Flexjet* pilots are taking a big load off their minds. About 120 pounds, in fact.

That’s the weight of printed materials – navigation charts, aircraft operating manuals and the like – that pilots carried on every Flexjet flight. Electronic flight bag mobile technology replaces those paper-based reference materials with real-time data and increased situational awareness for those operating the aircraft.

After six months of in-flight validation testing in every aircraft type operated under the Flexjet umbrella, the Federal Aviation Administration has authorized the use of electronic flight bags to replace all that paper.

Flexjet’s transition from paper to electronic flight bags uses the Apple® iPad2. Each iPad weighs just over a pound for a substantial weight savings compared with paper. That weight reduction alone will save more than a half gallon of fuel per flight hour.

“Flexjet’s interest in electronic flight bags extends beyond the use of just navigational charts in flight,” says Flexjet President Deanna White. “Looking to the future, our ultimate goal is to integrate a number of aspects of our offering into the device to increase productivity and eliminate costs, while improving on our already stellar customer service.”