WHITE PAPERS: ICF • APSYS • IBM • CASE STUDY: FIRST AIR
JULY-AUGUST 2019 • V8.3
eMobility and paperless solutions at First Air
In the eye of the digital storm
The experience of implementing a new solution and the benefits that followed
We’ve come a long way but there’s still many challenges to face beyond the digital eye-wall
Where are we today?
A smarter supply chain
The current state of play for new technologies, digital and big data solutions
PART 2: Changes in MRO make working together more important
NEWS AND TECHNOLOGY UPDATES • HOW I SEE IT • MRO SOFTWARE DIRECTORY
enterprise MRO software solution designed for every aspect of aircraft maintenance management www.emro.aero | sales@trax.aero
AIRCRAFT IT MRO: WELCOME
COMMENT Aircraft IT MRO: the challenges are huge but the solutions are equally impressive
AIRCRAFT IT MRO Publisher/Editor Ed Haskey E-mail: ed.haskey@aircraftit.com Telephone: +44 1273 454 235 Website: www.aircraftIT.com Chief Operating Officer Scott Leslie E-mail: scott.leslie@aircraftit.com Copy Editor/Contributor John Hancock E-mail: john@aircraftit.com Magazine Production Dean Cook E-mail: deancook@magazineproduction.com AircraftIT MRO is published bi-monthly and is an affiliate of Aircraft Commerce and part of the AviationNextGen Ltd group. The entire contents within this publication © Copyright 2019 AviationNextGen Ltd an independent publication and not affiliated with any of the IT vendors or suppliers. Content may not be reproduced without the strict written agreement of the publisher. The views and opinions expressed in this publication are the views of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of their companies or of the publisher. The publisher does not guarantee the source, originality, accuracy, completeness or reliability of any statement, information, data, finding, interpretation, advice, opinion, or view presented.
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ith the ever-growing need to optimize aircraft usage and manage costs while improving safety and complying with regulations, traditional methods for planning, conducting and managing maintenance and engineering activities are coming under increasing pressure. More information in the form of digital data is the solution to which many are turning and there is a growing body of digital data available, especially from the new generation of aircraft such as the Boeing 787, the Airbus A350 and A220 as well as reworked aircraft. But, the other side of that coin and the great challenge is how to collect, collate, utilize and present that information in a manner that will make MRO and M&E processes better informed, more capable and better able to adapt to change. Two solutions growing in popularity are mobility and predictive maintenance which, in turn, means digitalization and a whole raft of supporting solutions to turn digital data into useful tools and processes. On Mobility, we have a superb case study in this issue from First Air, an airline that routinely faces some very challenging conditions. Having recently implemented a paperless MRO M&E environment and mobility for its engineers, the airline is able to offer some authoritative views on the challenges faced and the successes achieved in moving its engineering operations to a new system. In
particular, you’ll see how established staff took to the new system and the benefits that a data-driven, paperless approach has reaped for the airline. We’ve also got a great white paper from ICF that takes a long clear look at where we are today with regard to digitalization. Big data and digital processes have been talked about for a while now but to what extent has the talk been translated to action? What is the state of play today, how much has already been achieved and what does the future hold? Our other white paper tackles the same topic of digitalization and big data from a perspective of how it will impact business models and decision making, and, having come this far with digital, what lies ahead: what challenges and what opportunities. In this issue also, we are very pleased to welcome back our column ‘How I see IT’ with Allan Bachan who considers both sides of choice, the range of options that it makes available and the structures that will be needed to leverage choice into advantage. As always, we also have our regular round-up of news and technology developments with regular features such as ‘MRO Software Directory’. Altogether Aircraft IT MRO keeps professionals up-to-date with the facts and what to do with them. Ed Haskey
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AIRCRAFT IT MRO: V8.3
CONTENTS 06 Latest News and Technology updates Keeping up with what is happening in a complex and evolving business world is a challenge. At Aircraft IT MRO or here in the Aircraft IT MRO e-journal the latest developments are sorted and ready to read.
28 CASE STUDY: First Air — Implementing a Mobility Suite of Apps Gail Campbell, Manager Technical Records & Trax Administration, at First Air shares the experience of eMobility with the challenges and benefits First Air outlines implementation of eMobility to promote a mobile and paperless experience which allows users to stay connected to their key data; it also discusses the challenges of moving to a paperless environment and the benefits.
34 WHITE PAPER: Digital Transformation — where we are today Martin Harrison, Global Managing Director - Airlines, Aerospace and MRO, ICF shares a long hard look at the current position with digital in MRO Digital Transformation and Big Data have been buzzing topics for the past three years; here is the current state of play, the main trends, achievements to date, the race to digital maturity, new technologies and areas of concerns for the industry.
40 COLUMN: How I see IT The choices paradigm Technology is hugely improving the range of options available to Airlines, Operators and MROs but is this creating too much choice. Allan offers some great ideas as to how you might structure decision making to leverage real value from those choices.
42 WHITE PAPER: The towering eye wall Gesine Varfis, Marketing & Early Adopter Program for Maintenance Consulting at APSYS shares some thoughts on digitalization change drivers and change of business models as well as paperless maintenance, big data, augmented analytics and maintenance cost control Tomorrow’s savings will be driven by cost driver analytics, real-time cost impact awareness, predictive and prescriptive cost analysis embedded in a collaborative decision making process. Early adapters will maintain a competitive advantage.
52 WHITE PAPER: The Smarter Supply Chain in MRO: Part 2 Nishant Balakrishnan, Lead, digital services sales for a European Airframe OEM, and Amol Salaskar, Consultant business analyst in aviation and MRO, IBM Center of Competency explain the current supply chain and inventory and the issue to which it gives rise in the MRO sector Changes in the aviation industry also influence the MRO landscape, including OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers), airframe maintenance service providers, components and complex assembly repairs shops, and spare parts suppliers.
58 MRO Software directory A detailed look at the world’s leading MRO IT systems.
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NEWS & TECHNOLOGY
Seabury continues to grow with offices in Korea and Australia Expanding into Korea
As Seabury Solutions continue to expand in Asia, they announced in late April 2019 that they are delighted to introduce Project Engineer, Sangdon Kim who is based in Seoul, Korea. Sangdon has been part of the Seabury team since 2016, developing sales for Seabury’s MRO Software, Alkym. In those three years, the Korean local has been involved in many key projects in the region, such as the Air Busan and KAEMS implementation. This involved writing project deliverables and supporting project activities
(Training courses/Interface definition) based on Alkym knowledge and translations. Air Busan, South Korea’s largest low-cost carrier and a subsidiary of Asiana Airlines, became Alkym’s launch customer in the region. Korea Aviation Engineering & Maintenance Service Ltd (KAEMS) is a subsidiary of Korean Aerospace Industries. (KAI) This is Seoul’s first aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul company. We are very proud to have implemented our maintenance solution with both organisations. Sangdon is looking forward to expanding the Seabury presence in this growing market.
G’day to our new office in Australia
As Seabury continue to expand our market reach, they were delighted to announce in late May 2019 their new office in Melbourne, Australia, headed up
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AIRCRAFT IT MRO • JULY-AUGUST 2019 • 6
by Mayco Sanchez Vecchio. Mayco, who is originally from Argentina, is an Aeronautical Engineer and has been part of the Seabury team for almost five years. During that time he has gained extensive sales experience and has worked on a number of key implementations as a Project Leader with our Aircraft Maintenance Software, Alkym. Mayco is looking forward to enhancing the Seabury presence in the Oceania region as he continues to enjoy life down under.
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Air Arabia selects AMOS as its new MRO software At the beginning of May 2019, Swiss-AS and Air Arabia were proud to mutually announce that Air Arabia has chosen AMOS as their new MRO software. In a ceremony held at the headquarters of Air Arabia in Sharjah, the CEOs of Swiss-AS and Air Arabia proudly signed the contracts, paving the way to implement AMOS and marking the beginning of a long-term partnership. As the low cost carrier is performing light and heavy maintenance in-house, Air Arabia have opted for the AMOS Airline-MRO Edition, which provides all the functions needed to cover the entire spectrum of the carrier’s maintenance operations efficiently. Air Arabia envisages a significant fleet increase with the intention to operate 100+ aircraft by 2025. With AMOS, the Middle Eastern carrier has taken a sustainable and future-proof decision that will not
only support the fleet growth but also the digital transformation process towards paperless operation. Besides AMOSdesktop, the budget carrier will implement AMOSmobile to equip its maintenance staff in the hangar and on the apron with a fully integrated and easy to use software tool.
AMOS Financial Multi Entity and AOS
Supporting Air Arabia’s multi-base strategy, AMOS Financial Multi Entity capabilities will help to consolidate all activities across the group in one system. This feature enables the independent financial management of each entity, while taking advantage of centralised processes over the whole corporate organisation. AMOS will be running on the open-source database PostgreSQL and the airline has opted for the AMOS Operation Service (AOS), a popular
service offered by Swiss-AS which ensures the optimal AMOS application server and database management. “By equipping Air Arabia with AMOS and AMOSmobile we are confident to pave the way into the digital future of the airline and to add significant synergies to the maintenance process landscape. We are proud to welcome Air Arabia to the AMOS Community,” stated Ronald Schaeuffele, CEO of Swiss-AS. “At Air Arabia we always look for innovative solutions to bring further efficiency to our operations. Selecting AMOS as our new MRO software across the group reflects the importance we place in adopting latest technologies to support our fleet growth requirements,” said Adel Al Ali, Group Chief Executive Officer of Air Arabia. Read the full story on Aircraft IT Website INTERACTIVE Click here for full product details
AMOS. AGAIN.
“ With the implementation of AMOS, we are able to strengthen our working practices across the company with an integrated end-to-end solution. It will enable transparency, improve quotation and billing cycles and enhance communication with our customers. We will be able to deliver better services as well as exceptional value to our customers for a sustainable future,.” Director & General Manager of HAECO Hong Kong.
HAECO Group takes off with AMOS, the world-class M&E software solution. AMOS, as a scalable end-toend solution, is the right tool for the HAECO Group and has the potential to unlock new levels of efficiency and productivity. AMOS will provide HAECO with a future-proof solution to fully support the Group’s digital transformation process.
SWISS-AS.COM
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HeliStream signs up for Rusada’s ENVISION HeliStream, the US flight training specialist, announced at the beginning of May 2019 that it has selected Rusada’s ENVISION as their MRO and Flight Operations software. From its base in Costa Mesa, California, HeliStream offers world-class flight training as well as a range of other services including utility/aerial crane, firefighting, charters and photography. To do this, the operator utilizes a fleet of 25 helicopters comprising of Robinson, Airbus, Bell, Sikorsky, and MD models. HeliStream was founded by Rod Anderson and Barbara Perrin, both US Army trained pilots, who envisioned a flight school that combined the military’s syllabus-directed and structured training program with a fleet maintained to the highest FAA standards. HeliStream has signed up for ENVISION’s Fleet Management, Base Maintenance and Flight Operations modules as well as four others, which will be implemented over the coming months. Go-live is set for September 2019. Barbara Perrin, Secretary/CFO at HeliStream said: We were looking for a system with a high level of functionality and a simple, easy-to-use interface. ENVISION exceeded all of our requirements and will allow us to continue maintaining and operating our aircraft to the highest of standards.”
Julian Stourton, CEO at Rusada said: “HeliStream prides itself on the quality of its aircraft, so the fact they have selected ENVISION to manage their fleet is a huge compliment. Rod and Barbara have taken the company from strength-tostrength over the years, and I look forward to supporting their continued success.”
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AIRCRAFT IT MRO • JULY-AUGUST 2019 • 8
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HAECO Group selects AMOS as end-to-end MRO software solution Swiss-AS announced in early May 2019 and with tremendous pleasure that HAECO Group has selected AMOS as its preferred MRO software to be deployed in its Hong Kong operations. The main objective of this large-scale implementation project is to replace the current system - consisting of many point-to-point solutions — with a fully integrated end-to-end solution. HAECO Hong Kong will apply AMOS across its wide spectrum of services, including core airframe services and line services. During the pre-sales process, the HAECO evaluation team analysed and reviewed carefully the functional scope of the AMOS MRO Edition against the group’s comprehensive requirement catalogue. The advanced MRO functions developed by SwissAS, including but not limited to Quotation/Contract Management, Hangar/Facility Planning, and Production/Finance Control Dashboards, convinced the HAECO team that AMOS was its product of choice. Apart from the desktop version, AMOSmobile functions will be deployed in the heavy/line maintenance context to further support HAECO Group in its digital transformation process. To ensure the successful implementation, the HAECO evaluation team also needed the assurance that Swiss-AS had the necessary expertise and proven implementation approach
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AIRCRAFT FLEET VIEW Aircraft Fleet View App: developed for airlines always up-to-date view on your fleet‘s status ■ easy-to-grasp view on events like current delays, cancellations and AOGs ■ specific views for flight operations and maintenance ■ customizable for airlines and users ■
to steer this project. All aspects of the different project streams, from know-how transfer, process definition to data migration and technical set-up, were elaborated in great details before reaching a final decision. This in-depth pre-sales process allowed the swift start of the implementation. In the meantime, the project kick-off has already taken place, being the starting signal for a large-scale project that affects the daily work routine of several thousand users in HAECO Hong Kong. HAECO Hong Kong will rely on Swiss-AS AMOS Operation Service (AOS) — with Swiss-AS managing all the tasks related to the AMOS application server and database server administration — to ensure a smooth running of the system. “Swiss-AS believes that AMOS, as a scalable end-to-end solution, is the right tool for the HAECO Group and has the potential to unlock new levels of efficiency and productivity. AMOS will provide HAECO with a futureproof solution to fully support the group’s digital transformation process,” stated Ronald Schaeuffele, CEO of Swiss-AS. Read the full story on Aircraft IT Website
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marketing@crossconsense.de
CrossConsense.com
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Rusada joins the European Helicopter Association In mid-May 2019, MRO & Flight Operations software provider Rusada, became the newest member of the European Helicopter Association (EHA). The EHA acts on behalf of the European rotorcraft industry, promoting the best interests of all sectors as an economically important, safe and sustainable industry essential to the success of European and national economies. EHA members are placed across the industry from multiple sectors, and include the likes of Airbus Helicopters, Leonardo, Safran and Bell. Rusada was invited to join the association following its extensive efforts in supporting the rotorcraft industry. Its software ENVISION has allowed rotary operators in the region to digitize their maintenance activities, saving countless hours of time and ensuring safe and compliant operations. As an Elite partner to Airbus Helicopters, Rusada is
perfectly placed to support the EHA in achieving its goals and to further promote the use of rotary
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The future of compliance is integrated & full-service. #PDFisNotEnough info@comply365.com AIRCRAFT IT MRO • JULY-AUGUST 2019 • 10
aircraft in the region. Peter Moeller, Chairman of the European Helicopter Association said: “We are delighted to welcome Rusada to the EHA, and I’m sure they will prove to be a valuable member of our association. We pride ourselves on the diversity of our membership, with organisations coming from a wide range of backgrounds and industries. “With the rise of maintenance data and the role it plays in ensuring safe and economical operations, we felt that now was the time to add a seasoned software expert to our ranks.” Julian Stourton, CEO at Rusada said: “I am truly honored that Rusada has been invited to join the EHA. This is not a responsibility we will take lightly and will endeavour to support them on their mission in any way we can. “I’d like to thank Peter and the rest of the board for giving us this opportunity.”
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Web Manuals saves each of its business aviation customers 2,400 hours each year In late May 2019, Web Manuals, developer of digital documentation solutions, announced that it has saved each of its business aviation customers 70% of the time spent updating manuals in 2018: equivalent to 2,400 hours of work each year. On average, business jet operators can have up to 30 operations manuals in their libraries and make up to 75 revisions every year, with each one taking around 40 hours to complete. Using Web Manuals’ web-based application, updating and revising an operations manual typically takes up to a day, saving its customers at least 32 hours per revision. Martin Lidgard, CEO and founder of Web Manuals said: “We truly value our customers’ needs and recognize that time means money for air operators. It is essential for business jet operators to keep their documentation and manuals up-to-date, so by providing them with our innovative digital solution we enable them to save at least 70% of the time it takes to update each manual, ensuring they can more easily remain compliant to the latest industry standards. Through this significant time saving, business jet operators are better able to spend their
time focusing on other areas such as developing their business and competitiveness” Web Manuals has more than 210 customers worldwide, with US offices in New York and San Diego, and headquarters in Malmö, Sweden. INTERACTIVE Click here for full product details
AIRCRAFT IT MRO • JULY-AUGUST 2019 • 11
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Women making a difference in aviation for the Baltics
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During the last few years, several airlines in the Baltics have flourished, and they have brought in a new generation of young and innovative talent to the region’s aviation industry. This is frequently being supplied by young women, who are coming through the ranks to take up senior positions and are gaining authority to drive change. Often this is environmentally friendly change, with an emphasis on reducing waste and adopting efficient airline paperless operations. This is being demonstrated at SmartLynx Airlines, where several initiatives have been introduced. In 2015 Smartlynx directors encouraged Vera Bankina to take on the challenge of eliminating the cockpit paper log books. This was ultimately achieved by implementing eTechLog8 the Conduce Electronic Log Book (ELB). Vera was aided and abetted by Irina Lupane, who at the time was in Technical Records and operating the Maintenance Information System (MIS), Commsoft OASES. Both Vera and Irina had previously worked together at Air Baltic where they had learned the ropes in Technical Records by using Commsoft OASES. Four years later and Vera is the Senior Project Manager at Conduce, introducing eTechLog8, the now well established ELB system in use with various airlines around the world. Vera currently has five successful ELB
AIRCRAFT IT MRO • JULY-AUGUST 2019 • 12
FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: VERA BANKINA (NOW PROJECT MANAGER AT CONDUCE) ANNA IVANOVA (NOW CABIN STANDARDS AND FLEET TRANSITION ENGINEER AT SMARTLYNX) & IRINA LUPANE (NOW ETECHLOG8 AND OASES ADMINISTRATOR AT SMARTLYNX) 2016 AT THE INTRODUCTION OF A320 YL-LCO
implementation projects under her belt, all achieving paperless log book airline operations. In the meantime, Irina has also come through the ranks and is now in charge of Technical Records and is the Administrator for Commsoft OASES at SmartLynx. Irina is also the Smartlynx eTechLog8 system Manager and is affectionately known within SmartLynx as eTechLog8 mama. During the last 12 months Vera and Irina have been working together again, but this time to integrate eTechLog8 with Commsoft OASES. They have brought together the three companies to stream the data flow from Conduce eTechLog8 in the cockpit electronically into OASES, without the need for paper or clerical intervention. SmartLynx are now
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recognized as the pioneers of paperless technology in the Baltic states, adopting cutting edge solutions and enabling the airline to harvest the benefits of the digital age. On the achievement, CEO of SmartLynx Airlines, Zygimantas Surintas said: “This is another big development step for SmartLynx to increase fleet control and passenger safety. We see increased access to information, transparency, time saving and reduced risk of human error. We have become the first airline in the Baltic States to introduce these processes, that will ultimately become the generally accepted aviation industry standard. We now observe that other Baltic airlines are also considering abandoning the old, time-consuming, paper-based log books.”
