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Leading airline United Airlines is currently converting to paperless flight decks and distributing 11,000 iPads to all United and Continental pilots. United is the first major airline in the US to completely eliminate paper by using the iPad. The electronic flight bags (EFB) provide pilots with paperless aeronautical navigational charts through an iPad app. All United Airline pilots will have the technology and iPad by the end of the year. The airline began distributing the iPads to its pilots in August.

United Airlines is also the first airline of its size and scope to replace its charts with the Apple tablet. Each iPad will carry Jeppesen Mobile FliteDeck to provide worldwide maps in context. The use of iPads gives the pilots the ability to access vital and instant real-time information at all times during the flight. The iPads are equipped with an app that features interactive, data-driven en-route navigation information and worldwide geo-referenced terminal charts. As well, the full-color, high-quality information display will ensure the correct information is displayed at the correct time.

There are many benefits to converting to paperless flight decks with the iPad. United Airlines reports that they will save 16 million sheets of paper and 326,000 gallons of fuel each year. Weighing less than 1.5 pounds, each iPad, will replace an estimated 38 pounds of paper operating manuals, log books, reference handbooks, navigation charts, flight checklists, and weather data in a pilot's flight bag. The environmental benefits of adopting such technology are enormous. Saving almost 16 million sheets of paper a year translates to saving more than 1,900 trees. Saving 326,000 gallons of fuel annually decreases greenhouse gas emissions by 3,208 metric tons.

Using the iPad improves airline operation safety and efficiency. With the iPad, pilots have the ability to efficiently and quickly access reference material rather than searching through piles of sheets of paper. It also greatly reduces the amount of paper cluttering the flight deck. The pilots can instantly download updates on the iPad to their electronic flight materials. This is much more efficient than waiting for paper updates. By getting rid of bulky flight bags containing piles of papers, it also reduces the amount of weight the pilots have to carry around with them. United Airlines is showing that it can be an effective and efficient 'green solutions' airline. To book a cheap flight on United Airlines it is very beneficial to shop online at a discount travel website where you can find the best deals on United Airline flights. When you book a cheap flight on United Airlines using an Online Discount Travel Site will benefit from convenience, fast and flexible booking of the airline flight, and comparison shopping for the cheapest flight deal.

United Continental Holdings, Inc. is the holding company for both United Airlines and Continental Airlines. United and Continental are members of Star Alliance, which offers more than 21,200 daily flights to 1,185 airports in 185 countries. Advancements in technology is definitely improving how airlines like United Airlines operate.