Aircraft IT MRO Issue 1

ISSUE 1 • APRIL/MAY 2011

Are you ready?

Selecting and implementing an MRO solution

True ERP software for airlines?

Joined-up thinking: Linking multiple solutions Fast MRO Implementation: the benefits MRO IT: mapping the future White Papers: SAKS Consulting • Conduce Consulting Case Studies: Gol Linhas Aereas • Kingfisher Airlines • Sol Lineas Aereas

APRIL-MAY 2011 | AIRCRAFT IT MRO | CONTENTS | 3

04 An introduction to Aircraft IT MRO

Find out about Live online software demonstrations, private demos, Expert online consultancies, software search engine, plus more.

06 Latest News & Technology Updates

A round up of the key MRO IT inustry news from around the world and the latest technology updates.

12 Case Study: BoB and ERP: Working together, IT works

Editor’s comment Welcome to AircraftIT MRO; business critical information for the industry written by the industry.

IT is the new leading edge development in aircraft Maintenance Repair and Overhaul (MRO) with new and updated IT solutions continually coming to market. But it’s not a simple business; and sound decisions require high quality information. That’s why we’ve harnessed the expertise of industry insiders to better inform MRO IT decision makers and practitioners.

Innovative airlines, MROs and aircraft operators are adopting systems, and trying new IT theories and techniques with varying degrees of success. In today’s difficult times, it is more important than ever that these experiences are shared and discussed in order to improve all round understanding and support a booming IT sector in its drive to assist the global industry.

AircraftIT MRO is the platform where MRO and IT come together to exchange expertise and ideas. With this in mind, each eJournal features keynote White Papers written by leading consultants and industry experts along with case studies from real-life IT users – airlines, MROs and operators.

In this opening edition, you’ll find cutting edge IT case studies on business critical topics from Gol Linhas Aereas, Kingfisher and Sol Lineas Aereas; plus keynote white papers from SAKS Consulting and Conduce Consulting. I would like to thank our authors for excellent and informative features; all based on real working experience.

You, the reader, are invited to join in a continuing exchange of expertise and ideas, using the interactive nature of this eJournal to ask questions of the authors or to start discussions by leaving your views and experiences on similar topics after each article.

IT buyers can keep up-to-date with the latest software and upgrades on the market via the news and technology section, and software directory within the eJournal. Plus they can take part in live software demo webinars at www.aircraftIT.com (see pages 4 & 5 for full details).

Given the subject matter, we really had no choice but to reduce the use of paper and adopt the latest technology ourselves; therefore AircaftIT MRO is only available as an eJournal. This, of course, makes it even easier to facilitate an active exchange of ideas; so please forward this eJournal onto your colleagues and let the sharing of knowledge begin.

I look forward to receiving your feedback.

Ed Haskey, Editor.

R eplace one old system with two new ones, integrate them both with the business’s ERP and apply all changes to two recently joined businesses: a study in good project management.

Fernando Moura de Lucena Manager, Business Solutions IT, VRG Airlines (Gol Group)

18 White Paper: Are you ready for an enterprise wide MRO System?

S electing the right MRO system can help to transform performance but executives and businesses have to first know which are the correct questions to ask, then listen to the answers, even when they are challenging Sharhabeel Lone, Partner Global Business Strategy, SAKS Consulting

21 Upcoming Live Software Demonstration Webinars

A preview of the Live Software Demonstration Webinars from 2 leading MRO IT software vendors: Volartec and Mxi Technologies.

24 Case Study: Aircraft Maintenance Management and Control Software Systems do not require long Implementation Schedule

IT systems are not simple affairs but their implementation need not be a lengthy process if proper preparations are made both of the business and the people who’ll have to use the system. Working with you vendor can deliver a fast and effective implementation process.

Aer. Eng. Gustavo Daneri, Maintenance Director, Sol Lineas Aereas

28 White Paper: What’s Up with Aviation IT?

anagers have woken up to the fact that IT can be a business enabler for airlines and M MROs. However very few aviation IT departments have moved forward from the status of internal vendors who monopolize the ‘computer problem’ Paul Saunders, Director, Conduce Consulting

34 Aircraft IT Operations eJournal

An outline of our sister eJournal: AircraftIT Operations

36 Case Study: Can airlines pull IT all together?

Airlines are complex operations working with state-of-the-art technologies and yet, in running their own businesses, they still rely on a diversity of function specific software solutions. They need a single ERP solution.

Vishok Mansingh, Asst. Vice President-Eng Logistics & Systems, Kingfisher Airlines

40 Event Preview: Airline & Aerospace MRO & Operations IT Conference – EMEA, Frankfurt, 13th & 14th July 2011 Find out which 40+ IT vendors are exhibiting their software solutions

42 Software Directory

A detailed look at the world’s leading MRO IT systems.

CLICK HERE: Send your feedback and suggestions to AircraftIT MRO CLICK HERE: Subscribe for free

46 Next Issue

What’s coming up in the June/July edition of AircaftIT MRO.

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 2011 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.

AircraftIT MRO

Publisher/Editor:

E-mail:

Telephone:

Website: Copy Editor/Contributor: Magazine Production:

E-mail:

Ed Haskey ed.haskey@aircraft-commerce.com +44 1403 230 700 or +44 1273 700 555 www.aircraftIT.com John Hancock Dean Cook deancook@magazineproduction.com

4 | WELCOME | AIRCRAFT IT MRO | APRIL-MAY 2011

Welcome to AircraftIT MRO Business critical information, ideas and shared experience for aircraft MRO IT users and decision makers.

Details of the first two live software webinar sessions can be found on pages 21-23 and a full list can be viewed at the AircraftIT MRO portal (www.aircraftIT. com). It is extremely easy to log into webinar sessions and they run on a straightforward to use webinar platform built specifically for the portal.

ISSUE 1 • APRIL/MAY 2011

Private one-to-one Software Demonstrations:

u ready? e yo Arting and implementing Selec an MRO solution

True ERP software for airlines? le solutions Joined-up thinking: Linking multip ts Fast MRO Implementation: the benefi future the MRO IT: mapping Consulting White Papers: SAKS Consulting • Conduce sher Airlines • Sol Linhas Aereas Case Studies: Gol Linhas Aereas • Kingfi

I

27/04/2011 15:51

T is the new leading edge development in aircraft Maintenance Repair and Overhaul (MRO). New and updated IT solutions regularly appear in the market and every one of them is designed to assist airlines, operators and MROs in making better use of resources and assets through lower costs, increased efficiency, more operations friendly scheduling of maintenance and repairs, and compliance with regulations. It all adds up to a better customer experience and a stronger bottom line. But choosing IT software is not a simple matter; nor could it be to address the matrix of needs, priorities and solutions into which this sophisticated market has grown. AircraftIT MRO is an invaluable one-stop reference resource where IT users and decision makers in airlines, MROs and aircraft operators worldwide can review all the major systems available, learn from current users’ experiences and consider how different systems might perform in their own operations.

IT systems are business critical resources for those involved with aircraft maintenance; the right solutions correctly implemented can make that huge difference between an OK performance and game changing excellence. AircraftIT MRO is designed to supply IT buyers with the vital information they need when negotiating the maze of different solutions available, and to support informed decisions using the following tools: Aircraft IT MRO V1.1 April-May 2011.indd

1

eJournal: Aircraft IT MRO We’ve harnessed the expertise of industry insiders and IT users themselves to provide a comprehensive reference source for the industry with each eJournal including white papers from leading industry experts and consultants, and case studies from real life IT users – airlines, MROs and aircraft operators.

The eJournal operates as a perfect platform for the global exchange of ideas and expertise, and you the reader are invited to take part, using the interactive capability of this publication. At the end of each

white paper and case study there will be the option to either ask the author a question or to contribute general feedback and start a discussion – look out for the interactive buttons.

The eJournal is published bi-monthly and is free to everyone, but to receive every issue you will need to register for a subscription.

INTERACTIVE

SIGN UP FOR FREE HERE

CLICK HERE TO LEAVE YOUR DETAILS FOR FREE SUBSCRIPTION. IT ONLY TAKE A FEW MOMENTS.

Software Search Engine The AircraftIT MRO portal (www.aircraftIT.com) includes a powerful software search engine with which you can learn more about IT vendors and the systems they supply. You can Search by vendor or drill down further and search by software or module type, using the Module search facility.

For instance, if you are looking for ‘Digital Documentation Management’ solutions or information, select the relevant module option and all the system providers will be shortlisted for you.

Live Online Software Demonstration Webinars Every two weeks the AircraftIT MRO portal hosts a live software demonstration webinar, each event delivered by a different vendor. These sessions represent the perfect opportunity to learn about a software solution in a more informal manner and to quickly gain an in depth knowledge of all the major systems on the market.

The IT vendor provides a live software demonstration of their solution and explains how it can benefit airlines, MROs and aircraft operators.

Once logged on, online delegates can ask questions via the interactive white board or simply sit back and watch the demonstration. There are two sessions during the day, each differently timed to accommodate all time zones.

Use the AircraftIT MRO portal to arrange private one-to-one internet demonstrations with your vendor(s) of choice, to quickly create a shortlist or to simply find out more about what solutions are available. Whichever you decide to do (do them all, if you wish), the private software demonstrations represent the ideal bespoke solution where all your questions regarding particular software solutions can be answered directly and by experts.

Demonstrations take place using the bespoke AircraftIT MRO webinar platform, and you decide on your preferred date and time for the session.

The IT vendor will confirm the session and you will then receive your unique username, password and login information.

Ask the Expert Leading industry consultants and experts are on hand at the AircraftIT MRO portal with informed and impartial advice in response to any questions you may have. As you know MRO IT can be a mine-field, a complex matrix of solutions and options: ‘Ask the Expert’ represents a fantastic opportunity to avoid common mistakes and to ensure that an IT project runs smoothly by ‘picking the brains’ of a leading industry expert.

Ask the Expert works in a similar way to the software search engine, in that airlines, MROs and aircraft operators can search through a list of experts either by name or they can drill down and search for a particular area of expertise, for example: Software Selection or Project Management.

Once you have chosen an expert simply use the AircraftIT MRO portal to send your enquiry and let your expert assist you with the problem – visit www. aircraftIT.com for full details.

IT Conferences/Exhibitions AircraftIT is affiliated with Aircraft Commerce organizer of the world’s leading MRO IT Conferences.

Over the past six years, Aircraft Commerce events have set the standards in the EMEA, Asia/Pacific and Americas zones, successfully bringing together IT Vendors with airlines, MROs and aircraft operators in those regions.

Each event offers delegates from airlines, MROs and aircraft operators a wonderful opportunity to review their entire aircraft maintenance IT platform in just two days and each event follows the same format:

APRIL-MAY 2011 | AIRCRAFT IT MRO | WELCOME | 5

• A large exhibition area provides IT vendors with the ideal platform to demonstrate their software solutions while, at the same time, allowing airlines, MROs and aircraft operators the chance to try out all the major systems under the same roof over just two days.

• A conference agenda of keynote presentations, IT user case studies and interactive workshops ensure that delegates receive key information on the pressing issues and trends in this rapidly developing industry sector.

• Beyond the structured events, there are also outstanding opportunities for networking between delegates from airlines MROs and operators to exchange ideas and share experiences.

Upcoming events • Airline & Aerospace MRO & Operations IT Conference – EMEA: 13th & 14th July 2011, Frankfurt, Germany

• Airline & Aerospace MRO & Operations IT Conference – APAC: 18th & 19th October 2011, Singapore A preview of the EMEA show can be found on pages 40-41.

Latest News and Technology Updates Let AircraftIT MRO Keep you up to date with the latest industry news and developments such as who has purchased what system and which IT vendors are offering updated or new solutions. The news stream is constantly updated on the portal and included every two months in the eJournal.

AircraftIT MRO: it’s YOUR reference tool; feedback needed!

decisions on what has become a business critical process for the industry.

We therefore need your feedback to ensure that we have delivered all the information that you need. Is there anything extra you would like to see covered in AircraftIT MRO? Or is there more information you would like to tap into? Do you have a case study or white paper you would like to share with your colleagues? Get in touch with us at the link below.

INTERACTIVE

LEAVE YOUR FEEDBACK HERE

CLICK HERE TO GIVE US YOUR VALUED FEEDBACK OR SUGGESTIONS

Sign up for your free subscription Every part of AircraftIT MRO is free of charge; however, in order to receive the eJournal and take part in the live software demonstrations, leave feedback, etc. you will first have to register as a free member at AircraftIT. Please also forward this on to your colleagues..

INTERACTIVE

AircraftIT MRO is designed to provide the aircraft MRO community with the high quality information needed to navigate the myriad IT systems available on the market and to support properly informed

SIGN UP FOR FREE HERE

CLICK HERE TO LEAVE YOUR DETAILS FOR FREE SUBSCRIPTION. IT ONLY TAKE A FEW MOMENTS.

Want to keep up with IT developments?

Subscribe for FREE to AircraftIT eJournal MRO today to receive all future eJournals!

• For case studies, keynote white papers, latest news & technology; all the knowledge you need

Subscribe here for free – it takes a few moments.

ISSUE 1 • APRIL/MAY 2011

ISSUE 1 • APRIL/MAY 2011

ISSUE 1 • APRIL/MAY 2011

Are you Are readyou readyou y? Are y? ready?

Selecting and impleme Selecting Selecting nting and impleme ntingand implementing an MRO solution an MRO solution an MRO solution

True ERP software for airlines?

True ERP software for airlines?

True ERP software for airlines?

Joined-up thinking: LinkingJoined-up thinking: LinkingJoined-up thinking: Linking multiple solutions multiple solutions multiple solutions Fast MRO Implementation: Fast MRO Implementa MRO Implementa tion:Fast tion: the benefits the benefi the benefi ts ts MRO IT: mapping the futureMRO IT: mapping the future MRO IT: mapping the future White Papers: SAKS Consulting • Conduce White Papers: SAKS Consulting • Conduce White Papers: SAKS Consulting • Conduce Consulting Consulting Consulting Case Studies: Gol Linhas Aereas • Kingfi Case Studies: Gol Linhas Aereas • Kingfi Case Studies: Gol Linhas Aereas • Kingfi sher Airlines • Sol Linhas Aereas sher Airlines • Sol Linhas Aereas sher Airlines • Sol Linhas Aereas Aircraft IT MRO V1.1 April-May 2011.indd

1

Aircraft IT MRO V1.1 April-May 2011.indd

1

Aircraft IT MRO V1.1 April-May 2011.indd

1

27/04/2011 13:06

27/04/2011 13:06

27/04/2011 13:06

6 | NEWS & TECHNOLOGY | AIRCRAFT IT MRO | APRIL-MAY 2011

Austrian Airlines with Swiss-AS gains approval for e-signature Austrian Technik, the Technical Operations organisation of Austrian Airlines, has recently received FAA approval as the first European EASA Part 145 organisation to have completed the appropriate authority approvals and operational implementation of electronic signature in AMOS from Swiss-AS, and is now allowed to use the AMOS e-signature in the context of FAA Form 8130-3. In addition, the usage of the AMOS e-signature solution at Austrian Technik has been approved for EASA Form 1

(double release) by Austro Control GmbH, the official Austrian civil aviation agency.

As with a normal signature on paper, an electronic signature indicates agreement with the contents of an electronic message in a paperless process. Every printout can be signed and stored as PDF/A. There are two electronic signature options in AMOS: external and internal.

The external procedure involves services of a 3rd party provider.

Within AMOS, a PDF is generated

and sent to the external signing software via a web service. A smartcard or signature pad is used to sign the data; later, a PDF sheet can be stored in an external archive linked to AMOS. The internal approach is entirely

processed within AMOS - a PDF is created and the process of signing is handled only in AMOS. The signing can be performed, either with ‘official’ certificates ordered at a Certificate Authority, or by using AMOS internally generated certificates. The location for archiving the file can also be varied.

Austrian Technik is using the external e-signature option from Swiss-AS which includes a 3rd party company via interface which provides the affiliated services and the necessary hardware.

Enigma Releases InService MRO 5.0 Enigma Releases InService MRO 5.0, providing Major new functionality for Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul of Aircraft and other complex equipment In February 2011, Enigma Inc. announced the release of Enigma InService MRO 5.0, a major upgrade of its MRO solution providing out-ofthe-box publishing and delivery capabilities, and fully integrating technical content into enterprise business processes. Improved management and distribution of service and parts information also reduces equipment downtime, helps to optimize parts inventory and logistics, and ensures regulatory compliance.

InService MRO 5.0 gives total control over technical content distribution and integration processes, allowing users to add data sources, modify/ repurpose deliverables and adjust publishing schedules. Activities such as communicating new service and parts information to mechanics or to update maintenance and inventory plans can now be completed in a matter of minutes or hours to address real-world service priorities.

The InService software also incorporates optional modules to simplify service and parts updates and revisions, generate complete and accurate job/ task cards and integrate with business enterprise systems. Revision Manager quickly reconciles OEM updates and customer-ordered changes (COCs) with existing service and parts information, so that mechanics and technicians are always working from a complete and accurate maintenance encyclopaedia. Job Card Generator dynamically creates up-to-date, self-contained job cards with all relevant information needed to complete a repair.

The latest parts and service information is automatically loaded into inventory, logistics, configuration management and maintenance planning systems.

InService MRO 5.0 can be implemented as a

traditional enterprise software solution, on a company’s premises, or as an off-site hosted (SaaS) solution and “is the only service and parts

solution in the market designed for integration with other critical business systems,” said Jonathan Yaron, CEO of Enigma.

APRIL-MAY 2011 | AIRCRAFT IT MRO | NEWS & TECHNOLOGY | 7

Alitalia opts for AMOS as fleet-wide MRO solution

Alitalia needed a system to incorporate all members in the newly emerging Compagnia Aerea Italiana, including Alitalia, Alitalia Express, Air One and Volare. AMOS from Swiss-AS was already being used in Alitalia Express, while the larger part of the fleet was being managed by Alitalia IT’s in-house MEMIS. The performance of Swiss-AS during the Alitalia Express project paved the way for the larger venture.

After just 15 months of project work, Alitalia launched AMOS M&E system in April 2011, enterprise-wide and with a ‘Big Bang’ approach – all software modules went simultaneously live. The smooth Go-Live with zero operational impact was actively supported by Swiss-AS.

A major challenge for this project was the creation of new processes suitable for the four formerly independent airlines which comprise today’s Alitalia A major challenge for this project was the creation of new processes suitable for the four formerly independent airlines which comprise today’s Alitalia. Other challenges were handled together with Alitalia IT to correctly map and transfer data from different sources and incorporate them into AMOS. Two main factors supported success. The first was having a project team on the customer’s side that was fully committed and had the will, time and know-how to implement multifaceted MRO software. The second was the decision to put AMOS into operation with a limited number of customisations. During the project, more than 1,000 users had to get to know AMOS. Alitalia opted for the ‘train the trainer’ concept using in-house trainers trained by Swiss-AS and even taking a road show to train outstations worldwide.

The Italian flag carrier has built up an AMOS Competence Centre that performs 1st level support for the internal AMOS users using the vast inhouse know-how gained during the implementation. In addition, Alitalia relies on Swiss-AS’ ‘AMOS Operation Services’ (AOS).

