Spirit Magazine - May 2014 - (Page 160)

Spotlight LESS IS MORE Making the Load Lighter Paper manuals get upgraded thanks to a new SWA initiative. Our Pilots are launching a weight-reduction program-and it isn't because they've eaten too many peanuts. They're actually shedding weight from our planes with the Southwest Airlines Electronic Flight Bag (EFB) program. The initiative removes 80 pounds of paper from each aircraft by replacing traditional paperbased manuals with the 1-pound iPad Air. You've probably noticed Pilots preparing for flights using paper documents, navigational charts, and manuals. All of this paper is stored in the cockpit in two 40-pound leather flight bags. With the launch of the EFB, each Pilot's tablet now houses all that data. While saving 80 pounds per aircraft may not sound like much, Southwest operates 3,600 daily flights, and that adds up to 105 million pounds. Every pound removed saves 160 SPIRIT MAY 2014 jet fuel, which is by far our largest expense as a Company. Going paperless in our cockpits not only directly impacts Southwest's ability to continue providing low fares, but it also helps us uphold our commitment to the environment. We can now update manuals and flight procedures electronically, rather than printing them out, and all that's required for our Crews to access information is the swipe of a finger. Launching the EFB involved coordinating with the Federal Aviation Administration and coming up with solutions-such as having backup power in the cockpit and other contingency plans-to mitigate potential safety issues. Prior to selecting the iPad Air as our EFB product, we discussed best practices with airlines across the world and partnered with our own Technology Department to ensure that the device could be used as a platform for growth for our entire Company. The EFB's future performance capabilities will allow us to expand past the seams of the old flight bags. The EFB comes during an exciting time of growth and technological advancement for Southwest. We look forward to serving you as an even stronger airline as we continue to search for and implement ways of becoming more efficient, connecting our operation, and passing along more savings to you, our Customer. So if you notice your Pilots scrutinizing their iPads as you deplane, don't worry. They're not trying to reach the next level in Angry Birds. As always, they're working hard to provide our Customers with safe, reliable, and low-cost air travel. -Will Ware, Southwest First Officer and EFB Team Lead PHOTOGRAPHY BY STEPHEN KELLER + Tablets will help SWA cut fuel costs.

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Spirit Magazine - May 2014

Spirit Magazine - May 2014
Contents
Gary’s Greeting
Gary’s Greeting en Español
Star of the Month
Freedom Story
From the Editor
Your Words
Your Pictures
Media Center
Eat Drink Sleep
Beef up broccoli (the vegan way)
Bunk over in Kennebunkport
Encourage creativity in the workplace
Wise Guide
Strengthen your sense of humor
Numbers
Lengthen locks
Learn a minty-fresh fact
Business
Uncover indie e-books
Share with strangers
The Art of the Veer
The Carousel of Happiness
Your Adventure In Providence
Promotional Series: Spirit of California
Promotional Series: Spirit of New Mexico
Calendar
Find fun on the fly
Fun!
Spotlight
Community Outreach
Products & Services
Flight Service
Terminal Maps
Information
Rapid Rewards and A+ Rewards Partners
Route Map
Sit down with Sarah McLachlan
The “If” List

Spirit Magazine - May 2014