'We need to move to a digital world'

Hands were raised in the crowded Summit Pavilion of the Grand Sierra Resort in Reno, Nev., Feb. 25, where attendees of the twenty-second annual International Women in Aviation Conference convened for the first of the event's general sessions. Attendees were responding to Jeppesen President and CEO Mark Van Tine's question: "How many of you use Jeppesen charts?"

"We've been delivering charts by paper," Van Tine noted. "But today we use one billion sheets of paper--that's a tremendous amount of paper. The world is going digital; why do we still use paper? We need to move to a digital world."

Van Tine noted that his company introduced an iPad application for Jeppesen charts at EAA AirVenture in 2010. "In six months, there are now more than 45,000 pilots using the Jeppesen iPad application."

The active general aviation pilot noted that the pace of change is rapid. "We have the most robust air transportation system in the world, and we need to bring the right kind of technology to provide the lift the world needs." He also noted that safety has always been a fundamental foundation of Jeppesen and its products, and that as the company moves to digital applications, safety and efficiency will be used "in the right way."