Turkish carrier Freebird Airlines received the approval from the Turkish aviation authorities to operate its fleet of Airbus A320 and A321 with an almost paperless cockpit based on a Class 2 Electronic Flight Bag which is installed in the cockpit and directly linked to the aircraft systems. This achievement, certified by the Turkish Directorate General of Civil Aviation, is the result of the close cooperation between Lufthansa Systems, Teledyne and navAero. While Freebird uses Lufthansa Systems’ electronic navigation charts Lido/eRouteManual, the main shells and EFB hardware are provided by the other partners. The airline is now able to remove 95 per cent of the paper in the cockpit. Company forms, operations manuals, technical documentation and up-to-date navigation charts are available electronically. Additionally, the crew uses the EFB for loadsheet and performance calculations.
Freebird Airlines is the second airline in Europe that uses a Class 2 EFB on A320 family aircraft. “Removing 70 kilograms of weight from the cockpits of our aircraft results in savings in both fuel and printing costs. Accurate performance calculations eliminate conservatism which was built into traditional runway take-off weight charts while significantly extending engine life through the use of optimal flex temperatures on take-off - as well as increasing optional payload on weight-restricted flights”, says Capt. Auke van Ginkel, Flight Operations Engineering & Support Manager at Freebird Airlines. “It is another example of how we create value for our passengers, employees and shareholders by striving for excellence.”
“We are proud to contribute to the success of Freebird with Lido/eRouteManual”, says Marco Cesa, Senior Vice President Regional Management Europe at Lufthansa Systems. “As the crews have been using our paper-based navigation charts for quite some time, they benefit from the identical structure and layout of the electronic charts which facilitates the migration. This integrated approach underlines our drive to best assist our customers in optimizing their business processes.”
Istanbul-based Freebird was founded in June 2000 and operates a fleet of four Airbus A320 and two A321 in Europe and the Middle East. In 2002 the company was the first Turkish airline to be granted ISO 9001:2000 Certification. In 2006 it was the first charter airline that achieved the IATA Operational Safety Audit registration (IOSA).