Founded in 1992. SmartLynx is the second largest Latvia-based airline, providing charter flights and ACMI (Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance and Insurance)
services. Its fleet in 2019 is planned to be 26 Airbus A32X aircraft operated daily by more than 600 employees worldwide. In 2018 SmartLynx Airlines had a turnover of €171.9 million representing a 30.72% increase compared to 2017. In 2018 more than 3 million passengers were serviced on the flights provided by the company. With offices in the UK and Australia, Conduce provides robust mobile solutions such as eTechLog8 for the world’s airline industry. eTechLog8 is the leading ELB solution to replace paper technical log books and is now certified by 10 NAA’s. Full integration with most MIS/MRO back office airline systems is standard. (www.conduce.net) Communications Software (Airline Systems) Ltd. has produced cutting edge software for aviation maintenance and engineering for over 35 years. Commsoft produces a market- leading product, which is utilized in around 50 airlines and maintenance organisations throughout the world. INTERACTIVE Click here for full product details
Fly into the future Now is the time for airlines of the world to eliminate the paper tech log. Isn’t it time you consigned paper to the bin? Start your future today: +44 (0)333 888 4044 www.conduce.net • info@conduce.net Conduce HPH 0915.indd 1
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05/08/2015 14:46
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Strategic partnership agreement between Scandinavian Avionics and JetSupport In mid-May 2019, JetSupport and Scandinavian Avionics signed a Strategic Partnership Agreement, complementing the existing Cooperation Agreement from 2016 and strengthening the approach towards the Business Aviation and Special Mission Aircraft market. The main objective of the new Strategic Partnership Agreement is to further expand the avionics business opportunities for both companies, as well as all associated maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) activities. JetSupport and Scandinavian Avionics have already been collaborating for several years, sharing many business and operational areas, such as aircraft and component maintenance, repair and overhaul, upgrades and technical solutions. The Strategic Partnership Agreement will enhance the offerings from JetSupport to their clients, as they get access to the extensive avionics capabilities of The SA Group, while the partnership will be able to offer one-stop-shop solutions for clients in the Benelux area, to an extent not seen previously. Michael R. Truelsen, CEO, Scandinavian Avionics said: “There is no doubt that we in JetSupport have found a great partner for a wide range of combined INTERACTIVE Click here for full product details
AIRCRAFT IT MRO • JULY-AUGUST 2019 • 14
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offerings, and we look so much forward to exploring this further. One thing is the extensive capabilities of both our companies, however the true core of our combined solutions offered to the market, is that we share the same values and mindset from a support and customer focus perspective.”
JetSupport
From the start of operations in October 2001, JetSupport has provided aircraft availability. They commenced our operations with this philosophy, but this still is the fundamental idea when they work on an aircraft. Since 2001, JetSupport has continuously striven to improve its operation, aligning with the needs of customers. The only aspect which has not changed over the years is the goal: making sure the aircraft is available whenever the customer needs it the most. JetSupport’s base maintenance operations take place at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport. The business is EASA, FAA & TCCA approved and, with multiple strategic dealerships and partnerships, is able to offer the complete package of technical service solutions necessary to keep a customer’s aircraft flying. Clear, correct and on-time, that is what we call JetSupport. Rusada 220x68_Rusada HP Horiz 220x68 01/04/2019 17:24 Page 1 Read theHP fullHorizontal story on Aircraft IT Website INTERACTIVE Click here for full product details
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Petroleum Air Services (PAS) takes off with AMOS
AMOS — a flexible and future-proof decision
At the end of May 2019, Swiss-AS was pleased to announce that Petroleum Air Services (PAS) and Swiss-AS have signed agreements regarding the purchase and implementation of AMOS. PAS was searching the market for a fully integrated turnkey solution that provides the option to adapt to new requirements without changes to the source code. After a swift and efficient evaluation of the MRO software available on the market, PAS reached the conclusion that AMOS provided the best-fit solution for their requirements AMOS will be implemented without any customer specific changes and PAS can rely on proven software that reflects industry-best-practices and allows them to manage both their aircraft and helicopters within one single system. When selecting AMOS, customers also obtain a comprehensive maintenance agreement that guarantees two major releases per year. This assurance proved to be one key factor in convincing PAS that AMOS was indeed the future-proof solution they were looking for.
AMOS features for helicopter maintenance
AMOS has been supporting helicopter operators right from the beginning, when the Swiss Air-Rescue (Rega) signed for AMOS in 1992. Over the years, the percentage of helicopters maintained within the AMOS Community has constantly increased and, as a result, the rotor wing dedicated functionalities have been expanded accordingly. Swiss-AS is pleased to offer its expertise to support the dynamic helicopter industry and cater to their specific needs. AMOS incorporates globally integrated supply chain management of spares and health monitoring of vibration characteristics of the airframe and rotating components. In addition to the many AMOS interfaces available, the utilisation of the flight schedule interfaces, along with mission configuration, enables AIRCRAFT IT MRO • JULY-AUGUST 2019 • 16
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only supplier of 2 MRO ‘best of breed’ plus
precise monitoring of operating times and parameter exceedance. The combination of all these features allows AMOS to support the industry-wide requirements for dynamic control to maintain the safety of helicopters. Furthermore, AMOS offers an extensive counter management program to track equipment and components with standard or individualised counters, dimensions and penalties.
Cloud hosting package
The Egyptian aviation company has also signed for the Swiss-AS hosting package, a combination of the proven AMOS Operation Services (AOS), covering the application and database administration and cloud hosting (Google Cloud Platform). The AMOS environments will be easily accessible for PAS from all their operation bases via secured VPN connections. By signing for the hosting services, PAS is relieved of the requirement to operate a technical infrastructure on premises and can rely on a high level of operation in compliance with the latest IT and security standards. “With the PAS decision to go for AMOS, the number of rotor wing operators among the AMOS Community is increasing and this demonstrates the capability of AMOS. With only one software, our customers are in the position to manage a mixed fixed wing and rotor wing fleet,” stated Ronald Schaeuffele, CEO of Swiss-AS.
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French Regional Airline — Air Calédonie Trusts Ramco Aviation Embarks on a technology platform modernization program with Ramco
Global aviation software provider Ramco Systems was able to announce at the end of May 2019 that it has won the Aviation ERP modernization program from Société Calédonienne de Transports Aériens (Air Calédonie), the first domestic airline of New Caledonia, located in Melanesia in southwest Pacific Ocean. Air Calédonie operates passenger and cargo flights from its capital Nouméa to islands within the archipelago, a special collectivity of France. Before partnering with Ramco, Air Calédonie faced difficulties with its old system. Ramco will implement its advanced modules for Engineering and CAMO, Maintenance, Supply Chain Management, Compliance Management, Flight Log Management, Employee Records & Maintenance and Supply Chain Cost Management across Air
Calédonie’s fleet of aircraft. The Maintenance & Engineering (M&E) solution will be used to integrate all of Air Calédonie’s business operations into a single, seamless system. On implementation, Air Calédonie’s users will be able to view multiple indicators and processes all atop a modern and fresh user interface. Samuel Hnepeune, President and CEO, Air Calédonie, said, “Ramco is truly at the forefront of technology innovation. Implementing a
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AIRCRAFT IT MRO • JULY-AUGUST 2019 • 18
comprehensive suite tailored to the aviation segment while giving us access to industry best practices, also enables unparalleled flexibility and standardization. With Ramco, we are looking forward to together building the airline’s technological foundation to scale greater heights.” Virender Aggarwal, CEO, Ramco Systems, said, “We are happy to add another client with an ATR fleet in the pacific region. In their journey towards modernization, we are happy to support them with a comprehensive platform which has the latest tools such as MailIT, chatbots to simplify user experience. As we continue to develop more innovative solutions, we hope to continue adding value to our clients.” Ramco Aviation Software is trusted by 22,000+ users to manage 4,000+ aircraft globally. Accessible on cloud and mobile, Ramco Aviation Software
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continues to innovate with ‘Anywhere Apps’, significantly reducing transaction time both during aircraft-on-ground (AOG) conditions and critical aircraft turnarounds. Ramco is changing the paradigm of enterprise software with Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning based solutions, powered by cool new features such as voice-based transactions on *Google Assistant or Alexa, chatbots, mail bots, HUBs and cognitive solutions. With 75+ Aviation leaders onboard, Ramco is the solution of choice for several large airlines and top heli-operators, and multiple MROs around the world. *Google Assistant™, virtual personal assistant is a trademark of Google LLC | Alexa and all related logos are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates About Société Calédonienne de Transports Aériens (Air Calédonie): In 1954, a group of aviation enthusiasts created the first Caledonian airline - the Caledonian Air Transport Company: Transpac. By
1958, The Company had transported 5000 passengers with only one aircraft. Today, the company that became Air Calédonie in 1961, operates four ATR72-600, transports and carries
450,000 passengers on 11,000 scheduled flights every year. With a team of 380 collaborators, Air Calédonie is a major actor in the social and economic life of New Caledonia. INTERACTIVE Click here for full product details
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ADSoftware issues mobile applications to complement its awardwinning Maintenance Information System ‘Airpack’. Mobility has become a common aspect of our daily lives. The benefits of mobile solutions to support maintenance and supply chain operations are obvious and now ADSoftware is offering a logbook application and a mechanic-oriented application to unlock this value. Announced in early June 2019, eLOG is the electronic logbook solution. It’s been used by pilots at one of ADSoftware’s largest customers (c80 aircraft). One strength of the solution is that it is fully integrated with the existing desktop applications, making every flight input easier. All flight times are reviewed and signed off by each pilot before being transferred to the database directly from the mobile device, hence eliminating the need for paper-based communication. The app also allows users to fill in
complaints to be reviewed by maintenance and treated as maintenance tasks. Digitalizing this workflow saves time, paper and reduces mistakes or omissions. The application is interfaced with pilots and mechanics qualifications database giving an added layer of safety to the operator. eWORK is the application that mechanics can use to collect work orders assigned to them. They will see their tasks and can access the relevant documentation. If they need material or tooling, they can place their request on the app. The time they spend to perform their work is monitored and uploaded in the database. This allows users a comprehensive view of the costs of an action and makes invoicing or financial analysis of production processes easy.
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AIRCRAFT IT MRO • JULY-AUGUST 2019 • 20
These two applications are part of ADSoftware’s strategy to digitalize every aspect of maintenance and supply chain operations. eLOG is a step towards flight operations that will be followed by other developments in the near future. For the last 20 years, ADSoftware has developed and delivered efficient, user-friendly and state-of-the-art solutions based on customer feedback. Each additional module covers an additional aspect of airlines and MRO operations. ADSoftware is based in France and is a major supplier of MRO software solutions for helicopter and fixed wing operators across the globe. In its 20 years of existence ADSoftware has steadily increased its user base to over 60 airlines. Read the full story on Aircraft IT Website
NEWS & TECHNOLOGY
Honeywell and DENSO collaborate for urban air mobility In early June 2019, Honeywell and DENSO, the world’s second largest mobility supplier, announced that they are collaborating to propel the future of urban air mobility and other aerospace market segments by combining their expertise to develop hybrid-electric and fully electric powertrains. “The pressure to mitigate the environmental and economic impact of aviation will only grow in the years ahead as air passenger traffic increases and urbanization continues,” said Bryan Wood, senior director of Honeywell’s hybrid-electric and electric propulsion programs. “Knowing the challenges we face, we’re working with DENSO to create a new future for aviation propulsion. Aircraft powered by hybrid-electric and electric architectures have incredible benefits; they’re cleaner, quieter, more fuel-efficient, more reliable and easier to maintain.”
The two companies will work together to build concepts and technology demonstrations for the design and development of hybrid-electric and all-electric propulsion systems for aerospace applications. “We see urban air mobility as one of the main transportation methods in the future of advanced mobility,” said Kenichiro Ito, executive officer of DENSO Corporation and CEO of DENSO’s North American headquarters. “We believe that collaboration between the automotive and aerospace industries is crucial to achieve highquality and mass-scale urban air mobility.” Urban air mobility (UAM) is comprised of air vehicles, such as air taxis, with on-demand availability, and is aimed at providing more efficient movement for people within cities to improve safety and decrease ground traffic. Major advancements in materials, generators and motors are making
electric-powered flight possible, practical and affordable. DENSO has decades of experience in developing and producing world-class electrified propulsion units, including traction motors and inverters, at high mass-production volume. Honeywell has an extensive aviation hardware and software product portfolio, including advanced navigation technologies and fly-by-wire flight controls tailored for the unique needs of UAM aircraft. Honeywell has already separately debuted a new hybrid-electric turbogenerator prototype earlier this year. The system combines the rugged, flight-proven HTS900 engine with two compact, 200kw highpower density generators. The system burns conventional or bio-derived jet fuel and can feed motors or high-capacity batteries. Read the full story on Aircraft IT Website INTERACTIVE Click here for full product details
Airlines. MRO. OEM. Defense. www.empowermx.com
Intelligent MRO Software Suite for the Airline and Defense Industry that improves Operational Efficiency, Real-time Collaboration, and Profitability. AIRCRAFT IT MRO • JULY-AUGUST 2019 • 21
NEWS & TECHNOLOGY
Honeywell unveils compact fly-by-wire system for Urban Air Vehicles At the start of June 2019, Honeywell unveiled a new compact “fly-by-wire’ system, approximately the size of a paperback book. The computer packs the ‘brains’ of an airliner’s flight controls into one system, and is the next step towards autonomous and Urban Air Mobility vehicles. The flight control computer from Honeywell adds stability to these revolutionary aircraft designs by driving electric actuators and dynamically adjusting flight surfaces and motors for smoothly following flight paths. It reduces turbulence and allows designers to push the limits of aerodynamics, eliminating the need for heavy hydraulics, control cables or pushrods. “Honeywell’s technology truly enables these innovative aircraft to fly more safely, accelerating a whole new era in what is quickly emerging as a new transportation economy,” said Carl Esposito,
president, Electronic Solutions, Honeywell Aerospace. The flight control computer has architectural features derived from Honeywell’s proven and certified existing compact fly-by-wire systems for airplanes and is built to aviation industry certification standards, providing the highest levels of availability and integrity. Honeywell’s offering features a triplex flight control computer architecture, providing multiple backup options and eliminating the risk of relying on one system failure. In addition, each computer uses lockstep processing, meaning it has two processing channels that constantly check each other’s work. These features provide the safest and most reliable operation that will meet the future requirements of transporting passengers in highly populated urban areas. Dubbed compact fly-by-wire system because
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AIRCRAFT IT MRO • JULY-AUGUST 2019 • 22
the controls are augmented by electronics versus purely manual controls, this new compact computer can be held in one hand compared with similar technologies installed on larger aircraft that are roughly the size and weight of a fully loaded suitcase. Honeywell’s solution will draw less power, cost a fraction of current systems, and can be used on multiple aircraft types, including more traditional aircraft vehicle designs. “Aircraft designers can use the compact flight control computer out of the box with easy-to-use development tools,” Esposito said. “It was designed for connectivity to achieve better maintenance and improved fleet operations.” This system is the latest in a series of products Honeywell is developing for the fast-growing urban air mobility market. Read the full story on Aircraft IT Website
NEWS & TECHNOLOGY
Honeywell and Vertical Aerospace join forces to support development of the urban air mobility segment Honeywell and Vertical Aerospace have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to address the technical, regulatory and business challenges of the emerging urban air mobility segment. The companies plan to integrate Honeywell avionics, navigation, fly-by-wire and other products and advanced technologies that leverage the company’s technologies into future Vertical Aerospace vehicles for use in urban environments. The agreement, announced at the beginning of June 2019, will provide Vertical Aerospace’s vehicles with Honeywell’s latest flight systems for urban air mobility. These include Honeywell’s new compact fly-by-wire system, which offers the critical redundancy needed to meet the safety and certification requirements for electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, all in a package the size of a paperback book. Urban air mobility vehicles promise to reduce urban congestion and provide new ways for people to travel around cities and rural areas. “Overly congested, polluted cities continue to be an issue, and to combat this urban air mobility will be a key feature of cities of the future,” said Stephen CaseBank-277mmx85mm.pdf
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Fitzpatrick, CEO and founder of Vertical Aerospace. “Combining Honeywell’s technology and experience in next-generation avionics with Vertical Aerospace’s aircraft will allow us to make carbon-free, on-demand air mobility a reality.” “Honeywell’s expertise in integrated avionics, systems integration, certification and manufacturing, combined with Vertical Aerospace’s capabilities in developing eVTOL vehicles, will spur the advancement of urban air mobility,” said Carl Esposito, president, Electronic Solutions, Honeywell Aerospace. “Through years of working with the Federal Aviation Administration and the European Aviation Safety Agency, Honeywell is well equipped to help Vertical Aerospace navigate the civil airspace landscape and develop their vehicles.” Urban air mobility is an aviation industry term for on-demand and automated passenger or cargo-carrying air transportation services, typically flown without a pilot. Urban air mobility services will bring new and innovative ways for people to travel around cities and rural areas, while reducing congestion. Read the full story on Aircraft IT Website
6:40 PM
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B:142.5 mm T:136.5 mm
NEWS & TECHNOLOGY
S:126.5 mm
Aeronautical maintenance specialist Revima turns to IFS for best-practice MRO processes
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Nearly 1,000 Revima staff to leverage IFS Applications™ 10 at maintenance facilities in France and Thailand
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In mid-June 2019, IFS, the global enterprise applications company, and Revina, a leading independent aviation MRO (maintenance, repair & overhaul) solutions provider specialised in APUs, engine parts and landing gear for civil and military aircraft, announced the selection of IFS Applications 10 to drive Revima’s international expansion and support its complex maintenance operations. Propelled by strong growth, Revima is currently in the process of establishing a new, ultra-modern MRO facility in Thailand. The 130,000-square-foot site will become operational in early 2020 and will provide advanced MRO services for landing gear to customers in the Asia-Pacific region. “Our accelerated growth coupled with the decision to build a new facility in Thailand were the catalysts for deploying advanced business processes and harmonising them throughout the company,” said Olivier Legrand, President & CEO of Revima. “IFS Applications distinguished itself from the competition through its robust, out-of-the-box MRO capabilities, which are delivered through a modern and intuitive user experience. Another deciding factor was IFS’s numerous customer references in the global aerospace sector.” Previously running separate solutions for its APU, Engine Parts Repair, and Landing Gear processes, Revima will reap a number of benefits from unifying their business processes on the IFS platform, including: Ability to support its complex MRO needs, including workshop monitoring and capital asset pricing modeling (CAPM), using standard functionality of IFS Applications Best-in-class user experience that empowers staff with user-friendly and intuitive capabilities Open and flexible technology platform that empowers Revima to add cutting-edge technologies such as mobility and IoT to evolve maintenance operations into the future Amor Bekrar, managing director for IFS in France, added, “Our ability to meet complex MRO needs, combined with our very strong expertise in the heavily regulated aerospace and defense sector, will enable Revima to support its growth and deploy high-performance business processes across its international business. IFS will also help Revima deploy next-generation technologies such as IoT and mobility to accelerate its digital transformation.” Read the full story on Aircraft IT Website
AIRCRAFT IT MRO • JULY-AUGUST 2019 • 24
NEWS & TECHNOLOGY
Flatirons announce new managed content services and software agreement with Rolls-Royce In early June 2019, Flatirons Solutions® was pleased to announce a new long-term agreement with Rolls-Royce for authoring, illustration and Integrated Logistics Support (ILS) managed services along with access to leading-edge CORENA Suite products for content production and viewing. Large aviation and defense manufacturers like Rolls-Royce produce or revise thousands of maintenance and operating publications each year. Publications must be delivered concurrently in multiple specifications like S1000D, ATA iSpec 2200, or MIL-SPEC, and Flatirons Solutions is one of the few companies who are able to provide both the managed service expertise as well as the software platform to provide those services. As part of this newly announced partnership, Flatirons will provide broad-based content services and CORENA Suite technology to ensure that production, delivery, end-user customer experience and access to technical publications is seamless for both Rolls-Royce customers and internal users. CORENA Suite software is packaged as part of this agreement and includes the CORENA Pinpoint 7 Interactive Electronic Technical Publications (IETP) viewer, the CORENA Insight Business Process
Management (BPM) mobile forms and workflow engine, and the CORENA Knowledge Center Common Source Database (CSDB). Flatirons Solutions can provide this turnkey solution thanks to its unique position as both an authoring services provider and publisher of the industry’s leading software platform for OEM-independent technical publishing, CORENA Suite. CORENA Suite solutions have been adopted by some of the leading airframe, engine and component manufacturers as well as most of the world’s largest airlines. “Flatirons is proud to support Rolls-Royce in its important mission,” noted Flatirons Chief Operations Officer Stéphane Labadie. “We expect this partnership to yield innovations for Rolls-Royce customers and internal staff who rely on accurate, timely, interactive maintenance and operating publications.” AIRCRAFT IT MRO • JULY-AUGUST 2019 • 25
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NEWS & TECHNOLOGY
Regional Jet Center Signs Long-term Deal with FLYdocs to Digitise Maintenance Records In mid-June 2019, FLYdocs signed a 10-year contract with Regional Jet Center for the ongoing management of their aircraft maintenance records across a fleet of 49 aircraft. Regional Jet Center, part of the KLM Group, is the leading MRO for line maintenance on the Embraer 170 and 190 series, and this partnership serves as an important step in strengthening the MRO’s commitment to digital innovation. Using the cloudbased FLYdocs® platform, Regional Jet Center will have access to a centralized digital replica of all aircraft technical records — right back to birth. André Fischer, CEO at FLYdocs said: “The aviation industry is shifting dramatically towards a much more dynamic and technology-driven approach to aircraft record maintenance. We are delighted to be awarded this important contract with Regional Jet
Center, and we are certain this partnership will yield significant financial and operational value for both parties. The FLYdocs® platform’s enhanced integration with AMOS puts MROs such as Regional Jet Center in a really strong position to demonstrate compliance on demand. ” Michiel van der Eijk, Managing Director at Regional Jet Center said: “Regional Jet Center’s mission is to be the leading regional aircraft maintenance company, striving for continuous digital innovation. After an in-depth market review, we selected FLYdocs as our supplier of choice because of their innovation and advanced technology supported by an agile approach which is very much focused on the user. This partnership offers a unique combination where the groundbreaking expertise and knowledge of both worlds align together to
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AIRCRAFT IT MRO • JULY-AUGUST 2019 • 26
create a future proof collaboration with the capability to even manage a large-scale fleet. Additionally, the built-in AMOS flick switch offered by FLYdocs made our selection process even easier. About Regional Jet Center: Based at Schiphol Airport in the Netherlands, offers high-quality line maintenance services on Embraer and Bombardier aircraft. Digital innovation is at the heart of the organization with digital components to continuously improve efficiency. About FLYdocs: It is a global solutions company helping the Aviation Industry to enhance fleet airworthiness, protect asset value, and to be transition-ready at the push of a button. Read the full story on Aircraft IT Website
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CLICK ON THE COVER TO FLY BACK IN TIME NOW… WHITE PAPERS: ICF • IFS • CASE STUDIES: VUELING • THOMAS COOK AIRLINES
WINTER 2018-2019 • V7.5
MARCH-APRIL 2019 • V8.1
Thomas Cook Airlines implement a new eTechLog Working across a multi-AOC environment
Robotic process
Using software to create work packages
WHITE PAPERS: UBISENSE • EMPOWERMX • IFS • CASE STUDY: CHINA SOUTHERN AIRLINES GENERAL AVIATION (CSAGA) LTD
A growing digital landscape The latest developments and possibilities
NEWS • JOB CARDS: ULTRAMAIN SYSTEMS, CASEBANK TECHNOLOGIES, SEABURY SOLUTIONS AND SWISS-AS
AIRCRAFT IT MRO V7.5 WINTER 2018-2019
CASE STUDIES VUELING • THOMAS COOK AIRLINES WHITE PAPERS ICS • IFS
MAY-JUNE 2019 • V8.2
A next generation MRO system at CSAGA Implementing new MRO software in a helicopter operator
MRO 4.0: the next big step for processes Using Digital Twins and Location
WHITE PAPERS: EXSYN • IFS • IBM • CASE STUDY: SMARTWINGS
Getting sign-off on the e-signature
A process to get the regulator’s approval
NEWS • JOB CARDS: AEROSTRAT AND EXSYN AVIATION SOLUTIONS • MRO SOFTWARE DIRECTORY
AIRCRAFT IT MRO V8.1 MARCH-APRIL 2019
CASE STUDIES CHINA SOUTHERN AIRLINES GENERAL AVIATION WHITE PAPERS UBISENSE • EMPOWERMX • IFS
Smartwings controls parts better
A better view of what is happening
An App to manage supply chain and stock
Digital twins help keep track of asset condition and progress in processes
Predictive maintenance
A smarter supply chain
How the technology can help address future challenges in MRO
Changes in MRO make working together more important
NEWS AND TECHNOLOGY UPDATES • MRO SOFTWARE DIRECTORY
AIRCRAFT IT MRO V8.2 MAY-JUNE 2019 CASE STUDIES SMARTWINGS WHITE PAPERS EXSYN • IFS • IBM
CASE STUDY: FIRST AIR
First Air – Implementing a Mobility Suite of Apps Gail Campbell, Manager Technical Records & Trax Administration, at First Air shares the experience of eMobility with the challenges and benefits
AIRCRAFT IT MRO • JULY-AUGUST 2019 • 28
CASE STUDY: FIRST AIR
B
efore we get into the meat of this subject, it might be useful to tell readers something about First Air. The airline, based in Ottawa, Canada, has been serving Arctic communities for seven decades. Being a Canadian and an Arctic airline, First Air experiences lots of snow and is an acknowledged leader in Arctic air transportation. It is a proud accomplishment built on a history of development and innovation, including the Tundra tire that made the arctic more accessible and supported the air surveying and mapping of Canada’s arctic territories. In 1971, the then Bradley Air Services opened its first High Arctic base followed by the first scheduled passenger service in 1973 under the name of First Air. More bases followed with services to Labrador and Greenland; and the airline has continued to expand its Arctic services since. In 2010, First Air used its Hercules freighter to aid in the Haiti Earthquake disaster relief. More recently, the airline carried more than 200,000 passengers and more than 17m kg of cargo in 2016. First Air operates a versatile fleet of 17 aircraft for regularly scheduled passenger and air cargo services. All aircraft are gravel and ice strip equipped for landing in remote locations, and many are combination (combi) aircraft capable of multiple passenger/cargo configurations.
