Date: 201306
Aircraft: Commercial Fixed Wing
Operator: Air Carrier
Operating under: Part 121
Aircraft component: Electronic Flt Bag (EFB)
Component problem: Design
Reporter organization: Air Carrier
Reporter function: Relief Pilot
Reporter qualification: Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Human factors: Communication Breakdown; Confusion; Distraction; Training / Qualification; Human-Machine Interface
Anomaly: Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Other / Unknown
Detector: Person Flight Crew
When detected: Aircraft In Service At Gate; In-flight; Pre-flight; Taxi
Result: General None Reported / Taken
Contributing factors: Manuals; Aircraft; Equipment / Tooling
Primary problem: Equipment / Tooling

Narrative: Our EFB program due to poor implementation; training; and approval process has become a hazard to this operation. The mounting procedure currently being addressed is only one facet of an ill conceived and executed plan. I am an Apple product user for some years and consider my knowledge and experience of the hardware and operating system as above average. My company issued iPad will only charge from a domestic outlet with an Apple brand charger and/or cord or the hyperjuice battery. Not so with any other Apple product I own. My hyperjuice battery charging cord does not work and I use a Toshiba laptop cord to charge it. When I originally called the help desk; I was told my entire cord and hyperjuice would need to be turned into my flight office and wait for a new one or borrow a spare...if there was one available. I asked if I would be legal to fly without one; he asked what my seniority; aircraft; and seat and said as a Relief Pilot I probably would be OK; or something to that effect. Knowing there are limited spares; I opted to charge the hyperjuice with my laptop cord and avoid trying to chase down a spare every time I fly which is normally early turns or late Europe on weekends when the flight office is not manned. There are many issues with these units (iPads and batteries) of which I would estimate 25% of users share faster than normal battery drain and other issues. Today the TCPro App locked up again and after help from the help desk; the unit was reset for a third time and the App was deleted and reloaded. The response was within one hour and he was helpful.Training; training; training....remarkable that the FAA; our pilot union; and our Company signed off on implementation of a mission critical component by flight crew after watching some rather mediocre videos. -Stable platform. Tested prior to distribution. -Stable mount. [This should have been] properly evaluated prior to implementation. I find it hard to believe the manufacturer recommend wiping pliable rubber with an alcohol type solution. -24/7 Help desk....as we fly 24/7?! -Ample spares; back-ups; trained experts at each base. -Bandwidth to perform all necessary operations at any Company base/destination. I do not understand why a union has to negotiate this?




Synopsis: An international relief pilot for an air carrier expressed misgivings about the implementation of a tablet type EFB by his airline; citing training; spares; battery issues and lack of 24/7 support.