 2 hardware platform – the navAero tBagC22 EFB. The target date for first in-use service by COA is scheduled for late Q2 of this year.

We would like to have the opportunity to tell you more about this breakthrough initiative other technology innovations that will help to substantiate the reasons why Continental Airlines and 14 other airlines around the world have selected the navAero Class 2 system as their EFB hardware-of-choice.