V1.6 • SUMMER 2012
iPAD EFBs
Alaska Airlines introduces iPad technology to its tasks and users
HTML5
Standardising standards?
ETS SECOND TRADING PERIOD
What will it do: what must you do?
FAA defines an EFB
What it is and what it isn’t
White Papers: FAA, Aviation42, ETSverification. Case Study: Alaska Airlines. Vendor Flight Log: Aviaso. Bangkok Conference previewed PLUS: The World according to IT & Me, News, Webinars, Operations Software Directory and Dictionary of Acronyms…
Navtech Electronic Flight Bag Products Nearly 700 aircraft are flying with Navtech software products in their EFBs using components like Navtech Aircraft Performance and Navtech Charts. euroAtlantic airways is the most recent customer to adopt this technology. euroAtlantic airways’ CEO Tomaz Metello says “…the EFB project is a new step towards the future.” Navtech understands that each airline’s EFB business case will be unique to their operation and so we partner with many EFB software, hardware, communications and platform providers to help our customers achieve maximum return on EFB investments. Visit www.navtech.aero/aircraftit_com.html for more product information. info@navtech.aero
04 Latest News and Technology updates
Life never stands still in Operations IT. To keep up with what’s happening check regularly on www.aircraftit. com/operations and in AircraftIT Operations e-journal.
08 The Aircraft IT Dictionary of Acronyms (DoA)
Editor’s comment
Finding aviation IT related definition for acronyms can take a while. So we’re building an Aircraft IT acronym dictionary with just the definitions that you need. Try it.
Aircraft IT Operations: managing aircraft in the environment; using IT to support the performance of aircraft and the people who fly them. Aircraft don’t fly in a vacuum. That much is obvious; but my point is that airlines and aircraft operators do not operate in an enclosed space, insulated from the rest of the world. In fact they operate in an almost wholly public space, shared with all manner of other activities, human concerns and priorities. Not least among these is a growing concern for the environment and the sustainability of the ecosystem. In that, aircraft burning fossil fuels to move people around the planet are fairly obvious targets for environmental concerns and the actions taken to address those concerns. Design, build and engineering support are all important contributors to the quality of an aircraft’s performance. But, once it has left the hanger, its efficiency and sustainability credentials rest with Operations and the people who fly the aircraft –crews and the whole support organisation, not least of which is Operations IT. There’s a lot with which Operations IT professionals need to keep abreast these days so that a single and cumulative source of knowledge and shared experience can prove an invaluable resource for a busy person. At Aircraft IT Operations that’s what we do, deliver knowledge and shared experience to your desktop from people who understand your world, who know what you need to know and who can contribute usefully to what you do. In this issue, there’s a round-up of news that you need: and important information about what you have to do for Stage 2 of EU ETS. Plus, you’ll read about a closer definition of EFBs and a great article on how one airline introduced an iPad based EFB with the benefits accruing from that. And if you’ve been wondering what HTML5 is or how it might add value to your part of the business, wonder no more; just read our article on the topic. Plus, of course, you’ll share the world according to IT and Paul Saunders. Still on the subject of technical terms, for all of those acronyms that fly around, we are pleased to introduce our dictionary of acronyms to save your time and support your understanding. As well as that, the Aircraft IT live demonstration webinars allow readers to research the software package most appropriate for their needs and access past webinars while, of course, future webinars are open for every reader who registers. Aircraft IT Operations: knowledge to your professional intelligence.
12 WHITE PAPER: What is an EFB?
Brian Hint, Aviation Safety Inspector (Operations) at the FAA Most of us think we know what an EFB is; but do we really; or are we attributing the term to devices which can only be an EFB with the correct software?
15 COLUMN: The World according to IT & Me!
Will Windows 8 be the silver bullet we were hoping for? Paul Saunders Windows 8 has been anticipated by those who would value a common system across all devices – it might even make iOS look out of touch. Or, perhaps, not.
16 CASE STUDY: A warm reception for iPad EFB in Alaska
Captain Jim Freeman, iPad Project Pilot, Alaska Airlines When moving to an iPad based EFB, Alaska Airlines tackled not only the technical aspects of a new system but also the impact on the business and the pilots using it.
20 EVENT PREVIEW: Airline & Aerospace MRO & Operations IT Conference – APAC, Bangkok, 17th & 18th October 2012 Find out which 30+ IT vendors are exhibiting their software solutions
22 WHITE PAPER: HTML5 demystified
Steve Crabb, CEO and Ingunn Ingimars, IT Consultant at Aviation42 HTML5 needs to be properly introduced to airlines and aircraft operators because it will be able to change the way they do things and for the better.
