At the EFB Users Forum in June, GE Aviation and Lufthansa demonstrated the first solution that allows synchronization of a flight plan between a GE flight management system (FMS) and Lufthansa Systems electronic flight bag (EFB) application for airlines. Airlines will be able to add this capability after installing a GE FMS software update.
While this capability has been available for many years in general aviation aircraft, this is the first time it will be available for airlines as an on-aircraft capability. It promises to reduce input errors when flight plans are manually entered into FMSs, by uploading information that has already been created in the EFB using Lufthansa Systems’ Lido Pilot Solutions app. The new capability is bi-directional and can be used to update the Lido app when changes are made in flight to the FMS flight plan.
“GE Aviation and Lufthansa Systems collaboration creates innovative capabilities and value for our joint airline customers, while positioning our products to support future reduced crew operations and SESAR/NextGen initiatives,” said Gary Thelen, director, FMS product management at GE Aviation. “With this joint development, we are opening up entirely new possibilities on the flight deck.”
“Utilizing capabilities of a connected FMS is a true milestone for digital navigation in aviation, because it automates the daily manual data entry processes of pilots, which are quite prone to error, and enables the data flow between different applications,” said Bernd Jurisch, head of Flight & Navigation Products & Solutions at Lufthansa Systems. “This synchronization of valuable flight-relevant data between the FMS and pilot applications reduces pilots' workload and greatly improves their situational awareness, while also significantly mitigating errors through incorporated cross checks that are even graphically visible for the crew.”