Definition
A specific section of FAA Order 8900.1 — the Flight Standards Information Management System (FSIMS) — that contains the FAA's authorization guidance, policies, and inspector procedures governing the use of Electronic Flight Bags (EFBs) by pilots and operators. Volume 4 covers aircraft equipment and operational authorizations; Chapter 15 is dedicated to EFBs; Section 1 sets out the foundational policy and definitions that inspectors apply when approving or accepting EFB use.
Plain English
It is the official FAA rulebook section that explains how Electronic Flight Bags can be used in aircraft, and how FAA inspectors decide whether a pilot or operator's EFB setup is acceptable.
Context Anchor
Seen in Electronic Flight Bag discussions when the handbook points readers to the FAA guidance used for EFB approval and oversight.
Derivation
FAA Order 8900.1 is the FAA's master directive for Flight Standards. 'Order' in FAA usage means a binding internal directive. 'Volume 4' groups material on aircraft equipment and operational approvals. 'Chapter 15' is the chapter assigned to EFBs. The '§' symbol means 'section' (from Latin signum sectionis, 'sign of a section'), so '§ 1' means Section 1 of that chapter. Knowing this structure helps you locate any FAA policy quickly: Order → Volume → Chapter → Section.
Why Pilots Care
Operators must comply with this order to keep EFB use legal and to avoid enforcement action during FAA inspections or checkrides.
Intuition Check
Do not read this as a regulation by itself. It is a precise FAA guidance citation that points to how the FAA evaluates EFB use.
Example Sentence 1
Before approving the company's iPad-based chart system, the inspector reviewed the EFB program against FAA Order 8900.1 Volume 4, Chapter 15, § 1.
Example Sentence 2
During the preflight briefing the captain confirmed that the EFB procedures met the requirements in FAA Order 8900.1 Volume 4, Chapter 15, § 1.