GOL Selects SITA’s New Electronic Flight Bag (EFB) Solution for Entire Fleet

GOL Linhas Aereas Inteligentes, the largest low-cost and low-fare airline in Latin America, has selected global air transport IT provider SITA, and its technology partner Flightman, to provide applications and services for the electronic flight bags (EFBs) on board its entire fleet of 130 Boeing 737-NG aircraft.

This five-year contract, announced at the Latin American aviation summit FIDAE, includes the provision of SITA e-Aircraft Application Services. This is a ground-breaking solution that uses SITA’s new EFB integration module to minimize the challenge of integrating EFB technology with airline IT systems.

SITA’s service runs on GOL’s selected Class II EFB hardware which delivers the most benefits for retrofits. Located in the cockpit, it integrates communication avionics with hardware and software to enable the exchange of real time information between the aircraft and the airline’s ground operations.

EFBs are a welcome addition on aircraft as they reduce paper-based processes and the related operational costs. They support safe operations by reducing human errors, improve service to customers by minimizing disruptions while significantly reducing the workload for flight crew and ground staff.

EFB hardware alone is of limited use but the real value comes from providing the EFBs with seamless connectivity to the airline’s central systems and adapting the applications to the airline’s various business processes.

SITA e-Aircraft Application Services eliminates the connectivity challenge by ensuring secure data delivery across multiple channels - airport cellular, airport WiFi or satellite - as used by each airline.  

If required by the airline, it can also leverage use of SITA’s existing ACARS infrastructure, which is used by more than 12,000 aircraft around the world and provides proactive monitoring and performance management. SITA’s service can also be quickly configured to adapt to each airline’s existing business processes and future operational needs.

For GOL, SITA’s EFB service will streamline all the processes around the aircraft, seamlessly connecting and integrating the aircraft with the airline’s existing IT infrastructure. It will enable GOL’s pilots to retrieve flight-plans or maintenance documents more easily and quicker than ever before.

As part of the delivery of the SITA e-Aircraft Application Services, the SITA team will work with GOL to ensure the airline achieves the maximum operational, economic and safety benefits obtainable from an EFB program. This includes a managed process with workshops to analyze business cases, support to obtain regulatory approvals for use and support of the change management program within the airline.

Implementation has already begun at GOL and when full regulatory approvals are achieved the solution will be used as GOL equips the 130 aircraft with its selected EFB hardware. SITA is also in discussions and conducting workshops with many other airlines as this managed infrastructure can cater to airlines with as few as 25 aircraft to those with over 600.