CHOOSING TRAX eMOBILITY
First Air has recently implemented Trax eMobility. Having already been Trax users for nearly five years, First Air started to use eMobility in November 2018; so it’s still a fairly new process for the airline and its staff. One factor when we were considering implementing mobility was that there are a lot of older and senior people who have been in the business for many years and have become used to dealing with paper and pen. But I’m pleased to be able to say that moving them to eMobility went really well and we were impressed with how everyone made the change. First Air initially implemented four modules from Trax eMobility.
“…there are a lot of older and senior people who have been in the business for many years and have become used to dealing with paper and pen. But I’m pleased to be able to say that moving them to eMobility went really well and we were impressed with how everyone made the change.” These were Line Control, Production Control, TaskControl and QuickTurn. We assign the work orders at night for the engineers to work on, including defects from pilots on which Maintenance can act. As I said above, it is still fairly new for us, having first gone live last November with Line Maintenance and with HMV (Heavy Maintenance Visit) scheduled for completion at the time of writing, April 2019. Fortunately, we already knew the AIRCRAFT IT MRO • JULY-AUGUST 2019 • 29
basics of the Trax system which made moving to eMobility smooth. For decades at First Air we had been talking about moving towards electronic records, and eMobility offered us the solution with which we could achieve that. We operate in a lot of remote bases that don‘t have very good or consistent internet connectivity and eMobility allows engineers to work offline. Even in one of the smaller stations,
CASE STUDY: FIRST AIR
EXPECTED IMPROVEMENTS
the relevant information can still be input and will load up to the main Trax system as soon as there is Wi-Fi coverage available. It provides maintenance staff with quick access to the reference manuals and email, and the ability to order parts at the gate. Just having that ability alone, the time saving for that one task, makes a difference. In the past, when we sent a memo to maintenance staff, we had what was called ‘the dreaded yellow book’ where everybody had to go and sign it and then, if they hadn’t, we had to chase people to sign it. Now it is on the iPads within Trax with the ‘read and sign’ function for employees, which means that if the airline wants to send a memo to all of Maintenance, their acknowledgement and notification that they’ve read it will be electronic. We have already noticed an improvement in our performance on delays at the gate or even getting the aircraft out quicker from HMV. There has also
been a reduction in duplication; in fact some entries were being done three times (two on paper and one electronically) whereas that has now been reduced. Plus we now need less time for personnel training with the iPads able to deliver training right to their fingertips. There has been a reduction in the paper workload for supervisors: in the past, at night, the supervisor would have a mound of paper with all the task cards and everything to be processed; then my department would send back the paperwork if the supervisor forgot to check this or that box, or something. That is no longer a problem as the system requires each report step to be completed before moving on to the next. Signing on is done with the LDAP (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol) and each user’s username and password is good for everything; so no need to remember five or six different passwords AIRCRAFT IT MRO • JULY-AUGUST 2019 • 30
It isn’t possible yet (at the time of writing) to offer any percentages or statistics to demonstrate improvements, it is still a new system, but we do expect to see better manpower efficiency and utilization and there has already been evidence of that on the line. We also anticipate a reduction in the repetition and errors and to spend less time processing paperwork as well as being able to provide real-time information for maintenance staff, supervisors and maintenance operations — no more waiting for a piece of paper to travel from one department to another. We are also looking to get one set of accurate maintenance records and to decrease the downtime of aircraft at the bases and at HMV. Elimination of time wasted for travelling is expected. What I mean by that is the walk time from getting the card, going to the aircraft, going to stores, going back to the aircraft, etc. We also value the ability to take photos using the iPad camera. Another benefit will be the reduction in technical record audit times — there will be no more need for clerks to process the mounds of paper from supervisors (as mentioned previously) and scan each piece. That won’t be necessary with the electronic solution because it will be right in the system from the outset. There will be automation of internal processes plus improved tracking of the actual man-hours on a task. It’s very easy just to start and stop the task which will mean more accurate hours.
SETUP AND USER ACCEPTANCE
The servers recommended to First Air were Glassfish servers, which are backed up nightly. We have a load balancer, Barracuda ADC and the devices are managed using Cisco Meraki MDM (Mobile Device Management), onto which the iPads are all enrolled so that, when the devices are issued out to remote stations, they can be run and updated from Ottawa. It takes about 30 minutes for Administration to set-up an iPad and then a further 30 minutes for the user to set-up their personalizing of the device —
CASE STUDY: FIRST AIR
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“With HMV, it also shortens the turn-times on the aircraft letting us get them out a couple of days earlier, and it’s always good to have the aircraft back out making money.” fingerprint, manuals, etc. Also, each maintenance base is equipped with an electronic hot-spot so they can take the device out in the vehicle with them. First Air maintenance staff each has an iPad assigned to them so that there’s no longer just the one computer in the workshop with its password stuck on a Post-it® Note above the monitor! That means that security has also improved. Database back-ups are run hourly.
PRODUCTION CONTROL (HMV), LINE CONTROL AND TASKCONTROL
The Production Control and Line Control apps are equipped with Status dashboards allowing for a review of work required and work accomplished. Instead of the supervisor having to go out to engineers to ask how the work is progressing, he can see everything right on the dashboard. It improves oversight and ease of assigning tasks and defects to the work order and automation of the process reduces paperwork and cost, and is moving closer to electronic sign-off. Also reduced is walking and waiting time for the distribution of paperwork. With HMV, it also shortens the turn-times on the aircraft letting us get them out a couple of days earlier, and it’s always good to have the aircraft back out making AIRCRAFT IT MRO • JULY-AUGUST 2019 • 31
CASE STUDY: FIRST AIR
money. Other things we can do with this is utilizing all aspects of the task cards and removing duplication. Estimated man-hours has always been an issue with people forgetting to sign-off so that time has to be adjusted. Whereas with eMobility, it is in real time. They simply swipe and it starts to count down their time. Also, with non-routine cards, engineers can assign them to themselves with no interaction needed with Administration. Other things allowed are for the maintenance staff to complete the task card, research manuals, order parts, and upload pictures while working on the aircraft. Mobile entries are not lost even when offline because the data will be stored and once it reconnects to Wi-Fi the information will sync with Trax. It all decreases processing times for scheduled cards by 20%, and non-routine cards by 40%.
components and the ability to take photographs for dent mapping, SN (Serial Number) verification or information.
SUMMARY
Although I have endeavored to do justice to the Trax solution in the article, this video will help show what I have covered above and how our old processes compare to the new processes, the time it has saved, and the degree of user acceptance.
GAIL CAMPBELL
Gail has been with First Air for 25 years starting her career in the accounting department, then the Technical Operation Center and Maintenance Operations before becoming Manager of Technical Records and Trax Administration. She has also played a key role in training, setting up internal processes, getting Trax to work for First Air, and implementing Trax eMobility and the road to a paperless environment.
FIRST AIR
QUICKTURN
QuickTurn is the module that covers defects and it also has a dashboard which shows the flight schedule at a glance with updates in real time, including a quick view of defects that require immediate attention, and that helps with on-time performance. This is expected to decrease maintenance downtime at the gate by 30 percent which represents a tremendous saving as you will see in the video at the end of the article. It also increases the accuracy of records and defect control by at least 40 percent. Transport Canada is always keen to look at defect control and, with Trax eMobility, we have been able to improve on the defect control process. Another useful capability is that we can review historical troubleshooting, e.g. the captain writes up an MEL, it goes to one base, then the next base can see the troubleshooting right there so they don’t have to contact the previous base. The module includes the ability to search and order parts while at the gate, which wasn’t possible before, and to search for any planned work orders for that aircraft as well as quickly record installations and removals of
I hope that you have found our journey at First Air to a paperless environment both interesting and useful.
The biggest surprise from our implementation was the level of user acceptance. As an established business, First Air has a lot of older people who had become used to the pen and paper based system but they really took to the iPads. Maintenance personnel really appreciate getting their own iPads and they are now giving feedback to request further possibilities. Because a lot of people have iPhones, they caught on to the mobile system very quickly and Trax uses swipes for start and stop very much like those iPhones with which people are already familiar. So training time was minimal; probably for one mechanic for one module it would be a couple of hours, if that. Some other Apps in Trax eMobility include AeroDox, CabinLog, PilotLog, EzStock and VisualCheck with many more to come. Having implemented four of the Apps, we’re now looking to implement more at First Air, including PilotLog and CabinLog. AIRCRAFT IT MRO • JULY-AUGUST 2019 • 32
Bradley Air Services Limited, operating as First Air, is headquartered in Ottawa, Canada and operates services to 34 communities. The majority of its fleet is available for charters worldwide. Its main base is located at Ottawa Macdonald–Cartier International Airport, with hubs at Iqaluit Airport, and Yellowknife Airport. The fleet includes 13 ATR 42 and 4 Boeing 737. First Air has assisted in various humanitarian missions, airlifting relief supplies and equipment.
TRAX
As an aviation Maintenance and Engineering software developer and vendor TRAX has been selected by over one hundred and seventy airlines and MRO operations worldwide with fleets consisting of all types of aircraft. TRAX will continue to focus its efforts in the aviation software market, concentrating on meeting customer requirements, advancing technological features such as mobile and cloud solutions, developing software with world class support and building strong customer relationships.
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Digital Transformation — where we are today
Martin Harrison, Global Managing Director – Airlines, Aerospace and MRO, ICF shares a long hard look at the current position with digital in MRO AIRCRAFT IT MRO • JULY-AUGUST 2019 • 34
WHITE PAPER: ICF
A
lthough this article is about the current state of play with digital transformation in the MRO/M&E sector, we’ll first provide the readers with some context about the industry and the latest developments.
FLEET TRENDS & MRO INDUSTRY CONTEXT
In this first section, we look at the evolution of the global fleet and why it matters for the MRO industry. FLEET TRENDS AND MRO INDUSTRY CONTEXT
The air transport fleet is set to grow to ~39,000 aircraft by 2027, with delivery of ~17,000 “new technology” aircraft over the decade AIR TRANSPORT FLEET DEVELOPMENT BY MATURITY
~39k ~35k ~29k
OBSERVATIONS
§ Next generation fleet includes 787, A350, A320NEO, 737MAX, 777X, EJet E2, MRJ and CSeries § This category will grow hugely over the next decade, with significant implications for MRO suppliers
FLEET TRENDS AND MRO INDUSTRY CONTEXT
There are 2,277 e-enabled aircraft in the global installed fleet and 13,008 on order 2018 E-ENABLED INSTALLED FLEET (# Aircraft)
92%
900
2017
2022
2027
Source: ICF analysis; Excludes Turboprops
800
2018 E-ENABLED INSTALLED & ORDER FLEET (# Aircraft)
8%
7,000
771
ICF segments the global fleet into four technology categories: Old, Mature, New and Next. The Next generation of aircraft includes the Boeing 787s, the Airbus A350s and the Bombardier CSeries (now Airbus 220) as well as the Boeing 737MAX and Airbus A320NEO, the Embraer E-Jet E2, and the Mitsubishi MRJ. These are new aircraft with enhanced data capability which has an important impact on people in maintenance in terms of what can be done with that data. Critically, these new generation aircraft are flooding into the fleets. Until just a couple of years ago, they only represented 4% of the global fleet but will very soon account for a quarter of the fleet and by 2027 for nearly half the global fleet. As per the below chart, we can see that the new narrowbodies (NEO and MAX) dominate the order book while the number of 787 and A350 in the global fleet will more than double.
600
5,000
582
282
2,000
232 224 130
100 0
4,849
3,000
400
200
9%
4,000
500
300
91%
6,000
700
FIGURE 1
6,381
51
1,000 4
1
0
0 -8 0 0 ts o 7 o X X 78 Ne MA A38 A35 47 A22 - Je 0ne 777 7 2 0 737 E2 A33 3 A
FIGURE 2 includes in-service and inactive aircraft Note: installed
New Generation
0
1,401 884
392 330 330 326 242 150
0 ts 0 0 o -8 o 7 X X ne MA 78 A35 A22 A38 - Je 777 0ne 47 7 3 2 0 37 E2 A3 A3 7
Data-Enhanced
ICF analysis, CAPA ICFSource: has conducted a study to evaluate the airlines’ spend by aircraft operations and evaluate the digitalization level for each phase.
AIRCRAFT IT MRO • JULY-AUGUST 2019 • 35
WHITE PAPER: ICF FLEET TRENDS AND MRO INDUSTRY CONTEXT
Aircraft operations can be segmented in nine phases with different digitalisation levels Flight Planning ($0.6B)
Launch
Departure ($46B)
Maintenance ($68B) Post Flight ($0.2B)
FLEET TRENDS AND MRO INDUSTRY CONTEXT
The MRO industry has entered the ‘expand’ phase of the digital maturity lifecycle; numerous suppliers are developing digital tools that provide a solution for a single issue
~$500B
Arrival ($20B) Landing ($20B)
Departure Taxi ($97B)
More digitised
Early adopters
Innovate
En-route ($171B)
Expand
Early majority
Late Majority Laggards
Consolidate
Challenge
Airbus TM AIRMAN GE FlightPulse
Approach ($79B)
Less digitised
Automation analytics
Today Innovators
BOEING AHM Key
Develop
SAFRAN SFCO2®
Source: ICF analysis
FIGURE 3
Doing this segmentation enables us to find out how much money is available to be saved as this is the ultimate goal for most people: save money/reduce operating costs. In order to make this assessment, we looked at, ‘how much of each activity is automated / supported by adequate IT tools?’ One of the key findings is that Maintenance has not been through much of a digital transformation: looking at a hangar 30 years ago compared to a hangar today, it looks quite similar for most airlines/independent MROs. Often, there’s still paper on racks, there are still people walking back and forth to the stores and there are still people standing in front of a machine looking at the IPC (Illustrated Parts Catalog). Maintenance activities are less well automated, less well digitalized than many other phases of service. This means that there are opportunities to try and improve maintenance and make it more efficient. If we look at a classic cycle for adoption of new technology, we can see where we are currently in the maintenance world (figure 4).
