Electronic flight bags could boost operational safety, effectiveness

[Breckey]

DISA and the AF do not know what to do with Apple products.

[Trogdor]

What is the rational behind a Q3 for not having an Ipad "properly" locked during a brief, de-brief, or on the jet??? Seems like a little bit of an overkill... is it like saying if you can't properly lock your ipad you must not be able to properly fly your plane (you know... like not properly tucking in your PT gear)... which will result in a fiery death of everyone on board?

If not that, then I guess they must think highly of all that super secret flip we carry around on those things...

[SurelySerious]

What is the rational behind a Q3 for not having an Ipad "properly" locked

Sounds like the MAF standard shitty attitude towards the Q3 as a tool to document/ruthlessly punish the smallest of deviations.

[magnetfreezer]

We're having problems getting stuff we actually need on the EFBs. For instance, the UTTR range guide is FOUO, and we had it on the EFB initially, but once comm found out it was marked as such, we were directed to remove it. Same thing with the JFIRE. Some BS about the OPR hasn't "given us permission to use it" on the EFB. The comm nazis are having a field day with this. We've also been told that is has to be password protected until we get to the jet, at which time we can unprotect it, but only for the duration of the flight, and God help you if you're caught with it sitting on your desk and no password. Our EFB guru Lt has been directed to do random spot checks, and there's some sort of violation involved (sts) if he finds your iPad in such a condition.

Are your iPads plugged into NIPR? Plenty of bases have stand-alone networks for mission planning, etc. which are considered weapons systems (since they are linked by JMPS, etc very closely to their supported MWS) and controlled by wing weapons/similar vs the comm squadron (only jurisdiction over NIPR/SIPR/other DoD external networks). Just update the iPads from a standalone computer to remove the CS jurisdiction from them.

[Breckey]

The AFGSC EFB policy does not allow any sensitive but unclassified (FOUO, PII, DCNI) because DISA hasn't explicitly cleared the iPad for anything but unclassified and specifically cleared limited distribution tech orders. Ours is hooked up to a stand alone computer on a commercial isp

[SurelySerious]

DISA

Those guys are just REALLY improving our computer capabilities.

[Homestar]

It's not their job to improve our computer capabilities. It's their job to protect the network. They are over-reacting to the iPads, however, because they never touch the NIPR since they can only be updated through a stand-alone computer. There is an A3 vs. A6 fight going on every day at AMC.

[SurelySerious]

Their mission sounds like more than protect to me, but either way you can protect by completely clamping down on your network and making it unusable. It just doesn't benefit anyone.

Agree on the iPads only connecting to stand-alone computers.

[Majestik Møøse]

Wow. Travis doesn't have any rules like this and they were the ones pushing all the EFB development for the past 3 years.

[JarheadBoom]

Wouldn't make much sense to have the same set of rules for EFBs across the entire Air Force.

[/sarcasm]

[Homestar]

Wouldn't make much sense to have the same set of rules for EFBs across the entire Air Force.

[/sarcasm]

The AMC EFB CONEMP is standard for all AMC units with EFBs. How much you're allowed to bend those rules depends almost entirely on your Wing leadership.

[JarheadBoom]

The AMC EFB CONEMP is standard for all AMC units with EFBs. How much you're allowed to bend those rules depends almost entirely on your Wing leadership.

I know. My comment was geared more towards AFGSC, ACC, and AFSOC having what appears to be totally different EFB standards than what I see in my little corner of AMC/AFRC. Hell, even the AD here at WRI are allowed to do more with their EFBs than we (AFRC) are.

So much capability, being hamstrung by people who are afraid of "new" technology that they refuse to take the time to understand...

[Dupe]

Those guys are just REALLY improving our computer capabilities.

I'm in a horrible staff job right now in basically the AF NIPR Program Office. The AF is trying to set up a stand-alone network specifically for getting EFBs loaded with data in a way that doesn't force the ops units to pay for ComCast or similar providers.

Also, there's tremendous conflict within the AF and DoD right now: nobody can figure out the right way to leverage commercial cloud storage. DISA wants to pretend that firms like Amazon aren't really attractive options for data that isn't sensitive or for data that has been double or triple encrypted.

Separately, our system of funding base infrastructure (i.e...buildings, power and HVAC) separately from IT has caused the Comm community to not consolidate in the way that the outside world has. Bros....you'd be shocked if you walked in to companies like Google or Akamai. Nobody has a desktop at a firm of more than 100 people... and that change happened five years ago in the outside world.

Lesson: don't go to a staff or broadening job. Just keep flying.

[Homestar]

So much capability, being hamstrung by people who are afraid of "new" technology that they refuse to take the time to understand...

Word.

Lesson: don't go to a staff or broadening job. Just keep flying.

Word

[HerkPerfMan]

Anyone have experience with AirWatch related to iPad EFBs? It is the Mobile Device Management (MDM) system recently approved by DISA. I've heard of it being adopted at several organizations to manage EFBs (deploy apps and content).

[Homestar]

AMC is rolling out MobileIron as an MDM this year. Should be fun.

[JeremiahWeed]

We're using Airwatch version 4.9.1110 at FedEx with our iPads. I don't have anything to compare it to, so I'm not sure what kind of feedback I can offer.

Generally speaking it works pretty well. You can view the various pubs/manuals using it or open them up in some other reader you prefer. The app sometimes just quits working and closes during updates and you have to restart.

[moosepileit]

Mobileiron at UPS. It is fine, except when they forget to tell it an approved app update exists but they do post the crews. It fires a nastygram that might Q3 all AMC. What could go awry there?

[HerkPerfMan]

AirWatch and MobileIron seem pretty similar in terms of functionality. And a lot better than updating apps and docs manually through iTunes.

[jumpnjive]

Any insight as to how useful ForeFlight would be during UPT? During the instrument/cross country flights, would it be a time saver to be able to check weather/NOTAMS/TFR's/review enroute charts/approach plates, bascially flight planning, all in one place instead of looking through multiple sites online for the same info? My subscription, which I used a civilian, is about to expire so I am just debating if it is worth it to renew now that I am in UPT.

[Breckey]

Good luck bring able to use it in the aircraft.

[Majestik Møøse]

You'll not find it useful in the jet. Maybe at enroute stops, but Baseopses and FBOs have everything you'd need.

[Lord Ratner]

Don't bother, unless you also have some money that is about to expire.

I would have been fine with it as an instructor, but you won't have many opportunities to use it in T-6s, and if you find yourself needing it in T-1s, you can always get it then. But you probably won't

[jumpnjive]

Thanks guys. I wasn't looking to fly with it obviously, just wondering if it would help out at all as a one place source for flight planning info. I'll save that money for more useful UPT expeditures, such as booze and IP shacks.

[Homestar]

You can download the NGA Aero App for free from the NGA NIPR ePub website. Not really any more functional than your paper FLIP, but everything is there digitally which (AP, GP, FIH, approaches, etc) if you want it all in one place.