An apparatus comprises a portable computer, and program code stored on the portable computer. The program code is capable of being executed to establish a communications link with an aircraft network data processing system in an aircraft, obtain information about the aircraft over the communications link, display the information on a display device for the portable computer, receive user input to control a data processing system on the aircraft network data processing system in the aircraft, and send a number of commands to the data processing system in response to receiving the user input.