“…looking at a hangar 30 years ago compared to a hangar today, it looks quite similar for most airlines/ independent MROs.”
Source: ICF
FIGURE 4
There have been some early innovators doing things differently in maintenance. For example, when AIRMAN was introduced, it was possible to tell engineers about items that weren’t in the tech log, that the pilot did not know about, but that would help to figure out what was going to happen with the aircraft as opposed to just looking at what had happened in the past. Now, with new technologies, we’re in the ‘Expand’ phase with more and more solutions being brought to the market and this is why there’s a lot of interest in the topic today with lots of actors wanting to get into the digital MRO space.
ACHIEVEMENTS TO DATE AND NEW TECHNOLOGIES
To date, there have been limited success stories in the MRO digital transformation journey. For example, Skywise and easyJet claimed, in 2018, 149 successful pre-emptive maintenance actions (which does not seem to be a significant number compared to their flight schedule). This strengthens the fact that we are in the very early days of predictive maintenance and effective MRO digitalization. When airlines talk about their digital successes, they often do so in the context of reliability and how it helped them improve the reliability of the fleet. But, if reliability has gone from 99.6 percent to 99.7 percent, how much money has been spent doing that and is it really that important?
AIRCRAFT IT MRO • JULY-AUGUST 2019 • 36
WHITE PAPER: ICF
Regarding new technologies, airlines and MROs have considered using drones to conduct inspections. However, drones cannot easily be used on the line because they are susceptible to winds meaning that if a drone gets caught by a gust of wind and hits the aircraft during a line inspection, it would create more problems than it might solve. Drones can only really be used in the hangar and, to date, they haven’t been used with any great success, only on a limited scale. Similarly, a couple of years ago, everybody was talking about Blockchain but this is primarily about technical records and trying to have a better, more secured method of controlling those records. It is unlikely that Blockchain can save significant money, or significant level of resources for airlines and MROs. Another topic in the MRO space is the use of 3D Printing. While 3D-printing is in theory a great way of saving money, it is likely to be faced with similar challenges as those faced by PMA parts (e.g.: impact on lease returns). While it was thought that 3D-printing would be beneficial for airlines and MROs on cabin parts, it hasn’t taken off and it doesn’t offer realistic cost savings for most MRO industry players. Considering the above ideas are not quite what the hype might have led us to think, the questions arise, ‘where can airlines and MROs save money? and where are the opportunities with the increasing amount of data becoming available?’
NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS TO DATE AND NEW TECHNOLOGIES
ICF estimates that digitalisation could enable airlines to save in excess of $5B/year Health Monitoring and Predictive Maintenance Airline Industry savings:
~$3B
(conservative estimate)
Driven by improved dispatch reliability, No Fault Found reduction, Inventory reduction and Improved labour productivity
~$1.7B (conservative estimate)
~$0.8B (conservative estimate)
Improved turnaround process, in-flight routing optimisation
Fuel Cost Savings Airline Industry savings:
Delay Reduction Airline Industry savings:
Continuous flight optimisation through live weather updates, speed and altitude optimisation…
Source: ICF analysis
FIGURE 5
Fuel being a large part of an airline’s costs, anything that can be done to save a quarter percent or half percent on fuel costs is important. INTERACTIVE Click here for full product details
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AIRCRAFT IT MRO • JULY-AUGUST 2019 • 37
About ICF ICF is a global consulting and technology services provider. Since 1969, public and private sector clients have worked with ICF to navigate change and shape the future.
WHITE PAPER: ICF
ICF also believes, based on its research, that there are significant opportunities to save money in maintenance, but it’s necessary to focus on two areas. • First of all, inventory represents a significant spend for airlines and MROs: cost of assets in the warehouse, in a pool agreement or on the balance sheet. • The other key area of focus is labor. Labor is the second largest expense for airlines (partly because of people leaving the business and partly because licensed skilled labor is expensive) which means that finding technologies that enable the business to use labor more efficiently is a key area for cost reduction focus.
WHICH SUPPLIERS ARE LEADING THE RACE TO DIGITAL MATURITY?
Airbus, Boeing, the large component manufacturers, the aero-engine manufacturers have all started offering services in the last two or three years as have the large MROs such as Air France Industries — KLM E&M and Lufthansa Technik. There are numerous players moving into this space, people who historically have wanted to sell aircraft and to sell MRO services now also want to sell digital analytics and other capabilities (figure 6). WHICH SUPPLIERS ARE LEADING THE RACE TO DIGITAL MATURITY
For the past few years, the digital race has accelerated in the MRO world across all type of players
Digital Solutions 2017
2015 Analytics Division
RR Availability Centre 2017
2017 Aviatar
A MORE PRAGMATIC VIEW (A.K.A. WHAT ARE YOUR REAL CONCERNS NOW)
FIGURE 6
BASE MAINTENANCE – BUILDING BLOCKS
2017 United Technologies Digital Division
2017 AnalytX
Planning
Predictive Maintenance Partnership 2018
2018 FlightSense
2017 R2 Data Labs
BOEING *Now called GoDirect Flight Efficiency Source: ICF
The aforementioned initiatives will eventually benefit the MRO industry (some will fail but overall new technologies will move the industry forward). However, in the short term, here and now, the key MRO industry challenges revolve around the usual three building blocks: Planning, Execution and Documentation.
Skywise 2017
Prognos 2016
2015 Digital Collaboration Centre in Dubai
A MORE PRAGMATIC VIEW
While new technologies are very much talked about, it is key to remember the primary cornerstones of maintenance software to master
EngineWise 2017
Aviaso* 2015
The value stream to develop digital solutions can get quite complicated. As a result, industry players are wondering what to do, who to partner with, where to get the key building blocks (e.g.: data acquisition, engineering expertise and algorithms), who are the experts for each of them, etc. Focusing on predictive maintenance as an example, the key question is whether the service provider really understands maintenance; do they understand the implication of a specific service bulletin? Do they understand how to manage and improve reliability? Do they really understand the system, not just the ATA but the systemic effect on the aircraft? How good are their engineers to help the operator use the information? In summary, ICF believes that the digital transformation of the MRO space has to be driven by maintenance experts supported by technologists but that technologists alone can’t succeed in this complex space.
> > > > >
Package Creation Material Availability Tool Availability Resource Planning Deferral Management
2017 FlightPulse
Execution > > > >
Production Production Control Deferral Management Access to manuals
Documents > > >
Records ERP Update Quality Management
Effective MRO ERP usage is critical across all phases of Base Maintenance FIGURE 7
While it sounds like maintenance 101, this remains a key challenge for organizations with experienced staff leaving while those remaining are trying to AIRCRAFT IT MRO • JULY-AUGUST 2019 • 38
WHITE PAPER: ICF
build the packages. The right tools are not always available nor the right consumables: and organizations are getting caught up with Deferral Management and staying on top of that, as well as staying on top of the MEL (minimum equipment list). This is still very much the life of Maintenance every day — in some respects, it is real life. It might be possible to be better at predicting component removals but every day all of the above (figure 7) still has to be done. So, when we look at the MRO system providers, what are they developing and what are the airlines asking them to improve: it is much more down to earth, it’s much more 1980s. After all this time, we’re still talking about paperless maintenance and digital signatures; but how many readers have a regulator who demands that a pen is used to sign off critical actions, records and communications: we’re still catching up with some of the basics. Going mobile is a big theme and is probably the biggest revolution going on in airlines in general. Pilots were first with almost every airline now using an EFB (electronic flight bag) and flight attendants are next with an increasing number of airlines providing their attendants with iPads and mobile capability. But we are now starting to see maintenance staff getting iPads and that’s the revolution currently underway; more than predictive maintenance, it’s getting iPads to hand, swapping the Toughbooks for iPads that mechanics want to use. It’s really revolutionary because it means people don’t need to go to the stores, are not trying to look up information on old-fashioned internet systems. Part of that is offline capability, there isn’t always access to Wi-Fi when mechanics are out on the ramp so having an offline capability to access manuals, complete paperwork and sync it when it gets back on line, is useful. Hands-free and touch screen is not necessarily new but we’re seeing it more, MRO is catching up. Inventory management is still very much manual, the industry has been talking about RFIDs for inventory
management for years and yet it is rarely used, neither are other technologies. There is also the whole concept of digital twins and digital threads which is progressing slowly. Realistically, MRO/M&E is still catching up: the industry can think about what value can be derived from new technologies and more data but, for many players, investment is still required to catch up with some of the basics.
CONCLUSIONS
Our conclusion on the MRO digital transformation is that the buzz is still about predictive maintenance where progress is definitely being made but it might not change readers’ lives in the immediate term. The industry has yet to realize the benefits of Predictive Maintenance. Also, when considering with whom to partner, competencies have to be carefully evaluated — data acquisition, data storage, analytical capability and, most importantly, engineering expertise. Finally, for most airlines, focusing on the core building blocks (Planning, Execution and Documentation), is where investment still needs to be made: getting iPads in, getting rid of paper, getting digital signatures. AIRCRAFT IT MRO • JULY-AUGUST 2019 • 39
MARTIN HARRISON
Martin Harrison, a Vice President at ICF in London, has been serving the aviation industry for more than 30 years. As a consultant, he works with clients around the world on operations projects that span tech ops, ground ops and flight ops. Prior to joining ICF in July 2012, Martin was COO at Pluna Airlines in Uruguay and has also held executive operational positions at Spirit Airlines and easyJet Airlines, having started his career at British Airways
ICF
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AIRCRAFT IT MRO: HOW I SEE IT
The choices paradigm Allan Bachan is a Vice President at ICF with 32 years of industry experience as an Aviation M&E, MRO and Supply Chain solutions and systems domain expert. He is responsible for ICF’s MRO Operations and IT practice and he manages the Aircraft Commerce Consulting relationship with ICF. His experience includes managing application design, development, and full cycle implementation — from selection to go-live — for strategic clients in the MRO industry using different commercially available MRO IT
T
he pace of technological innovation far exceeds the rate of adoption in the already laggard aviation operations space. In fact, the ‘new’ sophistication of aircraft and engines by OEMs is literally creating the impetus for change and improvement, in some cases forcefully, with operators. However, there are reasons for this behavioral state. 1. No one wants to be a beta client unless there is minor or no business risk. This is a double-edged sword. • In general, adoption rates must improve in order to minimize risks and realize benefits. • Beta relationships must exist. Newer products might well be predominantly outside of aviation but they do have the value of being proven. However, such Beta relationships must be symbiotic. 2. The original project need is severely diluted, dated, or replaced by the end of the project. • Given the rate of technological change, governance of any project must acknowledge and embrace related advancements in order to realize success. • Projects must be structured as part of continuous improvement frameworks. • A sensitive balance of change management versus scope creep must exist.
3. Pick something and stick to it. That is, even if it is considered old or dated when completed, it will still be a delta improvement. • In some cases, this dimensionally encapsulates the preceding two. • This should be part of a ‘brick-by-brick’ strategy and not standalone. In other words, there should always be at least one active project. • These projects should be well insulated from the internal and external naysayers. So, into which do you see your organization? Are you evaluating, selecting, engaged in a project, or did you recently go live? Are you speculating on whether you are making good choices? Or… Are you firm in your elections and committed to realizing improvements, well insulated from inside and outside noise? Some may say that the real challenge is ‘what do I pick?’ There is a plethora of terms being used: Mobile; Paperless; Machine Learning; Virtual Reality; Augmented Reality; Blockchain; Robotics, etc. Moreover, Digital [Transformation]; Big Data; Cloud; Internet of Things, etc. make it even fuzzier. To add to this, at my last count, there are at least a dozen MRO IT best-of breed, off-the-shelf software systems, more than seven ERP styled packages, and forty or so niche and add-on applications available in the market.
AIRCRAFT IT MRO • JULY-AUGUST 2019 • 40
AIRCRAFT IT MRO: HOW I SEE IT
“Given the landscape of options, you must be prescriptive of your needs in order to narrow down which systems will work best for your organization. This means that the age-old and traditional RFIs and RFPs to solicit bids must change”
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FIGURE 1: MANY AVAILABLE CHOICES FOR MRO IT
How are you making your choices? Given the landscape of options, you must be prescriptive of your needs in order to narrow down which systems will work best for your organization. This means that the age-old and traditional RFIs and RFPs to solicit bids must change. An organization must have a fair definition and understanding of its desired future state before it starts shopping for newer systems. Systems evaluation and selection is akin to baking a cake, where the recipe represents the ‘how’ and the ingredients represent the ‘what’. The recipe dictates the ingredients to use, not the other way around. Out of necessity, the future state should be better than the present state; solve all known challenges and constraints, and must be a progressive platform for growth and improvement. There is also merit in knowing where the focus is, what is trending, and the maturity and capability of emerging and established software products. This will help in filtering the selection to the best and few. Therefore, as you examine your choices, make sure you equip your program with staff, domain experience, and tools, which secure an understanding of ‘how’ in addition to the ‘what.’ Then, augment that with a well-educated lens of what is available and how they rank. For now… that is how I see IT.
Your chance to take advantage of expert and experienced advice. Allan is available for free one-to-one Skype consulting sessions. These free consultancy sessions typically cover: • An overview of your current M&E / MRO Systems and processes. • Particular problem areas unique to your company and best practice advice on how to overcome these problems. • Expert advice on any new projects or systems you are looking to implement. • An overview of industry M&E systems best practices and how these could benefit your company. • Your chance to ask Allan any burning questions you may have or discuss particular projects. How to book your FREE one hour consultancy session: contact Alllan on email: allan.bachan@icf.com or call: +1 469 467 4421 quoting ‘AircraftIT Free Consultancy Session’
M&E / MRO System Health-Check Program
The Aircraft Commerce Consulting and ICF Consulting M&E / MRO System Health-Check program partners our experts with an airline’s or MRO’s key M&E systems team to provide additional resources and guidance, supporting the best results within the business’s processes and goals, and tailored to each company’s requirements. It can include: • A benchmark comparison of current M&E / MRO systems and processes against best practice industry standards. • An outline of how to optimize current processes and systems to drive greater efficiency. • How to remove paper, whiteboards and spreadsheets. • An evaluation of how new technologies (paperless, mobile, predictive M&E, etc.) can be leveragedto improve efficiency. CLICK HERE FOR MORE DETAILS
AIRCRAFT IT MRO • JULY-AUGUST 2019 • 41
WHITE PAPER: APSYS
The towering eye wall Gesine Varfis, Marketing & Early Adopter Program for Maintenance Consulting at APSYS shares some thoughts on digitalization change drivers and change of business models: paperless maintenance, data, augmented analytics and maintenance cost control AIRCRAFT IT MRO • JULY-AUGUST 2019 • 42
WHITE PAPER: APSYS
ABOUT APSYS
Having been in the market for about thirty years, our background is in the fields of safety and security. The business comprises more than 500 people and offers simulation as well as maintenance solutions plus consulting services focused on digitalization. That safety and security capability extends to the design and the building of aircraft, taking all data records back to the design stage and ensuring that aircraft produced are safe. More recently, APSYS has moved out of the aerospace area into the broader area of transportation and one of the big drivers in that was to take safety knowledge into other areas to transform them. Safety is definitely one driver in maintenance and with the new generation of aircraft coming into service that will also extend to cyber-security and data security; APSYS is making sure that the cycle is closed, for fully safe and secure aircraft operations (figure 1). With predictive maintenance on the agenda for airlines, the lifecycle as well as the capture of data from design to operations gets more and more vital. APSYS believes that the next step after predictive maintenance is to develop prescriptive economics-driven, business decision support solutions for maintenance. Tomorrow’s operations and maintenance
solutions will be real-time data analytics driven and we believe that will require a new generation of maintenance solutions. analytics APSYS’s vision is to close the loop #nextgen4M aircraft design Maintenance MRO APSYS inside ® Mobility COST aircraft operations MIS ECONOMICdecisions DATA
T
he airline industry is in the center of a towering eye wall: data, digital transformation, change of business models and, on top of all that, costing. The pace of digitalization is accelerated by disruptive innovation and tomorrow’s leaders thinking out of the box; applying different business models as well as customized solutions. Let’s stay with the disruptive picture of a hurricane and what it means not to move with the accelerating pace of digitalization. Digitalization can be compared with confronting a hurricane. Hurricanes can be dangerous because of flooding and because of their destructive powers in moving and destroying objects. The ‘eye of the storm’ is the center. There is little rain or wind in this relatively calm but moving spot. It is surrounded by the eyewall, a ring of towering thunderstorms where the most severe weather and highest winds occur. Digitalization has moved a long way with maintenance mobility and EFBs becoming standard and not the exception anymore. Many airlines have growing operational research centers attached to the Operations Control Center (OCC). Yesterday was driven by business intelligence (BI); tomorrow will be driven by predictive and prescriptive; the day after by augmented analytics. Many airlines are in the ‘eye’ of digitalization, they have been driving it and others have followed those leaders in innovation. But all are going to face further changes of business models — the eye wall — some of them will be more disruptive than others. Real-time operations costing and economic decisions will be one of the most disruptive changes we are going to face. It will change the way we perform costing and economic decisions. The objective of this article is to share with readers some ideas to help them prepare for this future.
prescriptive aircraft maintenance
aircraft production
e
APSYS inside ®
AMASIS now APSYS
APSYS inside ®
predictive
OPS aircraft operations APSYS inside ®
aerospace
FIGURE 1
Solutions for (4) M Maintenance, MROs, Mobility and the Maintenance information systems will be data, data processing, data quality and data analytics driven. Our maintenance application Amasis is connected to Skywise and our engagement in maintenance will definitely be driven by data. We currently check out graph databases to engage in. The objective is not only knowing that a part will fail but also complementing that information with what was driving the failure and a recommendation on when and where to replace it in the most economic manner (part availability, least operational impact, at lowest cost...). This is where APSYS’s Lab is working towards innovation and towards artificial intelligence (AI). We believe in open innovation Minimum Viable Concepts (MVC) and Products (MVP) to mitigate the risks related to innovation.
TECHNICAL PUBLICATIONS AND MAINTENANCE INVOICES
Compared to other industries as well as to airline operations and passenger interaction, Maintenance digitalization lags behind. Complexity, especially in terms of data standardization and an international e-format is a main blocking point. However, with data analytics getting more and more vital and affordable, there is a unique opportunity to define a standard not only applicable for maintenance publication tracking, but that is also able to take predictive and prescriptive maintenance into account. Getting a bit more disruptive, based on one standard and e-format, not only will maintenance track recording get digitalized with all the benefits that will generate; at the same time, invoicing will also get digitalized with cost driver prediction and economic decisions to be taken into account before the part fails . Real-time costing could be feasible.