26 VENDOR FLIGHT LOG: Ruedi Christen lets us see a bit of what makes Aviaso tick
In the latest of our Q&A pieces, we ask Rudolf ‘Ruedi’ Christen, CEO at Aviaso Inc., to allow Aircraft IT readers to check out his ‘Vendor Flight Log’.
28 Past webinars: knowledge transfer and access for industry experts
See full information on and view video recordings of past Live Operations Software Demonstration Webinars, including events hosted by: SITA, Flygprestanda, Evoke Systems and Logipad.
30 Upcoming webinar: Your chance to attend a convenient and free live Operations software demonstration webinar.
Ed Haskey, Editor, Aircraft IT Operations
A preview of the live software demonstration Webinar of Aviaso’s fuel efficiency solutions on 27th September 2012
CLICK HERE: Send your feedback and suggestions to AircraftIT OPS AircraftIT OPS 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 2012 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.
COVER IMAGE: ©AIRBUS SAS 2012, photo by exm Company P. Masclet
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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
31 Latest VacancieS
Find out about current and future vacancies for people like you in the sector where your experience and skills are valued.
32 WHITE PAPER: Already 2013 for ETS Stage 2
Guido Harling, lead auditor of ETSverification GmbH Stage 2 of the EU ETS for airlines comes into effect at the start of 2013, but airlines will need to demonstrate their readiness by the end of September 2012
36 Operations Software directory
A detailed look at the world’s leading Operations IT systems.
4 | NEWS | AIRCRAFT IT MRO | SUMMER 2012
Two new software solutions providers join Aircraft IT Operations vendor group
Greenland’s flag carrier flies with AVIOBOOK
Belgium-based Aviovision, an and repair estate. Used by aircraft EFB (Electronic Flight Bag) software AircraftIT is very pleased to announce the operators and third party MROs provider, announced in late July inclusion of two new solution providers to the alike, 2012 that it had signed a contract publication’s growing panel of vendors. eMan with Air Greenland, the flag carrier THALES is an integrator to design, customize unlocks airline and one of the driving forces and support the behind the development of the Electronic Flight benefits of smooth and efficient community of Greenland. Bag (EFB) solutions. TopWings® is a solution that distribution of engineering and Air Greenland, which has multiple provides a tailored answer to users’ needs for EFB fixed and rotary wing bases across implementation. Thales’s one-stop solution is a global process documentation. eMan is available as an on-premise or Greenland, intends to implement EFB offering for operators, comprising hardware and hosted offering for complete the AVIOBOOK® EFB on a Class 1 applications for cockpit and cabin. It also provides deployment flexibility. Archimedes iPad device, providing a maximum Data Management and Ground Applications with is the firm’s ACARS data flexibility and user friendliness for a wide range of services. With TopWings, operators management solution. its aircraft and helicopter flight obtain significant operational savings and quick Aircraft IT editor and publisher, crews. In addition the AVIOBOOK® return on investment (ROI) in a customizable, Ed Haskey, welcomed the new BASE ground administration tool modular solution that helps key decision makers vendors to the panel, saying that, will serve the flight operations master complexity and make timely decisions for “It is the inclusion of high caliber office staff to actively monitor the better outcomes. businesses such as these that EFB devices and content, and will AviIT is exclusively focused on the provision of increasingly makes Aircraft IT the allow a seamless integration with software solutions to the aviation sector. eMan resource of choice for aviation provides an efficient capability for the distribution C30119.170_Thales_TOPWING_AircraftIT_85x273_v1_topwings 28/06/2012 10:15ITPage Air 1 Greenland’s current back-office professionals.” operations systems. of technical publications across the maintenance
euroAtlantic airways signs multi-year contract with Navtech
Navtech Inc., a provider of flight operations software and services, has further developed its growing relationship with customer, euroAtlantic airways, through a multi-year agreement, announced in early June 2012, for provisioning aeronautical electronic charts for the iPad, in a Class 2 EFB. Navtech iCharts will be supplied to the non-schedule international airline which operates on the most diverse routes in the US, Canada, Caribbean, Central and South Americas, Africa, Middle East, and beyond. euroAtlantic airways, which will be celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2013, is also a subscriber to Navtech’s Navigation Data for GE US, and Honeywell FMS. euroAtlantic airways is a relatively new customer to Navtech, and the Navtech iCharts for iPad EFB agreement is the airlines second with Navtech in six months. Navtech iCharts is an application that brings Navtech electronic charts to your iPad. This allows the iPad to be used as a Class 1 EFB or, with regulatory and operational approval, as a Class 2 Type B device. Navtech has worked with customers to achieve operational approval of the iPad as a Class 2 device. Navtech’s family of state-of-the-art aeronautical charts products have been developed using research from Human Factor specialists and by gathering data from, and working closely with pilots having years of experience using aeronautical charts. Each chart includes enhanced symbology and communication features. Navtech’s electronic chart viewing application, Navtech eCharts, has been used by the firm’s customers for ten years. Continued product enhancements will form the infrastructure for Navtech to easily support all Classes of EFB and all devices from tablets to installed avionics.