Click here for full SOFTWARE details and for a demo

Designed for Aviation Business  Fleet Management  Technical Referential Mgt  Maintenance Forecasting  Maintenance Execution  Inspection & Sentencing  Configuration Control  Customer Support Mgt Three high value products live in 17 countries

2MoRO releases Aero-Webb® New version: 5.0 2MoRO has made things more straightforward with the release of Aero-Webb® version (v5.0) including improved functional scope for the main modules plus minor improvements to Inspector WorkBench (IWB). In this new version, the event management function of Fleet Management has become a real workflow oriented application with improved data traceability and status tracking.

The user interface now more easily links operational to configuration or maintenance events and search capabilities on the events table include memory-based multi criteria to simplify information retrieval, and feedback on fleet data. Also, Failure, Malfunction and Defect forms are now available in PDF or Excel formats. Additionally, AeroWebb® data loaders are now XML format compliant. For instance, FM can fully import assets and events information from external

information systems and it is easy to take advantages of the FM added value functionalities.

An updated A2FO can simultaneously forecast and plan maintenance of several aircraft or assets, including scheduled tasks (from different maintenance manuals), residual potential value of LLP, unscheduled events (i.e. SB or AD to be applied on an engine fleet) and aircraft missions, to deliver improved monitoring of maintained assets.

Dynamic attributes management has been added to the MCH module, for virtually unlimited attributes customization. Several objects managed with this module (essentially those found on IPC and MM documentation) are easily customizable for users to track specific data priorities. Moreover, illustrations, whatever the format can be associated with item data to complement Aero-Webb data information.

Connected with the world best of class ERP and PLM software

sales@2moro.com www.2moro.com

8 | NEWS & TECHNOLOGY | AIRCRAFT IT MRO | APRIL-MAY 2011

Ramco Systems launches ERP choice for aviation manufacturing

Whether it’s a stand-alone ERP solution or an SaaS (Software as a Service) on demand solution, Ramco Systems launched two new products at Miami MRO in April 2011.

The first was Series 5 ERP for aviation manufacturing, offering the Aviation, Aerospace and Defense industry all the functionality needed for complex, mixed-mode, process and discrete, JIT, lean and KANBAN manufacturing processes. The manufacturing suite provides a single solution that unifies Engineering, Supply Chain, Manufacturing, Sales, Service Management, Plant Maintenance, Human Resources and Financials. “According to our clients, one of the most important objectives is to have full ERP capabilities while tending to the uniqueness of their manufacturing processes of OEM components, parts and their supply and distribution network.” said Jim Fitzgerald, President of Ramco Systems Corporation.

The other launch was of Ramco’s Software as a Service (SaaS) ERP offering. Interestingly, since its launch, Ramco has signed over 300 new OnDemand ERP clients. It seems that the flexibility and scalability offered by on demand and the Cloud is growing in popularity even in areas where once an in-house solution might have been ‘de rigueur’. From Jim Fitzgerald again, “This is a great fit for any company that is seeking to streamline their operation and realize bottom line profits from the SaaS OnDemand model.”

Air France Industries KLM Engineering and Maintenance Sign Enterprise Agreement with Enigma Software

In February 2011, Enigma Inc. announced that Air France Industries KLM Engineering and Maintenance (AFI KLM E&M) is upgrading and expanding their Enigma implementation to the Enigma 3C® InService MRO solution to improve maintenance in its aircraft maintenance, engine services and components shop divisions.

Since their merger in May 2004, Air France and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines have become the largest European airline group with a combined fleet of over 600 aircraft enabling them to fly 2,500 daily flights to 236 destinations worldwide.

The corporate-wide license agreement allows Air France and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines to use Enigma’s InService MRO and Revision Manager solutions to support publishing and management of all technical content. Over the past seven years, AFI KLM E&M implemented a highly customized solution based on the Enigma 3C Platform and had also implemented Enigma’s InService Revision Manager to help compare and reconcile documentation changes from Boeing and Airbus, with changes made by AFI KLM E&M, resulting in a 10% reduction in aircraft maintenance IT costs and the company expects Enigma InService MRO and Revision Manager to deliver further savings. As a long-term customer, AFI KLM E&M recognized the advantages of moving to the commercial off-the-shelf solution (COTS), Enigma InService MRO to reap the benefits of simplified IT configuration and integration capabilities, and a streamlined workflow and user interface.

For AFI KLM E&M engineers, planners and technicians, the Enigma solutions will be the single source for all information related to airframe and engine maintenance, including OEM maintenance manuals and parts catalogs, maintenance supplements, service bulletins and schematics.

Jonathan Yaron, CEO of Enigma said, “We are pleased that one of the world’s largest airlines is expanding their relationship with Enigma and is further investing in software solutions that help them service aircraft, engines and components more accurately and efficiently.”

Click here for full SOFTWARE details and for a demo

APRIL-MAY 2011 | AIRCRAFT IT MRO | NEWS & TECHNOLOGY | 9

FleetCycle® Execution Suite – Line Manager (FCXL) Software from EmpowerMX FleetCycle® Execution Suite – Line Manager (FCXL) announced

by EmpowerMX in April 2011, is a line maintenance execution system designed for the aircraft in-service environment. It equips line maintenance personnel with the tools to optimize routine and non-routine task performance while giving decision makers the ability to track the maintenance activities crucial to on-time departures.

FleetCycle® Execution Suite – Line Manager automates the execution of line (aircraftin-service) maintenance actions through real-time visibility to scheduled, unscheduled or spontaneous maintenance requirements along with instantaneous monitoring and communication. FCXL also optimizes fleet-in-service time, integrates with in-flight information systems, and provides line station mechanics with detailed task information plus the ability to create electronic non-routine tasks and deliver them directly to a bill of work. Additionally, FCXL helps fleet operators comply with industry standards and regulatory rules and implement best practices, and incorporates data search and data mining capabilities.

The n-tier, J2EE architecture supporting FCXL is consolidated and scalable, rules-driven and business process-based to meet the present and future business requirements of aviation maintenance industry customers.

LAN Airlines goes Live with enterprisewide implementation of Mxi Technologies’ Maintenix software LAN Airlines (LAN), Latin America’s leading domestic and international passenger and cargo carrier, went live with an enterprise-wide implementation of Maintenix® from Mxi® Technologies in April 2011.

“The decision to migrate from our legacy system was based on our need for a sophisticated system that would support LAN’s dynamic business environment,” said Ruy Lotz, Technical Support Director, LAN. “Mxi Technologies’ Maintenix software was chosen based on its functionality and close match of capabilities to our evolving requirements [enabling us] to validate airworthiness in real-time at aircraft release, which is integral to LAN’s dedication to quality and safety.”

Mxi Technologies’ Maintenix software replaces LAN’s legacy VISaer system – alongside more than 20 other internal subsystems – as the single source for maintenance information across the organization, fully integrating with their ERP backbone. The Maintenix software also fully integrates to LAN’s SPEC-2000 purchasing, shipping, and flight operations systems using standard interface products. By consolidating business information and offering greater organizational transparency, Maintenix is able to support the distributed nature of the LAN Alliance’s operating environment, spanning across the group’s nine airlines.

“LAN is committed to establishing high-level benchmarks for aviation maintenance, both within its own organization and within the industry,” said Dave Seibel, Chairman and CEO, Mxi Technologies.

Click here for full SOFTWARE details and for a demo

Supporting the front lines.

Benefitting the bottom lines.

With one of the worldʼs most effective aircraft maintenance software suites and a team of the worldʼs most experienced maintenance and operational consultants, EmpowerMX will help lift your productivity and profitability to new heights.

EmpowerMX.com

10 | NEWS & TECHNOLOGY | AIRCRAFT IT MRO | APRIL-MAY 2011

Alkym 5: a simple and faster solution

Zest Air selects TRAX for MRO operations

Volartec has fully redesigned Alkym to make it faster, more intuitive and versatile in an accessible environment. The new design also aims to provide access to all functionalities for what should be faster and simple results.

Alkym 5 aims to increase productivity by using the system to manage and control aircraft maintenance: it also incorporates a number of new features, including…

• Better results with the new user interface; • More customization to fit user needs; • Support for extended characters set; • Increased response times and strength; • Greater efficiency at work; • More efficient search, use and management of information; • Optimization on the scheduling and on the material resources utilization; • Online access to Documentation and Download Center.

In March 2011, TRAX USA Corp. announced a new partnership with Zest Air, an airline based in Manila and operating scheduled domestic and international tourist services, mainly feeder services linking Manila and Cebu with 24 domestic destinations in support of the trunk route operations of other airlines. The carrier has selected TRAX Maintenance, to manage their MRO operations.

Welcoming the move, Jose Almeida, President and CEO of TRAX USA Corp., said, “The signing of this contract reiterates our growing presence in Asia, a region that continues to provide us with new customers and endless opportunities.”

Zest Air will implement e4, the latest version of TRAX Maintenance. Comprised of over 20 modules and catering to virtually every aspect of airline maintenance. It will provide a range of services from material management and finance to technical records and reliability; at Zest Air aircraft, inventory, and maintenance activity information will all be integrated into a single system.

Aerosoft Systems’ DigiMAINT™ system goes live in Nigeria Aerocontractors of Nigeria Ltd. (Aero) goes live with local implementation of DigiMAINT™ in Lagos after several years experience of using the system under CHC’s ASP/ SaaS servers.

Aero operates a combined fleet of around 20 helicopters and 15 fixed wing aircraft ranging from 50 seat Dash 8 to 144 seat Boeing 737-400/500, and employs about 1,300 personnel. Currently the fastest growing Nigerian passenger carrier, Aero is focused on bringing customers world class aviation services with affordable fares, quality onboard services, good customer relations with effective online services and operational competence. Aero is proud of its punctuality and safety record and has established itself as the leading regional and innovative carrier in West Africa.

Want to keep up with IT developments?

Subscribe for FREE to AircraftIT eJournal MRO today to receive all future eJournals!

• For case studies, keynote white papers, latest news & technology; all the knowledge you need

Subscribe here for free – it takes a few moments.

ISSUE 1 • APRIL/MAY 2011

ISSUE 1 • APRIL/MAY 2011

ISSUE 1 • APRIL/MAY 2011

Are you Are readyou readyou y? Are y? ready?

Selecting and impleme Selecting Selecting nting and impleme ntingand implementing an MRO solution an MRO solution an MRO solution

True ERP software for airlines?

True ERP software for airlines?

True ERP software for airlines?

Joined-up thinking: LinkingJoined-up thinking: LinkingJoined-up thinking: Linking multiple solutions multiple solutions multiple solutions Fast MRO Implementation: Fast MRO Implementa MRO Implementa tion:Fast tion: the benefits the benefi the benefi ts ts MRO IT: mapping the futureMRO IT: mapping the future MRO IT: mapping the future White Papers: SAKS Consulting • Conduce White Papers: SAKS Consulting • Conduce White Papers: SAKS Consulting • Conduce Consulting Consulting Consulting Case Studies: Gol Linhas Aereas • Kingfi Case Studies: Gol Linhas Aereas • Kingfi Case Studies: Gol Linhas Aereas • Kingfi sher Airlines • Sol Linhas Aereas sher Airlines • Sol Linhas Aereas sher Airlines • Sol Linhas Aereas Aircraft IT MRO V1.1 April-May 2011.indd

1

Aircraft IT MRO V1.1 April-May 2011.indd

1

Aircraft IT MRO V1.1 April-May 2011.indd

1

27/04/2011 13:06

27/04/2011 13:06

27/04/2011 13:06

APRIL-MAY 2011 | AIRCRAFT IT MRO | NEWS & TECHNOLOGY | 11

Simplified EO generation from Lufthansa Technik which serves as a basis for the required customer decision. Based on the decision about the implementation of a task, a customer specific Engineering Order can be edited within m/modification.

Interfaces to the manage/m® applications for time tracking and scheduling as well as an interface for creating job orders ensure the module’s full integration into the manage/m® WebSuite.

manage/m® enhances customer service

Lufthansa Technik’s new manage/m® WebService m/modification targets the process of transforming relevant documents into Engineering Orders (EO) by running the source document through a four-step-process, which lets the customer make the decision on its implementation.

Transforming relevant documents – Service Bulletins, Airworthiness Directives or other authority requirements – into an Engineering Order (EO) requires clearly defined procedures relevant for both engineers and customers. That process is simplified with manage/m®’s new WebService m/modification. Within m/modification, the source documents of OEMs and Aviation Authorities concerning supplementary maintenance (e.g. Service Bulletins, Airworthiness Authority Requirements) can be processed and transferred to a customer specific maintenance task which will lead to an Engineering Order.

Replacing the old applications used for creating Engineering Orders, m/ modification is Lufthansa Technik’s modern way of digitizing the process of document releases concerning supplementary maintenance. The engineer works through a four step process to create an EO starting from the point of the released source document. Users can also, via an easy to use screen mask, use Lufthansa Technik’s compliance proof recommendations concerning how to handle different tasks. Lufthansa Technik’s engineering opinion will be provided to each affected customer via a detailed Customer Approval Sheet

The manage/m® department of Lufthansa Technik has centralized its customer services in its product management sub-division. The enlarged remit of the product management team now encompasses all kinds of customer services, including support in customer acquisition, coordination of the customer phase-in and even on-site trainings for clients. Thus, the team supports customers on location and also manages a variety of helpful instruction programs.

From its home base Frankfurt, the product management team also serves as the centralized point of contact for all kinds of questions concerning manage/ m®. With the extended range of services the manage/m® product managers support the quality of active customer assistance keeping a clear focus on what matters most – customer satisfaction.

Commsoft signs major European deals

Already this year, Communications Software (Airline Systems) Limited (Commsoft) has settled two major deals in Europe. The first was an arrangement with Arpiem Servicii de Aviatie SRL (Arpiem), a Romanian technical services management organisation working with aviation operations across Europe.

Arpiem will be using Commsoft’s OASES (Open Aviation Strategic Engineering System) software to provide bespoke technical management and CAMO (Continuing Airworthiness Management Organisation) services to executive operators, general aviation and airlines in Europe.

In the other direction, Arpiem will be offering its expertise to Commsoft, aiding rapid implementations to new OASES customers, as part of Commsoft’s growing network of specialist integration partners.

In a further deal, Yes Airways (Yes), a new Polish airline, has chosen Commsoft OASES for managing the maintenance of its fleet and to support its planned charter operations with Airbus A320 aircraft. To begin with, Yes will be operating two

Airbus A320s and has plans to expand, adding at least four more aircraft over the next two years.

Using the OASES system means that Commsoft can extend the support it offers to Yes as it grows, adding more modules as the client requires them.

Commsoft will help rapidly implement OASES so that Yes will be able to quickly obtain CAMO approval and begin operations as planned in late April this year.

At Yes Airways, the OASES system will initially cover: • Reliability, Tech Logs and Defect Control; • Technical Records and Forecasting; • AD/SB Evaluation; • Planning and Workpack Production; • Digital Documentation for Workcard Manual Attachments; • AMP Revision Management.

12 | CASE STUDY: GOL LINHAS AEREAS | AIRCRAFT IT MRO | APRIL-MAY 2011

BoB and ERP: Working together, IT works

Fernando Moura de Lucena, Manager Business Solutions IT at VRG Airlines (Gol Group) tells how the effective implementation of a best of breed MRO system with ERP and Flight Ops system can drive cost savings and increased productivity

I

t’s long been a matter of discussion in our industry as to which package to implement: a best of breed MRO (maintenance, repair & operations) or ERP (enterprise resource planning) system. In 2006 we were discussing what options were available for us to introduce to equip the business with the technological resources needed to drive our planned growth. Because we were an airline and not a classic MRO (repair station), we were concerned to ensure that the project to implement a new control system for maintenance should meet all the functional requirements of our current line maintenance operation and the future needs of our heavy maintenance operation (in our own hangars).

At the time we operated a fleet of 112 Boeing 737 NG aircraft in a typical line maintenance operation, sending any of our aircraft that needed heavy maintenance to an external repair station. But, projecting future needs for heavy maintenance in the fleet, we had initiated the construction of our own hangar for that work. At the same time, we also started a project to replace the current maintenance system with one that would be better configured for maintenance and materials planning, and task scheduling. Also, from a corporate standpoint, we needed to adapt this new system so that it could be integrated with the company’s financial controls. Since 2004 we had been running an ERP package as our financial system. This project for a new maintenance system would have to be able to interface with the ERP for accounting and tax purposes when booking purchases, transfers and materials consumption.

The main justification for a new maintenance package was the clear need for a system with better planning capabilities. Up until that time we had had

“…in addition to materials, we had to take account of manpower (quantity, location and skills) and time (availability of aircraft) resources necessary to accomplish maintenance tasks; so a ‘resources planning capability’ was an absolute necessity.”

Fernando Moura de Lucena, Manager Business Solutions IT at VRG Airlines (Gol Group) a good control system that operated well in terms of forecasting based on the frequency and intervals of maintenance tasks with some level of materials forecasting. Given the new reality of planning to undertake more heavy maintenance within our own facilities, we would need to go beyond the capabilities of the current system, to be able to not only take care of forecasting in the same way that the current system could but also to work with greater resources and within more extensive constraints. We also had to bear in mind that, in addition to materials, we had to take account of manpower (quantity, location and skills) and time (availability of aircraft) resources necessary to accomplish maintenance tasks; so a ‘resources planning capability’ was an absolute necessity. The variable ‘time’ component within required resources for planning purposes was the most critical one because Gol’s maintenance program was based on single running task cards (approximately 6000 single task cards effective for all aircraft in the fleet), following the MSG3 philosophy.

Using this system, any ‘aircraft out of service’ event is always analyzed to check whether the ground crew is qualified and equipped to perform the required maintenance tasks.

Remembering that our old maintenance control system was also responsible for aircraft movements,

we had to take into account the necessity of a further replacement for that purpose when a dedicated MRO system was implemented. So, a parallel project was launched to implement a new system for aircraft movement control (aircraft rotation), replacing the existing functionality on the old maintenance system.

On the maintenance side of this project there was still a requirement to interface both systems in order to ensure online updating of aircraft hours flown and maintenance cycles, and thus the components that would have to be available.

Therefore the scope of our project had had to be broadened to take into account all the requirements of maintenance control, either line or heavy maintenance, and of interfacing the new system with the ERP (financial) and the Flight Operations system (also new), without in any way compromising or degrading the company’s technical or financial controls.

In summary, we had to address the following scenario: • An existing system for controlling maintenance tasks and materials but without many resources for planning those maintenance tasks and materials: this system was also responsible for the fleet’s records of flying hours and maintenance cycles (aircraft rotations);

APRIL-MAY 2011 | AIRCRAFT IT MRO | CASE STUDY: GOL LINHAS AEREAS | 13

• An ERP responsible for all financial control including inventory accounting, and interfaced with the maintenance controlling system (tracking events in the maintenance system and the accountability counterpart in the ERP system); • The necessity of changing the current maintenance control system for another with better planning features (including finite capacity planning) but without the inclusion of aircraft rotation information.

Furthermore we were faced with the question of choosing between a specialized system (BoB – best of breed – MRO system) or a generic one (ERP).

As we already used an ERP system specifically for the company’s financial controls, the task of evaluating its capability for maintenance control against our project requirements was relatively simple. We already knew the ERP system’s capacity for managing maintenance processes in various industries. But, in the event, when it came to addressing specific requirements of aircraft maintenance processes, including scheduling different kinds of tasks, planning resources or materials tracking – even a simple requirement to register a part number or materials transfers – our ERP system was not able to deliver a satisfactory result.