AIRCRAFT IT MRO • JULY-AUGUST 2019 • 43
WHITE PAPER: APSYS
as well as by airlines and national authorities. IATA also pushed for e-invoicing but, in comparison to overflight charges and fuel, MROs and airlines are hardly applying it for maintenance invoice control. Yet, according to IATA, there are about two percent of MROs and maintenance organizations using paperless invoicing and we think this is something that could be combined into an e-costing solution. Talking about savings and the environment, not having common e-standards equates to millions in lost savings every year. Coming back to the storm, as far as digitalization is concerned, we are currently in the eye of the hurricane (figure 3) with, around us, the eye wall and the digital mesh — the network of digitalization, digital trends and what the future holds for digitalization (source: Gartner) such as augmented analytics and augmented reality, which all play into safety and security, cyber security, etc. what the eye of a hurricane and digitalization have in common more data more sensors 5
what technical publications and maintenance invoices have in common applied OEM – MRO – airline – NAA standard MX data
<xml>
cost-enabler
<xml>
SAFETY augmented reality virtual reality
<xml> stakeholder regulators lease contracts
mixed reality
PDF XLS TXT
e-techlog mobility
THE EYE eTechLog e-regulatory docs XML standard RFID e-MXrecords .. e-standard
eye wall
augmented analytics access
DATA AC life cycle
SECURITY digital ethics & privacy
Invoice
cost-enabler
Maintenance Cost Control less than 2 % of SIS IATA users are MROs (42 users out of 2500+ users) FIGURE 2
At APSYS, we think the enabler for data analytics is e-standards (figure 2). The PDF saves the environment, but does not enable further analytics capabilities. PDF is digital paper and its transformation into actionable data requires highly sophisticated tools. IATA is engaged in moving the industry to xml e-standard and there are defined ATA chapters that have been applied by OEMs and MROs
prescriptive analytics
COST
e-signature
AI
autonomous things
e
Tech DATA
e
e-invoice
ROBOTS e-docs
800 GB
performance
THE DIGITAL MESH*
predictive maintenance
*source: Gartner trends 2019
FIGURE 3
Currently the industry, supported by IATA, agrees on e-standards. One does not have to drive it, nor does one have to implement it. But we are in the middle of the eye. At some point in the future data and standards will be used, if we are not ready for the eyewall in terms of data records digitalization, if the organization does not comply to e-standards, or is not able to parse them into internally used e-formats, facing the next phase of the storm will be an extremely costly exercise. At the moment we still face e-document problems (e.g. e-signatures). When it comes to aircraft phase in and phase out, if just one party in the chain is not paperless then this weak link will slow down the entire work flow process. But there will be a time in the future where only paperless e-standard compliant aircraft will be accepted; so getting your documentation and organization ready is vital to survive the next part of the storm.
AIRCRAFT IT MRO • JULY-AUGUST 2019 • 44
WHITE PAPER: APSYS
Getting disruptive again, authorities will have full access to aircraft data. Airworthiness will be automatically checked with indication to the authorities in case of deviations. Plus, of course, the e-aircraft is already operating: readers might not yet be using it to the intended extent, but the e-aircraft is already producing lots of data. To our knowledge, an average flight, depending how that is defined, will produce up to 800 gigabytes of data. So, on that average flight, an aircraft like the A350 produces 800 gigabytes of data, albeit that some airlines might only use five gigabytes of that. Data analytics requires design and processing knowledge on algorithms and data, the ones without data will pay a high price to get access to data pools and algorithm intelligence. The ones not having analytics skills incorporated will pay an additional premium adding to the bill.
e-invoicing was kicked off pretty early, around 2003 (figure 4), and 100% e-ticketing was achieved in 2008. For e-invoicing there is an agreed IS-XML file standard format; for e-maintenance and the e-aircraft there are only guidelines. Therefore the target of achieving paperless maintenance in 2020 seems extremely ambitious. Paperless (e) maintenance roadmap
e
2007
20042 008
mobile check in
#2020 NOV 2017
2015 <IS-XML>
e
IATA
IATA Guidance Material for Paperless Aircraft Operations in
e-invoices
SIS Simplified Interline Settlement
Technical Operations
100% IATA eTIX
manual procedure archive
SBs select SBs
airline
OEM SBs
human interface
e
airline
load XML
aggregate technical content
select applicable content
MIS
publish
MIS
e
archive automatic select SBs
e-SBs
select applicable content
change of content IT system
publish
e-DATA WHERE ARE WE?
2003
Paperless maintenance benefits
release 1
IATA vision: the aircraft should be able to “talk” to the operator about its history, airworthiness, technical condition and
• real-time data access & processing • real-time airworthiness monitoring • paperless
e airline sample 43tsd invoices /anno
FUEL
• transparency • remote access for lessors and authorities
FIGURE 5
… whereas, applying e-standards to the SB, it is much easier to load the data in one automated stage. Selection is automatic, searches are automatic, and publishing is automatic and paperless. There are solutions available to help with technical publications as well as publication to the MIS, real-time data, access to data, transparency, ensuring that the data is correct.
e-INVOICING — IT CAN BE DONE
What we’ve seen for documentation (above) applies for the e-invoice (figure 6). paperless invoicing benefits
COST
from 1h -3 days heavy check
OCR cracking headers contract
human interface
supplier invoice
20% GRH ATC
Maintenance
e
FIGURE 4
Paperless data records are one side of the coin, but authority and manufacturer notifications also need to be taken into the equation. Today SBs (Service Bulletins) are mainly managed manually. The selection of the SB, the identification of the relevant content, the aggregation of the content are all manual procedures, including the update of the MIS (Maintenance Information System), and the publishing is, again, on paper (Figure 5)…
airline
load IS XML
archive
manual procedure
scan invoice
airline
100% 80 %
• SAFER OPS • removing risk of error • efficiency
manual check of invoice vs. OPS data Purchase Order - PO
TIME & MAT
payment
OPS M&E *cost-driver
automatic
TIME & MAT
calculate cost PO
compare with invoice
calculate cost M&E*
invoice
reject
deviation analysis
FIGURE 6
AIRCRAFT IT MRO • JULY-AUGUST 2019 • 45
archive
ERP
IT system contract
• transparency traceability • paperless
ERP
• activity based costing • accurate predictability of cost • technical content traceable – using invoice enable analytics
payment
• tight cost control • processing time – real-time cost management
WHITE PAPER: APSYS
the data as well as the cost, based on the items in the invoice. Then it’s possible to calculate the maintenance cost, calculate the purchase orders — the routine stuff — and to do the deviation of routine and non-routine. It’s also possible to complete the deviation analysis and rejection management — there are solutions in the market that will help to support that — ending up in the ERP. Coming back to the disruptive aspect and its objective: the greatest benefits and values will be achieved when e-standards are not only defined for the technical follow up but for costing at the same time. This means a cost driver based approach: a paperless e-standard for cost, for invoices as well as for publications, bringing it all together is maintenance costing or activity based costing. McKinsey tells us that there will be no traditional cost-cutting programs in the future (figure 7). McKinsey traditional cost cuttingprograms have reached their limits.
“what’s measured improves” “you can’t manage what you can’t measure” Peter Drucker
‘driver analysis
To be disruptive, e-invoicing standards can be applied to e-maintenance and, taking it one step further, particular content, such as an e-task, can be e-performed and e-invoiced. So, why not attach cost to tasks and ATA chapters? SB notes and invoicing have a common paper process. In terms of invoicing, the invoice is received and scanned, then it is checked by going through the papers item by item, finding the deviations… we generate 100s of pages per heavy check. However, it’s possible to adopt the e-standard and automatically import
“…e-invoicing standards can applied to e-maintenance and, taking it one step further, particular content, such as an e-task, can be e-performed and e-invoiced. So, why not attach cost to tasks and ATA chapters?”
offers many traditional carriers cost-cutting opportunities of 10 to 20 percent a seat, even without a substantial shift in business models.’
#realtimeMXcosting !
Direct maintenance COST … ARE PREDICTABLE predictive à failure
impact projection – what will happen
à predict cost
e prescriptive
economics
what is the best action to take -> steering activities
| P. 1
FIGURE 7
That’s because traditional cost cutting has been achieved. Tomorrow’s savings will be generated by cost driver analysis: we’ll need to know what will be the cost of the engine change how long does it take, what will be the cost of the removal, what will be the cost of the component as well as the spares, transportation, etc. We will need to know where it is best and cheapest for work to be performed. Only if we know what drives those costs will we be able to analyze them as well as to measure them and take action. Real-time costing is the prerequisite for ROI (return on investment) related to prescriptive maintenance analytics in the maintenance control center (MCC). This will change business as usual. The day after tomorrow economic decisions will not be performed in financial control, but in the integrated operations control center (IOCC). An empowered MCC will perform economic
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“The day after tomorrow economic decisions will not be performed in financial control, but in the integrated operations control center (IOCC).” decisions… based on predicted failures (predictive maintenance), predicted cost. Is this philosophy a working solution, how can it be tracked and brought together (figure 8)? e-data for technical and cost tracking are the same cost drivers
fleet mix prescriptive
predictive
weather
certification records
OEM
part records
PN
task records
WO
LLP
ADs SBs
Tech Pub AMP
TechLog
e
schedule
e
status
M&E locations M&E contacts
new AC
cost frame
lease contracts
heavy CHECK
SHOP visit
MOD
line CHECK
work
MRO
return AC
COST
end of lease requirements
LESSOR
FIGURE 8
Big data enables predictive and prescriptive real-time decision support. In respect to data sourcing the sensors on the aircraft provide data. This data is enriched by eTechLog, eCabinLog and eMaintenanceLog data to predict failures. Open data platforms where airlines share their data play a vital part in securing the reliability of predictive maintenance. Reliable predictions need a sound data base with good data quality. Predictive maintenance based on 10 aircraft does not make sense. With an agreed e-standard data cleansing would be easier and faster, since the quality of the data is key to predictive maintenance. The impact of operations on predictive maintenance is one side of the coin. The other is the impact of maintenance, how the failure is cured or not. In case a failure is predicted the component is removed, tested, approved fully functional and put back onto the aircraft where it fails 50 flight hours later. This turns maintenance into a crucial part of the life cycle management of the aircraft. Agreed e-standards from receiving the aircraft into the fleet, airworthiness tracking, collecting technical data from sensors, human data entries,
maintenance visits records, shop reports, component changes, line checks, etc. up to the return of the aircraft add valuable information to enhance predictive maintenance. This is already a complex exercise; however, real-time decision support requires further information, like the workflow, times, material, locations, contract and resource information, all, last but not least, complemented by cost. With agreed standards this is manageable. Cost and technical tracking is also a relevant feature for aircraft lease and lease return condition management. Today there’s a lot of money lost, often millions of dollars, when returning the aircraft in the wrong condition. By taking lease return and condition monitoring into the equation the ROI into data analytics is getting more more viable.
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First there are cost frame and cost drivers as well as work orders and time as inputs; then, there is the e-tail centric aircraft from which we can go right down to the level of individual components. As an example the e-component with an RFID transponder (smart tag), can store in its memory its birth record, part history record, user records and current data records. It will also be possible to manage and look at the overhaul caps status which means stating that we cannot exceed this type of cost. This can be done as soon as electronic data is available and, again, it’s the historic data, for maintenance, the actual maintenance status as well as the predictive status, plus deviations and taking costs into account; data analytics driven. The prescriptive economic decisions in the IOCC will be based on the predictive maintenance data. So, how might costing look like in the future? (figure 10) The vision for data lakes driven analytics is one best source for cost drivers and master data
prescriptive
Airline
predictive maintenance
TIME & MAT x €
where to repair
MRO SLA
time where to replace
Let’s start by looking at the vision of IATA and how it might look (figure 9).
e
IATA’s vision of the ‘talking aircraft ‘ communicating with the operator
e standard <xml>
data lake
contract
MRO capacity
VISIONS FOR THE FUTURE
tail centric
Time & MAT
WO
e
PN
MRO overhaul cap cost not to exceed
COST
History maintenance
e.g.
Actual maintenance
data predictive ATA chapter lake maintenance
data lake
aircraft records status FIGURE 9
According to IATA the aircraft should be able to ‘talk’ to the operator about its history, airworthiness, technical condition and cost.
predictive maintenance
Logistics
Sched SGT
customs CUSTOMER SLA
IMPACT
real time
ZeroAOG
component centric
e
cost frame
stock
component
smart RFID tags cost drivers
cost
capabilities
TIME & MAT x €
AI
PAXimpact
ML
biz decision making intelligence
FIGURE 10
Before shared data platforms were established, the airline and the MRO predicted maintenance cost separately based on their data available. This is when both faced surprises in terms of calculated cost and predictions. Today the e-aircraft sends its sensor data into data lakes: internal data lakes, group lakes or manufacturer data platforms. The data of these data lakes could in the future be shared both by the airline and the MRO. Both will perform again their own analytics in terms of predictive maintenance and costing. This will be the digitalization of the current process. Getting ourselves a bit further out of the box: what if invoice generation was based on agreed algorithm predictions and an agreed and trusted data source? Eventually, invoice deviation analysis will be a thing of the past, because there will be just one source of OPS data, the e-aircraft data, the information of what
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has been performed plus the contracted costing. Last but not least this is about changing business models and developing a different way of business relations — augmented trust into our business partners. This way, ‘trust’ can save millions. Costing requires e-contracts. That means the technical data and the prices are measurable including an automatic calculation of the costs based on the same e-tech data, so it will only be necessary, in the future, to talk about deviations related to unexpected work or non-routine work. Predictive maintenance will allow better financial visibility and, last but not least, service level agreements (SLAs) will determine who is responsible for the AOG and who pays for the cost related to it. The information will all go into the maintenance information system (MIS) and the ERP. This is predictive maintenance taking into account a new generation of cost analytics.
Today the wear and tear is predicted and the tire is changed before it is due, so not causing any delay for operations. To perform the right decision, and this is the infancy of prescriptive analytics, is to anticipate the cost of delay cost versus an earlier change of the tires. It is important to know when it will happen, what will be the cost involved, what is the best location where the tire can be changed, what is the cheapest location, what is the transportation cost involved… all this was managed in Excel. Now it can be managed in a data analytics solution, taking more aspects and more complexity into account. But, again, this means bringing the maintenance relevant information together with the costing parts to make a decision in the MCC together with the OCC based on an integrated costing solution by taking operation disruption cost into account.
REAL-TIME COSTING FOR THE IOCC DECISION MAKING
So, what is the best way to predict the future (figure 12)?
Still not a real-time costing fan, not convinced that this will be the future? Let’s take an example where real-time costing can really make a difference, and where it is already taken into the equation in the maintenance control center (MCC). Figure 11 illustrates a simple example. real-time costing for the MCC – IOCC: change of tire cost analysis scenario based -> today experience -> tomorrow data analytics simulation change of tire before due
AOG Desk
predictive maintenance
e avoid delay €
IOCC
MIS
maintenance cost
Trouble Shooting
transportation manpower availability customs clearance facilities
prescriptive maintenance
Assure you can innovate & target .. the day after tomorrow* today
value skills data
cost drivers MCC
PREDICTING THE FUTURE
e
day after tomorrow
e
enabler
ERP
statistics reports
invoice
return cond.
effort/time * in alignment with Peter Hinssen How to survive in times of radical innovation resources Back to the hurricane picture; we are currently on the verge of moving out of the eye which means we are about to face the digital thunderstorms. We need to innovate; it is not enough simply to say that a good off-the-shelf solution can be adapted; off-the-shelf solutions are a thing of the past. Tomorrow will be driven by start-ups, by innovations, by labs. If one looks at our business environment, many airlines are getting prepared and there are the following functions and positions appearing on corporate organization charts: ‘VP integration and innovation’, ‘VP digital strategy’, ‘VP strategy and innovation’. Replacing the traditional CCO (Chief Commercial Officer), easyJet now has a CDO or Chief Data Officer, whose background is not marketing and airlines but is data crunching; and this will also happen to maintenance at some stage. FIGURE 12
Looking at wear and tear on tires and when we change tires, airlines performed ‘predictive’ maintenance in Excel before data lake-driven big data analytics was on the agenda. We can predict when a tire is due and when to change it. Before taking prediction into account one would wait to change it until a check indicated that it needed to be changed or, worse, when the pilot on his walk around did not accept the aircraft because of the state of the tires. There were AOGs due to tire change, which could have been predicted and prevented.
innovation predictive
past
POST flight
FIGURE 11
prescriptive
tomorrow
culture
M&E Planning
€ + techn content
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So, how to address it? The most important part is the data: we need to look at our data, we need to clean our data, we need to clean our records and there have to be skills sets in the environment, in the maintenance, in the OCC and the MCC, capable of doing data processing and analytics to avoid ‘garbage in garbage out’. Second is a change of culture: we need to empower people, people need to be able to make decisions and do analytics based on costing. Plus we need a culture of innovation and for ContinuousNEXT — a business strategy suggested by Gartner that urges companies to make change management an integral part of all operations, emphasizing perpetual innovation, integration and delivery. It is considered the next evolutionary phase of digital transformation. Why ContinuousNEXT? We have to ask, when is value created; and it’s not created today. Value is not created when we do post flight analytics and look at the cost of the past. Value is created when we are able to look at tomorrow and the day after tomorrow. So, for all of the time and investment we make, we look more at the past nowadays than we look at the future and this has to change. Also e-standards and cost on an e-level will allow us to look at the future, predict the future and work on the future which is why everybody needs to go ‘e’.
DIFFERENT APPROACHES TO INNOVATION
Looking at innovation, there are different ways to approach it (figure 13).
engage in open incremental innovation open innovation
closed innovation company boarders
early adopter / launch
“There were AOGs due to tire change, which could be predicted and prevented. Today the wear and tear is predicted and the tire is changed before it is due, so not causing any delay for operations.” might no longer take products off-the-shelf; you’ll look at a concept, you’ll look to see whether this will fit your solution, you look at minimum viable products (MVP) and proof of concept (POC). Is there something off-the-shelf with which you can do the job? MVP is something that is innovatively designed together with the user and their knowledge. We need knowledge of maintenance, we need the knowledge of costing and we need somebody driving change and technology, and digitalization. There are a lot of different features that need to be moved forwards in order to change tomorrow and therefore it is important that everybody joins. So, I’d like to invite you to try open innovation.
GESINE VARFIS
Now responsible for Airline and MRO Marketing at APSYS, Gesine worked as CIO and COO advisor for Aeroflot Russian Airlines engaged in the upgrading of Aeroflot’s OPS systems (crew, flight planning, OCC, RMS, HCC, CDM, mobile solutions). Prior to Aeroflot Gesine was engaged as Management Consultant for Lufthansa Consulting with a focus on cost cutting, operational excellence, performance management, Operations Control and Hub Control Center re-engineering, and IT specification, verification and implementation projects.
APSYS ContinuousNEXT*
not willing to share?
MVC minimum viable concept
MVP minimum viable product
crowd funding
POC proof of concept
open source sharing content
FIGURE 13 Gartner trends 2019But at APSYS Closed innovation can make a difference, if you have*source: good people. we strongly believe in open innovation, where people from outside help to move solutions; that becomes open innovation. It’s useful to go outside, to chat about issues, to exchange ideas, to look at multiple viable products and, with that, you
APSYS serves customers worldwide in determining leading risk management standards. Deeply rooted in aerospace engineering, APSYS’s experts are involved throughout the entire lifecycle of an aircraft from design to in-service operations guaranteeing reliable and safe aircraft operations. Driving continuous innovation based on trust, expertise and dedication is the key to success. APSYS.lab is a cornerstone to determine future solutions. APSYS aims to find the right solution based on agile innovation consulting complemented by software solutions with a high level of scientific and technological integration.
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WHAT’S IN THE OPERATIONS ISSUE? CASE STUDY: Air France avoids the avoidable and stays a step ahead with eWAS
Matthieu Durand-Gobert, Flight Operations Support Manager, Air France and Toby Tucker, Portfolio Director, Cockpit & Cabin Crew Apps, SITAONAIR report on upgrading to Next Generation Flightdeck Weather Awareness Air France upgraded to next generation flight deck weather information to improve weather awareness, optimize weather briefings, improve discretionary fuel uplifts and optimize routing decisions using the latest enroute weather data.
CASE STUDY: Greater accuracy brings greater efficiency at Norwegian
Stig Patey, Captain B737 / Manager Fuel Saving at Norwegian shares the experience on saving emissions and fuel through advanced weather data The results of a test project, using advanced wind and temperature data shows fuel consumption was reduced by 22 kilos per flight during the test project, resulting in a saving of 5,000 tons of fuel a year and reduction in CO2 emissions by 16,000 tons.
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VENDOR FLIGHT LOG
Michael Muzik, Product Manager and Consultant at Lufthansa Systems shares thoughts on being a digital airline and a top business challenge — the Future Ramp By making the ramp agents job better organized, digitalization will improve the performance of a whole raft of activities and operations for outcomes that improve efficiency, save costs and, most important of all, enhance the passenger experience.