Click here for full SOFTWARE details and for a demo
TopWings. Scalable networked solutions to help make the right decisions. Turnkey EFB solution Maximum IT security
Greener airlines Operational cost savings
Running an airline successfully demands a very high level of operational efficiency. TopWings® by Thales, is a brand new Electronic Flight Bag (EFB) solution which integrates hardware and software seamlessly, streamlines operational efficiency and significantly reduces operational costs. It is a global solution that delivers the right information to the right people at the right time, transforming the aircraft into a communication node of the airline’s information system. Thales takes on the overall responsibility of implementing the EFB programme too – making it hassle-free for airlines and allowing a fast return on their investment. Best in class, TopWings is a customisable, modular solution that helps key decision makers master complexity and make timely decisions for better outcomes. To learn more about our Electronic Flight Bag solution, scan the QR code or email topwings@thalesgroup.com or visit thalesgroup.com
Improved flight safety
SUMMER 2012 | AIRCRAFT IT OPERATIONS | NEWS | 5
A busy time for Optimized Systems and Solutions (OSyS) with new clients and an acquisition OSyS signs Fuel Management contract with US Airways
US Airways, has selected OSyS (Optimized Systems and Solutions) Fuel Management Solution (FMS) to optimize its operational fuel usage. With the late-May 2012 announcement, US Airways also became the first US-based customer for OSyS FMS. The airline aims to achieve maximum efficiency in fuel usage. Also, the insight delivered by the OSyS solution will enable US Airways to make better-informed decisions, and provide more effective management for fuel conservation initiatives. OSyS’s FMS continues to evolve to meet the needs of airline operators, offering a better vision of fuel cost controls within the context of their individual operations. Along with the OSyS emissions monitoring and reporting service, the company’s expertise strives to support airlines’ goals of achieving a more sustainable business.
OSyS signs Fleet Reporting contract renewal with ATR
ATR (Avions de Transport Régional) and OSyS signed, in early June 2012, a three-year contract renewal for fleet reporting services that includes increased scope and functionality enhancements. ATR has been an OSyS customer since 2004. As part of this service, OSyS collates disparate operator in-service information and provides both web-based analytical tools and monthly statistical analyses reports back to ATR, which are then made available by ATR to their customers and suppliers through a website they call AWARE. The information supports marketing, sales, aircraft performance measurement, operational guarantees, warrantees and maintenance activities.
With the cost of fuel rising ever higher, the economics of operating turboprop aircraft as opposed to jets for short hauls and regional networks is quite dramatic. On a typical short route of 300nm (nautical miles) the fuel consumption of an ATR 72, that carries over 70 passengers, is roughly half that of a 50-seat regional jet. Worldwide, 55% of regional fleets still comprise turboprops. OSyS fleet reporting sorts a variety of data and provides sortable views by such factors as aircraft tails (unique identifiers or registration numbers); components reliability; technical incidents (service interruptions or delays due to what kind of technical issue); and performance benchmarking to compare how carriers or aircraft operate in various conditions.
OSyS acquires Superstructure Group
Later on, in mid-June 2012, OSyS acquired Superstructure Group, a provider of aviation safety, quality, risk and regulatory compliance software. Superstructure’s AQD (Aviation Quality Database) software enables airlines, cargo companies, corporate jet and helicopter operators, armed forces and airports to collect, assess and manage risk and compliance data more effectively. They are a market leader, with over 100 customers, including some of the world’s largest airlines. Paul Inman, OSyS Chief Executive Officer said, “Superstructure Group is respected in the aviation industry and is complementary to the products and services we offer. We were extremely impressed with the Superstructure product, people and their software development capabilities; the chance to bring this talent into OSyS was compelling. Adding the industry leading AQD
software to our… offering will enable us to provide an even more comprehensive suite of solutions to our clients, to access new markets and help extend our activities in to the Asia Pacific Region. We are very pleased that the Superstructure UK and New Zealand teams are now part of OSyS.”
