US Air Force may buy 18,000 Apple iPads for cargo aircraft
The U.S. Air Force's Air Mobility Command recently put out a notice that it plans to buy as many as 18,000 of Apple's iPad for use on cargo aircraft like the C-5 Galaxy and C-17 Globemaster.
The Air Mobility Command's planned purchase could prove to be the largest single federal order for iPad 2 units, according to Nextgov. The site spotted the AMC's plans in a Federal Business Opportunities posting, where it revealed it plans to buy a "minimum of 63 and a maximum of 18,000 iPad 2" units or "equal devices."
Though the iPad was the only tablet named specifically in the listing, Lt. Col. Glen Roberts, AMC public affairs director, said the command seeks "a tablet device" but "not necessarily an iPad."
The Air Force seeks proposals from tablet makers and seeks to obtain them at the lowest possible fixed price. A move to tablets, iPad or otherwise, would allow the AMC to adopt an electronic flight publication system to save time and money, as well as boost efficiency.
iPads have been taking to the skies ever since the Federal Aviation Admisitration signed off on the use of Apple's touchscreen tablet as an electronic flight bag last July. Previously, commercial and charter airlines relied on cumbersome 40-pound paper manuals.
That prompted major airlines, like American Airlines, to use the iPad as digital flight manual readers, replacing traditional paper charts. The move is expected to save the airline $1.2 million per year in fuel costs alone.
[ View article on AppleInsider ]
Comments
"minimum of 63 and a maximum of 18,000 iPad 2"
Is this where I make a joke along the lines of, "Ah, good old government number-crunching!"
That's a non-partisan joke, isn't it? Neither side will be offended because everyone does that, right?
where it revealed it plans to buy a "minimum of 63 and a maximum of 18,000 iPad 2" units or "equal devices."
Equal devices? There are none.
If it had said inferior devices, we'd know that they were maybe considering Android tablets, but luckily, that is not the case.
One of the best decisions I have ever made....
Equal devices? There are none.
If it had said inferior devices, we'd know that they were maybe considering Android tablets, but luckily, that is not the case.
They still have to put it out to bid just to be fair per gov procurement policy. Maybe when a new iPad comes out, the iPad 2 will be reduced to $299 for a 2nd tier model and save some tax payer $$$$.
Tom
I am glad I invested in this company soon after the iPAD was released even though it was at a very "high price" of 300. You have no idea how many people told me it was too high, they cant go up, the iPAD is no good, blah blah blah.....
One of the best decisions I have ever made....
Well done! You know, $500 won't even be high when we look back in a few years.
I am glad I invested in this company soon after the iPAD was released even though it was at a very "high price" of 300. You have no idea how many people told me it was too high, they cant go up, the iPAD is no good, blah blah blah.....
One of the best decisions I have ever made....
Sad thing is the same people are still saying the same things. They really are obsessed with Apple's demise.
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/new...-1226264136062
A $500 purchase would have avoided a million dollar law suit.
Price is in the eye of the beholder.
The Air Force seeks proposals from tablet makers and seeks to obtain them at the lowest possible fixed price.
What this means is they will waste a ton of money on shitty Coby tablets, realize their mistake, then spend their money on iPads like they should have in the first place.
I'm surprised they're not obligated to purchase an American-made tablet like: http://www.duratabusa.com/
Meanwhile in Australia a pilot is suing an Airline for NOT providing an iPad.
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/new...-1226264136062
A $500 purchase would have avoided a million dollar law suit.
Price is in the eye of the beholder.
So he is sueing his employer, for not providing a device that wasn't available for sale?
Date of injury, Dec 2009, iPad available in the US, April 2010, available in Aussie, May 28, 2010. I really hope that lawsuit works out for him....
I am glad I invested in this company soon after the iPAD was released even though it was at a very "high price" of 300. You have no idea how many people told me it was too high, they cant go up, the iPAD is no good, blah blah blah.....
One of the best decisions I have ever made....
I'm surprised they're not obligated to purchase an American-made tablet like: http://www.duratabusa.com/
I wonder where they get their components, before assembling these things in America?
Equal devices? There are none.
If it had said inferior devices, we'd know that they were maybe considering Android tablets, but luckily, that is not the case.
I know you are being sarcastic, funny, whatever, but if you think about, if by "equal devices" they mean equal to the task at hand, you could easily argue that the iPad is overqualified.
It's likely the device doesn't need most of the capabilities of an iPad. It won't need to be able to surf the web, make Skype calls, play games, or purchase songs from the iTunes Store. iCloud would be completely irrelevant. And the iPad's closed nature could be a big negative for this application.
The iPad may still be the best device for the job, but if "equal" is viewed in terms of the requirements for the proposal, it may well not be the only device, nor the cheapest, which gets the job done.
I know you are being sarcastic, funny, whatever, but if you think about, if by "equal devices" they mean equal to the task at hand, you could easily argue that the iPad is overqualified.
It's likely the device doesn't need most of the capabilities of an iPad. It won't need to be able to surf the web, make Skype calls, play games, or purchase songs from the iTunes Store. iCloud would be completely irrelevant. And the iPad's closed nature could be a big negative for this application.
The iPad may still be the best device for the job, but if "equal" is viewed in terms of the requirements for the proposal, it may well not be the only device, nor the cheapest, which gets the job done.
You're missing the point. The application involves flight information. Currently, the iPad is the only device with FAA approval.
You're missing the point. The application involves flight information. Currently, the iPad is the only device with FAA approval.
Except that really wasn't the point of the post I was replying to. That post's point was to slam non-iPad devices.
Besides, there are a lot of things the Air Force flies with that aren't FAA approved.
http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2012/02/...0-billion-run/
I am glad I invested in this company soon after the iPAD was released even though it was at a very "high price" of 300. You have no idea how many people told me it was too high, they cant go up, the iPAD is no good, blah blah blah.....
One of the best decisions I have ever made....
and I'm still sad I had to sell my 30 shares at $17 (before they split twice) so the (now ex) would get any.
http://www.planespotters.net/Airline...ates-Air-Force
Maybe the pilots are unionized
Wow. 18,000 sounds like a lot, considering that the Air Force only has about 400 "cargo" aircraft.
http://www.planespotters.net/Airline...ates-Air-Force
Maybe the pilots are unionized
Maybe each plane has 45 staff?
(no wonder they need to save weight by going digital)