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The Smarter Supply Chain in MRO: Part 2
Nishant Balakrishnan, Lead, digital services sales for a European Airframe OEM, and Amol Salaskar, Consultant business analyst in aviation and MRO, IBM Center of Competency explain the current supply chain and inventory and the issue to which it gives rise in the MRO sector AIRCRAFT IT MRO • JULY-AUGUST 2019 • 52
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I
n part one of this paper, we discussed the imperative to improve the MRO supply chain in light of the growing global aircraft fleet, and the competitive pressures on MRO organizations from the need for lower costs and greater efficiency as well as growing customer expectations.
THE BUSINESS SOLUTIONS
In order to address the challenges described above, we need to introduce technology solutions in the supply chain that will not only address the challenges but also bring significant added value in terms of facilitating the evolution of aviation MRO and its supply chain from simply being effective to having a significant business edge. This will require, building on the structure of solutions in the capabilities of Analytics / Business Intelligence / Optimization, Advanced Analytics /Predictive / Simulation, and Customer Experience.
fulfillment, Cost to Service, Lead time, inventory carrying cost, Repair & Maintenance cycle, Fill rates, Fast Moving, Slow Moving, Non-Moving, etc. typically address the operational or service excellence drivers. But peculiar within aviation MRO, is the ability to identify parts, mainly rotables, with a higher level of NFF (No Fault Found) rates and rogue components i.e. parts whose unscheduled failures are higher than OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) specified standard.
Network Integration and Connectivity
There is a need for a structure which promotes the seamless flow of information across the network, making it relevant and meaningful to various stakeholders throughout the supply chain. A supply chain is mostly a collection of individual elements that work in a synchronous manner. For this, the suppliers, third party vendors, the internal shops, warehouses, spares depots, logistics and the production planning and control need to work together. If we have the data foundation in place then the supply chain can evolve by using tools in a variety of ways and we will explore a few in the following sections.
Analytics / Business Intelligence / Optimization
Apart from the access to the status of day to day operations, the use of analytics (figure 1) helps to define and measure many of the common KPI (Key Performance Indicators) that govern a supply chain. KPIs such as order
“A good analytics engine will also facilitate the parts phase in and out. As OEMs introduce new parts it’s important for the MRO to determine the total parts in the network along with the parts installed at the customer airplanes.”
FIGURE 1: INFLUENCE OF ANALYTICS / OPTIMIZATION
Many airline customers prefer to enter into a parts pooling agreement, and expect that parts that are used on the own fleet are up to a specific technical standard. This requires that the aviation MRO maintains a certain quality in the pool standard which, in turn requires planning for investment and monitoring of the parts usage. An analytics program helps with efficient tracing of such parts to ensure, and then to schedule the parts for withdrawal from the pool. A direct benefit to a MRO supply chain is the use of forecasting & statistical analytical techniques in order to determine the parts and part quantities to procure. With aviation’s specific parameters, such as parts interchangeability and airplane or engine configurations, planning complexity can easily multiply. An analytic tool supports in decision making on the required allocation of funds to parts procurement, repair, scrap and overall supply chain costs.In the process of procurement the analytics tools play a vital role in the selection of supply vendor based on several criteria, to basically select parts, quantities and price points in order to optimize the spend and meet the business requirement.
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“Managing the repair cycle is an equally critical part of the supply chain. Optimization tools facilitate in order to determine the additional serviceable parts that must reside in the supply chain in order to overcome the leadtime and cost of repairs. In this process the analytics engine can also support decision making…” AIRCRAFT IT MRO • JULY-AUGUST 2019 • 54
A good analytics engine will also facilitate the parts phase in and out. As OEMs introduce new parts it’s important for the MRO to determine the total parts in the network along with the parts installed on the customer’s airplanes (if the customer has out-sourced MRO activities as Total care). It can then propose an organized process by which new parts can be introduced in the supply chain and the withdrawal of the obsolete parts, or parts that need an upgrade. When we consider the use of optimization, then it is to dynamically balance the network and to re-balance it based on customer demands. This entails determining the parts numbers and their quantities that should be maintained at the warehouses, main bases, forward deploy stores, and also at customer sites. The computation of safety stocks, minimal stock alert levels, and order quantities are criteria coupled with the other above mentioned that are used for managing the inventory in the network or the supply chain. An optimization tool can be pro-actively used for managing AOG requests. This is to use the essentiality codes for parts, in order to determine the parts that can be stocked at stock depots nearest to the aircraft flight routes. In the supply chain process it is not just about spares, but also the impact of tools and equipment. In the year 2012, Ryanair reported more than 20 failures on its Pitot tube heating failures causing the pilot and co-pilot disagreement on the airspeed, a severe safety issue. In such unplanned events there is an urgent need to perform inspection / replacement of Pitot tubes and two are located on the vertical stabilizer near the elevators, which could be about 20 feet above the ground. Such a task needs the right ground support equipment (GSE) e.g. maintenance stands. Therefore, one can use optimization tools for managing the GSE’s and their positioning to match fleet operations and maintenance requirements. Managing the repair cycle is an equally critical
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part of the supply chain. Optimization tools facilitate a determination of the additional serviceable parts that must reside in the supply chain in order to overcome the lead-time and cost of repairs. In this process the analytics engine can also support decision making, i.e. in determining the movement of the repair part based on the repair scope to the repair facility with the capability, capacity and resources available. In the process of the supply chain logistics, the role of determining the least cost path (logistics route) requires warehouses that should replenish the forward deploy depots and demand fulfillment — customer requests. In the process of fulfillment is the connectivity to external systems (including social) that support making the decision for the route the parts should take in order to reach their destination. This route selection can include the business restrictions, e.g. embargo for movement of parts, bond ware-housing requirements, peculiar government customs policies, weather, traffic conditions, transport costs and time. The safety-risk caused by the use of Li-Ion (lithium-Ion) batteries introduced on the new generation Boeing aircraft has also caused a disruption to the supply chain. In the year 2014 the ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) moved to ban the transport of Lithium metal batteries as cargo on passenger aircraft. This also introduces new regulations on documentation, packaging, palletizing, shipping, and storing of the batteries. Such events and rules disrupt the supply chain, as alternatives are required for addressing the additional constraints. Therefore we can see that technology solutions with visibility to the complete network, and optimization engines with specific objectives at various functions within the supply chain, will ensure the entire global network is optimized and re-optimized.
Advanced Analytics / Predictive / Simulations
the installed and operational fleets globally, description of the probability of failures, the repair turn-around-time and the lead-time for procurement. The analytical and predictive capabilities reveal the failures or potential failures of the installed components. Predictive or simulation capabilities (figure 2) can also be used for networkbalancing and inventory sizing exercises The ability to analyze the customers (and potential customers) operations provides the insights and triggers to the supply chain network to build a strategy to address growth or changes in the market.
FIGURE 2: INFLUENCE OF SIMULATION / STATISTICAL ANALYSIS
Evolving from the use of analytics engine and optimization to manage the supply chain network efficiently, there is the need to prepare the organization for the changes in the market-place and offer customized solutions. A vital role of advanced analytics and simulations is during a disruption in the operation, to evaluate and propose alternatives to overcome the disruption. A disruption, can originate in changes in the demand coming from an in-operation fleet, or issues at the shop-floor, or delay in parts from suppliers. Typically, it is considered cost-effective to run a component installed on the aircraft until its designed TOW (time on-wing). However, if the part fails earlier, then it can lead to additional costs to the operation and possibly also lead to an AOG (Aircraft on Ground) situation. Predictive analytics tools can play a role in the analysis of data received from customer fleets. In this case that would be the ability of the system to use OEM provided historical performance data on the components, the in-service data arising from the components performance on
Customer operations comprise of fleet changes, and the aircraft configuration requirements, its aircraft maintenance and engineering policies, and its bases. The aircraft type and the fleet configuration influence the parts procurement, stocking and movement impact to the supply chain. New flight routes and changes in the home-base airports, i.e. night halting stations, facilitate determining the locations or warehouses and forward deploy depots that are nearest to the stations services by the airlines, and the logistics considerations. Every aviation MRO supply chain tries to offer the highest possible service level at the optimum possible investment in parts. In this process it’s imperative to plan the investments in the inventory so that they are most applicable for the customer’s fleets. Some of the vital inputs for the simulations include the requirements of modification status of the parts, the modification status of parts installed/applicable to the customer fleets, and the customer airplane configurations.
AIRCRAFT IT MRO • JULY-AUGUST 2019 • 55
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Simulations are useful when determining the addition of new airlines to the MRO services customers’ portfolio. When a new service agreement is under consideration, the MRO will want to determine the kind of pricing to offer, and parts to support based on the investment it will likely have to make in its own parts pool or inventory. Such simulations will support the MRO in determining whether accepting a new customer (with its parts and services requirement) will continue to increase revenues and, particularly, profit margins, and the kind of impact on its supply chain performance. A combination of statistical analytics and simulation can be used for analysis for medium to long term strategic planning. As airplanes age the maintenance requirements increase and also the need for replacement or repaired parts. This means that shop capacities and resources need to be planned along with the spare-parts requirements. Maintenance can be both the planned and unplanned maintenance. Many larger maintenance e.g. landing gear overhaul, or engine LLP (life limited parts) replacements or repairs can be planned based on the age of the airplane and its in-service performance records. Unplanned events can come about due to in-service problems. A hard landing or a lightning strike cannot be predicted, but can be prepared against, based on a combination of weather and airplane performance. Both of these may lead to spares and maintenance requirements. A supply chain can be geared to address such requirements by a collection and analysis
of customer’s in-operational airplane fleet data. Statistical analytics in combination with simulation technique can be utilized for making supply decisions so parts with their parts quantities, modification status, and applicability can be determined along with the pricing and vendors performance. Aviation spares parts forecasting cannot be determined only by statistical technique alone as there are flight critical parts that won’t provide a stocking requirement. Cognitive analytics are useful when evaluating warranty claims, and invoice processing: evaluating warranty claims that are within the valid conditions and detecting incorrect claims by using the operating performance of the parts, warranty conditions and design parameters. In a similar manner invoices preparations for work performed can be checked against contract conditions and work scope accomplished in order to price the invoice correctly. This would be labor, and parts price. This avoids the performance of work not approved by customer, and protects against any customer complaints due to failure to meet contract conditions. When the MRO would like to capture additional market share, the understanding of the airlines not serviced or geographies not serviced come in the study. Cognitive solutions are the right tools for such a study. An input from social media and industry news help determine the market dynamics and industry focus areas. An example of such social media inputs would be utilized by the aviation MRO in order to address the supply chain growth, which is
“A hard landing or a lightning strike cannot be predicted, but can be prepared against, based on a combination of weather and airplane performance. Both of these may lead to spares and maintenance requirements. A supply chain can be geared to address such requirements by a collection and analysis of customer’s in-operational airplane fleet data.” AIRCRAFT IT MRO • JULY-AUGUST 2019 • 56
whether there is a need to open a warehouse or repair facility in that region in order to be in close proximity to the growing or the changing market, and understand the kind of services that should be offered. This is again based on aircraft in operation and the age of the fleet.
Customer Experience
Using analytics and cognitive engines the supply chain performance can be improved both in terms of timeliness (speed), and cost. However, the quality of the supply chain performance is principally related to the way the customer experiences service. The way to improve the customer experience is to understand the customer’s touch-points across the supply chain, and provide a uniform and seamless Omni-channel and multi-purpose experience. An Omni-channel experience would mean that the online channel and contact center (call-center) are able to offer services with the same consistency and quality and, above all, the ability of the customer to switch between the two channels without losing continuity. Customers in the aviation MRO industry require MRO services on a continual basis and search for new products and services, conduct transactions, and receive service. Products and services, could mean the contracts e.g. PBH (power by the hour), Total Care, or T&M (Time and Material), spare-parts that meet the airplanes configuration, engineering capability e.g. a plasma welding / NDT (NonDestructive Testing), parts repair capabilities, technical services e.g. line maintenance / AOG services, and parts pooling services. For existing customers, services could mean a dashboard for checking contract performance i.e. SLA, penalties, warranty applicability, accessing invoices, real-time monitoring of progress of work in the shops (including contracted shops), and accessing the shop reports / serviceability records of parts. Transactions are the booking of a part or service request, reserving maintenance slots,
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receiving documentation, invoices and paying for services rendered. It can also be as advanced as the ability to offer the customer to prepare a quotation for a service they would require. Integration and visibility become critical parts of the supply network making the information required to support online and self-sufficiency for the customer. A digital channel e.g. portal would be an access point for the customer to perform any of the tasks. Existing customers who log-on to the MRO provider’s web-site will be provided with content that is most relevant to the airline operation. A cognitive assistant could interact with the customer in order to facilitate the interaction. Any services that the cognitive assistance is not able to complete, can be transferred to the agent assisted call center, which can then take over the interaction and ensure its successful completion. The call center has access to the trail of the customer’s interactions in order to understand the gaps, and is seamlessly able to take over. Cognitive capabilities are not just about helping the customer receive a specific MRO capability but also are able to expand the need based on the historical data available. The historical data available could be in the form of the contract in force or repair and parts sourced, fleet in-service performance, and OEM recommendations. Using the inputs the cognitive assistant is able to provide recommendations that guide the customer leading to a satisfactory or delighting experience. In terms of pricing, the cognitive agent is able to look at the customers ‘rating’ and profile standard in order to determine the price point that is attractive to the customer and at the same time is able to retain the profit margins determined by the MRO. This is possible through the visibility of the internal cost structure, as well as knowledge about the market or competitor offerings, and use of deep analytics (cognitive) in order to build references for use. Similar to the MRO’s marketing team, the customer is able to perform a what-if analysis on its
contract performance. The simulation capabilities will allow the customer to analyze the impact of inclusions or re-make the entire contract. A supply chain is the back-bone that makes the digital experience a reality. Its integrated nature, and use of analytic and advanced analytics, make it agile and responsive to the customer requirements and anticipated needs.
CONCLUSION
We began with an understanding of the evolving aviation business environment, followed by the challenges that it’s going to create for the aviation MRO’s (Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul). The MRO industry is evolving in its organization into competing supply chains of suppliers, MRO and third party service providers. On the spares front the customer’s expectation is to pass a large part of the spare-parts and engineering requirements to the MRO, and measure the success based on performance impact to the commercial flight operations. MRO’s will be compelled to improve their supply chains and also realize that there are benefits from the vast amounts of data that is generated by the airplane (and its installed components), coming from the OEM, and suppliers/repair vendors. This data could be both structured and unstructured, and can be used to simulate or predict scenarios that will allow them the ability to service the changing business and also ensure that the operations are efficiently managed. We described the key challenges, i.e. integration and visibility, the need for reducing cost of operation and re-emphasizing customer focus, from the aviation MRO supply chain environment. These challenges are even more peculiar because of the aviation specific parts characteristics such as applicability, interchangeability and essentiality that are fundamental to business operation. We’ve explored ways that prevailing and emerging technologies can influence improvements AIRCRAFT IT MRO • JULY-AUGUST 2019 • 57
at various key stages in the supply chain process. The ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) systems automate many of the tasks, thereby promoting the management organization towards a MBE (management by exception). However, it is still a reactive process that looks at historical patterns, and availability of a comprehensive set of business rules. The advent of advanced analytics, simulation, statistical analysis, optimization and lastly the cognitive systems (machine learning and artificial intelligence), will provide the next level of agility to organizations. At the end these intelligent tools are aimed to improve the supply chain’s effectiveness towards a more customer-centric experience that is capable of delighting the customer.
NISHANT BALAKRISHNAN
Nishant Balakrishnan is an aviation enthusiast with over 18 years of Industry experience. He has performed various roles in the industry ranging from aircraft maintenance, fleet management, inventory management, management consulting and digital transformation/sales. Currently, he leads the digital services sales for a European OEM.
AMOL SALASKAR
Amol Salaskar is with IBM and is working as a Consultant business analyst in the aviation and MRO. Prior to that he was a Manager Engineering IT with Jet Airways for over seven years, and for around two years as Business Analyst for Fleet Management Operations, with General Electric where he certified as a Six Sigma Green Belt. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, a Master of Science in Industrial and Systems Engineering from Auburn University, USA, and followed by a diploma in Management. INTERACTIVE GIVE US YOUR OPINION CLICK HERE TO POST YOUR COMMENT INTERACTIVE SUBSCRIBE HERE CLICK HERE TO READ ALL FUTURE EDITIONS
DIRECTORY
MRO Software Directory Key ‘at-a-glance’ information from the world’s leading MRO software providers. IT is a powerful force but, to leverage its greatest value, it must be harnessed and directed. It must also be able to handle huge and growing data streams that record every aspect in the lives of aircraft and the processes by which they fly. This challenge has attracted the best brains and most innovative enterprises to create IT solutions for one of the most demanding working environments, Aircraft MRO and M&E. Inevitably, there are many such developers and vendors offering solutions ranging from single function `Specialist Point Solutions’ to complete `End-to-End’ solutions covering the whole process. Only readers will know the specific requirements of their businesses but we have assembled a directory of the best MRO software providers and listed them alphabetically to make it easier for you to undertake a brief-ish (there are 35 providers and the number continues to grow) survey of the market, as a preliminary to starting on any specification and selection process. Or you might simply read it to keep up to date with what is available today.
2MoRO Solutions
ADSoftware
W: www.2moro.com T: +33 (0)559 013 005 E: sales@2moro.com
W: www.adsoftware.fr T: +33 (0)4.50.89.48.50 E: contact@adsoftware.fr
Locations: France (HQ), Canada and Malaysia
Location: France, Thailand, South Africa, Brazil
ADT: Applied Database Technology W: www.adbtech.com T: +1 (425) 466-5013 T: +1 (614) 377-9644 E: sales@adbtech.com
Location: Bellevue, Tampa USA; Istanbul, Turkey
NAME OF PRODUCT MARKETED • Aero One, Aero-Webb, BFly, 2Fly
NAME OF PRODUCT MARKETED • AIRPACK
NAME OF PRODUCT MARKETED • Wings NG
KEY BUSINESS/SOFTWARE AREAS • MRO: Line, Base, Engine maintenance • Airworthiness and Fleet Management • Flight and Crew management • Material Management • ERP: Finance, Purchasing, Sales, HR
KEY BUSINESS/SOFTWARE AREAS • AIRTIME — Fleet management & CAMO • AIRSTOCK — Inventory control & Logistic • AIRDOC — Documentation management • AIRSTAT — Reliability and statistic reports • AIRWORK — Time Tracking Software
KEY BUSINESS/SOFTWARE AREAS • Fleet Management • Maintenance Engineering • Material Management • Production Planning • Labor Collection, Billing
2MoRO Solutions is a software development company dedicated to the Aviation market. Our teams are located in America, Europe and Asia. We work with partners and resellers in 20 countries. Our solutions are operated in 24 countries and are available in 5 languages. We have been providing cost-effective software to large aviation players as well as small and medium size enterprises for 12 years. We offer a panel of software to fit any types of aviation companies. Our solutions have been chosen by aircraft and engine manufacturers such as Airbus Helicopters or Safran Group but also by many aircraft operators, airlines or independent MROs. We are proud of our 95% retention rate achieved over twelve years of operation thanks to a superior customer service. 2MoRO Solutions works mainly on a fixed-price base and is ISO 9001 certified for aviation software development, maintenance and support.
ADSoftware has developed an integrated fleet management system and logistic package called AIRPACK. This 6 module system answers to the needs of aircraft and helicopters operators, as well as MRO and CAMO centres. It meets all requirements in terms of functionality, traceability, performance, aviation legislation and regulations. Today, ADSoftware counts more than 54 clients worldwide. The strength of ADSoftware is the simplicity of its products; they are Microsoft Windows® ready, Web-enabled, available in various languages and a complete training program can be done in just five days. The company also provides a 24/7 online technical support and extremely competitive pricing conditions.