Most people would expect systems categorized as ‘BoB’ to be small, for local usage, and suitable only for small operations. Many companies make use of Excel spreadsheets, also considered as BoB, for a series of controls and it works for them; it depends on the type of business and the size of the company.

For us, this was not the case: we had a fleet of 112 aircraft (now 114), a hangar under construction and a line maintenance operation in more than 40 stations (now with 63, 51 national and 12 international stations). A BoB system would have to support and manage the work of thousands of people.

We currently have over 2,000 employees in the aircraft maintenance area using the new system.

In an evaluation of required functionalities and features for the proper implementation of controls and maintenance routines, the following considerations were established in order to compare the features of ERP and an expert system (BoB) as follows: • A BoB MRO system provides all the terms (language, dictionary) used in aviation. In terms of better adaptation and acceptance of a new system, the

“A BoB MRO system has specific controls for aircraft maintenance needs found only in such systems. To implement the same features in an ERP system inevitably would generate excessive costs of customization” application of known expressions from the daily usage of the normal users is an extremely important factor during the phase of getting used to the new system. This feature can be easily understood by the users as a characteristic of readiness.

• A BoB MRO system has specific controls for aircraft maintenance needs found only in such systems. To implement the same features in an ERP system inevitably would generate excessive costs of customization.

• A specific solution for MRO is built according to the typical processes carried out in an airline, repair station or M & E (maintenance and engineering) area, which are often already compliant with the requirements of aeronautical authorities and international organizations (FAA, EASA, IATA). An ERP solution provides for the best practices of a number of industries.

• MRO systems are often natively integrated with flight operation systems. In terms of control and traceability this is a big difference, something that if were to be created in an ERP would necessitate a major degree of customization (as we know, you need a reference date, time and airport information; this would make the installation and removal of components, a hard task for an ERP system to run).

That said, having a good to excellent interface with the ERP was essential to ensure the quality and accuracy of financial and accounting controls. Due to the fact that our company is listed on the New York and São Paulo Stock Exchanges, all financial reports and compliance status must be generated by the company’s official financial system, which has its internal processes approved and properly audited. Also, although a BoB MRO system has full capability Click here for full SOFTWARE details and for a demo

AMOS

OFF TO NEW HORIZONS

–

THE WORLD-CLASS MAINTENANCE & ENGINEERING SYSTEM SPREADS ITS WINGS TO THE AMERICAS WWW.SWISS-AS.COM

represented in the Americas

by Lufthansa Systems (Miami, FL, USA)

14 | CASE STUDY: GOL LINHAS AEREAS | AIRCRAFT IT MRO | APRIL-MAY 2011

for tracking technical materials transactions, the ERP system is the one responsible for managing the materials inventory in terms of cost (it represents a large percentage of the company’s equity) and other accounting controls. The challenge then was to live with two systems, because an airline has to record non-aeronautical materials, services and transactions in as large quantities as are used in the aircraft maintenance process. So, the particular operational needs of each system and process must be understood to avoid, among other things, too much effort spent on software customization from both sides. Nowadays there are a great many MRO systems with APIs (application programming interfaces) already developed to work with major ERP systems in the market.

Therefore we defined the scope of our project as the need to replace the old maintenance control system by another with better planning capabilities, and able to adapt to the need to interface it with the company’s ERP system. At the same time, we would also need to replace the present aircraft movements system (running inside the old maintenance control system).

Even before starting the project we faced some critical issues, as follows: • Project organization: we had great difficulty in mobilizing the necessary people from areas outside the maintenance area. In the maintenance area, a designated project manager coming from the business increased the mobilization and participation of people from that area. For other parts of the business, the support of senior management levels was essential to guarantee the same degree of commitment.

• Process mapping: critical and important processes in the aircraft maintenance area were reviewed based on the best practices made possible by the new system, plus we took advantage of the opportunity to correct old systemic problems.

• Critical data migration from the old system: this was a decisive factor to ensure a successful implementation. We had a database built up over nearly nine years of operation. FROM-TO scripts between tables were constructed very carefully to avoid data integrity problems. Multiple data consistency checks were carried out with the help of the vendor to ensure maximum data integrity.

• Training: Approximately 2,400 people had to be trained in the various modules of the new system, across diverse areas of the business: line maintenance, hangar, engineering, maintenance technical control, inventory and materials receiving; all at different locations. The challenge was to accomplish all the training needs, taking into consideration the availability of people, and within a period of four months. In order to manage that we arranged a total of 16 full time training rooms in five different locations (including our new hangar), material for training (books and written tests) and training environments (databases) preloaded with a specific database prepared for the purpose of the training. A team of trainers, formed of employees from different areas of the business, was prepared by the supplier in order to replicate the training locally. In addition, a CBT (computer based

APRIL-MAY 2011 | AIRCRAFT IT MRO | CASE STUDY: GOL LINHAS AEREAS | 15

“Some interface files, for example purchase orders and part number registrations, were broadcast online and in real time. Materials transfers between separate stations were passed at the end of day, in a batch interface”

training) program was created to be available for refresher courses after the regular period of training.

• Interface: the objective was to avoid compromising the effectiveness of the maintenance process, materials traceability control and, to make best use of the resources planning functions and capabilities of the new MRO system; it had been decided to run all procurement processes, material receiving and movement, in the MRO system. This proposal in the beginning caused some discontent mainly because we would have two systems in the company responsible for procurement (ERP would still process the demand for non-aeronautical items), but in the end it was decided to comply with the requirements of the maintenance area, defined on the project.

• Two companies, two fleets, two systems: at the time when we were selecting the new MRO system, our company had recently acquired Varig, a legacy airline company in Brazil.

For some time after the acquisition, Gol and Varig had continued to operate as separate companies with the fleets of both companies kept in different places using their own controls and systems.

One option had been for the Varig maintenance control system to be discontinued in favor of the system used by Gol. The Brazilian Civil Aviation Authority then determined that the new company resulting from the merger of Gol and Varig should run one single maintenance control system and have a single maintenance control process.

That ruling supplied one more justification for the project. It also resulted in new challenges, when the target given by the Brazilian CAA was considered as the deadline for implementation of the new system, which was also seen as the solution to the dual controlling system problem.

Still concerning the interface between the MRO and the ERP systems, a process change has been applied in the project to correct an existing error that existed in the previous interface between the old MRO system and the ERP. In the previous model, there was a process interface where transactions were done on one system and modified in the other. For example, a purchase order was generated in the MRO system and was supplemented or even changed in the ERP. Several times a change made in one was not done well in the other and this caused several problems for the records control. In the new interface we determined to change the concept: in future, all processes should take place in one system with only the final result (the data) transmitted to the other. In the same example of a purchase order, this should be fully accomplished in the MRO system with the final information (purchase order number) being reported to the ERP, which could only make changes through a new approval. The entire approval hierarchy was in the ERP. From a technical standpoint, the interface between both systems was created using a middleware system, responsible for managing the dispatch of interface files in both directions. Some interface files, for example purchase orders and part number registrations, were broadcast online and in real time.

Materials transfers between separate stations were passed at the end of day, in a batch interface.

An important point in the implementation strategy and one that has made all the difference in the project timeline was to focus on the defined project scope. Integrations and processes not directly affected by the change of MRO system as well as the correction of systemic problems that had been persisting over time were not included in the scope. In an operation that had been running for several years many problems had accumulated, and people formed the expectation that those problems would be solved once the new project had been implemented. But addressing such problems could

have been a diversion from achievement of the main project objectives which boiled down to: • New technology and processes for the maintenance area; • Support for the growth of the maintenance area; • Reduced operational costs; • Increased fleet availability.

Another outcome from the project in the maintenance area was the creation of a competence center formed by employees who were actively involved throughout the project in process design, data validation, testing and acceptance; including working as trainers helping to replicate the training originally delivered by the vendor. These employees were divided into teams according to the main areas where users worked: • Hangar team; • Line Maintenance team; • Engineering team; • Supply Chain team.

As a main mission, this team provides functional support, serving as a level 1 user assistance help desk as well as a focal point in discussions for improvement and validation of new versions.

Flight Ops System Integration Everybody knows the importance of good interface and integration between the maintenance control process and the OCC (operational control center), regarding the transmission of information about flying hours and cycles of the aircraft, and the components installed. When such integration can be managed through systems, real time information and quality can be achieved.

In our traditional process, the flight data (OUT - OFF - ON - IN) were supplied by ground staff at airports to our staff in the OCC by e-mail or by radio and were subsequently inserted into the control system, and for use by the maintenance area. With the arrival of a new flight ops system in December 2008, the ground staff at airports began to enter data directly into a web interface on the system, instantly updating the status of flights in both flight ops and maintenance systems.

Such integration is not only important in relation to keeping aircraft flying hours and cycles information up to date. If we could share the same view of the aircraft with both OCC and maintenance control area (the first observing the times of flights, landings and takeoffs, and the second paying attention to the times when aircraft are on the ground) would it be possible to better identify maintenance opportunities?

By ’maintenance opportunity’ I mean time when the aircraft is on the ground and when it is possible to perform maintenance tasks, given the character of our maintenance program (as explained earlier, we have adopted single tasks running within the MSG3 philosophy for our fleet 737s).

16 | CASE STUDY: GOL LINHAS AEREAS | AIRCRAFT IT MRO | APRIL-MAY 2011

The introduction of new systems of flight ops (December 2008) and MRO (September 2009) has provided the following visual outputs: • Below we can see part of the screen of the new flight ops system, showing the schedule of maintenance for the aircraft prefix GTB in line station FLN. The colors (brown) and codes (CRT) show the criticality of the task as assigned by maintenance staff. Certain maintenance tasks, given a certain degree of criticality, cannot be amended except by their own maintenance team, in the source system (MRO system).

“This is a type of integration in two ways: first, we get information about aircraft availability coming from the flight ops system to the MRO system. Then, maintenance schedules created by the maintenance team are migrated to the flight ops system” Opportunities for gains

• The same maintenance schedule seen above (gray), is illustrated below as seen on part of the maintenance planning screen in the MRO system.

Note that the scheduling of flights is also displayed (blue) easily identifying opportunities for maintenance task programing.

What can we expect in terms of gain for the maintenance area with the implementation of a BoB MRO system integrated with an ERP system and a Flight Ops? In an airline, the maintenance area is typically seen as a ‘cost center’ or an area that does not generate income, only expenses. Therefore, thinking about profit possibilities in this area leads us to think about how to promote improvements in current processes aimed at getting a better use of resources and best practices made possible by the systems. Consider the following gains in different areas made possible by the design, integration and continued use of systems in the scenario shown so far. By area, we are going to have:

Maintenance

Finally, below, the same screen now showing more aircraft, scheduled maintenance tasks and assigned flights.

• The incorporation of best business practices with the implementation of the new system. Being a system designed specifically for control maintenance activities, its internal processes adhered perfectly to the business requirements, reducing levels of risk in the operation.

• Better quality controls and reports, once the new system is fully compliant to EASA and FAA requirements.

• In contrast with an ERP system, a BoB MRO system can easily accommodate changes. One thing that supports this capability is the level of the software vendor’s knowledge about the needs of users on specific processes. With an ERP, there possibly wouldn’t be immediate gains considering that the learning curve would be greater.

• Better capacity for programming and planning maintenance tasks due to the quality of features and great usability found in the new system. With a few keystrokes, several tasks can be rescheduled. With a faster reaction to operational changes, gains in time and quality are enormous. Gains are also achieved through good integration (native) with the flight operations system.

Back office • Better quality financial control through the new interface design and process (a data interface instead of a process interface).

Flight Ops (OCC)

This is a type of integration in two ways: first, we get information about aircraft availability coming from the flight ops system to the MRO system.

Then, maintenance schedules created by the maintenance team are migrated to the flight ops system. This interface happens at regular five minute intervals.

With this integration the maintenance team is able to schedule the maintenance tasks more precisely in accordance with the intervals of the maintenance program and, once done, this is informed in real time to the OCC. To avoid problems – because the OCC has the ‘power’ to delete assignments on the flight ops system, maintenance tasks can have different categories – expressed in codes and colors – from routine tasks to other mandatory or critical (AOG, for example) thus avoiding problems and mistakes and wrong interpretations.

The critical maintenance tasks, once assigned, can only be modified by the maintenance team on the MRO system.

• Negotiations over aircraft downtime, between the maintenance area and OCC, happen more dynamically due to the integration between the systems used by both areas. The codes created to identify the criticality of maintenance tasks makes it possible for the tasks to be completed successfully in less time.

IT • Less customization is required, due to the strong understanding of maintenance business requirements within the MRO system.

• Less effort is required to support and sustain the new operating system because it is more technologically advanced. And during the project, a whole internal process of service management was designed to facilitate and expedite the solution of incidents.

• As an ASP (application service provider) solution, there is reduced TCO (total cost of ownership), with negotiation of SLA (service level agreement) consistent with the real needs of the business.

• Active monitoring of the interface layer.

• Even with the cost of interface development, in general, a reduction of IT costs.

APRIL-MAY 2011 | AIRCRAFT IT MRO | CASE STUDY: GOL LINHAS AEREAS | 17

Conclusion Currently, serving three hangars and an operation serving more than 60 airports, the new MRO system is used to control and schedule all line or heavy maintenance tasks for a team of more than 2,000 maintenance technicians.

In line with the proposed objectives of the project, the maintenance area is constantly seeking to reduce the costs of existing processes primarily by the constant and efficient use of capabilities introduced with the new system.

Because it is a system aimed at controlling aircraft maintenance activities, in a typically MRO operation or in an airline, the new system was readily accepted by the user group who recognized its advantages and facilities. Specific controls and use of terms already familiar in the business were recognized as enhancing usage readiness.

A good interface with the company’s ERP and flight ops systems not only ensured greater flexibility and integrity in day-to-day transactions but also supported quality in the company’s technical and financial controls.

This is how the question about which would be the best tool to be implemented, an ERP system or a BoB MRO, was answered and handled in our company. Each scenario should be thoroughly evaluated to understand the advantages and disadvantages of deploying one system or another.

The fact is that for a successful implementation; good planning, and full participation of people at all levels in the business is essential for the success of the project.

Remember: at the end we are talking about people too. Good luck and a good project!.

“Because it is a system aimed at controlling aircraft maintenance activities, in a typically MRO operation or in an airline, the new system was readily accepted by the user group who recognized its advantages and facilities.

Specific controls and use of terms already familiar in the business were recognized as enhancing usage readiness”

Fernando moura de lucena Fernando Moura de Lucena currently serves as Manager, Business Solutions IT for VRG Airlines (Gol Group). He is responsible for managing new solutions and enhancement projects for the following business areas: Aircraft Maintenance, OCC, Crew Management, Engineering, Safety and Security. He brings to the role a proven track record across diverse airline operational areas spanning almost 15 years.

In addition to effectively meeting all of the business requirements for the projects he leads, Mr. Lucena also applies his extensive back-office integration experience to assure that the best solution from a business perspective is realized.

Mr. Lucena’s higher education includes his graduation from Brazilian Institute of Advanced Technology (IBTA) with a degree/certification in Information Technology and post graduate in Business Administration at Fundação Getulio Vargas (FGV/SP).

Questions & Feedback Since writing this case study Fernando Moura de Lucena has left the Gol Group to take up a position with Lufthansa Systems in South America (since 4th April 2011). He is available to answer any questions you have regarding the project as a whole. However, any questions which directly involve input from the Gol Group will be answered by João Flavio Assunção Mendonça, IT specialist, Gol Airlines who had a key role throughout the project.

INTERACTIVE

ASK THE AUTHOR A QUESTION

CLICK HERE to leave YOUR QUESTION

INTERACTIVE

JOIN THE DEBATE

CLICK HERE to leave your feedback about this article and start or join a discussion

18 | WHITE PAPER: SAKS | AIRCRAFT IT MRO | APRIL-MAY 2011

Are you ready for an enterprise wide MRO system?

From hubris to failed implementations, Sharhabeel Lone, Partner Global Business Strategy at SAKS Consulting maps the likely challenges when selecting and implementing an MRO solution

“J

udge a man not by his answers, but by his questions.” Those were the words of French philosopher, Voltaire more than 300 years ago.

Over the past 15 years of implementing enterprise wide MRO (maintenance, repair and operation) systems, Voltaire’s comment has been perhaps the bulwark of assessing whether or not C-level executives, MRO senior management and their teams are headed towards a successful implementation. Typically, ‘What is the best solution out there?’ and ‘how much will this cost?’ are some of the first questions: whereas, the initial questions that should really be asked are, ‘Are we ready to do this?’ and ‘What is our primary driver?’

When asked recently how he felt at the end of a multi-year MRO technology implementation, a C-level executive replied, ‘We’ve just gone through open heart surgery’. And, just like heart surgery, the costs of the procedure for you as a sick patient are not the most important questions. The important questions are, ‘Do I have the right experienced medical team?’ ‘Are the operating room and support staff ready?’ and, ‘Are they equipped to carry out this procedure?’

Almost two decades ago, when asked to provide thought leadership, we were occasionally heckled when we spoke of a fast approaching time when Airline MRO organizations would have to prepare for an independent future because they would no longer be seen as part of an airline’s core business: a time they would be spun off as separate businesses competing head-on with pure play MROs. Today, again, we find ourselves predicting yet another inflection point, amid increasingly challenging times for the MRO industry, where we see new aircraft types, increased data requirements and a reticence of airlines and pure play MROs to accept current MRO cost structures.

“We see MRO business models in the future moving from becoming independent businesses to highly competitive cross-border consolidated entities. Securing that future requires technology backbones “ Sharhabeel Lone, Partner Global Business Strategy at SAKS Consulting We see MRO business models in the future moving from becoming independent businesses to highly competitive cross-border consolidated entities. Securing that future requires technology backbones that can not only enable best practices in a fully compliant manner but ones that are fully integrated: able to plug and play new technologies handling the requirements for ever more sophisticated data provisioning whilst providing real time enterprise wide visibility.

So why is it that MRO organizations are generally so poor at enterprise wide technology implementations: or, for that matter, at implementing most technology projects? In many cases it’s plain old hubris mixed with a lack of commitment from the business. How difficult can it be to do a selection, right?

With decades of successful experience of the initial provisioning of billion dollar fleets, the ability to solve complex engineering problems in little time, planning for the servicing of multiple fleets without disrupting the network, regularly stripping down and building back up half a million disparate parts and boasting inventories ranging from the millions to the hundreds of millions of

APRIL-MAY 2011 | AIRCRAFT IT MRO | WHITE PAPER: SAKS 19

dollars; ‘How difficult can it be to put in a computer system for you IT folks?’.

Voltaire would not have been happy with that last question. These are business led programs and not IT led ones. No matter how many times this is said, it rarely sinks in to the depth required within most organizations.

MRO organizations across the world are embarking ever more aggressively on the thorny path of enterprise wide technology implementations. Europe, which started at the bleeding edge a decade ago, bears the deep scars of such programs.

Asia came next and North America has just reached the start of the curve. From SARS to 9-11 to the global financial crisis there have been many reasons to put off programs like this.

MRo Program Lifecycle

© 2011 SAKS Consulting: All Rights Reserved

Those that have gone through the ‘looking glass’ of implementations and come back out have almost put such implementations behind them and are looking to newer value added technologies that they can ‘plug’ into their shiny new technology backbones. The naysayers and fence sitters have busied themselves during this period by sticking increasing numbers of plasters over the ever widening cracks that are leaking compliance related issues from their tired legacy systems. The hope seems to be that, as they have happily muddled through for 20 years, perhaps they can do the same for a ‘little’ longer. The ‘little’ is undefined but the realisation fast dawning that it may have already passed.

