FAA Approves Use of iPads During Flights (if you’re a pilot)

Gotta love the irony here. The FAA has now approved the use if iPads in cockpits to replace paper manuals and charts.  And American Airlines is going to start using them in flight starting Friday. It saves energy (apparently manuals are 35 points of paper – crazy) and they note “By using electronic charts and manuals, the safety and efficiency on the flight deck is significantly enhanced.” But wait, just 6 months ago ABC News had copies of confidential studies that reported:

Twenty-six of the incidents in the report affected the flight controls, including the autopilot, autothrust and landing gear. Seventeen affected navigation systems, while 15 affected communication systems. Thirteen of the incidents produced electronic warnings, including "engine indications." The type of personal device most often suspected in the incidents were cell phones, linked to four out of ten.

See, you don’t want these types of devices in the plane – that’ll take it down. The proper place for them is directly on the cockpit console on top of the instruments.

Seriously, just pick a story line and go with it. We’ll believe whatever you tell us but don’t tell us that iPads lead to planes crashing and then place them in every cockpit…the laws of paranoia prohibit that.