APPLIED DATABASE TECHNOLOGY (ADT) is a professional services and software development firm that provides MRO software solutions for aircraft operators as well as aircraft repair and overhaul organizations. Our commitment to this business segment is proven with our software package, WINGS, designed specifically for aerospace companies. ADT has been in the software business since 1992 and has built an excellent customer reference base. Our first priority is always customer satisfaction; thus we have obtained 100% customer satisfaction since 1992. ADT has a proven record to develop reference accounts in the Aviation industry along with other high technology companies which are considered to be leaders in their fields.
Aero One® and Aero-Webb® are certified by SAP® and complement their ERP solutions for aviation and MRO needs. 2Fly® is our cloud solution to reduce emergency AOG, mitigate human error and facilitate continuing airworthiness management. BFly® is a new way to create customized software for aviation and enables users to design personalized screens, workflows and business processes.
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AIRCRAFT IT MRO • JULY-AUGUST 2019 • 58
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DIRECTORY
AeroSoft Systems
Aerostrat
AMC Aviation
APSYS
W: www.aerosoftsys.com T: +1 905.678.9564 E: sales@aerosoftsys.com
W: www.aerostratsoftware.com T: +1-888-558-2860 E: info@aerostratsoftware.com
W: www.amc-aviation.fr T: +33 6 33 27 80 38 E: contact@amc-aviation.fr
W: www.apsys-airbus.com T: +33 (0) 5 61 30 99 00 E: gesine.varfis@apsys-airbus.com
Location: Ontario, Canada; Miami,FL, USA; Austria
Location: Seattle, USA
Location: France and Dubai
Location: France
NAME OF PRODUCT MARKETED • DigiMAINT, DigiDOC, WebPMI/DJM
NAME OF PRODUCT MARKETED • Aerros
NAME OF PRODUCT MARKETED • iCare AMS, iCare SMS, iCare iTech
NAME OF PRODUCT MARKETED • AMASIS, IBIS, Simfia and Simlog
KEY BUSINESS/SOFTWARE AREAS • Maintenance and Engineering Management • Digital Document Content Management • Business Intelligence Reporting • Business 2 Business transaction interface • Interface to Financials / Flight Operations
KEY BUSINESS/SOFTWARE AREAS • Heavy/Base Maintenance Planning • Capacity/Workload Planning • Maintenance Schedule Optimization • Maintenace Event Performance Tracking • Heavy/Base Production Schedules
KEY BUSINESS/SOFTWARE AREAS • Full Operator / independent CAMO management • Full Operator / independent AMO/MRO management • Full Logistics / Purchase Management • QA Conformity and SMS management • Costs and invoicing management
KEY BUSINESS/SOFTWARE AREAS • Consulting Services • Enterprise Risk Management • Digitalization and Analytics • Airline and MRO Excellence • Maintenance and Risk Management Solutions
AeroSoft Systems Inc. is unique in MRO IT, born in 1997 out of aircraft OEM digital document systems and the evolution of ATA iSPEC2200 and SPEC2000 standards. AeroSoft has two distinct MRO IT products: DigiMAINT and WebPMI sharing a common set of optional modules for BI, B2B, Finance and Flight Operations, plus DigiDOC, a state of the art digital content management system. AeroSoft has the unique expertise to integrate DigiDOC with any competitive MRO IT system. Strategic partners include Hexaware Technologies Inc. who are jointly going to market internationally offering large IT capacity at competitive rates.
Aerostrat is based in Seattle, WA and offers one product called Aerros, a one-of-a-kind program that manages an airline’s or MRO’s aircraft maintenance schedule. Aerros enables users to optimize the maintenance program by managing various maintenance and operational constraints, which maximizes event yield, drives costs down, and enables the organization to plan proactively, not reactively. Aerros provides robust ‘what-if’ scenario capabilities that allow users to see the effect of different variables. This aids in making sound business decisions concerning the maintenance and fleet plan. Some of these variables are maintenance programs limits, min/target/max yield, aircraft hr/cy utilization, track/requirement compatibility, and maintenance allocations. To forecast an optimal maintenance plan within an operation, Aerros also provides a Capacity Planning feature. This feature allows users to input and view vendor capacity available and labor hour demand to better manage the labor force.
With 20 years of experience, AMC Aviation is an EASA CAMO PART-M, EASA PART-145 and Cosulting company. We offer an important range of services to airlines and leasing companies such as Maintenance support, engineering services, airworthiness management, civil aviation trainings, software solutions and flight operation services. Our Moto is “Your sucess is our comitment”
As an Airbus subsidiary APSYS serves customers worldwide in determining leading risk management standards in close cooperation with our customers. Deeply rooted in aerospace engineering, the company’s experts are involved throughout the entire lifecycle of an aircraft from design to in-service operations guaranteeing reliable and safe aircraft operations (Product Assurance & Safety). APSYS supports its customers in achieving highest security standards for their operational and Information Technology to reduce vulnerability, making sure that clients have state of the art tools and processes established to manage attacks and threats (Product Security). On behalf of customers, APSYS has defined and implemented processes and tools for controlling technical, human and operational risks. With more than 450 employees APSYS supports the aerospace industry, but also the defense, transportation and energy sectors.
Aerros also provides easy-to-navigate scenarios with drag and drop event movement and manipulation. Scenarios can be published so others (including vendors or operators) can view the plan. Aerros provides excellent system stability and reliability with standard IT practices. It is also integrationready and designed to work as an extension of a user’s existing information systems.
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AIRCRAFT IT MRO • JULY-AUGUST 2019 • 59
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DIRECTORY
Aviation Intertec Services
The Boeing Company
CaseBank Technologies
CloudCARDS
W: www.aviationintertec.com T: +1 807-625-9260 E: info@aviationintertec.com
W: www.boeing.com/supportandservices T: +1 206-655-2121 E: BoeingSupportandServices@Boeing.com
W: www.casebank.com T: +1 (905) 364-3604 E: slightstone@casebank.com
W: www.cloudcards.ie T: +353 (0) 61748767 E: sales@cloudcards.ie
Location: Canada, Thailand, India, Greece
Location: Over 65 locations around the world
Location: Brisbane, California; Toronto, Canada; Austin, Texas; Brussels, Belguim
Location: Limerick, Ireland
NAME OF PRODUCT MARKETED • RAAS & RAAS Express
NAME OF PRODUCT MARKETED • Airplane Health Management • Business Consulting • Maintenance Performance Toolbox • Optimized Maintenance Program
NAME OF PRODUCT MARKETED • ChronicX, Spotlight • ATP Maintenance • ATP Operation Manuals • ATP Libraries
NAME OF PRODUCT MARKETED • CARDS (Civil Aviation Remote Delivery System) • AMS (Asset Management System)
KEY BUSINESS/SOFTWARE AREAS • Technical Content Management • Vehicle Health Mana gement • Maintenance Optimization Consulting
KEY BUSINESS/SOFTWARE AREAS • Maintenance Operations Solutions • Reliability Tools • Aircraft Troubleshooting • Business Intelligence for Aircraft • Recurring Defect Analysis
KEY BUSINESS/SOFTWARE AREAS • Production Planning and Management • Inventory and Procurement • Inspection Document Management • Reliabiliity and Performance Analysis • Financial and Flight Operations Integration AIS’s RAAS system is a best-of-breed M&E solution for the evolving operator, MRO and CAMO. Our solution is 100% browser-based and tablet friendly, compatible with all major browsers including Apple Safari, Google Chrome, Firefox, and Microsoft Internet Explorer. RAAS includes industry-leading paperless functionality such as task-step level signature, parallel inspection program management per type, digital part certification handling, iPAD/Android /Windows tabletbased EML, electronic maintenance status board, centralized document library, wireless barcode scanning, and much more. RAAS offers flexible pricing and system hosting options making it suitable for a wide range of customer types and sizes.
Boeing is the world’s largest aerospace company and leading manufacturer of commercial jetliners and defense, space and security systems. Boeing Support and Services combines airplane design and manufacturing expertise with unique access to fleet-wide operational data to offer optimization solutions. With these offerings, Boeing addresses the evolving need for integration and optimization of data and information across the aviation ecosystem to empower smart decision-making. The portfolio includes services and solutions for flight operations, maintenance & engineering and procurement organizations to optimize the operational efficiency of airplanes and operations. Boeing has more than 250 customers for its optimization solutions. The portfolio draws on solutions from a family of Boeing companies: AerData, Inventory Locator Services and Jeppesen, serving operators of Boeing and non-Boeing airplanes.
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CaseBank Technologies Inc., a Division of ATP provides troubleshooting, reliability and defect trend analysis, so engineering and service teams can accelerate equipment repair, increase uptime, reduce warranty costs and enhance product support and performance. ATP is focused on maximizing the value of aircraft and aviation operations by providing tools, information and insight that optimize aircraft availability and operational compliance. Over 40+ years in the aviation industry ATP has developed expertise in managing and analyzing content for maintenance, operations, and compliance. ATP adds value through smarter reference content and historical documentation, integrated into decision support, productivity and advisory services to deliver efficient operations. The ChronicX® innovative solution for detecting and managing recurring aircraft defects, identifies, consolidates, and ranks recurring/chronic defects to uncover hidden trends. It employs advanced NLP and fuzzy logic to analyze PIREPS and MAREPS and generate ‘clusters’ of potential recurring defects to help prioritize costly and critical problems.
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AIRCRAFT IT MRO • JULY-AUGUST 2019 • 60
KEY BUSINESS/SOFTWARE AREAS • Aircraft Asset Management • Aircraft Delivery and Re-delivery Management • Aircraft Annual Inspection Management • Aircraft Project Management • Aircraft Technical Services CloudCARDS Ltd. an aircraft delivery and asset management software provider, formed in Ireland April 2013, has an experienced team of aviation experts working together to seamlessly deliver its exceptional software products to both Airlines and Leasing Companies around the globe. The long-term objective in CloudCARDS Ltd. is to dramatically reduce the cost of aircraft asset management and improve the oversight the owner and operator has on the asset. CARDS® — Civil Aircraft Remote Delivery System is a software platform designed to financially manage the asset and fully project manage the technical review, aircraft physical & records audit. AMS — Asset Management System is designed to manage the day-to-day management of the asset including utilization, maintenance reserves, alerts, forecasting, invoicing and reporting. All CloudCARDS Ltd. products are securely built using the latest cloud based technology. After all, your aircraft operate in the clouds, so why not manage them there too?
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DIRECTORY
Comply365
Commsoft
Conduce
W: www.comply365.com T: +1 (800) 206-2004 E: info@comply365.com
W: www.commsoft.aero T: +44 (0) 1621 817 425 E: nsg@commsoft.aero
W: www.conduce.net T: +44 333 888 4044 E: info@conduce.net
Location: USA
Location: Tiptree, Derby, Norwich, Gatwick, UK; Australia; India
Location: Nuneaton, Warwickshire
Location: Frankfurt Germany; Heusenstamm Germany
NAME OF PRODUCT MARKETED ProAuthor (XML-Based Authoring Solution) Electronic Flight Bag (EFB) Digital Briefing Document & Communication Manager Training Solution (LMS Learning Manager)
NAME OF PRODUCT MARKETED • OASES
NAME OF PRODUCT MARKETED • eTechLog8 • eCabinLog8 • eTraining8 • eCentral8
NAME OF PRODUCT MARKETED • CROSSMOS
KEY BUSINESS/SOFTWARE AREAS XML-Based Authoring Solution (ProAuthor) Electronic Flight Bag (EFB) Digital Briefing Flight Release Document Mgmt. and Distribution Platform Targeted Distribution w/ Compliance Tracking Comply365 delivers secure, cloud-based solutions, focusing on Authoring, EFB and Digital Briefing Solutions, as well as Targeted Distribution of Mobile Manuals. The Authoring Solution, features ProAuthor: the aviation industry’s first and only XML-based solution for authoring, revising and distributing publications.
KEY BUSINESS/SOFTWARE AREAS • User Friendly: for all levels of expertise • Excellent Support: full support throughout the product life cycle • Scalability: can grow with your business • Cost: low ‘cost of ownership’ • Security: proven security OASES from Commsoft covers all aspects of aircraft maintenance for airlines and third-party maintainers including: inventory control; rotable tracking; demand handling; requirements planning; PO and RO processing; component and aircraft technical records; maintenance forecasting; aircraft check planning and documentation. Also, check accomplishment analysis; aircraft technical log recording; shop floor data collection; work in progress; time and attendance monitoring, and system and component reliability analysis, plus repetitive defects, sales order processing, full quotation management, invoice passing, advanced scheduling, line maintenance control, AD/SB evaluation and deferred defect management. The company provides electronic AMMs and IPCs linked electronically to, and accessible by, the system.
KEY BUSINESS/SOFTWARE AREAS • Electronic Tech Log • Cabin Log • Document Viewer Conduce specializes in producing mobile applications for the aviation industry, writing native Win8/10 and IOS tablet “Touch” solutions and integrating these with responsive modern connected websites. The current flagship product eTechLog8 enables an airline to eliminate the traditional paper based tech log/cabin log and deferred defect books and is currently in differing stages of contract, trial & acceptance with various airlines. Several NAA’s are also now involved with respect to monitoring these projects, enabling the necessary approval for the eventual roll out of paperless tech log systems with multiple EASA approved airline fleets.
Digital Briefing helps turn planes faster for more on-time departures with instant feedback to dispatchers when the flight crew accepts a release and signs Fit for Duty. Comply365’s full-featured Document Management and Targeted Distribution Platform boosts productivity by delivering any type of manual or document directly to any mobile device or stationary workstation.
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W: www.crossconsense.com T: +49 69 4035 7600 E: contact@crossconsense.de
KEY BUSINESS/SOFTWARE AREAS • Electronic Techlog Development • Support • Consulting • Business Intelligence solutions • App and dashboard development “Since being established in 2002, we basically think from the perspective of the user. We are not pure IT geeks and it is exactly that which characterizes our services and products. Thus we distinguish ourselves from most of the specialists for the implementation of solutions. We can’t do otherwise, because in the DNA of CrossConsense are many years of experience in Airlines, in the area of procurement, engineering and maintenance. We know your job as if it were ours. And THAT you will feel immediately!” CrossConsense’s portfolio stretches from AMOS Support, BI-Management, Data Migration and Hosting to the products CROSSMOS® (electronic tech log) and ACSIS (tool for predictive maintenance). CROSSMOS® is an electronic technical logbook (eTL) developed with state-of-the-art methods and technologies. The CROSSMOS® ELB consists of a service oriented architecture with modular and exchangeable components, exchangeable interfaces and separately updateable software modules. CROSSMOS® includes a pilot client, a cabin client and a maintenance client. CrossConsense is already working with several international customers, gathering operational and legal requirements from all sources CrossConsense also has a long tradition in providing support for AMOS. You have one single point of contact (no separated responsibilities for hardware, database or application support) for 1st and 2nd level.
Comply365’s proven Electronic Flight Bag (EFB) solution lets crews access mission-critical information throughout each phase of flight.
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CrossConsense
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AIRCRAFT IT MRO • JULY-AUGUST 2019 • 61
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DIRECTORY
EmpowerMX
EXSYN Aviation Solutions
Flatirons Solutions
Honeywell
W: www.empowermx.com T: +1 866-498-3702 E: info@empowermx.com
W: www.exsyn.com T: 0031-20-760 8200 E: hello@exsyn.com
W: www.flatironssolutions.com T: +1.303.627.6535 E: info@flatironssolutions.com
W: bit.ly/Honeywell-MRO T: +44 1344 656000 E: John.Bradshaw@Honeywell.com
Location: Frisco TX, USA
Location: Amsterdam
Locations: Europe, Asia, USA, Middle East
Location: Germany, UK, USA
NAME OF PRODUCT MARKETED • FleetCycle® Execution Suite — MRO Manager (FCXM)
NAME OF PRODUCT MARKETED • Avilytics, TITAN
NAME OF PRODUCT MARKETED CORENA Suite
NAME OF PRODUCT MARKETED • Vocollect
KEY BUSINESS/SOFTWARE AREAS • Aviation Analytics solution • Aircraft Reliability Management solution • Predictive Maintenance solution • Robotic Process Automation • Data Migration • Consulting Service
KEY BUSINESS/SOFTWARE AREAS • Content Management System (CMS) • Interactive Electronic Technical Publisher (IETP) • Maintenance & Engineering • Flight Operations • Tablet Solutions & Mobility
KEY BUSINESS/SOFTWARE AREAS • Voice Solutions for MRO • Hands-Free, Eyes-Free MRO
EXSYN Aviation Solutions is specialized in the field of aircraft data, analytics & processing and provides user-friendly and innovative aviation IT solutions for aircraft reliability management and predictive maintenance. Also offered are data processing and managed services for data migration, interface design and software implementation management. They also build customized solutions and software tools if off-the-shelf products do not meet a customer’s needs.
Flatirons provides consulting, technology, and outsourcing for content lifecycle management (CLM). For more than 20 years, we have served global Fortune 1000 customers in aerospace, automotive, electronics, financial services, government, healthcare, and publishing. Our customer engagements help organizations efficiently deliver the right information, at the right time, to the right people by leveraging structured content and digital media — Turning Content into Knowledge®. The CORENA Suite by Flatirons is the leading content lifecycle management (CLM) solution developed specifically for organizations that rely on missioncritical data to design, manufacture, operate, or maintain complex assets over their product and service lifecycles as well as across multi-echelon business networks. For more than 25 years, the world’s leading airlines, aerospace manufacturers, OEMs, and defense organizations have relied on the CORENA product suite to create, manage, and deliver large volumes of technical information throughout its lifecycle. Today, CORENA customers rely on the CORENA suite to modernize their IT infrastructures, improve customer satisfaction, and maintain their competitive advantage.
KEY BUSINESS/SOFTWARE AREAS • FleetCycle® Execution Suite: Production Manager (FXPM), MRO Manager (FCXM) and Line Manager (FCXL) • Maintenance Program Manager (FCMPM), Planning Manager (FCPM), Reliability Manager (FCRM), Material Manager (FCMM), and Maintenance Intelligence (FCMI), Electronic LogBook (FCELB) • Coming Soon: FleetCycle® Executive Suite — Shop Manager (FCXS)) EmpowerMX is an aviation industry-recognized software development/consulting-services business. We are purely focused on empowering our customers with the ability to decrease the costs of making air travel safer by equipping their decision makers with reliable, real-time/globally available intelligence for minimizing maintenance turn times/ OpEx while maximizing airworthiness/profits. FCXM allows MROs, airlines, and lessors to effectively control the entire maintenance lifecycle or only the portions for which they are responsible. Airlines can jointly manage their outsourced and insourced activites like engineering reliability, QA and maintenance programs at the line, heavy and shop levels with an expected reduction in cycle times and increase in labor productivity on the magnitude of 16-30 percent. Third-party MROs can run their entire operation from bidding through contracting to invoicing.
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Avilytics is EXSYN’s Predictive Maintenance, Aircraft Reliability, and Engineering & Maintenance KPI Solution, reducing AOG’s through informed decision making to prevent delays, cancellations and save costs. TITAN is a source independent data processing solution for data migration purposes during an MRO software implementation and for aircraft phase-in & phase-out. Because of its unique technological framework TITAN eliminates most human intervention during migration of aircraft airworthiness & maintenance data and allows repetitive usage to directly migrate fleets between MRO software systems.
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AIRCRAFT IT MRO • JULY-AUGUST 2019 • 62
Vocollect solutions deliver a new level of documentation and compliance in your maintenance and inspection operations. The use of voice in a Hands-Free, Eyes-Free manner enhances the documentation of standard operating procedures and provides the continuity you need to provide better consistency across your various locations.