What we’ve learnt from this past decade of global MRO technology implementations is that the crux of success lies at the selection stage. Yet it isn’t as much about selecting an actual vendor as it is about how thoroughly an organization prepares itself during this stage to avoid the pitfalls for the grinding and very difficult task ahead, that of implementation.

A few statistics from our recent 2011 survey of global MRO implementations tells a sordid tale of a lack of this understanding at the outset of these programs.

As a result, average cost overruns of up to 250% are not uncommon.

Programs that run up to three times the expected timelines whilst delivering only half the expected functionality make up © 2011 SAKS Consulting: All Rights Reserved the carcasses of failed or underwhelming ON TIME, ON BUDGET, AS PLANNED… implementations. Only UNFULFILLED EXPECTATIONS 10% claim that they were on time and on budget within their designated factors of error.

On the plus side we have recently come across aggressive and revitalized heads (EVPs, SVPs, VPs) of MRO organizations looking to put in leading © 2011 SAKS Consulting: All Rights Reserved edge enterprise wide

“The naysayers and fence sitters have busied themselves during this period by sticking increasing numbers of plasters over the ever widening cracks that are leaking compliance related issues from their tired legacy systems.“ technology systems ‘yesterday’. However we have also found that they can be shot down by cautious CIOs who know that any large enterprise wide failure would ultimately be laid at their door. They have also been shot down by CFOs who remain unconvinced of the hypothetical NPV (net present value) driven business cases and forecasted glittering ROI (return on investment) figures; in most cases rightly so.

These frustrated heads of maintenance, tasked with moving old world organizations into the new world are justified to quote the African proverb: ‘I pointed to the moon and the stars and all the glory of the heavens above, but all you saw was the end of my finger.’ However, sometimes their own limited understanding of such mega implementations is partly to blame. Furthermore, an historical less than stellar record of delivery of technology implementations and other change initiatives in most MRO environments plays a critical part in the widespread anxiety at the C-level to sign off on what are typically hefty implementation budgets.

And so we see a common cycle of procrastination which includes costly and often unhelpful department specific mini-projects and enterprise wide selection projects. Many are initiated by MRO organizations either to pacify disgruntled middle managers who have been promised change for a long time. Some to allow a little ‘play time’ to senior managers whose hands are tied behind their back due to the limitations of current systems and who have to figure out ways of meeting ever more oppressive KPIs (key performance indicators). Some projects are undertaken for little more purpose than to give a semblance that something is being done.

At times we have found the same vendor selected three times in three different selection exercises over as many or more years, but the decision-making at the executive board then wavering. For a few, at different levels in the organization, we find relief and hope that by the time a non-decision has been ‘made’ at the executive level, the key players involved in the project will have moved on to other things or different roles in the organization. The reasons stem from fear of change, to the belief that the organization can’t handle the required amount of change to a highly politicized landscape that spells the death knell of such large projects no matter what the reasoning, though we sometimes find some of this devolves into camps of opposing choices of vendor.

Today, many tier one and tier two MROs find themselves at a bottleneck, with inadequate and disparate legacy systems, and a technology environment that, in the main, has been neglected for far too long: a situation as unacceptable as it is unsustainable. In our opinion, the concentration on ROI for MRO technology implementation business cases is no longer among the top three drivers.

When we present business cases to global corporate boards, and this has been particularly the basis of our presentations over the last three years, the number one driver and justification element is regulatory compliance.

With the level of underinvestment in both strategy and enterprise wide technologies in many MRO environments over the last few decades, the focus on ROI is a misnomer. These are mammoth change projects that the board must accept have to be done. They must be identified as the number one priority for a CEO of either an airline (not just the EVP/SVP/VP of maintenance) or the CEO of a pure play MRO. Only then will the discussion at board level be focused entirely on ‘what do we need to do to ensure a successful implementation’.

Vendors or systems integrators making their play through talk about short term ROI and low hanging fruit who’s harvesting will somehow miraculously fund these complex implementations should be gently shown the door. No matter how brilliant the studies and potential inventory savings, the offset change management, data cleansing and integration costs alone will dwarf any up front

20 | WHITE PAPER: SAKS | AIRCRAFT IT MRO | APRIL-MAY 2011

Sharhabeel Lone

“A healthy understanding of reality and knowledge from past global MRO implementations, in an industry that is both incestuous and, from our experience, happy to share lessons learned, should be important components in the toolkit of MRO selection teams.”

Sharhabeel Lone is a SAKS Consulting Partner and leads the Aerospace and Defence Practice.

He has advised airlines extensively on Process Improvement, Business case Development for Mega-Implementations, Program and Project Management. Sharhabeel is recognised in providing ‘Thought Leadership’ to airline boards on global mega-implementations in Maintenance and Engineering and has many years of strategy consulting experience having worked with leading global strategy consultancies advising clients in Europe, North America, the Middle East and South East Asia.

Sharhabeel holds a Batchelor’s degree from Kings College London and a Masters in Engineering from Imperial College London and Oxford University with Executive Education at Harvard Business School.

About SAKS Consulting

savings that may theoretically be achieved. A healthy understanding of reality and knowledge from past global MRO implementations, in an industry that is both incestuous and, from our experience, happy to share lessons learned, should be important components in the toolkit of MRO selection teams.

Particularly with regards to realistic timelines, these mega implementations are as much about the MRO organizations’ ability to handle the upcoming change as about the vendor or SI’s (systems integrator’s) ability to meet milestones. The expectations of unrealistic timelines has derailed many a project both from a budgeting perspective as well as losing, often completely and crucially, the executive commitment of the board.

That is not to say an ROI is not possible. If the implementation has exceptional executive commitment throughout its lifecycle, is managed (with the focus here on program, project and change management) and executed well, the savings from implementation of best practice processes enabled by the new technologies can, over the medium to long term, deliver significant ROI. The caveated challenges above are traditionally the primary problem areas of such implementations.

Hence walking through the ‘looking glass’ presents a myriad of challenges that typically most MRO organizations are neither well prepared for nor, is there often the appropriate mechanism to get help before things turn ugly. The effort the implementation will require is almost always underestimated. Moreover, the extent to which the original goals are met during the project is heavily

influenced not necessarily by the degree of freedom the vendor solution will or will not allow but to the discipline to which the MRO organization is willing to adhere. A strategy based on outsourcing organizational problems to systems integrators only results in further problems, not solutions and not workable penalties.

From unstructured selection processes that are not change management driven, shutting out the vast majority of tomorrow’s users, to a lack of transparency that has organizations constantly second guessing selection decisions. From a lack of understanding of the need for several iterations of the cross process visibility of the current MRO business to signed contracts that demonstrate little knowledge of what MRO organizations are buying from vendors and systems integrators.

From unnecessarily large implementation teams to poor understanding of data cleansing effort.

And from consulting teams that have insufficient MRO knowledge to the lack of formal independent audit. All of these and more form the basis of the real reasons underlying many a failed MRO implementation.

Enterprise wide MRO solutions have changed the face of our industry, transforming the enterprise by applying best business practices and integrating core business processes to improve responsiveness, competitiveness and profitability. The challenges must be understood, approached with open eyes, grasped with both hands and sleeves rolled up.

Taming these ‘implementation beasts’ is as much an art as it is a science.

“…the extent to which the original goals are met during the project is heavily influenced not necessarily by the degree of freedom the vendor solution will or will not allow but to the discipline to which the MRO organization is willing to adhere. ”

SAKS Consulting is an international management consultancy with a unique practice focused and dedicated to delivering successful enterprise wide MRO technology implementations. Its services range from putting together business strategies through to facilitating and managing the formulation of RFPs, selection and implementation programmes. As a vendor independent consulting organisation, it is a recognised leader in driving through change management led, MRO best practice incorporated, enterprise wide programs globally.

Its extensive audit work on MRO technology implementations as part of an unparalleled risk management and reassurance toolset maintains confidence at board level and gives valuable critical feedback to project teams. SAKS Consulting is an important partner for any MRO organisation embarking on such a programme.

ASK THE EXPERT: MRO SYSTEMS IMPLEMENTATION QUERIES Sharhabeel and his team at SAKS Consulting have planned and performed many enterprise wide MRO technology implementations and have rescued many failing projects. He is available now to answer any queries you may have and to offer keynote advice. Click on the ‘ask the author a question below’ and contact Sharhabeel directly.

The best questions will be published in the next eJournal. Sharhabeel is also available to answer questions all your round via the ‘Ask the Expert’ feature at the AircraftIT MRO website.

INTERACTIVE

ASK THE AUTHOR A QUESTION

CLICK HERE to leave YOUR QUESTION

INTERACTIVE

JOIN THE DEBATE

CLICK HERE to leave your feedback about this article and start or join a discussion

APRIL-MAY 2011 | AIRCRAFT IT MRO | WEBINARS | 21

Upcoming Live Software Demonstration Webinars at www.AircraftIT.com this June Sign up to free live online software demonstrations for a perfect introduction to two of the world’s leading MRO Software vendors and to learn how they can assist and add value to your operations

E

very two weeks AircraftIT MRO Portal hosts a live software demonstration webinar; each event delivered by a different IT vendor. These sessions provide the perfect opportunity for you to learn directly, from the major IT Vendors serving airlines, MROs and aircraft operators, about different MRO software solutions available in the market and how they might add real, across the board value to your operations.

During each online webinar session, the host IT vendor delivers a live software demonstration of their solution and explains how it can assist airlines, MROs and aircraft operators. You, as an online delegate, can ask questions via the interactive white board or

“…learn directly, from the major IT Vendors serving airlines, MROs and aircraft operators, about different MRO software solutions available…” simply sit back and watch the demonstration. There are two separately scheduled sessions during the day to accommodate all time zones.

Click on the links on the following pages for full details about each session and to sign up. Volartec and Mxi Technologies will confirm your participation

and you will receive your login details with full instructions on how to enter the Webinar sessions.

For a full list of upcoming Live Software Demonstartion webinar sessions visit www.aircraftIT. com for full information and to plan which sessions you wish to attend.

Click here for full SOFTWARE details and for a demo

EVOLVE The world of aviation maintenance is evolving. Maintenance organizations looking to maintain their competitive edge and safeguard their future need adaptable maintenance software. With its unparalleled commitment to quality and innovation, Mxi Technologies delivers industry-leading software that lets you keep pace.

Don’t just react to changes in the aviation industry. Evolve with them.

Join the Evolution. mxi.com/evolve

22 | WEBINARS | AIRCRAFT IT MRO | APRIL-MAY 2011

Live Software Demonstration Webinar: Volartec Alkym Maintenance Solution n Session 1: 9th June 2011, 5am GMT n Session 2: 9th June 2011, 3pm GMT n Duration: 1 hour plus Q&A.

Alkym – Now is the time to set the benchmark

n Session Agenda z What is Alkym? z The Functional Architecture z The General Features z Alkym at a glance z Who uses Alkym? z The main Benefits z The key Differentiators z A tour of the recently released Alkym v5.

Volartec provide an outline of their Live Software Demonstration Webinar and what you can expect to see during the session.

T

oday, everything is about benchmarking. Technological advances have revolutionised how consumers, people and companies, plan and perform their acquisitions in more intelligent ways: this, in turn, allows users to utilize this technology to ensure the right decisions for their business.

The MRO software arena is no exception. That’s why an assessment and comparison among different products, contrasting what each product can bring to your operation against what will the cost be to you, is crucial. Then you have to consider how the software company can support your future requests and help you to continuously increase your quality and efficiency. The first live webinar for AircraftIT MRO was chosen with this in mind.

Alkym® Management and Control System for Aircraft Maintenance is the one with which the others need to be compared. Without doubt, it is the most cost effective solution available today. The proven technology, with its vast array of modules and the breadth of functionality currently available, just got better with Alkym v5. Hard to believe? Then sign up to the live webinar and see for yourself.

Volartec prides itself on exceeding the expectations and targets set by our customer base. As an ISO 9001:2008 certified company, our customer satisfaction rating is measured annually. We

consistently receive outstanding results, far higher than the software market average. Don’t just take our word for it. This is what some of our clients have had to say.

“The team that arrived to assist us with the implementation were extremely professional and delivered on all aspects that had been promised. In fact we felt they exceeded our expectations.”

Head of Purchasing Department with UM Airlines – Ukraine.

“We were amazed just how advanced the system was to meet our needs both now and long into the future. When we compared the price to the other high end solutions available no one came close to offering us the value for money that Volartec did.”

Engineering Manager with Aeronexus – South Africa.

“Alkym is a complete system which offers the best cost-effective benefit for CONVIASA and its entire fleet.”

Maintenance Director at Conviasa – Venezuela The mix of companies across three continents above is just a small sample of the clients we are currently serving. In our growing portfolio, we have Flag carriers, LCC, Regional operators, Rotary Wing operators, military organisations and MRO facilities. We deal exclusively in the aviation software business and have a team with vast aviation experience that mixes seamlessly with our IT experts.

If you are in the market for software that will meet your needs now and long into the future then it would be remiss of you not to attend. We look forward to speaking with you in more detail on the day. Our passion for this business will be highlighted when you see the live webinar of Alkym v5.

INTERACTIVE

JOIN THE WEBINAR

CLICK HERE to VIEW FULL DETAILS AND SIGN UP FOR THIS FREE WEBINAR

APRIL-MAY 2011 | AIRCRAFT IT MRO | WEBINARS | 23

Live Software Demonstration Webinar: Mxi Technologies Maintenix System n Session 1: 23rd June 2011, 5am GMT n Session 2: 23rd June 2011, 3pm GMT n Duration: 1 hour plus Q&A.

Looking for MRO Software?

Considerations and requirements for MRO system replacement n Session Agenda z 0-15 mins: Next generation maintenance management and the optimized enterprise. z 15-45 mins: The key impact areas of the Maintenix software. z 45-60 mins: Business benefits and metrics achieved by Maintenix customers.

Mxi Technologies provide an outline of their Live Software Demonstration Webinar and what you can expect to see during the session.

Speaker Biographies

A

viation maintenance is an information intensive business. As a result, selecting an MRO software system that is able both to capture and communicate the essential value of that information while, at the same time, supporting real time decision making is fundamental to a sustainable competitive advantage and an optimized maintenance organization.

This webinar, presented by Mxi Technologies, will explore the advantages and benefits of 3rd generation maintenance management through the perspective of customer implementations of Maintenix software.

Join us on June 23rd to learn how Mxi Technologies’ Maintenix software will: • Enable significant savings across your maintenance organization; • Improve and simplify compliance; • Empower decision makers through real-time data capture and reporting capability; • Support business objectives for profitability, predictability, and future growth.

Who should attend?

This webinar is best suited for business decision makers considering an MRO replacement.

Jeff Cass, Chief Technical Officer, B.Eng, Mechanical With over 25 years of experience in MRO software industry, Jeff has a deep understanding of the business needs and requirements of aviation maintenance organizations. Jeff will speak to the evolution of aviation maintenance and how 3rd generation systems provide an unparalleled platform to support current and future-planned business models.

James Elliott, Manager, Technical Sales Support, B.Eng, Aerospace With over 11 years of experience in the implementation of Maintenix across commercial, OEM and defense aviation organizations, James understands the key customer requirements for next-generation maintenance management.

James will take attendees through an overview of the Maintenix software addressing key areas of organizational impact and the associated benefits.

Join the evolution. Sign up for Mxi Technologies’ free webinar today!

INTERACTIVE

JOIN THE WEBINAR

CLICK HERE to VIEW FULL DETAILS AND SIGN UP FOR THIS FREE WEBINAR

24 | CASE STUDY: SOL LINEAS AEREAS | AIRCRAFT IT MRO | APRIL-MAY 2011

Photo: © BAIRES Aviation Photography

Aircraft Maintenance Management and Control Software Systems do not require long implementation schedules Aer. Eng. Gustavo Daneri, Maintenance Director, Sol Lineas Aereas explains how a three week implementation program for a complete multi module solution has produced companywide benefits

S

“Like many start-up airlines, in the beginning we did not utilise all available tools to provide optimum productivity and ensure the most reliable service to our customers.

We had to concentrate on the core function of getting the operation under way. However, with all the pressures involved in this we found that our service delivery was not what we had expected.”

Aer. Eng. Gustavo Daneri, Maintenance Director, Sol Lineas Aereas

ol Lineas Aereas commenced operations in August 2006, having been incorporated in 2005. Based in Santa Fe, Argentina we launched the service with SAAB 340 A aircraft. Following five years of strong growth, and to accommodate this growth, we have this year signed agreements for two additional Saab 340 B Plus aircraft to join the fleet during April. This will bring the fleet size for the second quarter of 2011 up to eight Saab 340s, including the two Saab 340 B Plus.

Like many start-up airlines, in the beginning we did not utilise all available tools to provide optimum productivity and ensure the most reliable service to our customers. We had to concentrate on the core function of getting the operation under way.

However, with all the pressures involved in this we found that our service delivery was not what we had expected. In light of this, the technical department were tasked by the Board to investigate ways to: • Reduce aircraft time on the ground resulting from scheduled and non-scheduled maintenance, in order to increase fleet utilization. This would allow Sol to add new destinations to the network with increased frequencies to destinations already served.

• Increase the dispatchability of the fleet to meet the schedule or other management demands and reinforce Sol’s image as a regional leader.

• Improve and optimize the planning and forecasts of component and materials consumption (rotables to consumables) to reduce the impact on cash flow.

• Control and reduce maintenance costs.

• Improve planning and logistical supply management.

• Carry out statistical analysis of failures and breakage.

• Maximise preventive maintenance.

• Strengthen and consolidate maintenance management to support continued growth.

• Obtain predictability.

Further to this the finance department requested that the solution should, as a minimum, offer: • The ability to plan the financial resources allocated to aircraft maintenance and to reduce AOG (aircraft on ground) situations that seriously affected cash flow.

• An Interface to the Accounting Management System to update and quote the stock of rotables in real time, optimize the consumption of consumables, and quantify repairs and maintenance of rotables.

APRIL-MAY 2011 | AIRCRAFT IT MRO | CASE STUDY: SOL LINEAS AEREAS | 25

As with any new airline finding its feet the budget for the new system would have a limit: however, our expectations would not. We set up a team within the maintenance department to set the objectives and wish list for each section within the department. This team included representatives from each section to ensure all business processes were included in the objective setting process. In the end the committee had representatives from each of engineering, planning, maintenance and logistics departments. We felt it was critical to understand what we wanted before we went out into the market to look at products. The core areas identified fell broadly under the following headings: • Provide precise information to the maintenance staff in relation to scheduled maintenance, describing the resources needed (materials, tools and HHRR - human health risk resources), verify the availability of information in advance and make a more efficient use of those resources.

• Perform analyses of system reliability and components failure monitoring, and implement corrective actions; not only to improve reliability and fleet dispatchability but also to reduce maintenance costs.

• Reduce turnaround times for rotables reparation in order to keep stock in place when adding new aircraft.

• Reduce the stock of rotables in quarantine, stand by or pending failure confirmation, in order to make a more efficient use of them.

The team had a strong belief that whatever system we selected it should be extremely user friendly for those on the front line as well as those in the supporting areas. If we could not get all staff to utilise the system it would fail before we even began.

