Electronic Flight Bags (EFBs) are replacing the traditional paper documents used by pilots for pre-flight planning and in-flight operations. Simulation studies comparing information retrieval times and error rates for EFBs and paper documents have found that pilots are faster and perform better with EFBs, but it is unclear whether this is true for all EFB systems. This study compared reports from the ASRS across categorical variables such as Human Factors Issue, Outcome, Function in Use, Operating Regulations and Phase of Flight. The most significant human factors issues relating to EFBs were lack of training, distractions/workload, and inhibited access to information. Crewmembers consistently ran into difficulty with the zooming/panning feature of EFBs, especially on multi-touch touchscreen displays.
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