Moving On with a Lighter Load

This year's Flight Attendant Continuing Qualification (CQ) introduced what may be the single biggest procedural improvement in my 32-year F/A career. As in years past, we were required to lug our Flight Attendant Operations Manual (FAOM) with us throughout the day to research questions and procedures. Only this year, we lugged the eFAOM (contained in our iPhone 6Plus, the LINK) which fit into my back pocket. 

In addition to size and weight improvements, methodology improvements were astounding. Rather than citing chapter and section, we utilized the more intuitive search "spyglass", just as we would in any other PDF document to find critical topics. Duration of passenger emergency oxygen on the B787?  Type "OXYGEN". Gaseous or chemical system?  Continue the search. Treatment for seizures?  Type and search for "SEIZURE". 

You are flying ISM/Lead/Purser and are called to the Flight Deck for a briefing from the Captain in the event of an emergency landing. Search "TEST" (part of the emergency landing checklist), touch and hold the title "T.E.S.T INFORMATION", then select "Notes" from the resulting menu. Type critical points from the Captain's briefing and choose "Done". A sticky note containing the briefing notes appears in the eFAOM for quick, reliable, intuitive reference until you go back and delete it.  You can return to the cabin and brief the other F/As using this great tool. 

Is eFAOM a "leaps and bounds" improvement over FAOM?  It unequivocally is. The critical factor that determines its success hasn't changed though:  it's us, the Flight Attendants. We have 6 months to embrace eFAOM and impress the FAA with our knowledge and skill. 

Bye-bye boat anchor manual!  Perhaps, one day, I'll grow nostalgic and miss you. But it won't be today!

Probably not tomorrow, either!