It was also considered important to ensure that, when we went to the market we selected a product that could grow with us; clearly, our needs would grow as our operation expanded. This was a process we wished only to enter into

once in the lifetime of the company. There were those amongst the executive team that had had bad experiences in the past with companies in which they had worked. Therefore it was very important for us to get it right first time. The other matter consistently raised during our research was the implementation project and the extent to which this would draw on our limited resources. Many people were telling us to plan for six to 18 months of heartbreak. We were certainly willing to do so and understood this was not going to be easy but felt that there must be something on the market that worked more efficiently than those timescales.

The market, we found, included software systems at a number of levels. It was quite daunting at first just to sift through those with which we should even begin to engage. However in the end through internet searches we identified ten companies to contact. After initial contact we whittled this number to five, based on price and functionality. For us COTS (commercial off-theshelf) software was the only option. Again we wished to maximise our functionality but to do this within a budget. We did not wish to be the testing ground for a new product so only products with a proven track record were selected.

Once we had identified our three short-listed contenders we set up a live presentation all of which we did on line to see each system in action. We then requested a quote from each and, most importantly for us, a list of customers who were using the software in a live operating environment. From this point we selected our top two choices and invited them to our facility for a full presentation of their respective products (we kept choice three on standby).

Making our final selection, based on all of the above criteria, Volartec’s Alkym® Management and Control System for Aircraft Maintenance was the system that we chose. The product had scalability and multiple modules available which allowed us to select what we needed now with the assurance that as we needed

“The team had a strong belief that whatever system we selected it should be extremely user friendly for those on the front line as well as those in the supporting areas. If we could not get all staff to utilise the system it would fail before we even began.”

Need Maintenance Software?

Do you also face the same challenges as Sol Linhas?

Could Alkym be your maintenance solution: why not see for yourself?

• Join the Live Software Demonstration online Webinar with Volartec at the AircraftIT MRO Portal.

• 9th June 2011, 5am GMT & 3pm GMT @ www.aircraftIT.com Learn about the Alkym Maintenance System and how it could benefit your operations.

Click here to access full information: about the Webinar Session and to book your attendance!

26 | CASE STUDY: SOL LINEAS AEREAS | AIRCRAFT IT MRO | APRIL-MAY 2011

further add-ons they were already available. We started with the core modules of Engineering, Planning, Maintenance Control, Reliability, Purchase & Repairs, Inventory, and Human Resources. A year later, we added the Quality Assurance module; plus some additional licenses to cover our growth. Also available to choose in the future, as and when we needed them, were Sales, Technical Library and Production Kiosk.

For Sol Lineas Aereas the main reason for choosing Volartec over the others was the promise that we would be operationally live in a very short time; they explained that the normal project time averaged just four to five weeks. Volartec would provide a project team to come on site and work hand-in-hand with our resources to ensure this deadline was achieved. In fact, once we sat and discussed the options available we were promised that our project could be completed in three weeks and this sealed the deal. In hindsight, I’d have to say that several people in our executive team were sceptical of this claim. Nevertheless, the onsite project that we paid for was scheduled for three weeks and, to ensure optimum use of this time, the Volartec team did what they termed ‘a pre-implementation phase’ prior to their arrival. During this process we provided them with all our current procedures, documentation and data on the existing fleet. We also provided remote access to our servers for their IT people to do the initial configuration of Alkym.

The onsite visit was conducted as promised and included the configuration of Alkym to match our business processes plus all of the training of our personnel.

They also trained us on migrating data into the system as well as bringing a number of our aircraft completely into the system. When completed we had our fleet under management in Alkym. The last days of the project involved onsite support for our people to ensure they were fully up to speed and an explanation of how the on-going support system works. Being an ISO 9001 certified company, the documentation supplied in relation to Alkym was vitally important to us and everything was delivered in exactly the right format.

This was a very intensive period and the one negative for the project would be getting our own resources to be able to allocate the time to ensure we met the project targets. In the end we did get there but it was difficult to stretch in so many directions at once.

The tight integration that Alkym provided in the modules chosen was a benefit that we could realise almost immediately. Implementation of the Planning and Engineering modules allowed us to manage the Aircraft Maintenance Plan, scheduling the plan and forecasting the required resources.

The Maintenance Control module helped the line maintenance personnel to obtain the necessary information to plan working actions. This module carries out control of MEL (Minimum Equipment List) and deferred maintenance items expiration, eliminating potential AOG situations that would have arisen without the application of this module. Through alerts (via e-mail or on screen), the system notifies which rotables have exceeded the allotted time in quarantine.

Another alert, for example, points to the arrival or stage in delivery process of materials requested to accomplish a particular task. When a rotable is removed from the aircraft due to an ‘out of service’ event, the system will alert if it is within warranty and therefore a claim to the vendor can be arranged. This would help to reduce repair costs considerably.

Alkym Queries – User customisable data mining tool showing graphical output of Aircraft utilisation

The Reliability module provides statistical reports on fleet utilization, dispatchability, etc. But basically, it allows for the reliability analysis of systems and components in order to comply with regulations and configure necessary warnings so that the engineering department can carry out failure research and corrective actions.

A smooth management of all our logistics needs is now catered for by those applicable modules. This facilitates the monitoring of repaired components and avoids the possibility of loss during tracking and shipping materials back and forward. The interchangeability of P/N (part number) is also a very useful capability of the system. Including people from the engineering area in the approval of workflow contributes to better control over components reparation costs.

The functionalities of the Purchasing module support all the necessary processes of purchasing including the reception functionalities which facilitate compliance with parts admission standards, from an administrative and QC (quality control) standpoint.

Alkym Location Hierarchy Explorer – Detailed information on all products and components under management

Regarding the implementation process: by the time we were pre-implementing Alkym, Sol was operating two Saab 340 A aircraft and as soon as we started the implementation, two new Saab 340 A joined the fleet with the arrangements in place for adding at least two more aircraft in the short term. As in any growing company, our human and technological resources were assigned to the day-to-day operation and to the reception of aircraft, so we were not able under any circumstances to allocate resources for an extended period during the implementation of the new software. Therefore, we requested of Volartec that the implementation project should not exceed 30 days, in order not to interfere with our operation.

Volartec’s response to this bigger issue was positive, presenting an implementation project of just three weeks, which included the remotely conducted pre-implementation phase (see above). With the proposed implementation plan, much responsibility for the success of the project rested on our side. We needed to provide early remote access to our server, our procedures and quality manuals, as well as maps of our most important processes and all the digital information of the maintenance records for data migration related to the two aircraft currently operated and the two new ones to come. Since I was the sponsor of the project, I had to involve myself very deeply in it, appointing one of our engineers as the project manager, who should closely monitor the entire process, allocate the necessary resources, solve the problems that occurred and report to me daily.

Having all the information provided by Sol at an early stage, Volartec conducted the analysis of our processes, designed the configuration of Alkym in total compliance with our procedures, and performed the data loading remotely.

After that, a team of four people were positioned with a work schedule that included the validation of the operational model to configure Alkym (previously designed during the pre-implementation process), the introduction of Alkym on our server, and onsite training and support following deployment of the system.

At the outset we considered that the project could be delayed at least a week while still remaining within the goal of not exceeding the 30 days timetable.

However, against this prediction, and thanks to the work done by Volartec´s team during the pre-implementation phase, we were able to finish the project within the expected time.

Conclusions I mentioned at the start of this case study that setting up a team was part of our plan. This team now includes the Volartec team as we have forged a close working relationship with them. Also key was that our implementation was designed to bring benefits to the whole company and the success or failure of the project would be determined by our heads of departments. So in conclusion I return to

APRIL-MAY 2011 | AIRCRAFT IT MRO | CASE STUDY: SOL LINEAS AEREAS | 27

Photo: © BAIRES Aviation Photography

some of these key executives in the story to see what they think.

First I spoke with Gustavo Cebreiro, our Executive Vice President, now that Alkym was in a live operating environment and he had this to say: “The improvements implemented by Sol maintenance department allowed us to reduce contingencies and AOGs, which resulted in an improvement in cash flow for the company. We have also managed to increase aircraft utilization, reliability and fleet dispatchability. At the time we decided to implement Alkym we were going through a difficult situation, it was critical because we needed a consolidation to keep on growing. We had to improve mainly on our performance of tasks when aircraft were on ground for a short period of time.

We met this goal through several improvements such as increasing the automation of procedures and streamlining our processes. It was the main priority for top management” Then we would need to examine whether the processes have improved and for this we turn to our Quality Assurance Manager Eng. Mariano Mariño.

“Since implementing Alkym, we have obtained more and better information that allowed us to reduce corrective actions and devote our time to predictive actions, as well as to perform failure statistics. As an example, the planning department sends information in advance about scheduled maintenance containing the resources that we need, like tools and spare parts which allow us to plan in a more efficient way the inspections and calculate human resources which will be assigned. Thanks to this information we could put the inspections together and reduce time on ground for aircraft.”

These comments are supplemented by those of our

Quality Chief Eng. Pedro Solis who says: “Now, we can check our resources availability, or ask for those resources in advance if they are not available. We can also undertake fault monitoring of systems and components and query the record of failures or repetitive failures. Through an e-mail alert we avoid having components in quarantine for a long time. Ultimately, we have achieved a better utilization of our human resources” We turned next to the logistic functions where much of our waste was occurring and are proud to have comments like those of Marcelo Vicent, Logistics Manager: “We have considerably reduced AOG situations, reducing, at the same time, the turnaround time of reparations. What is more, we didn’t increase our inventory stock level although we have accepted new aircraft. But most importantly, we have succeeded in providing predictability to the company’s finance department.”

My own conclusion would probably be that there is always room for improvement, but through changes in the management system and the correct utilization of Alkym we have implemented solutions that have largely solved our major problems. We have achieved all the objectives and moved from a reactive to a proactive situation. The use of a tool like Alkym was essential to manage changes and achieve objectives.

So to sum up, a quick implementation of a full function maintenance management system is indeed possible and Sol Lineas Aereas has proven that it can deliver affordable and excellent companywide results.

The key to the implementation process is to have a focused and dedicated project team consisting of key executives from within the airline and above all to rely upon the knowledge and experience from your software vendor during this difficult process.

“we requested of Volartec that the implementation project should not exceed 30 days, in order not to interfere with our operation.”

Gustavo Alberto Daneri

Gustavo Alberto Daneri is an experienced Engineer and Senior Maintenance Executive with over 20 years in the industry.

After graduating from university in Cordoba, Argentina, as a qualified Mechanical Aeronautical Engineer and Aircraft Maintenance Mechanic, Gustavo joined the Argentine Air Force as Chief Maintenance Officer. He remained in the Airforce for 2 ½ years where he also held the title of Quality Control Manager and was responsible for planning the maintenance schedules for both fixed wing and rotary aircraft.

After leaving the Air Force Gustavo worked for a couple of regional airlines in Argentina in management and technical positions, before joining Sol Linhas Aereas in March 2007.

Originally employed as an external advisor, Gustavo was the external auditor during SOL’s analysis and implementation of purchasing and logistic enterprise integrated systems. He soon joined SOL on a full-time basis becoming Maintenance Director in November 2007. He is responsible for the maintenance activities and planning programs for the SOL Airlines fleet of SAAB 340 aircraft.

INTERACTIVE

ASK THE AUTHOR A QUESTION

CLICK HERE to leave YOUR QUESTION

INTERACTIVE

JOIN THE DEBATE

CLICK HERE to leave your feedback about this article and start or join a discussion

28 | WHITE PAPER: CONDUCE | AIRCRAFT IT MRO | APRIL-MAY 2011

What’s up with aviation IT? Paul Saunders, Operations Director of Conduce Consulting, identifies the IT requirements that airlines and MROs seem to be demanding and the problems of turning those visions into reality

A

viation IT departments around the world have an uncertain future. For the first time ever the IT teams are not the only ones holding all the cards when it comes to making strategic business decisions regarding Information Technology. Also, for the first time, there is a chance that managers and workers outside of IT have as much knowledge about the strategic use of technology as those inside IT departments. And, for the first time school leavers, college and university graduates do not know a world without the internet.

Finally, for the first time consumer technology is at the bleeding edge of the technological world. Could this be the beginning of the end for the aviation IT department as we know it today?

Aviation companies around the world are waking up to the fact that information technology is now a certain and genuine business enabler. But this isn’t because they have been told so by the guys down in IT. Managers, Executives and other users are seeing the potential advantages with their own eyes. They are surrounded by dazzling technology, jaw dropping software and remarkable hardware

“Aviation companies around the world are waking up to the fact that information technology is now a certain and genuine business enabler. But this isn’t because they have been told so by the guys down in IT” Paul Saunders, Operations Director of Conduce Consulting that was the stuff of dreams and science fiction only a few years ago. But they are not seeing it at work: They live with it all around them at home.

Apple, Google and Facebook are at the forefront of this technological revolution, not the IBMs, the Microsofts, and Oracles of yesteryear.

Neither the iPod, nor the iPhone, nor the iPad was designed for business. All three products by one manufacturer, Apple, are genuine revolutionary devices that have shaped their market sectors since their introduction. No company in any industry has matched this feat in such a short space of time. One revolutionary product is a fantastic achievement: but three? In one decade? Regardless of what you think of Apple’s products, they are amongst the most

sought after devices today and in 2010 Apple Inc. overtook Microsoft as the world’s largest technology company.

Google has cornered a multi-billion dollar market which simply didn’t exist when I started work in this industry in the late 1990s. The company mission, “to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful”, has arguably been achieved through technological means. The way in which a search engine works may not be well understood by everyone who uses it 300,000 times a second, but everyone from the age of five upwards knows what Google does and how to use it. Google is much more than just a search engine: Google today has an unrivalled portfolio of products and

APRIL-MAY 2011 | AIRCRAFT IT MRO | WHITE PAPER: CONDUCE | 29 services which includes the Google Chrome browser; productivity applications such as Gmail and Google Apps; Social Media platforms YouTube, Picasa and Orkut; the Android mobile operating system; and much, much more.

Mark Zuckerberg, the founder and CEO of Facebook didn’t invent the concept of social media and social networking. When Facebook first came on to the scene in 2004 you might have been forgiven for thinking it was just another rival to MySpace, Friendster, Flickr and other social networking platforms that cropped up around that time. Facebook succeeded where others have faltered by doing so many critical things just right. For example the decision to deliberately keep advertising unobtrusive has led to significantly lower click through rates (CTRs) than rival advertising platforms, but the sheer volume of users who have chosen Facebook as their primary social networking channel as a result of this decision counteracts this effect. A definite case of quantity over quality.

What these monolithic 21st Century technology companies have in common (apart from billionaire founders; a seat at the US President’s table; and some awesome technology to show off every couple of months) is that they have each become what they are today by focusing on innovative products primarily for the consumer market. In doing so, they have blazed a trail for thousands of consumer technologists, making software and applications of their own, which, hooking into the open architecture of third party software and hardware, have driven the consumer technology industry so far ahead of business to business technology that it is difficult to see a way in which this trend is likely to be reversed.

Aerospace Executives, I have found, do not need a business case or a cost benefit analysis to understand the value of embracing this new wave of consumer technology. They can picture it themselves without any outside help. Those businesses that can adopt the new technologies first have a clear, competitive advantage. But most aviation companies are struggling, not through lack of will or funds, but due to the fact that their IT departments and technology vendors with which they have surrounded themselves for the past 10, 15 or even 20 years are geared up for a different purpose to the one that is required today, tomorrow and in the future.

Aviation IT departments have evolved over time to become risk minimisers

rather than business enablers. In the past couple of months I have been talking to a number of airlines and MROs about potential solutions to some of their problems and it has struck me that there are a number of common threads running throughout aviation IT at the moment. To a greater or lesser degree everyone is experiencing exactly the same problems.

Overzealous IT Policies are Stifling Progress Computers are great aren’t they? They’ve completely revolutionised the way we do work. It seems strange to think that only a generation or so ago that more people didn’t have a computer on their desk at work than did so. In a relatively short space of time the IT industry has sprung up from a few geeks and boffins to a multi-trillion dollar industry. But at the same time computers have somehow posed a supposed risk to our businesses.

Computers are a portal for lost productivity, and they represent a serious security risk This argument, I believe, is utter nonsense and is driven by fear, lack of understanding and contempt for the unknown. Rather than being technology champions in the vanguard of the proliferation of computer use, for some bizarre reason many aviation IT departments have been the ‘nay-sayers’; stifling progress through inexplicable policies and security measures. Their arguments often seem to be driven by common sense, but it doesn’t take a lot of effort to destroy every lazy explanation.

Let’s take a look at the usual excuses: • It is widely believed that unrestricted internet access adversely affects employee productivity.

• It is widely believed that unrestricted internet access leaves a company vulnerable to attacks from hackers.

• It is widely believed that unrestricted internet access can lead to data leaks.

• It is widely believed that unrestricted internet access slows a company’s internet connection.

On the surface these seem to be reasonable assertions. In most companies these fears usually manifest themselves into a series of ill-conceived security protocols Click here for full SOFTWARE details and for a demo

‘Growing Success’ Commsoft’s OASES MRO system offers comprehensive professional functionality together with a flexible, affordable approach that understands your business’ scaleable growth needs in today’s turbulent market

Each OASES module can be offered individually or can be integrated at the engineering centre of your business systems

Over 50 current aviation users, including airlines and MROs, spares suppliers, CAMO, corporate and bureau operators have grown their success with us

The Professional, Flexible MRO System Whether you are a ‘start up’ or are looking for a more friendly approach to business, contact us at: Tel: +44 1621 817425 | info@commsoft.aero | www.commsoft.aero commsoft_ad.indd Commsoft Oases MRO1 0411 HP x.indd 1

07/05/2009 08:56 07/04/2011 09:53

30 | WHITE PAPER: CONDUCE | AIRCRAFT IT MRO | APRIL-MAY 2011

and pr

“if you have employees spending two hours or more per day on Social Media websites, then you have a management antoITcertain security issue.

PersistentIt is fair ocedures resulting inissue, blockednot access websites and applications. totime say that nowadaysshould social media sites bear brunt of the blame. wasters be dealt withtheby their management” Productivity Plain and simple, if you have employees spending two hours or more per day on Social Media websites, then you have a management issue, not an IT security issue. Persistent time wasters should be dealt with by their management and managers who are unable to deal with that situation should be dealt with in turn. Blocking access to Facebook or YouTube doesn’t solve the problem either.

Employees who don’t want to get their work done don’t need social networks to waste time. Besides, due to the expansiveness of the web and the proliferation of smart phones, resistance, as they say, is futile. The internet interprets censorship as damage and routes around it. Recent civil unrest in the Middle East and North Africa has proved this point on a much wider and more significant scale.

If you take away YouTube, what’s to stop me bringing in a DVD tomorrow?

In my line of work, I spend a lot of time thinking. Whether I am writing code, writing content, or solving a problem I need to get into the ‘zone’ to help me think. I sometimes do that by taking a wander. Sometimes I’ll go and get a drink. Often my best thoughts occur to me in the morning whilst I’m having a shave… I think this is because it takes my brain ten minutes to boot up in the morning and it’s around that time each day that I’m hacking at my face with a razor. But each to their own: some people I know find horrible music to be the answer; others prefer less awful music. I know many people in creative industries who take a walk outside with a camera to seek inspiration. Certainly it is not inappropriate to seek guidance, inspiration and information online.

Companies spend a lot of time and effort to attract the brightest and best talent.

Why do they then proceed to remove one of the best tools in their employee’s

information arsenal by blocking access to large portions of the net? Employees whose access to the internet is restricted will miss great ideas and opportunities that emerge from conversation and collaboration.

