Military Pilot Supply of Texas, Inc. — Department of Defense SBIR Phase I: AF191-005

Description

The PIVOT system was designed by an F-16 pilot, turned commercial airline pilot to meet a need for functional EFB mounting on the flight deck. He knew the case needed to protect company/unit's assets better than any current off the shelf iPad case. The result was a highly durable polycarbonate case with a protective cover for screen protection and viewing outside the cockpit. Corners are cushioned from impact by a pocket of air which absorbs and dissipates shock from falls. Air channels in the case back resist heat absorption and have vents to allow air exchange reducing the possibility for thermal shutdown in hot climates. PIVOT has tens of millions of block hours in the commercial airline industry for evidence of its durability and technical feasibility. Southwest Airlines has consistently reported a device break rate of 0.04% or less. Their original EFB roadmap programmed a break rate of 4% annually. This unexpected drop in repair costs (and associated human cost) has allowed them to cancel their insurance program on over 9500 devices and deploy the savings to other areas of the program. Airlines have a standardized mounting solution that is both device and aircraft agnostic, essentially future-proofing their EFB Programs.