ARINC EfbRptJun19

Electronic Flight Bag (EFB) Subcommittee Meeting Report. Meeting held June 28, 2019, in Chicago, Illinois.

The EFB Subcommittee met following the EFB Users Forum in Chicago, Illinois. At this meeting, the subcommittee focused on the development of:
 

ARINC Project Paper 679: Aircraft Server, Communications, and Interface Standard will define an EFB server function. It will address the increasing need for data storage, file server and application server functions, and broadband communication capabilities in AID type equipment. The benefits will include:

• Modern server capabilities for legacy aircraft
• Better and more consistent integration of applications
• Adoption of a standardized AID/application server

ARINC Project Paper 834A: Aircraft Data Interface Function (ADIF) will define a new Application Programming Interface (API) between crew device applications executing on an EFB (for direct use by flight, cabin, and maintenance crew) and the aircraft avionics systems. This new interface is expected to become a bridge between EFB applications and the existing Simple Text Avionics Protocol (STAP), and Avionics Data Broadcast Protocol (ADBP) that acquire data from the aircraft data buses. The benefits will include:

• Improved application interoperability and product availability from multiple suppliers
• Reduced development time and software maintenance overhead

The subcommittee will continue drafting efforts via monthly teleconferences on a go-forward basis. Mature drafts of ARINC Project Papers 679 and 834A are anticipated for adoption consideration in 2020.