A 2010 Gartner survey revealed that 54% of Fortune 100 companies block all employees from accessing social network sites. How ironic that the exact same percentage of companies are also active on Twitter. With so many companies blocking their employees from engaging, who are they engaging with? Social networks are a vital and proven tool for marketing, recruiting, customer service and more. Why the resistance?

The airline’s marketing team used their cigarette breaks to covertly check what their passengers were saying about them on Twitter

In fact multiple studies now have shown that productivity increases among employees who are able to freely access the internet during work. Besides, most employees tend to be more trustworthy than they are given credit for, and it’s a pretty sad state of affairs when we can’t trust our own employees to do the right thing.

IT Vendors: want to get your message out?

Want to publish your latest news and technology updates where they’ll be seen?

Looking for the best place to showcase your best solutions?

Why not join AircraftIT MRO? • Host Live Software Demo Webinars or receive Private Demos • Educate the aviation IT world about your products Click here to find out how to join AircraftIT

ISSUE 1 • APRIL/MAY 2011

Are you ready?

Selecting and implementing an MRO solution

True ERP software for airlines?

Joined-up thinking: Linking multiple solutions Fast MRO Implementation: the benefi ts MRO IT: mapping the future White Papers: SAKS Consulting • Conduce Consulting Case Studies: Gol Linhas Aereas • Kingfi sher Airlines • Sol Linhas Aereas Aircraft IT MRO V1.1 April-May 2011.indd

1 27/04/2011 13:06

APRIL-MAY 2011 | AIRCRAFT IT MRO | WHITE PAPER: CONDUCE | 31 Click here for full SOFTWARE details and for a demo

Attacks from hackers Apparently social networking is one of the newest and most effective ways for hackers to gain entry into peoples’ computers. That might be true for organisations where their IT departments don’t know what they are doing.

It is true that there is malware out there which attacks social networks, but according to anti-malware vendors the same malware is plaguing email and the rest of the web. I don’t see any companies doing a blanket shutdown on emails any time soon. So what gives?

The US military is able to cope with an open access policy to social networking. Why should it be any harder for any other organisation? The US Department of Defence allows every one of their users from agents at the Pentagon to soldiers on the front line to access their Social Media hub through a series of robust policies and defences.

There is plenty of good advice online about more effective ways of keeping your network safe than by blocking social networks. My personal favourite is to keep an up-to-date web browser, but more on that shortly.

Data Leaks Opponents to open web access will point to multiple instances of employees compromising intellectual property using social networks. Like the productivity argument, this is sheer stupidity. Lack of access to social media will do nothing to stop this kind of behaviour. Training, education and enforcement of policies are far more effective. A determined or clueless employee will cause such leaks at home or via other means anyway.

Slowing a company’s internet connection This is the hardest argument to disagree with. Yes I concede, if everyone is streaming video and audio during working hours then this will have a detrimental effect on bandwidth. However, the best answer I have heard recently is simple enough: In the information age, if you need more bandwidth, get some more. In the ‘paper-age’ nobody thought twice about getting more paper when they ran out.

But aside from restricted internet access, what else are Aviation IT departments doing (or not doing) that makes little sense?

Up to Date Web Browsers PC based internet users, under their own free will have essentially five choices to make regarding which internet browser they use. In fact since anti-trust legislation was introduced in Europe in March 2010, these users are pretty much forced to make a choice.

AMICOS NEXT GENERATION 3rd Generation Enterprise Level MRO

E AVAILABL NOW

Engineering – planning – Base & line support – Logistics – Cost control – Reliability & QA statistics & analysis

25 years of development and implementation expertise Successful deployments world-wide PBH price model – pay-as-you-go!

Low TCO and high ROI

The options are Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Opera, Apple Safari and Microsoft Explorer.

Based on most recent studies prior to the release of version 9, Internet Explorer would be the worst choice anyone could make based on speed tests, security issues and compatibility with latest HTML5 and CSS3 web standards. Yet this is the Hobson’s choice presented by many Aviation IT departments to their own users. It is worse than that though: Many organisations don’t even allow the use of the most up to date version of the poorest browser. IE7 and IE6 are alive and kicking in many airlines, OEMs and MROs that I have worked with.

Even Microsoft themselves can’t see the sense in the use of out-dated browsers.

In March 2011 Microsoft launched the IE6Countdown campaign to move the world off Internet Explorer 6 . This initiative is, in my opinion, a spectacular triumph for common sense. According to Microsoft, in February 2011 12% of the world was still using Internet Explorer 6. Although this was down by 9% on the previous year, a significant proportion of the World’s population still needs a bit more encouragement to migrate.

The excuses against an upgrade are lame to say the least. No-one pays for browser licenses, the cost of deployment and cross-training is minimal and the age old excuse of application compatibility is just ridiculous with alternative browsers offering compatibility add-ins. Aviation IT departments should be made to understand that senseless policies that are restrictive and can only be explained by saying ‘because we say so’ make users despise you, and don’t generate any benefit whatsoever.

The real reason can’t be that IT departments don’t realise this. Perhaps it’s just that they don’t have the time and resources to manage things differently.

Easy integration with financial, operational and ERP systems KPI / OBI graphical decision support for all levels Latest technology: Java web enabled - Oracle database

Your one-stop MRO solution – you’ve got it all @amicos.com

Cimber Air Data • Lufthavnsvej 2 • DK-6400 Sonderborg • www.amicos.com

32 | WHITE PAPER: CONDUICE | AIRCRAFT IT MRO | APRIL-MAY 2011 Click here for full SOFTWARE details and for a demo

IT Resources are a Scarce Commodity Although there are some widely debated theories on this subject, a ratio of one IT staff member per 50 users is generally accepted to be the optimum staffing level for most medium sized businesses. The company’s technological dependence; the quantity and type of IT resources deployed; and the level outsourcing arrangements will all have an impact on the suitability of a company’s IT staffing ratio and the ability of the team to deliver the required service.

Well run IT departments should align their own interests solely with the objectives of the business. The person in charge of IT should have a solid business as well as technology mind. The trouble is that most IT departments are bogged down with resetting passwords and plugging in printers for feckless users or squeezing every drop of performance out of groaning IT resources just to keep the Exchange server running. It’s a no-win situation. If they do their job well, no one notices. When they screw up, the website goes down; revenue is lost; and the Head of Marketing can’t access the hilarious video of a puppy wearing clogs that his brother-in-law sent him. Consequently everyone comes down on them like a ton of bricks. In one IT department that I worked in, we had a laminated card with ‘YES WE KNOW’ printed on it that we used to pin to our door during times of hardship.

When they’re not working on the day to day housekeeping chores, there is the list of projects which is prioritised by the senior management or by whoever can shout the loudest. Many of these projects have been conceived months and years in the past and are out of date before they are even embarked upon. Managers who appreciate the backlog either don’t bother or seek their own solutions. IT departments therefore monopolise the computer problem rather than proactively providing solutions. If an external supplier had behaved this way, they’d have been dropped years ago.

Aviation IT departments needs to re-define their service level agreements with the rest of the business “IT are asking whether we have tried turning it off and on again” (if they ever had one) and look to provide an improved business service that their ‘customers’ really need.

Management Information Systems are great but they don’t do everything.

Most airlines and MROs who are using a latest generation enterprise level Management Information System (MIS) seem to be pretty happy with it. They tend to use it to its full extent as intended with wall-to-wall capability, mission critical robustness and a high level of ‘stickiness’ where users are 100% reliant on the software tool to carry out their operational transactions. A well designed IT landscape will offer a compliant and integrated solution for up to 80% or 90% of business requirements which is great… But that final 10% is typically causing 90% of the headaches for managers and IT users. That thin slice of missing functionality is usually filled with file servers crammed full of shared documents, spread sheets and home grown databases all outside of the control of IT with little if any integration with central systems.

One client showed me a mission critical, home grown Access Database which has ballooned to a terrifying 40GB and sits as a temporary solution between their engineering and ERP (enterprise resource planning) systems providing vital operational information to an international fleet and inventory technical management operation. This is of course an extreme example that I have seen first-hand, but the numbers of uncontrolled spread sheets that are outside the control of IT should be a major concern. Maybe if the ERP, Engineering and other information systems that airlines are using were a bit more open and able to communicate with each other using an up to date Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) then integration with external systems would be so much easier negating the requirement for home-grown stop-gap peripheral solutions.

Data is being passed from department to department, often transposed from one bit of paper to a database application and then printed back to paper

What’s coming up in the June/July 2011 edition of AircraftIT MRO Available 7th June at www.aircraftIT.com Case Study The application of Wireless Sensor Network Technology in MROs and at Turkish Technic: how the network functions and an analysis of the practical benefits.

Dr. Orkun Hasekioglu, CIO, Turkish Technic

White Paper Heavy Maintenance IT Systems. How technology can optimise resources, and SCREEN GRAB OFand WEBSITE minimise costs and hangar time.

Phil Bathurst, Partner, Phisha Aviation Consulting LLC

Case Study The challenges in capturing man-hours and materials consumed in airframe checks: the practicalities of the IT systems used and the benefits are analyzed.

Roberto Asuncion, VP IT, Lufthansa Technik Philippines.

White Paper CMS has been an afterthought to MRO/IT selection…until NOW. Thanos Kaponeridis, President & CEO, Aerosoft Systems.

Case Study Marshall Aerospace’s Power Play; the development of an in-house system: an electrical load analysis (ELA) application that models an aircraft’s distributed power structure.

Karl Jones, Head of Avionics & Technical Development, Marshall Aerospace.

Plus: Latest News and Technology Updates, Preview of upcoming Live Software Demonstration Webinars, Latest Industry Vacancies (New Feature), Software Directory...

Click here to subscribe for free now to reserve your copy Contact us for further details Visit: www.aircraftIT.com email: ed.haskey@aircraft-commerce.com or call +44 1403 230 700 / +44 1273 700 555

34 | WHITE PAPER: CONDUICE | AIRCRAFT IT MRO | APRIL-MAY 2011

Despite approval as a Class 1 Electronic Flight Bag and the on-going promise of the revolution the iPad poses to In Flight Entertainment, the viability of the iPad as a ‘ready-for-business’ device is less than certain in a slightly different format. For some reason, collaboration between departments, information systems and with external partners is a big problem.

Presumably the solution to the problem is at the end of a list of projects that was initiated five years ago.

cut a deal and that you know what you are going to use your iPads for, you then still have the barrier of deployment and administration. Enterprise management qualities for iOS devices is sometimes forgotten, overlooked or not realised. iOS4 really moved Apple devices properly into the business technology territory. However, there are still some shortcomings over the opposition but largely this lies with the perception within the IT community.

In my opinion lack of familiarity often breeds contempt. The post-PC era is upon us and aviation IT departments should embrace that.

“This new software is superb. The output report looks exactly the same as the form we receive to input the data!”

Most tools and application chosen by IT departments are engineered for IT departments not business. Take Microsoft SharePoint for example. No business, left to its own devices would ever choose SharePoint as a solution to any problem, but steered by IT, they often do. SharePoint is great at allowing you to do the stuff you used to do, only differently, but IT departments like it, because it allows them to control everything from one management console. That’s probably unfairly over-simplifying the situation, but the fact remains that I cannot point you to a single aerospace organisation that has implemented SharePoint where the users are happy with the outcome.

Everyone wants iPads but no-one knows what to do with them If I had a pound for every airline I know whose Chief Executive has decreed that each manager or aircraft or flight crew should be equipped with an iPad, then I’d probably have enough money for a decent round of drinks. There are a number of barriers to achieving this goal, let alone making a return on that investment.

Although the iPad may be deemed to be a mature consumer product in terms of the quantity in circulation and the number of available apps, it should most certainly be considered bleeding edge as an aviation productivity device. Despite approval as a Class 1 Electronic Flight Bag and the on-going promise of the revolution the iPad poses to In Flight Entertainment, the viability of the iPad as a ‘readyfor-business’ device is less than certain. Of course one is able to create, edit and share documents; run a bewildering series of applications and utilities; but potential users may be disappointed to learn that access to a mature suite of relevant software or interfaces with existing information systems simply do not exist (yet).

Due to the overwhelming success of the iPad and other iOS devices, there is no deal to be struck with Apple Inc. for volume purchases. I know of several airlines that, when they approached Apple to procure a large quantity of iPads, were given directions to the nearest Apple Store.

Assuming that you have enough buying power to

accomplish your market objectives then you are at a strategic and financial disadvantage over a competitor that operates differently.

“Despite their best efforts, the IT department weren’t able to stop the Chief Exec from using a Mac.”

PAUL SAUNDERS

Steve’s launch of the iPad2 triggered enough eye-rolling in the aviation IT community to temporarily knock the Earth off its axis.

Is there a better way?

Business trends are, in the main, cyclical. I believe that we are entering a period of decentralisation for aviation IT. The rise of technologies such as virtualisation, cloud based applications and XaaS (Anything as a Service) have facilitated a shift away from traditional ways of working. Outsourcing and department specific solutions are a realistic proposition. I’m not advocating that aviation should abandon shared IT services completely. It doesn’t make sense to ditch Exchange servers in favour of hosted Gmail: There is always going to be a place for an IT department in aerospace to some extent, but a transition has begun.

In the same way that certain procurement and HR functions have been pushed out to individual departments, I foresee more and more autonomy for aviation IT users in the future. Progressive managers are making some IT decisions for themselves through necessity already. This arrangement will become increasingly formalised, with centralised IT departments assuming overall control, but delegating specific administrative functions and application management to individual departments. The IT guy or girl of the future will be less technical, with business domain specific expertise (more akin to project managers) equipped to run systems rather than develop them. As applications become more closely aligned to business requirements off the shelf, it is becoming more important to deliver services and manage supplier contracts than to develop systems.

If you are running a company in such a way that a traditional IT department is needed in order to

Paul Saunders is Operations Director of Conduce Consulting.

He has spent the past 13 years working as a Business Systems professional in the Aerospace sector. He has had senior roles in multinational companies in the UK, Middle East and Far East. He established and ran the Support Department of a software company before moving on to Project Management and General Management roles. Paul joined Conduce Group from Eurocopter UK in 2009 and has since lead the development and launch of a number of aviation software products including Fatigue Reporting, Fatigue Survey and MyTechLog .

ABOUT CONDUCE CONSULTING Conduce Consulting is the consulting arm of Conduce Group. Their focus is on the relationship between IT and corporate strategy.

They provide high quality professional services in a number of fields including Enterprise Architecture, Project Management, Data Services and Business Consultancy in the Aviation IT sector.

ASK THE EXPERT In addition to being available now to answer any questions you have arising from this White Paper, Paul Saunders and his colleagues Wayne Enis and Rachel Andrews are available all year round for one-to-one consultancies via the Ask The Expert feature at www.aircraftIT.com. They will be happy to assist you with your queries.

INTERACTIVE

ASK THE AUTHOR A QUESTION

CLICK HERE to leave YOUR QUESTION

INTERACTIVE

JOIN THE DEBATE

CLICK HERE to leave your feedback about this article and start or join a discussion

ISSUE 1 • APRIL/MAY 2011

An EFB Special

• Realise a return on investment within 12-24 months • Norwegian Case Study: A year operating a Class II EFB

Realtime Business Intelligence for Decisi on Making The Paperless Cockpit – Myth or Reality ?

How IT systems can save fuel consu mption White Papers: Lufthansa Consulting, TFM Aviation Aircraft IT OPS V1.1 April-May 2011.indd

and Flight Guidance • Case Studies: Bangkok Airways

and Norwegian Air Shuttle

1

Interested in IT systems for Aircraft Operations?

27/04/2011 11:56

Click here to read AircraftIT Operations eJournal.

White Paper EFB – Designing the Enterprise Solution: The Electronic Flight Bag (EFB) is a very attractive idea whose time has

come but there are a number of options for the way an EFB is configured and its capabilities: one thing is certain; it will work best as part of the whole system.

Bud Sittig, President & Jim Becker, Partner Flight Guidance LLC

Case Study EFB – Posing Questions and Offering Answers: The benefits of the paperless cockpit: Myth, Hype or

Reality? The classic paper based cockpit procedure has been refined for decades. Is it really worthwhile to change it with possibly immature technology?

John Christian Paulshus, Head of Business Development Operational IT Solutions, Norwegian

White Paper Fuel Efficiency through IT Support: Calculating the right amount of fuel to carry is more than a function of engine efficiency; it is the result of an intelligent enterprise wide application of relevant flight related information and regulations.

Capt. Marcel Martineau, President, TFM Aviation

Case Study PIC – Pilot-In-Command or Processor-In-Command: There are many things we can do but that

doesn’t mean that we always should do them. We know that the technology exists for pilotless airplanes but, for the foreseeable future, there is unlikely to be the markets appetite to use them. That doesn’t mean ‘don’t use technology’; it means use it appropriately.

Ping na Thalang, Vice President IT Dept, Bangkok Airways

White Paper Business Intelligence – More than information alone: Like many toys in the business process box, business

intelligence (BI) can transform operations from mere functions to vision delivering, customer satisfaction success stories; but it takes more than new IT systems to change a business.

Gesine Varfis, Managing Consultant, Lufthansa Consulting

Click here to subscribe for free now to reserve your copy Contact us for further details Visit: www.aircraftIT.com email: ed.haskey@aircraft-commerce.com or call +44 1403 230 700 / +44 1273 700 555

36 | CASE STUDY: KINGFISHER | AIRCRAFT IT MRO | APRIL-MAY 2011

Can airlines pull IT all together?

Vishok Mansingh, Asst. Vice President-Eng Logistics & Systems, Kingfisher Airlines Ltd wonders whether true ERP software is available for airline operations

M

odern business is a complex process influenced by a number of parameters, usually working with real time information, over extensive geographical areas and with operations integrated into the larger world economy. In order to manage this challenging operational environment, software has become the essential nervous system for any business entity. Over time, software and IT infrastructures have developed with sophisticated tools to support individual functions of and processes in the business, working within the infrastructure and systems to manage resources, functions and processes as well as monitoring and recording the health of the organization. In sectors such as manufacturing, retail, banking and telecommunications, the extension of this, has been the development of enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems covering all parts of the business.

Is there ERP software for airlines?

What is interesting is that airlines operate some of the most sophisticated stateof-the-art technologies in their aircraft, air traffic navigation, ground support and systems capable of flying aircraft safely across the half world to within a few meters of accuracy and a few minutes of scheduled time; however, they are still seeking ways to bring that same level of technological sophistication to the management of their routine business functions.

“…deregulation in the USA and the opening of commercial aviation across the world created a competitive marketplace and pushed airlines to think about new business processes and technology.”

Vishok Mansingh, Asst. Vice President-Eng Logistics & Systems, Kingfisher Airlines Ltd

APRIL-MAY 2011 | AIRCRAFT IT MRO | CASE STUDY: KINGFISHER | 37

History of the airline business

Evolution of support software

Commercial air transport is still a relatively young business sector.

Commercial airlines really only started to appear in quantities after World War II. Yet, being a strategic industry, air travel is heavy regulated by a network of national and international rules, treaties and bilateral agreements. Also, many airlines, during their early days were, and a few still are, owned directly or indirectly by their national governments. For decades there was no open competitive market place to drive continual innovation and increasing efficiency in businesses. Then, deregulation in the USA and the opening of commercial aviation across the world created a competitive marketplace and pushed airlines to think about new business processes and technology.

