U.S. Air Force May Buy 18,000 Apple IPad2s for Flight Crews

[Renegade]

Looks like Apple has scored a very big win with the military:

http://www.bloomberg...hs-18-000-ipads.html

The U.S. Air Force may buy as many as 18,000 iPad2s in what would be one of the military’s biggest orders of computer tablets, accelerating Apple Inc. (AAPL)’s inroads into the federal government.

The service’s Air Mobility Command plans to issue a request for proposals to buy between 63 and 18,000 “iPad 2, Brand Name or Equal devices” to lighten the load of flight crews, according to a notice posted on the Federal Business Opportunities website.

The goal is to replace the bag of manuals and navigation charts weighing as much as 40 pounds that are carried by pilots and navigators, said Captain Kathleen Ferrero, a spokeswoman for the command.

Between 63 and 18,000?

Seems a tad vague...

I wonder if they'll come with a custom OS so that Apple can't remotely wipe content.

[nosh]

Between 63... lol!!

Sure they didn't get trolled by The Onion? lol!

[drunk... apologies...]

[40hz]

Unfortunately, the FAA will not allow them to be switched on while the plane is in the air for fear they may interfere with aircraft's flight instruments. hahahahahahahahahahahahah!!! 

[overtired...apologies...]

[lotusrootstarch]

Unfortunately, the FAA will not allow them to be switched on while the plane is in the air for fear they may interfere with aircraft's flight instruments. hahahahahahahahahahahahah!!! 

[overtired...apologies...]

-40hz (February 11, 2012, 04:48 AM)

That's what "Airplane Mode" is for.

[Stoic Joker]

Pilot: Siri, I'd like to bomb that mountain range east of this location.

Siri: Right, leveling Brussels now [launch]

Pilot: oh fuck.

[Ath]

Pilot: oh fuck.

-Stoic Joker (February 11, 2012, 11:46 AM)

Siri: Later, honey

[Deozaan]

Unfortunately, the FAA will not allow them to be switched on while the plane is in the air for fear they may interfere with aircraft's flight instruments. hahahahahahahahahahahahah!!! 

-40hz (February 11, 2012, 04:48 AM)

That's what "Airplane Mode" is for.

-lotusrootstarch (February 11, 2012, 05:51 AM)

Have you been on an airplane recently? Every flight I've been on in the past few years I've been instructed to turn the devices off completely "even if the device has an airplane mode."

[lotusrootstarch]

Unfortunately, the FAA will not allow them to be switched on while the plane is in the air for fear they may interfere with aircraft's flight instruments. hahahahahahahahahahahahah!!!  

-40hz (February 11, 2012, 04:48 AM)

That's what "Airplane Mode" is for.

-lotusrootstarch (February 11, 2012, 05:51 AM)

Have you been on an airplane recently? Every flight I've been on in the past few years I've been instructed to turn the devices off completely "even if the device has an airplane mode."

-Deozaan (February 11, 2012, 07:32 PM)

Yes, just a few months ago on a domestic flight, and I take international flights annually. Not only have I never been asked to turn off ANY electronic device (either with or without a flight mode option), actually the use of flight-mode enabled devices is explicitly permitted and instructed during the pre-flight broadcast.

I use mobile phone for music, tablet for browsing/reading, laptop for movie playback during all time of the flight except for during takeoff and landing, there's no chance that a crew member could tell me to switch any of them off (except for during takeoff and landing) without a resulting in a compliant from me.

Not too certain about FAA rules but it's probably a US thing.

[Renegade]

Unfortunately, the FAA will not allow them to be switched on while the plane is in the air for fear they may interfere with aircraft's flight instruments. hahahahahahahahahahahahah!!! 

-40hz (February 11, 2012, 04:48 AM)

That's what "Airplane Mode" is for.

-lotusrootstarch (February 11, 2012, 05:51 AM)

Have you been on an airplane recently? Every flight I've been on in the past few years I've been instructed to turn the devices off completely "even if the device has an airplane mode."

-Deozaan (February 11, 2012, 07:32 PM)

Yeah, I was aboard a plane, and a few minutes after take-off I pulled out my phone, and the plane crashed and everyone died! Twice!

I think China Air now allows phones and everything. I saw an article about it, but don't remember the details.

Has anyone ever seen an actual scientific study about why Super Mario 2 can cause a 747 to crash?

[Deozaan]

Not too certain about FAA rules but it's probably a US thing.

-lotusrootstarch (February 11, 2012, 08:17 PM)

Yeah. Sorry. I forgot who I was talking to. For some reason I was thinking you were from the USA.

That said, these iPads are to be used for the USA military, in which case 40hz may have had a point:

Unfortunately, the FAA will not allow them to be switched on while the plane is in the air for fear they may interfere with aircraft's flight instruments. hahahahahahahahahahahahah!!! 

-40hz (February 11, 2012, 04:48 AM)

[lotusrootstarch]

Not too certain about FAA rules but it's probably a US thing.

-lotusrootstarch (February 11, 2012, 08:17 PM)

Yeah. Sorry. I forgot who I was talking to. For some reason I was thinking you were from the USA.

That said, these iPads are to be used for the USA military, in which case 40hz may have had a point:

Unfortunately, the FAA will not allow them to be switched on while the plane is in the air for fear they may interfere with aircraft's flight instruments. hahahahahahahahahahahahah!!! 

-40hz (February 11, 2012, 04:48 AM)

-Deozaan (February 11, 2012, 10:47 PM)

This is just dumb. Like prohibiting mobile phone usage in the gas station, as if it'd rly trigger an explosion.

[Innuendo]

From the same outfit that bought hammers & toilet seats that cost $300 each I can see why they'd be attracted to iPads.

/snarky

[Renegade]

From the same outfit that bought hammers & toilet seats that cost $300 each I can see why they'd be attracted to iPads.

/snarky

-Innuendo (February 12, 2012, 11:41 AM)

Hahahahaah~!