An electronic flight bag (EFB) is an electronic storage and display system. EFBs replace traditional paper products in the flight deck.
All operations have obligations in for the use of EFBs.
Read about rules and regulations for using EFBs.
Our main guidance material is in Advisory Circular AC 91-17 - Electronic flight bags.
Using an EFB
The use of an EFB in the flight deck is not mandatory. You can choose to use an EFB instead of a paper-based flight bag.
AOC holders must have a plan for how your crew members will access any required information if an EFB fails during a flight.
You might choose to have another EFB available or have paper-based copies of:
- charts
- maps
- documents.
We give more detailed advice in paragraphs 7.1.3.3 and 9.3.2 of AC 91-17.
EFB approvals and validation
You may need our approval, or external validation for:
- hardware
- software
- performance applications.
Hardware
We don't approve EFB hardware. However, an EFB must be able to display information that is comparable to the paper aeronautical charts and data it replaces.
You only need our approval if you have mounted the EFB to the aircraft structure.
We give detailed advice in sections 5 and 6 of AC 91-17.
Software and performance applications
If you use software applications for weight and balance, a weight control authority must validate it. See Civil Aviation Order 100.7 for rules related to aircraft weights and load data.
You need to get a qualified person to validate take-off and landing performance applications against the data in the Aircraft Flight Manual. You will also need evidence of the validation for our review if requested.
We give more detailed advice in sections 5, 7 and 8 of AC 91-17.
Product approval
Pilots may use information supplied by approved data service providers as an alternative to the Aeronautical Information Package and aeronautical charts from Airservices Australia.
We list approved organisations and services on our data service providers page.
EFB administrator
You may need to appoint an EFB administrator depending on the specific rule we require you to follow. This role is responsible for managing the administration of EFB hardware and software.
We give more detailed advice in section 9.2 of AC 91-17.
Operator training program
If you hold an AOC, aerial work certificate or Part 141 certificate, you must establish suitable training programs for ground staff and flight crew.
We recommend that certificate holders review EFB training in the context of your EFB’s complexity and scale of usage. You should consider whether:
- there is enough EFB and/or EFB simulation equipment
- operating procedures in your exposition or operations manual are:
- clearly presented
- suitably illustrated
- readily understood
- procedures for the control of installed software are appropriate and include:
- identifying who has access rights to install or modify software
- adequate controls to prevent user corruption of operating systems and software
- adequate security measures to mitigate viruses and unauthorised user access
- training methodology matches the level of knowledge and experience of participants
- you have assigned adequate resources to deliver EFB training
- training includes human factors and cockpit resource management
- flight crew have appropriate training to carry out cross-checks to verify safety-critical data
- training material matches both the EFB equipment status and the published procedures
- training includes changes and upgrades to software systems
- the training program maintains crew proficiency in non-EFB procedures (like using paper-based charts).
We give more detailed advice in section 9 of AC 91-17.