However, airlines are very complex and dynamic businesses and full of contradictions. Here are some of the matters that they need to manage: • Aircraft are expensive and sophisticated pieces of engineering, using state-of-the-art technology and yet they can become nonoperational for the want of a bolt costing just a few dollars.

• Airlines are capital intensive businesses; but their main products, passenger seats or cargo space from point A to B over a period from 30 minutes to a few hours, have very short shelf lives.

• Operations depend on a number of controllable and noncontrollable factors like, the weather, allocated time slots, ground infrastructure and the dynamic operational area.

• The industry is very heavily regulated by national and international bodies requiring extensive documentation to be maintained in real time.

• Human resources also have to be specially trained and hold current qualifications for each function to be able to meet regulations. For any operation at any time all the qualified people need to be available at the same time and in the same place. For instance, the operation of an aircraft requires the pilot, engineer, cabin crew, load master, DGR qualified person, etc. to all be available: the absence of just one single person can result in the postponement or cancellation of an operation.

• Airlines operate to very low profit margins.

Often, over time, different functions in a business have developed specialist solutions for themselves but making little or no attempt to integrate those solutions with related processes in other departments. When IT first started to make inroads into back office operations, it was largely a case of previously manual functions being computerized in isolation. Since the ‘experts’ in the field tended to be users, the focus was often only on their specific operational area instead of on the company as a whole. Further on, there was sometimes integration with similar functions and yet more individual and specialist software was tweaked to address the needs of those similar functions.

But there is software available which will address the needs for one or more functions.

Engineering and Maintenance This function deals with the technical management of aircraft in areas such as technical services, maintenance planning, aircraft technical record (aircraft, engine, APU, log book) materials planning, repair and warranty management, production planning, inventory management, maintenance crew record, training and engineering crew roster.

Aircraft/Engine/APU performance monitoring This deals with the monitoring of data from various sources such as the tech log, flight data recorder, etc. to analyze the current condition of the equipment and predict future trends for that condition.

Flight operation This covers cockpit crew roster, crew training, crew scheduling, crew log book, flight planning, pre-flight briefing, nav. log, flight monitoring and disruption management. There are also some related functions such as: Flight operation quality assurance: This is a regulatory requirement for the analysis of flight data to monitor the performance of the cockpit crew.

Fuel management: Fuel costs account for 20-40% of operating costs: fuel management aims to analyze consumption throughout a complete operation cycle to identify wastage and reduce consumption.

Cabin Crew Management: The cabin crew roster, crew log book, crew training and scheduling are all dealt with in this function.

Network Planning This is a key function optimizing the commercial requirements of the service: frequency, size of aircraft used, configuration of aircraft, operating timetable.

LOW TO MEDIUM

MEDIUM TO HIGH

LOW

HIGH

Ticketing, revenue and yield management Ticketing, accounting, revenue management and yield management are all dealt with here.

Weight and balance This manages the optimization of an aircraft’s load to ensure it remains within safe limits and is able to deliver the most economical performance.

MATERIALS MANAGEMENT

Finance and accounting FLIGHT OPERATIONS

MAINTENANCE

This is a standard module.

AIRLINE TECHNICAL SERVICES & ENGINEERING

COMMERCIAL

ACCOUNTS

Figure 1: the Penetration of IT in different functions

“Since there is no single software available to cover all of these functions, most airlines purchase different software packages for particular purposes; they then try to integrate the resulting variety of solutions.”

38 | CASE STUDY: KINGFISHER | AIRCRAFT IT MRO | APRIL-MAY 2011

Case study This is a case study from Blue Dart Aviation Ltd., operating two different types of aircraft for its parent company, Blue Dart Express Limited, India’s leading air express and logistics business. There was a mandate to set up an ERP system for the airline with the following objectives: • To manage and coordinate all the resources, information, and functions of the business from shared data stores; • To integrate the software infrastructure that supports the entire company business process; • To deliver a view of the company and all its parts as a connected whole rather than as separate silos of activity; • Integrated electronic record keeping for key performance indicators (KPI) and other management information system (MIS) functions with high levels of automation; • Tools to collate all relevant information at decision points, enabling informed decision making, with internal checks, control and logics to allow for lower levels of skill requirement without reducing quality and efficiency.

Since there was no ERP software covering all functions, a business process analysis was conducted for the airline to ascertain the exact requirements and the levels of interdependency with related functions. After analysis, these functions were broadly classified into two major areas: one which relates to ‘city side’ activities such as interactions with customers, commercial sales and cargo booking; the other which relates to ‘airside’ activities such as flight operation, ground handling, cargo operation, engineering and maintenance. There are also some common functions, like finance and HR, which impact on both sides.

Image: © Praneeth Franklin

ARMS® – AIRLINE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM Scope of an Airline-wide Integrated InfoTech Solution

Figure 2: Air side function are very closely integrated

APRIL-MAY 2011 | AIRCRAFT IT MRO | CASE STUDY: KINGFISHER | 39

In day-to-day operating conditions, all of these functions are closely integrated and interdependent.

For instance, the aircraft’s schedule will drive the cockpit, cabin and maintenance crew rosters which, in turn, integrate with crew scheduling. This schedule and the flight operation data drive maintenance planning, works scheduling and materials requirements which, again in turn, integrates with finance and cash flow planning.

Aircraft flight planning and on-board payload figures drive the weight and balance schedule and determine the available payload.

Airside

Airport Services Network Planning City Side

Flight Operations

Since there is no single software available to cover all of these functions, most airlines purchase different software packages for particular purposes; they then try to integrate the resulting variety of solutions.

Unfortunately, each software package is stand-alone, and developed in a different language and platform using different standards. There will be multiple IT infrastructure standards, duplicated data bases and all of the associated errors. All of this makes a very complex job of integrating them into a seamless operation. Airlines do not have sufficient technical expertise to integrate multiple software packages and manage conflicts between different software vendors.

HR

FOQA Engineering & Maintenance

GSA Cargo Operation Legal

Some airlines hire outside consultant to integrate these different software solutions which adds yet a further dimension to this already complex situation.

And, since integration is so complex, it can result in a reduction in efficiency and utilization for individual software packages. It can also result in new business processes which are not the most efficient for the airline but are dictated by the need to operate these different software solutions.

So, in spite of the intention to deliver seamless operation across the complete business function, this integration still creates operational silos, which is not the desired end result from a good ERP system. Due to the complexity of this operation, users get frustrated and lose interest in software as it becomes more of burden than a tool that helps reduce the workload and increase efficiency, resulting in a detachment of users from the ERP system. This complex integration reinforces the requirement for a good single ERP software solution, covering all functions of the airline in real time to deliver the most economical output; that is the optimum transportation of a seat or cargo space from point A to point B. The only solution that can fully deliver this is a good ERP system.

Marketing & Sales Finance

Figure 3

Figure 3 covers the major costs and the majority of functions for the operation of the business. It was decided to address all of these functions using a single software package and resulting in a seamless integration across the enterprise. The software should also be capable of integrating with existing finance software. A second phase will bring all other functions also under the single software solution After mapping all business processes on the airside, a single process flow covering all airside functions has been developed. Available software functions/capabilities were mapped against this single process to determine the extent of coverage. After reviewing all available software, the company has decided to select ARMS (airline resource management system). This software covers: • Flight operation; • Engineering and Maintenance; • FOQA; • Weight and balance; • Ground Equipment Management; • Flight Planning; • Finance integration; The software was implemented over a period and the benefits of a single software solution for the business were: • It offers an enterprise level bird’s eye view; • It can be implemented and operated using a single hardware and software type, and one license; • It is economical as there are no multiple and separate functions such crew roster, training, tech log etc.; • There is a common database across the enterprise allowing minimum data entry, accurate validation and shared information; • It delivers an optimization of resource as it covers all functions, resulting in increased efficiency; • Using a single source for MIS results in improved accuracy in data and the elimination of reconciliation of data from different functions; • Very accurate MIS and KPI monitoring can be achieved; • There were no integration and associated problems; • It streamlined the business processes where that is most efficient for the business operation but not where they are suitable for integration; • It achieved very fast implementation and user acceptance; • It promoted broad awareness of related functions and an analysis of the company-wide cause and effects of individual activities.

This experience validated the view that, as with the nervous system in the human body, an airline also needs a single, seamless ERP software solution. Software vendors need to develop single ERP software packages from the drawing board instead of bundling different software packages together and then selling that as ‘an integrated ERP software package’. This is the long term solution for airlines.

Vishok Mansingh

Vishok Mansingh is an Electrical Engineer specialising in Materials Management from IIMM/ Bangalore. He holds a Diploma in General Management from HAL Staff College/Bangalore.

He started his career with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited as amManagement Trainee in 1987. After serving more than 8 years in Materials and IT, he joined Air India for a brief period to implement ERP. In 1995 he joined Blue Dart as a key team member to launch India’s first all Jet Cargo Airline which included a Maintenance facility with capabilities up to a D check. He has successfully implemented ARMS in Blue Dart Aviation which is integrated software covering Maintenance & Engineering, Flight Operation and FOQA. In Aug 2008 he joined Kingfisher Airlines to implement M&E software.

He has more than twenty two years experience in Aviation Logistics, International Flight Operations, Heavy Maintenance, Aircraft Upgrade Management, Regulatory Affairs and IT/ERP implementation in aviation domains.

INTERACTIVE

ASK THE AUTHOR A QUESTION

CLICK HERE to leave YOUR QUESTION

INTERACTIVE

JOIN THE DEBATE

CLICK HERE to leave your feedback about this article and start or join a discussion

40 | EVENT PREVIEW | AIRCRAFT IT MRO | APRIL-MAY 2011

Airline & Aerospace MRO & Operations IT Conference – EMEA Frankfurt, 13th & 14th July 2011 The world’s leading aviation IT conference for MRO & Operations solutions returns to the EMEA zone for 2011

“You cannot afford to miss this type of conference otherwise you will miss out on learning about the latest advances in technology.”

Kuwait Airways

A

ircraft Commerce and AircraftIT are delighted to be returning to Frankfurt this July for the EMEA event in the hugely successful MRO & Operation IT Conference series. The conference has been running with great success in the EMEA, Asia/Pacific and Americas zones for the past six years; bringing together IT Vendors with the airlines, MROs and aircraft operators in those regions.

The July 2011 event promises to be bigger and better than ever before with more IT vendors exhibiting their software solutions, IT case study presentations and interactive workshops addressing key issues and challenges.

MRO & Operation IT Conferences offer airlines, MROs and aircraft operators a one-stop opportunity to review their entire IT platform, over just two days, for both aircraft maintenance and flight operations through: • Demonstrations of the latest software solutions from over 40 major MRO and Operations IT vendors, all under the same roof; • Cutting edge knowledge gained from attending keynote presentations and case studies plus

interactive workshops; • The chance to network and exchange ideas with their peers in hundreds of other airlines, MROs and aircraft operators throughout the EMEA region.

This information and shared experience driven program has made MRO & Operation IT Conference a must attend event for airlines, MROs and aircraft operators looking to select and install new MRO or Operations IT Systems; learn about the latest system upgrades and add-on solutions with how to incorporate them into their current IT System; or simply on a fact finding mission to learn about the whole process.

Demonstrations of the latest Software from over 40 major IT Vendors A who’s who of IT vendors will be exhibiting their latest solutions in the large exhibition area making it possible for airlines, MROs and aircraft operators (under the same roof and in just two days) to try out and see demonstrations of all

“Very good – a nice balance between workshops, case studies and vendor sales activities. Also a very useful networking opportunity. I feel I learned about the vendors’ current software solutions and common issues problems in the MRO world.”

Virgin Atlantic Airways

the major software solutions on the market. The software on display includes: MRO IT Solutions: • Best of Breed MRO IT Solutions; • Fully Integrated MRO Systems linked to Enterprise Wide Solutions; • Supply Chain Solutions; • Digital Documentation Management; • Content Management Systems; • Documentation Scanning Solutions.

Operations IT Solutions: • Paperless Cockpit Solutions; • Electronic Flight Bags (EFBs); • Electronic Technical Logs (ETLs); • Flight Planning Solutions; • Operations Cost Management; • Fuel Saving Software; • Emissions Trading Solutions.

Agenda of Keynote Presentations, Case Studies & Workshops There will be a two day agenda of presentations by industry experts plus case studies from airlines and MROs where the latest key issues and trends in this rapidly developing sector of the industry will be discussed. Separate one hour ‘interactive workshop’ sessions are included in the agenda to ensure delegates receive key, varied and fresh information.

Keynote Presentations & Case Studies • MRO – Implementing software or managing cultural change? How to manage comlpex transitions with minimal risk.

• The pros and cons of a fast MRO software implementation.

• Using IT systems to optimize your supply chain.

• MRO system replacement: from selection through to phased implementation.

• Is tablet technology the future for end users in the hangar and the cockpit?

• Current trends in fuel efficiency improvement programs.

• A real-life EFB case study – Norwegian review of a year using a Class II EFB. • eTechlog linked to EFB – advanced technology enablers for data management.

APRIL-MAY 2011 | AIRCRAFT IT MRO | EVENT PREVIEW | 41

Speakers

E12 E11 E10 Refr Buff eshmen et St ationt s

E7 E9

E8

E6

E36

E19 E20 E21 E2 2 E23 E24 E25 E2 6

Conference Hall

E5

E28 E29 E30 E3 1 E32 E33 E34 E3 5

E37

E38

E39

platform for sharing ideas and expertise amongst IT users working in similar environments.

VIP Delegate Places for Airlines, Aircraft Operators & MROs Due to the current financial climate, and how this has impacted on airlines, aircraft operators and MROs throughout the EMEA zone, Aircraft Commerce has introduced special VIP delegate places which include subsidised accommodation, taxi transfers to and from Frankfurt am Main Airport and conference passes.

E42 E43

In 2010, more than 300 executives attended the event including key IT, MRO and Operations executives from over 80 different airlines, MROs and aircraft operators. Following on the theme of AircraftIT, the conference provides the perfect

E4

E27

Network with key IT executives from airlines, MROs and aircraft operators from throughout the EMEA zone

E3

There are a number of specialist workshops / masterclasses running concurrently with the main agenda of presentations and case studies. Delegates are invited to sign into their preferred sessions prior to the conference.

The workshops offer an interactive forum covering key topics and are each limited to 40 attendees.

They are one hour in length and include: • An EFB masterclass; • A Business Intelligence (BI)masterclass; • An ACARS masterclass; • A masterclass on independent auditing of MRO implementations; • A masterclass on IT industry collaboration (hosted by Microsoft).

E17

E2

E1

E18

Interactive Workshop / Master class Sessions

E13 E14 15 E16 E

Registration Desk

E40 E41

Boeing, SAKS Consulting, Lufthansa Consulting, Norwegian Air Shuttle, Lufthansa Technik, Atitech, HAITEC Aircraft Maintenance, Qantas Airways, ATC Lasham and Condor Airlines.

VIP delegate places are designed to provide as many airlines, MROs and aircraft operators as possible with the option to attend MRO & Operation IT Conference. However, there are only a limited number of these valuable places available, so please book your delegate places as soon as you can to avoid disappointment.

INTERACTIVE

FULL CONFERENCE INFORMATION

OR CLICK HERE to REGISTER DELEGATE PLACES OR CALL THE HOTLINE: +44 1403 230 888 / 307

Click here for full SOFTWARE details and for a demo

The only supplier with 2 MRO ‘best of breed’ plus CMS software

Products • DigiMAINT • DigiDOC • WebPMI

Integration Solutions • DigiREPORTS • AeroBUY • DJM

Platforms •

•

• •

Offering DigiREPORTS and AeroBUY – our common BI tools and B2B tools for our DigiMAINT and WebPMI MRO systems.

Our DigiDOC CMS is agnostic of MRO and integrates with any competitors’ system.

Spec2000 Ch11 & Ch13 Compliant

WebServer/ WebBrowser MS Server/ MS SQL or Oracle Linux/ Oracle iSeries/ DB2

42 | SOFTWARE DIRECTORY | AIRCRAFT IT MRO | APRIL-MAY 2011

MRO Software Directory

Key ‘at-a-glance’ information from the world’s leading MRO software providers.

There are three recognized categories of MRO software solutions: 1) Pure-play MRO solutions also known as Best of Breed (BoB) 2) Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Solutions 3) Specialist Point Solutions Software solutions assigned to categories 1 & 2 offer a complete end-toend MRO solution for airlines, MROs and aircraft operators and meet most business system requirements for MRO facilities and airlines of any size seeking a new MRO software solution or looking to replace or renew an existing one.

Pure-play, BoB and ERP MRO Solutions:

2MoRO Solutions

W: www.2moro.com T: +33 (0)559 013 005 (EMEA & Asia) T: +001 514 861 8686 (Americas) E: 2moro@2moro.com Company formed...................................................................2004 Office Location......................................France (HQ) and Canada Name of Product Marketed • Aero One®, Aero-Webb®, BFly® Number of Modules....................................................................6 Five Key Business/Software Areas • Fleet Management • Technical Referential Management • Maintenance Forecasting • Inspection, Sentencing, Workbench • Configuration Control Created in 2004, 2MoRO Solutions is an innovative company dedicated to software development for the Aerospace & Defense market (operational and R&D needs).

We are located in America and in Europe. Our solutions are operated in 17 countries. We provide three high value products: Aero-One®, Aero-Webb®, BFly®.

We have partnership with the world best of class ERP and PLM software providers, SAP® and PTC®. Our products are fully integrated with ERP offering cross functionalities: Accounting, Financials, Sales, Purchasing , Operations, Inventory & Distribution. We offer specific A&D functionalities: Fleet Management, Technical Referential Mgt, Maintenance Forecasting, Maintenance Execution, Inspection & Sentencing, Configuration Control, CRM & CSM.

Click Here for Software Details Click Here to Request Private Demo

Pure-play systems are designed specifically for the aviation MRO industry and typically offer a complete solution to fit with the highly regulated nature of the industry. ERP MRO Solutions are part of a complete end-to-end enterprise wide software package and allow for extended capability with other systems such as Finance and Human Resources.

Specialist Point solutions are MRO systems that are particularly strong in certain niche areas and usually complement the pure-play solutions.

For ease of reference the directory below is divided into two sections: Pureplay and ERP MRO Solutions; and Specialist Point Solutions

ADT - Applied Database Technology

W: www.adbtech.com T: +1 (425) 466-5013 +1 (614) 377-9644 E: sales@adbtech.com Company formed...................................................................1992 Office Location............... Bellevue, Tampa USA; Istanbul, Turkey Name of Product Marketed • Wings NG Number of Modules..................................................................14 Five Key Business/Software Areas • Fleet Management • Maintenance Engineering • Material Management • Production Planning • Labor Collection, Billing 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 the aerospace companies.

ADT has been in the software business since 1992 and 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.

Click Here for Software Details Click Here to Request Private Demo

AeroSoft Systems Inc.

W: www.aerosoftsys.com T: +1 905.678.9564 E: sales@aerosoftsys.com Company formed...................................................................1997 Office Location.............................................Mississauga,Ontario, Canada; Miami,FL,USA; Austria Name of Product Marketed • DigiMAINT, DigiDOC, WebPMI/DJM Number of Modules....................................................................5 Five 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 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. AeroSoft’s strategic partners include Hexaware Technologies Inc. who are jointly going to market internationally offering large IT capacity at competitive rates.

Click Here for Software Details Click Here to Request Private Demo

Just what is up with aviation it?

• Are you looking for the best MRO IT, software at the cutting edge?

