Microsoft has been working hard to show that their lineup of Surface devices are more than just tablets for media consumption. And on that note, what would be a better place to start proving its productivity value than on a commercial airline? Delta is one of the first airlines to truly get comfortable with the tablet and test it with their commercial pilots (on the ground that is). This week, Microsoft has a collection of news updates that show the true progress happening with their Surface devices and their effort to advance the future of flight.
The first step in getting Surface airborne is to receive authorization from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The official government agency created in 1958 and its adoption into the U.S. Department of Transportation in 1966, makes the FAA an expert administration on aeronautics with over 50 years of experience deciding what flies and what stays grounded.
In an exciting announcement, Microsoft has shared that the FAA has officially cleared their Surface 2 tablets for either Class 1 or 2 EFB usage; this essentially breaks down to the idea that the tablet can be used on an aircraft and in the cabin during any phase of the flight.
American logistics company, Jeppesen, is also stepping onboard the Surface project with their FliteDeck Pro application for Windows 8.1 the app allows pilots to more easily work with their charts and manage flight information. As Microsoft of course wants to point out with Windows 8, pilots can even snap the app to one side of the screen and view other data on the opposite side.
Lastly, world leader for manufacturing mounting systems, RAM Mountings Systems Inc., has revealed a new cockpit system designed with Surface in mind. The new mount is just another way that Microsoft and other companies are coming together to create a safer and more effective future for the flight industry.
All right everyone; let us get these Microsoft Surface units airborne!
