ELECTRONIC FLIGHT BAG API
The Electronic Flight Bag (EFB) is the name given to an electronic cockpit device that is used by the pilot to make data and information easier to find and also reduce the amount of paperwork required. The following are just some of the things that the EFB facilitates:
- Flight Planning: Pilots can use EFBs for pre-flight planning, accessing weather forecasts, calculating fuel requirements, and plotting routes.
- In-flight Navigation: Interactive maps and charts in EFBs aid in navigation, providing real-time updates and situational awareness.
- Aircraft Performance Data: Access to crucial performance data for specific aircraft types, enhancing decision-making and efficiency.
- Document Management: EFBs store all the necessary aircraft documents electronically, reducing the need for physical copies and easing the burden of updating and managing these documents.
In Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 all aircraft now have access to an EFB device - either a "physical" device that is shown as part of the cockpit model, or as an on-screen 2D panel (which is what will be used by legacy aircraft). For aircraft that support the more immersive modelled EFB, there is a keyboard toggle that can be used to show the model, or have it on-screen as a 2D panel.
The EFB is essentially an "OS" that is used by the simulation to convey information and run "applications", and you can create your own applications using the EFB API (you cannot create your own EFB, however). The different modules that form the EFB API are documented here:
You can also find a sample with an EFB template which can be used as a starting point for your own EFB apps:
Finally, if you wish to include an immersive EFB in your own aircraft, you can find out how this can be done here:
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