• Want to find out what products are on the market and how you can find out more about each solution?

• Use the AircraftIT Portal to search through a list of market leading MRO software providers. Either search by vendor or drill down further and search by module or software type to find your perfect solution.

• Learn about the different solutions by requesting a private demo or signing up for Live Software Demonstration webinar sessions.

Click here to begin your search

APRIL-MAY 2011 | AIRCRAFT IT MRO | SOFTWARE DIRECTORY | 43

Cimber Air Data AS W: www.amicos.com T: +45 7443 3222 E: sales@amicos.com Company formed...................................................................1985 Office Location...............................................................Denmark Name of Product Marketed • AMICOS Next Generation Number of Modules................................................................ n/a Five Key Business/Software Areas • Maintenance & Engineering / MRO • Logistics and Procurement • Reliability & Statistics • Planning • Manpower & Cost control 25 years of successful design, development and implementation makes Cimber Air Data (CAD) one of the most seasoned players in the business. Our staff averages over 15 years of experience in Aviation MRO. Close contact with our customers assure that we are constantly up to date with the latest developments and business requirements. When you talk to CAD staff, you are talking to a proficient Aviation Professional.

Cimber Air Data is a profitable company, and we are constantly developing the product.

The AMICOS NG (Next Generation) MRO system is an affordable “Enterprise” solution exclusively developed for Aviation. Our focus is on in-depth functionality and total process control. The diversity of our customers and their business processes ensures that AMICOS covers almost any possible variation of MRO data management.

Click Here for Software Details Click Here to Request Private Demo

Communications Software (Airline Systems) Ltd

W: www.commsoft.aero T: +44 (0) 1621 817 425 E: nsg@commsoft.aero Company formed...................................................................1971 Office Location...................................... Tiptree, Derby, Norwich, Gatwick, UK; Brisbane, Australia; Coimbatore, India Name of Product Marketed • OASES Number of Modules..................................................................10 Five Key Business/Software Areas • User Friendly - ease of use for all levels of expertise • Excellent Support - full support throughout the life cycle of the product • Scalability - can grow with your business • Cost - low ‘cost of ownership’ • Security - proven security Communications Software Ltd provides the Open Aviation Strategic Engineering System (OASES), covering all aspects of aircraft maintenance for airlines and third-party maintainers. Areas covered include: inventory control; rotable tracking; demand handling; requirements planning; PO and RO processing; component and aircraft technical records; maintenance forecasting; aircraft check planning and documentation, plus 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.

Click Here for Software Details Click Here to Request Private Demo

Lufthansa Technik AG

Ramco Systems

W: www.lufthansa-technik.com/manage-m T: +49 69 696 91628 E: info@manage-m.com

W: www.ramcoaviation.com T: +1 305 538 8499 E: agatag@rsc.ramco.com

Company formed...................................................................1995 Office Location............................................................Worldwide Name of Product Marketed • manage/m® Number of Modules..................................................................15 Five Key Business/Software Areas • Compliance Reporting • MPD management and revision service • Task scheduling and control • Material management • Management of technical findings (PiRep & MaRep) Lufthansa Technik’s unique Technical Operations WebSuite manage/m® allows commercial aircraft operators to manage all core functions of their fleet’s technical operations as an entirely web-based system online – anytime and anywhere. manage/m® is provided at no extra costs to every customer holding a MRO contract with Lufthansa Technik.

Rounding out Lufthansa Technik’s all-encompassing portfolio of maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) services, the modules of manage/m® comprise a complete range of airline-proven support functions that permit operators to live up to their responsibilities towards the aviation authorities.

Reflecting Lufthansa Technik’s MRO competence in all of its facets, manage/m® provides you with the necessary information to live up to your responsibilities as an operator in full. Quality monitoring, reliability trends, status reports, documentation and tracking of shop events in realtime are just a few of the available WebServices.

Company formed...................................................................1996 Office Location..........USA, Canada, Europe, Middle East, Africa, India, Asia-Pacific, Singapore, Malaysia Name of Product Marketed • Ramco Aviation Enterprise Solution, Ramco Aviation M&E solution, Ramco Aviation MRO Solution, Ramco Aviation Analytics, Ramco Electronic Flight Bag(EFB), Ramco ePublications, Ramco Aviation Manufacturing OnDemand, Ramco eProcurement Number of Modules..................................................................20 Five Key Business/Software Areas • Maintenance & Engineering • Maintenance, Repair & Overhaul • Aviation Manufacturing and Repair Stations • Human Resources • Finance Ramco Systems is the world’s largest provider of Aviation M&E, MRO and Manufacturing software solutions designed from the ground up for Commercial Passenger and Cargo, Military, PBL, PBM, Fixed Wing & Rotor, Fleet Operators, MRO providers and OEM organizations. The solutions are offered On-premise (in-house), through an Application Service Provider, or OnDemand utilizing its solutions and automation tools in running lean, efficient and profitable operations.

Ramco’s Series 5 provides a positive impact on reducing turn times while increasing operational performance and compliance through the full integration of engineering, supply chain, maintenance planning and execution, and compliance modules in an elegant graphical interface.

Click Here for Software Details Click Here to Request Private Demo

Click Here for Software Details Click Here to Request Private Demo

Mxi Technologies

Rusada SA

W: www.mxi.com T: +1 613-747-4698 E: info@mxi.com

W: www.rusada.com T: 03333 440730 E: sales@rusada.com

Company formed...................................................................1996 Office Location.................. Ottawa, Amsterdam,Detroit, Seattle, Washington, Sydney, Tampa, Saudi Arabia Name of Product Marketed • Maintenix, Maintenix CE Number of Modules....................................................................5 Five Key Business/Software Areas • Maintenance Engineering & Information Management • Maintenance Planning • Maintenance Execution • Material management • Business Support & Analytics With solutions designed specifically for aviation maintenance, Mxi Technologies provides integrated and intelligent software, support, and services to commercial airlines, MROs, OEM aftermarket service providers, and defense operators. Mxi Technologies’ Maintenix® software uses a modern architecture and provides advanced capabilities such as a role-based Web browser interface, long range and automated line planning, automated workflow, electronic signatures, support for portable wireless devices, and a comprehensive range of integration APIs. Our customers range from emerging, small to midsized organizations to the largest global enterprises. For more information and to find out how you can join the evolution of aviation maintenance, visit www.mxi.com today.

Click Here for Software Details Click Here to Request Private Demo

Company formed...................................................................1987 Office Location..................... Europe, Middle East, Asia, Far East Name of Product Marketed • Envision Number of Modules....................................10 (Single database) Five Key Business/Software Areas • Technical records and Asset Management • Asset and Stock Management • Operations • Engineering & Maintenance • Quality, Safety and Analytics Rusada is a global leader in the development of complex asset management software for the aerospace industry.

With over 20 year’s heritage, Rusada, provides a range of tools and integrated IT solutions to enable the complete management of fleets of aircraft and the optimisation of the service provision around them. Headquartered in Switzerland with operations in the Far East, Middle East, Asia and Europe, Rusada serves over 60 major customers worldwide, spanning clients that include Operators, MROs and OEMs. Rusada’s Envision toolkit is an industry benchmark within aviation managing over 1500 aircraft in 20 countries. Latest innovations include the development of an Analytical Manager for live KPI analysis and monitoring against thresholds via a web based dashboard, and a new Safety Management Module designed to assist with a company’s Safety Management Procedures.

Click Here for Software Details Click Here to Request Private Demo

44 | SOFTWARE DIRECTORY | AIRCRAFT IT MRO | APRIL-MAY 2011

Sheorey Digital Systems Ltd.

TRAX USA Corp.

W: www.sds.co.in T: (+91-22) 2281 9198/ 2281 1086 E: rohit.jha@sds.co.in E: vicky.sheorey@sds.co.in

W: www.trax.aero T: +1 305.662.7400 E: sales@trax.aero

Company formed...................................................................1993 Office Location...........................Mumbai, Bangalore, Singapore Name of Product Marketed • ARMS®: Airline Resource Management System, InfoPrompt®: Integrated Document Management System Number of Modules....................................................................4 Five Key Business/Software Areas • Engineering & Maintenance Sub-System (ARMS® - EMSS) • Heavy MRO Sub-System (ARMS® HMRO)* • Logistics & Inventory Management Sub-System (ARMS® LIMSS) • InfoPrompt®: Integrated Document Management System * Under development Sheorey Digital Systems Ltd., (SDS), is an established, fast growing, ISO 9001:2008 Certified Software Company, focused on providing Software Solutions to the Aviation Industry.

ARMS®: ‘Airline Resource Management System’ is an internet rich, current-generation, state-of-the-art Information Technology System that effectively addresses the extremely critical and cost sensitive nature of Airlines/Commercial Air Transport operations. ARMS® is one of the few costeffective, fully integrated software solutions that seamlessly addresses – Flight Operations, Maintenance and Logistics functions of an air transport operator - designed and developed to control costs which is so very critical for Air Operators today! ARMS® is readily and easily ‘customizable’ to specific business & operational requirements.

Click Here for Software Details Click Here to Request Private Demo

Company formed...................................................................1997 Office Location........Miami, Fl, USA; Horsham, West Sussex, UK Name of Product Marketed • TRAX Maintenance & Engineering Software Number of Modules..................................................................23 Five Key Business/Software Areas • Engineering & Planning • Production & Shop • Technical Records & Reliability • TRAXDoc Document Control • Supply Chain Management TRAX is the global leader in the aviation Maintenance and Engineering software industry. Deployed at airlines with fleets of all sizes, TRAX is the most advanced maintenance software solution available today. TRAX Maintenance has been developed with Airlines and for Airlines.

Consisting of over 20 modules, TRAX Maintenance is a completely integrated product. Organizational efficiency gains can be substantial when using TRAX 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.

Click Here for Software Details Click Here to Request Private Demo

Volartec

Specialist Point Solutions

AIRCRAFT DATA SYSTEMS (ADS)

W: www.technicalrecords.net W: www.adsfrance.net T: +33 (0) 975 333 675 E: jalbrecht@technicalrecords.net Company formed...................................................................2005 Office Location.......................................................Nîmes, France Name of Product Marketed • ADS TRM (Technical Records Management), ADS TPA (Technical Publication Authoring) Number of Modules....................................................................5 Five Key Business/Software Areas • Searchable Dirty Finger Print • 7 OCR engines • 3 seconds or less to find a 25 years old log book page with its exact content • Scan in Color, high definition • EN-9100 Our software can be tailored upon customer requirement.

This allows us to input and organize records in any architecture in order to meet the exact requirements and internal rules of our customers. The records presentation shape is established just as customer wishes.

A mechanic, a financial assessor or a leasing company representative don’t have the same needs to collect and explore records but will be interested in the same content of data. Once scanned, the records can be presented, searched and exported in any customized way.

Click Here for Software Details Click Here to Request Private Demo

EmpowerMX

Swiss AviationSoftware Ltd. W: www.swiss-as.com T: +41 61 582 72 94 E: marketing@swiss-as.com Company formed..............2004 (project AMOS started in 1989) Office Location.....................Basel, Switzerland; Miami, FL, USA Name of Product Marketed • AMOS Number of Modules..................................................................10 Five Key Business/Software Areas • Material Management • Engineering • Planning • Production • Maintenance Control Swiss AviationSoftware unites over 20 years of IT experience with profound MRO expertise and offers its customers the functionally unsurpassed and technologically state-of-the art 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, almost 100 customers worldwide steer their maintenance activities with AMOS, which makes AMOS the industry-leading MRO software in Europe and one of the best-selling solutions globally.

Click Here for Software Details Click Here to Request Private Demo

W: www.volartec.aero T: +353 617 49010 E: marketing@volartec.aero Company formed...................................................................2004 Office Location................................................Ireland; Argentina Name of Product Marketed • Alkym ® Management & Control System for Aircraft Maintenance Number of Modules..................................................................15 Five Key Business/Software Areas • Maintenance & Engineering • Logistics • Quality Assurance / Human Resources • Planning & Reliability • Document Management / Technical Library Alkym® is the most comprehensive and cost-effective software solutions available in the market today. It is specially designed to improve MRO Technical Operations performance by a professional team with strong aviation background. Alkym® is a completely integrated software solution to meet the demands of Aircraft operators and MRO providers.

The key difference is our proven ability to deliver the fastest ROI. This is achieved by providing all the functionality at a fraction of the cost of others on market.

We deliver the implementation project in record time with a dedicated team. Typically this is done in 4 to 5 weeks.

Click Here for Software Details Click Here to Request Private Demo

W: www.empowermx.com T: +1 866-498-3702 E: info@empowermx.com Company formed...................................................................1999 Office Location....................................................Minnesota, USA Name of Product Marketed • Fleetcycle MRO Suite, Fleetcycle Execution Suite Number of Modules....................................................................8 Five Key Business/Software Areas • Maintenance Program Manager (FCMPM) • Planning Manager (FCPM) / Materials Manager (FCMM) • MRO Manager (FCXM) • Production Manager (FCXP) / Reliability Manager (FCRM) • Line Manager (FCXL) / Maintenance Intelligence (FCMI) FleetCycle® MRO ERP allows mros, airlines, lessors and any aviation maintenance entities to effectively manage the entire maintenance lifecycle or portions of the lifecycle they are responsible for. Airlines can jointly manage their outsourced and all insourced activities like Engineering Reliability, QA, Maintenance Programs, at the line, heavy, and shop levels. FleetCycle® ERP can significant reduce cycle times and enhance labor productivity to the order of 16%-30% and reduced costs, as well as increased aircraft availability, and reduced delays and cancellations. Third party MROs can run their entire operation of contracting and bidding on an aircraft to invoice the customer.

FleetCycle® MRO ERP is the only tool currently available in the market place that reaches down to the technician on the floor and completely automates the process.

Intelligence gathered with this system provides an accurate, timely basis for dramatic improvements in the efficiency and integrity of maintenance processes and the forecasted availability of aircraft.

Click Here for Software Details Click Here to Request Private Demo

APRIL-MAY 2011 | AIRCRAFT IT MRO | SOFTWARE DIRECTORY | 45

Enigma W: www.enigma.com T: +1 781-273-3600 E: infous@enigma.com Company formed...................................................................1992 Office Location....Burlington, MA USA; Singapore; London, UK; Tokyo, Japan; Hertzlia, Israel; Stockholm, Sweden, Name of Product Marketed • InService MRO, InService Job Card Generator, InService Revision Manager, Enigma 3C Number of Modules................................................................ n/a Five Key Business/Software Areas • MRO Technical Documentation Delivery • Revision Management/Control • Job/Task Card Automation • Illustrated Parts Catalogs • Service and Parts Documentation Enigma solutions help airlines and MRO facilities reduce costs and improve service efficiency and consistency by providing maintenance technicians with the latest maintenance manuals, spare parts and service information, filtered by tail number. Enigma takes data from enterprise applications – such as MRO Planning and Engineering, ERP, etc. – and creates an interactive maintenance solution that delivers the latest service, parts, and diagnostic information.

By offering dynamic, integrated parts and service information, and links to inventory, order management and other systems, Enigma enables engineers to quickly update and distribute technical publications, and technicians to swiftly perform maintenance and repairs.

Click Here for Software Details Click Here to Request Private Demo

Gen2 Systems Limited

Hexaware Technologies

W: www.gen2systems.net T: +44 (0) 121 351 6563 E: adrian.ryan@gen2systems.net

W: www.hexaware.com/travel-transporthospitality-solution.htm T: India: +91 22-67919595 T: Americas: +1 609-409-6950 E: vaibhavs@hexaware.com

Company formed...................................................................2007 Office Location............................... Birmingham UK, London UK Name of Product Marketed • FLYdocs Number of Modules....................................................................9 Five Key Business/Software Areas • Aircraft Management • Engine Centre • Repair Centre • Search • Current Status / EoL Centre FLYdocs is a highly efficient system used for electronic Document Storage, Aircraft Returns, Engine Management, Repair Management, Landing Gear Management, APU Management, Thrust Reverser Management, instant online Searching and Lease Company Management….plus much more…

The system is incredibly flexible and easy to use and provides clients with integrated options to connect to internal Maintenance Planning systems to create a closed loop for record keeping. FLYdocs uses a highly advanced and exceptionally intelligent platform to perform manual tasks with ease, vastly reducing the time it takes to manage documentation as well as providing major cost savings and value for money.

Click Here for Software Details Click Here to Request Private Demo

Company formed...................................................................1990 Office Location...........Mumbai, New Jersey, London, Frankfurt, Singapore, Japan, Dubai, Mexico Name of Product Marketed • Hexaware is a Technology and Business Services Company providing end to end services to the Aviation market.

Number of Modules................................................................ n/a Five Key Business/Software Areas • Custom MRO Software development and maintenance • System selection consulting & system integration services • Implementation, upgrades and migration of MRO products • Interface Development • Customization and Enhancement across modules Hexaware is a niche, focused IT and BPO services company providing end-to-end system integration and IT services to customers across Travel & Transportation, Banking and Financial Services, Healthcare and Manufacturing industries.

With annual revenues of USD 230M for FY 2010, Hexaware has a global workforce of around 6300 consultants working across various industries and technologies. Hexaware has a strong experience working in various business functions in MRO and Technical Documentation domains and specialize in System selection, custom software development and maintenance services, Business Intelligence / analytics, Infrastructure Management Services (IMS), and Quality Assurance and Testing services.

Click Here to Request Private Demo Click here for full SOFTWARE details and for a demo

Your Preferred

Integration Partner for Aviation MRO and Technical Documentation Systems Hexaware Technologies is a leading global provider of IT & BPO services and consulting. The company has grown to around 6300 consultants working across disparate domain and technologies. Hexaware with its strong experience in various business functions in MRO

and Technical

Documentation

domains,

provides specialized services in Portfolio Analysis, System

Selection,

Implementation,

Custom

Development and Maintenance Services, Legacy Modernization, Upgrade and Migration Services, Business Intelligence / Analytics, Infrastructure Management Services (IMS), Quality Assurance and Testing Services.

www.hexaware.com

What’s coming up in the June/July 2011 edition of AircraftIT MRO Available 7th June at www.aircraftIT.com Case Study The application of Wireless Sensor Network Technology in MROs and at Turkish Technic: how the network functions and an analysis of the practical benefits.

Dr. Orkun Hasekioglu, CIO, Turkish Technic

White Paper Heavy Maintenance IT Systems. How technology can optimise resources, and SCREEN GRAB OFand WEBSITE minimise costs and hangar time.

Phil Bathurst, Partner, Phisha Aviation Consulting LLC

Case Study The challenges in capturing man-hours and materials consumed in airframe checks: the practicalities of the IT systems used and the benefits are analyzed.

Roberto Asuncion, VP IT, Lufthansa Technik Philippines.

White Paper CMS has been an afterthought to MRO/IT selection…until NOW. Thanos Kaponeridis, President & CEO, Aerosoft Systems.

Case Study Marshall Aerospace’s Power Play; the development of an in-house system: an electrical load analysis (ELA) application that models an aircraft’s distributed power structure.

Karl Jones, Head of Avionics & Technical Development, Marshall Aerospace.

Plus: Latest News and Technology Updates, Preview of upcoming Live Software Demonstration Webinars, Latest Industry Vacancies (New Feature), Software Directory...

Click here to subscribe for free now to reserve your copy Contact us for further details Visit: www.aircraftIT.com email: ed.haskey@aircraft-commerce.com or call +44 1403 230 700 / +44 1273 700 555