Aviation regulator DGCA allows IndiGo to carry pre-flight briefing data in digital form

Mumbai: Aviation regulator DGCA on Friday said it has allowed IndiGo to carry pre-flight briefing data in electronic form, a move that will help in reduction of overall weight of aircraft and fuel consumption.

With the adoption of the Electronic Flight Folder (EFF), the airline can carry pre-flight briefing data such as flight plans and weather charts in the digital form instead of hard copies.

The move is expected to reduce the cost as well as other benefits like improved safety and increased efficiency in pre-flight preparations, the DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation) said in a statement.

EFF consists of data such as operational flight plans, weather and NOTAMs (Notice to Airmen) weather charts, airfield data, and ETOPs (Extended Range Twin Operations), among others.

Electronic flight folder is updatable and forms the basis of pilots' digital briefing pack on their EFB (electronic flight bag) device, which is an intuitive interface, enabling pilots to access and process the information they need swiftly.

According to the DGCA, the use of EFF technology allows airlines to use the latest data to optimise flight paths thereby reducing fuel consumption, and ultimately, lowering emissions. This would potentially lead to a large amount of fuel saving per annum.

All the data is automatically collated into an EFF file and integrated onto an EFB app, the DGCA said, adding, this can be beneficial during pre-flight preparations when time is of the essence.

The transition from paper-based materials to EFBs has a direct impact on the weight of the aircraft. Since EFBs are compact and lightweight compared to heaps of paper, this reduction in weight contributes to lower fuel consumption besides substantial contribution to improve the carbon footprint, the DGCA said.

By eliminating the need for paper documents, the reliance on physical resources is reduced and the environmental impact associated with paper production and disposal is correspondingly decreased, the regulator said.