US Air Force is saving huge money with iPads
The US Air Force has opened up about how the iPad will help it realize over US$50 million in savings over the next 10 years, as 18,000 iPads replace flight manuals.
In an interview with The Street, US Air Force Major Brian Moritz described the huge drop in costs. "We're saving about 90 pounds of paper per aircraft and limiting the need for each crew member to carry a 30- to 40-pound paper pile [of flight manuals]. It adds up to quite a lot of weight in paper."
The Street notes that specific weight savings varies across aircraft. For instance, the iPads eliminate 250 pounds from a four-person C-17, and up to 490 pounds in a C-5 with a crew of 10.
In a related story from the civilian world, American Airlines recently described how its adoption of iPads has reduced the number of pilots reporting back injuries. American's VP of Airline Operations, Patrick O'Keeffe recently noted at the Tablet Strategy Conference in New York City, "We've reduced the single biggest source of pilot injuries, carrying those packs. And we are now able to save $1 million in fuel costs and stop printing all the page revisions."