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DIRECTORY
IDMR Solutions
IFS
Laminaar Aviation InfoTech
W: www.IDMR-Solutions.com T: +1-347-565-4367 E: sales@IDMR-Solutions.com
W: www.ifsworld.com T: + 613-576-2480 E: AndInfo@ifsworld.com
W: www.laminaar.com.sg T: +65 6239 0150 E: contact@laminaar.com.sg
Locations: 60+ Worldwide
Location: Singapore, Denver, Bangalore, Mumbai
Location: Germany, Switzerland, USA
NAME OF PRODUCT MARKETED • IFS Applications, IFS EOI, IFS Tail Planning, IFS Maintenix
NAME OF PRODUCT MARKETED • ARMS®2.5, ARMS®NS, ARMS®on the TAB, InfoPrompt 2.5
NAME OF PRODUCT MARKETED • DocManage Product Suite, DocSurf Mobile, EFFOM, DocCreate
KEY BUSINESS/SOFTWARE AREAS • Fleet and Asset Management • Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (incl line, heavy, complex assembly, component repair) • 3rd-party MRO bidding, quoting, invoicing, product lifecycle management, enterprise operational intelligence
KEY BUSINESS/SOFTWARE AREAS • Network / Commercial Planning with Optimizers • Flight Operations / Fleet Following • Flight Planning & Dispatch • Crew Operations Management with Optimizers • Maintenance, Engineering & Logistics
KEY BUSINESS/SOFTWARE AREAS • IT Solutions and Process • Consulting for MRO • Electronic Flight Operation Manuals • Airline Job Card Content Management • Predictive Analytics and Maintenance • RFID
IFS is a globally recognized provider of software solutions for global aerospace & defense (A&D), including airlines and fleet operators, A&D manufacturers, defense in-service support and independent MROs. IFS’s solutions support project and program-centric manufacturing; a complete spectrum of maintenance management capabilities for sea, land and air assets, from heavy, complex, and component MRO, to line maintenance or at-platform/asset support; as well as all types of procurement models. IFS’s innovative enterprise solutions are designed for the regulated A&D industry and markets where manufacturing, MRO, project and service functionality are business- and operationally-critical whilst also supporting global, core enterprise capabilities for managing finance, inventory and human resources. With flexible, modular and enterprise breadth, IFS solutions empower A&D organizations to quickly adapt and manage change whilst delivering bottom-line value, increasing efficiencies and cost savings, and safeguarding compliance. IFS customers include BAE Systems, Lockheed Martin, General Dynamics, SAAB, GE Aviation, Pratt & Whitney, HAL, Emirates, LATAM, Qantas, China Airlines, Air France-KLM, and Southwest Airlines.
A future-ready and fully integrated software applications suite for the aviation business: airlines, non-scheduled operators, MROs, airport operators, regulators and training facilities, with in-built optimizers, business intelligence (BI) & Data Analytics. Our offerings may either be accessed as a complete suite covering the full spectrum of operations, or as a stand-alone module addressing a specific functional area, e.g., Network Planning, Flight Ops, Crew, Maintenance, Logistics or Safety or Analytics. The suite has a unified database that allows a seamless flow of data and information between operational functions. Our product is highly customizable and designed to adapt to clients’ specific requirements. We do our own implementations, on a turnkey basis, and also provide prompt, reliable and economical technical support in-life.
Location: New York/Tel Aviv
NAME OF PRODUCT MARKETED • InForm KEY BUSINESS/SOFTWARE AREAS • Technical Publication • Engineering Orders • Task Cards • Planning • Maintenance Programs IDMR is a global provider of easy to use and all encompassing Technical Documentation Management Solutions which have been designed exclusively for Fleet operators, MRO providers and OEM organizations. IDMR’s Technical Documentation Management Solutions have proven success in increasing operational performance and decreasing operational cost while ensuring airworthiness, safety and regulatory compliance.
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AIRCRAFT IT MRO • JULY-AUGUST 2019 • 63
Lufthansa Industry Solutions
W: www.lufthansa-industry-solutions.com T: +49 40 5070 30000 E: marketing.sales@lhind.dlh.de
Lufthansa Industry Solutions is an IT service company for process consulting and system integration. This wholly-owned subsidiary of Lufthansa Group supports its customers with the digital transformation of their company. Its customer base includes both companies within Lufthansa Group as well as more than 150 companies in various other industries. The products EFOM and DocSurf Mobile were developed together with Lufthansa Airlines based on 15 years of common experience and excellence in electronic flight operations manuals and processes to fulfill both current and future requirements. EFOM — A manufacturer independent Content Management System. Functionally mature and based on 17 years of experience, EFOM makes it possible to fulfill FlightOps requirements, e.g. expandable for new publishing backends; flexible to integrate new documents; open for customized enhancements or to integrate business processes such as Compliance Management. DocSurf Mobile — A Library Viewer for MRO and FlightsOps documents is available as a native iOS app or Windows application. The revision service allows change lists to be checked and content to be compared with a previous version. Navigation is intuitive and includes a fast and easy search. A user independent management of favorites and notes is provided, keeping this information revision safe and available.
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DIRECTORY
NVable
Orlando
Ramco Systems
W: www.nvable.com T: +44 141 280 0050 E: contact@nvable.com
W: www.orlandotechpubs.com T: +33 (0) 534 362 971 E: contact@orlandotechpubs.com
Location: Glasgow, UK
Location: France
W: www.ramco.com/aviation-suite/ T: +91 9677156327 E: cynthia@ramco.com
NAME OF PRODUCT MARKETED • ConNVerge for Aviation
NAME OF PRODUCT MARKETED • Orlando Suite for Tech Pubs
KEY BUSINESS/SOFTWARE AREAS Electronic Techlog Electronic Forms (Assessments) Document Management Operational Analysis Station Operational Compliance
KEY BUSINESS/SOFTWARE AREAS • Cloud Aviation Document Management • OEM and company manuals XML authoring • Controls & Data Analytics • Publishing and Distribution • Web & Mobile & EFB document viewer
The concept behind our CoNVerge platform is simple. We believe that businesses should have the flexibility to easily innovate and add new applications to their toolbox, without being stifled by legacy technology or a single technology brand. CoNVerge is all about minimising risk, fuss and capital costs and maximising efficiency. Provided as a service, it combines a hosted environment and web portal with mobile applications and data interfaces to virtually any system. The platform is easily integrated into your existing business systems and brings together the best tools to handle data acquisition and data analysis — all on scalable infrastructure. Best of all, we even take the day-to-day management off your hands. Our CoNVerge platform is blazing a trail in the aviation sector. In a hi-tech industry, where the stakes are even higher, long-standing clients such as British Airways Cityflyer know they can rely on NVable and our custom-designed software to make things simple, safer, more secure and streamlined. We provide airlines with technology solutions that reduce effort, improve processes and produce useful information, with one simple goal — to change things for the better. Bring everything together and do IT better when you bring onboard CoNVerge and NVable.
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Orlando Suite for Tech Pubs is an XML-based cloud Document Management System designed for airlines, MRO and manufacturers. It is the unique solution capable of managing Company, Flight Ops, Maintenance and Engineering manuals in one system. It is natively compliant with OEMs’ proprietary electronic data schemas and with the main aviation technical data standards (ATA Spec 2300, ATA iSpec 2200, S1000D). Orlando Suite features are in 7 modules to streamline the manuals lifecycle: Library (Cloud CMS), Editor (Web based WYSIWYG editing, content reuse), Merger (automated OEM/ airline manuals reconciliation), Analytics (data checker, compliance to regulations, revision report), Publisher (HTML, PDF and XML), Dispatcher (Distribution of publications, Mobile Content Management), Explorer (Web & Mobile & EFB viewers). It also supports interoperability with other systems, and (manuals can be exported to their native XML standard. Our customers benefit from the best in class secured Cloud offer as well as premium support services delivered by our Tech Pubs experts committed to assisting users at every stage of the process. Orlando is the sole off-the-shelf solution approved by the leading turboprop manufacturer ATR to manage the ATR Flight Operations XML manuals.
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Rolls-Royce Controls and Data Services W: www.controlsdata.com T: +44 (0) 1332 777 100 E: info@controlsdata.com
Location: 21 offices worldwide
Location: Germany, UK, USA, India, New Zealand
NAME OF PRODUCT MARKETED • Ramco Aviation M&E Solution, Ramco Aviation MRO Solution, Ramco Anywhere Apps, Ramco flyMORE
NAME OF PRODUCT MARKETED • VisiumDIAGNOSTIC, VisiumFUEL, VisiumAQD
KEY BUSINESS/SOFTWARE AREAS • Maintenance & Engineering • Maintenance, Repair & Overhaul • Mobility Solutions Ramco Systems offers Aviation Maintenance solutions on premise and on cloud, with multi-tenant capability and nextgen mobility for Airlines, Heli-Operators, MROs and Charter operations. Its comprehensive scope spans the spectrum of organizational needs, including Finance, HCM, Manufacturing, Planning and Optimization, in one integrated platform. Ramco Aviation’s latest Next-Gen digital technologies include: Mobility Solutions: Ramco’s next-gen mobility solutions for maintenance operations are available through an app ecosystem wherein everybody involved can seamlessly execute critical operations on the go, from anywhere, anytime; The BOTS Revolution: Ramco intelligent CHATBOTS deliver parts data, manage AOGs, and perform daily admin tasks for a more personalized and immersive ERP experience; HyperConnected Ecosystem: B2B integrations with AeroXchange, Gains, Logistics providers and OEMs bringing Suppliers, Customers and Logistics providers together on ONE platform
KEY BUSINESS/SOFTWARE AREAS • Equipment Health Management • Fuel Efficiency Management • Emissions Monitoring • Fleet Reporting • Safety, Quality and Risk Management • MRO Business and Parts Management Today, in the aerospace sector only, over 1,300 customers are benefiting from Rolls-Royce digital services globally. Through our EHM services, we monitor around 10,000 engines, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, analysing billions of data points on-board per flight, and millions every day on the ground. Our digital services complement the Group’s TotalCare® Service Solutions of Maintenance, Availability, Efficiency and Asset Value, allowing our customers to increase availability of their critical assets, minimising risk and operational disruption to ultimately improve their operational efficiency.
Ramco Series 5 reduces Turn Around Time (TAT) while increasing operational performance and compliance through user-friendly interfaces. Ramco has always been an innovator in maintenance IT — enabling clients to focus more on business-critical activities, while the solution processes transactions and decision support, based on intelligent rules. Powering 4000+ aircraft and 21,000+ end-users, Ramco is used by more than 75 operators world-wide.
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AIRCRAFT IT MRO • JULY-AUGUST 2019 • 64
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DIRECTORY
ROTA.technology Inc.
Rusada
Safran Aircraft Engines
Seabury Solutions
W: www.rota.technology T: +1 321 710 7682(ROTA) E: info@rota.technology
W: www.rusada.com T: 03333 440730 E: information@rusada.com
W: www.safran-aircraft-engines.com T: + 33 (0)1 69 87 09 00 E: contact.enginelife.sae@safrangroup.com
Location: Melbourne, FL USA and global
Location: Switzerland, USA, UK, UAE, India, Singapore, Australia
Location: 35 production plants, design offices and sales offices throughout the world
W: www.seaburysolutions.com T: +353 61 749 010 E: marketing@seaburymro.com
NAME OF PRODUCT MARKETED • Consulting, MXF Software, PDS(Process Development System) and custom applications
NAME OF PRODUCT MARKETED • Envision
NAME OF PRODUCT MARKETED • LEAP, CFM56, SaM146, Silvercrest
NAME OF PRODUCT MARKETED • Alkym, EPAS, eAuthority
KEY BUSINESS/SOFTWARE AREAS • Fleet Management • Base Maintenance • Line Maintenance • Flight Operations • Materials Management
KEY BUSINESS/SOFTWARE AREAS • Commercial engines • Large turbofan engines • Business engines • Military engines • Support services
KEY BUSINESS/SOFTWARE AREAS • Technical Operations • CAMO • MRO • Performance Analytics • Regulator Applications
Rusada develops ENVISION - an industry leading MRO and Flight Operations solution. With over 100 customers worldwide and a combined fleet of 2,000 fixed wing and rotary aircraft, ENVISION is used by aircraft operators and MRO’s to successfully manage their operations.
Safran Aircraft Engines designs, develops, produces and sells engines for commercial and military aircraft. We also offer a complete range of support services to airlines, armed forces and other operators.
Seabury Solutions is a leading global aviation software development and consultancy company. It was established in 2002 and forms part of the Seabury Group. Seabury Solutions has built a reputation in that time as the vendor who delivers cost effective world class aviation management software. The integrated product range includes solutions for Airlines, MRO Organizations, Aviation Regulators. Enterprise Performance Analytics Systems (EPAS) includes models used for Maintenance Analytics, Contracts and Invoicing, Flight Profitability, Budget Planning, Fuel Planning, Market Analytics and Sales / Distribution Analytics.
KEY BUSINESS/SOFTWARE AREAS • MRO IT Software Implementations • MRO IT Software Upgrades • MRO IT Software Support/Managed Services • MX Long Range Planning • MRO IT Custom Software Development With MRO systems projects and support spanning both the military and commercial markets ROTA brings proven experience to all sides of aviation. Our team has been embedded for years in the business functions we support. In both military and commercial. Specializing in system implementations and upgrades ROTA brings deep knowledge of aviation business processes, integrated into custom built software, to provide not only all testing documentation but also leave customers with a full manual of SOPs moving forward. Aside from upgrades ROTA has completed a number of data projects from cleaning up aircraft configuration to system security overhauls. After these upgrades or projects, training and ongoing admin support can be provided for any MRO IT needs.
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The latest version of ENVISION is web-based and deviceagnostic with an intuitive and user-friendly interface. Modules, which can be purchased individually or as part of an integrated solution, include: Fleet Management, Base Management, Line Maintenance, Component Maintenance, Materials Management, Financial Management, Resource Management, Quality & Safety Management and Flight Operations.
Safran Aircraft Engines provides all CFM56® users with a wide range of support services, under the EngineLife® brand. These world-class services cover the entire life cycle of the engine. We are a world leading provider of MRO services for the CFM56. Our overriding goal is to reduce engine removals and maintenance costs. Safran Aircraft Engines deploys the skills needed, through our network of shops and OEM expertise, to provide all customers — whether airlines, operators or leasing firms — with the same top-flight service anywhere in the world. Safran Aircraft Engines also provides full customer support for CFM56 engines, which means that we are in permanent contact with our customers and their requirements. Building on 40 years of customer experience, we deploy a team of permanent reps, a 24/7 call center, a dedicated Customer Web Center, and a training center offering more than 90 different programs.We are also developing innovative services based on the advanced analysis of flight data, and a slate of expert, value-added consulting services from our seasoned staff.
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AIRCRAFT IT MRO • JULY-AUGUST 2019 • 65
Location: Ireland; Argentina
With our software products serving over 80 customers in 35 countries globally they are suitable for the largest to small / medium sized operations. Alkym Management and Control System for Aircraft Maintenance is a modular solution where each organization can select which tools meet their requirements. This proven solution brings the top functionality in market leading implementation time scales. Typically, the average time to GO LIVE is between 8 and 15 weeks. With 24 / 7 professional support services to make sure your teams are getting the best from our systems Seabury Solutions should be on every short listing to compare the value proposition against the market.
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DIRECTORY
Swiss Aviation Software
TRAX
Ubisense
Vistair Systems
W: www.swiss-as.com T: +41 61 582 72 94 E: marketing@swiss-as.com
W: www.emro.com T: +1 305.662.7400 E: sales@trax.aero
W: www.ubisense.net T: + 44 (0)1223 535170 E: GLOBALenquiries@ubisense.net
W: www.vistair.com T: 01454 550663 E: info@vistair.com
Location: Basel, Switzerland; Miami, FL, USA; Singapore
Location: Miami, FL, USA; West Sussex, UK; Tokyo, Japan; Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Location: Cambridge, UK; Denver, USA, Düsseldorf, Germany; Paris, France; Tokyo, Japan; Vancouver, Canada
Location: United Kingdom
NAME OF PRODUCT MARKETED • AMOS
NAME OF PRODUCTS MARKETED
NAME OF PRODUCT MARKETED • SmartSpace, enterprise location intelligence platform
NAME OF PRODUCT MARKETED • DocuNet, CrewNet, SafetyNet, QualityNet, RiskNet
KEY BUSINESS/SOFTWARE AREAS • SmartSpace Production Logistics Monitor • SmartSpace Asset Monitor • SmartSpace Audit & Compliance • SmartSpace Compliance Monitor
KEY BUSINESS/SOFTWARE AREAS • Aviation Document Management Solution • Aviation Safety Management Software • Aviation Quality Management Solution • Crew Notices and Bulletins Software
KEY BUSINESS/SOFTWARE AREAS • Material Management • Engineering • Planning • Production • Maintenance Control Swiss AviationSoftware unites over 25 years of IT experience with profound MRO expertise and offers its customers the functionally unsurpassed and technologically state-of-theart maintenance system AMOS. AMOS is a comprehensive, fully-integrated software package that successfully manages the maintenance, engineering and logistics requirements of modern airlines and MRO providers by fulfilling demanding airworthiness standards. Today, over 140 customers worldwide steer their maintenance activities with AMOS, which makes AMOS one of the industry-leading MRO software systems worldwide.
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• eMRO • eMobility KEY BUSINESS/SOFTWARE AREAS • Engineering & Planning • Production & Shop • Technical Records & Reliability • TRAXDoc Document Control • Supply Chain Management • E-enabled Aircraft Capabilities • Aircraft Mobility apps • Maintenance Mobility apps • Warehouse Mobility apps TRAX is the global leader in the aviation industry for MRO ERP software, with over 170 airlines using their products. TRAX has the most advanced maintenance software solutions available for airlines and MROs worldwide with fleets consisting of all types of aircraft. TRAX eMRO is a completely integrated product, in addition, the eMobility suite offers a range of iOS apps to provide mobile accessibility. Organizational efficiency gains can be substantial when using TRAX eMRO and eMobility, and ROI is quickly realized. TRAX maintains its advantage over the competition by developing software that works for customers through modern technology, world class support and strong customer relationships.
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Digital transformation is driving a fundamental change in the Aerospace, Defence and MRO sectors. By focusing on their culture, processes and tools, companies will leverage new technologies to become smarter, more productive and lay the foundations for greater competitiveness in a digital world. Connecting manufacturing systems to real-world business process is fundamental to realising this vision and Ubisense’s SmartSpace provides a foundation platform for our customers’ Industry 4.0 strategy. SmartSpace enables OEMs and MROs to create a real-time digital twin of their environment, connecting activities to manufacturing, execution and planning systems, making real-world processes involving moving assets visible and measurable. Offering in-depth knowledge of the sectors in which it operates, Ubisense has long standing relationships with many customers across target markets including aerospace and defence, passenger and commercial vehicle manufacturing, communications and utilities. Since inception in 2002, we have built up a strong customer base including 6 of the top 10 Fortune 500 manufacturers, 9 of the leading 10 automotive manufacturers, 2 of the top 3 aerospace manufacturers and 5 of the major telecoms network operators around the world use our solutions including 3 of the top 4 in North America.
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AIRCRAFT IT MRO • JULY-AUGUST 2019 • 66
Vistair provides document, safety and quality management technology solutions to support the delivery of improved safety, compliance, and operational efficiency that results in significant commercial savings to airline organisations. Combining technology, development expertise and service delivery, Vistair’s solutions provide both airlines and ground operations with an approach that helps demonstrate a clear link between increased reporting and a change in procedures and behaviours, to drive a safer organization Document Management: DocuNet™ is a powerful document management and distribution solution, capable of delivering a complete operational library of all mission-critical content across multiple platforms and fleets. It provides a process for airlines to control the intellectual content of manuals, handling processes relating to data, publication and delivery, enabling airlines to focus on core business operations. Safety/Quality Management: SafetyNet™ is an aviation reporting system and investigation solution that drives real change in the management of safety-related occurrences. It is currently deployed by a number of global airlines including Delta and also counts the military among its user base. Complementing this is RiskNet™ an advanced, change and aviation risk management solution that provides hazard identification. Integrating with both, QualityNet™ is a comprehensive aviation compliance software that enables Quality Managers to manage audit schedules, checklists and non-compliances through an intuitive interface.
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