The older and larger Surface Pro 3 tablet has already been deployed by a number of airlines for pilots to use in the cockpit, Now the newer and smaller Surface 3 is finding a place in the air as well. Microsoft has announced that SkyWest, Inc will deploy the 10.8-inch tablet, with Windows 10 installed, for use by 7,500 pilots at its ExpressJet and SkyWest Airlines.
Microsoft stated:
"SkyWest, Inc. is deploying Surface 3 to replace heavy paper-based flight kits containing navigational charts, and aircraft operating and reference manuals. SkyWest, Inc. committed to standardizing their Electronic Flight Bag (EFB) for ExpressJet and SkyWest pilots on Surface 3. At only 1.3lbs, Surface 3 can distill a heavy flight bag into a portable, powerful device while offering simplified management and security via Intune."
Microsoft also revealed that the Surface 3 has now been pre-approved for any airline who want to get approval from the Federal Aviation Administration and the European Aviation Safety Agency to use the tablet as an Electronic Flight Bag:
"Now, when airlines look to select the feature-rich Surface 3 for their EFB initiatives, deployment timelines will be significantly decreased, and the device itself may be used to its full computing potential, versus serving just as a simple document reader."
Source: Microsoft