OSyS signs Fuel Management contract with Etihad Airways
Later still, Etihad Airways, the Abu Dhabi based airline and flag carrier of the United Arab Emirates, announced, in mid-July 2012, that it had selected the OSyS Fuel Management Solution (FMS) to optimize its operational fuel usage, reducing associated costs and emissions.
OSyS signs Fuel Management contract with Virgin Atlantic Airways
Then, in late July 2012, Virgin Atlantic Airways also selected the OSyS Fuel Management Solution (FMS) to optimize its operational fuel usage and manage its EU Emissions Trading Scheme reporting commitments. Corneel Koster, Director of Operations, Safety and Security for Virgin Atlantic, said, “This is a really exciting partnership for us which will deliver a step change in our fuel management. At Virgin Atlantic, we are passionate about improving our fuel efficiency and reducing our carbon footprint and have had initiatives in place for many years to help achieve those aims. The OSyS solution is a fantastic way of bringing business intelligence on large numbers of data points together in an easy-to-use, single source and we are looking forward to identifying and driving forward many more fuel saving opportunities.”
Click here for full SOFTWARE details and for a demo
6 | NEWS | AIRCRAFT IT MRO | SUMMER 2012 Click here for full SOFTWARE details and for a demo
Global EFB Management Solution Update and maintain EFB devices • Class-I • Class-II • iPad / Tablets
(Windows 8 Development already in progress)
Device Management App Management Document Management eReporting Supplier independent Compliance Reports Standardized Deployment Process
Am Walzwerk 1 • 45527 Hattingen • phone +49 2324 9258 0 • fax +49 2324 9258 433 • info@logipad.aero • www.logipad.aero
SWISS issues iPads to its maîtres de cabine
SWISS’s 650 maîtres de cabine are being provided with iPads to ease their overall workload. The devices, which started to be issued in late June 2012, will simplify the tasks and duties of the airline’s cabin services directors before, during and after the flight. They will also permit the abolition of the traditional printed manuals, with associated environmental benefits in both paper- and aircraft weight-saving terms. The digitization of processes and procedures is now making inroads into the work of one of SWISS’s key personnel categories. Following a two-month trial involving some 30 such devices, SWISS’s entire corps of around 650 maîtres de cabine will now be issued with iPads for use in their work from the beginning of this month onwards. At the heart of the program is a new iPad app that has been specially developed by the carrier. The device and its app provide SWISS’s cabin services directors with a state-of-the-art work-tool that is carefully tailored to their specific needs. The app gives the maîtres de cabine access to all the latest information on their flights and their destinations The new app features search, marking and comment functions to facilitate the reading and annotation of all the relevant manuals; and it also incorporates a special ‘briefing function for preparing and conducting the briefings that are such a vital part of the pre-flight procedure. Later releases of the app will see further functions added that should prove useful on the passenger care and assistance front. The adoption of the new iPads will also enable SWISS to abolish the printing of the extensive manuals which its maîtres de cabine currently use. This should not only make the maître de cabine’s baggage much lighter to carry; it will also benefit the environment, through the paper economies it allows and the weight reductions on board with the corresponding savings in fuel consumption and pollutant emissions.
TNT Airways selects BYTRON’s skybook®eFB on the Apple iPad
In mid-June 2012, BYTRON announced that TNT Airways based in Liege has undergone successful flight trials of skybook®eFB on iPad over a six month period. The iPad implementation is now flying regularly and on-going co-operative development work is continuing. The skybook® project with TNT was started during late 2011 and has involved an integrated effort by the airline and BYTRON. The project team included three experienced personnel from BYTRON working with the TNT team to ensure that the implementation succeeded. The TNT implementation includes a number of standard skybook® modules along with additional functionality specifically requested by TNT. Modules include, Electronic Tech Log, Flight Folder incorporating weather and NOTAM alerting, airline operational notices, voyage reporting, digital aircraft library, graphical map of aircraft route and an interactive pilots log allowing the capture of all elements usually recorded on paper copy. Output from the EFB is transferred to the ground based skybook® Flight Record Vault (FRV) where it is combined with planned flight data to provide a comprehensive dataset for reporting and analysis and onward integration with existing airline systems.
Eurolot S.A. selects Flightman Electronic Flight Bag software Eurolot S.A. signed a contract in early August 2012 to commence Class I Electronic Flight Bag (EFB) software deployment across their fleet of Bombardier and ATR aircraft using Flightman EFB software technology to streamline their Flight Operations and Maintenance operational processes. The solution includes the eJourney Log, Electronic Flight Folder, Large Content Manager, eReports, Business Intelligence and eTechlog applications and integrates with third Party Performance Calculator and Charting applications. This complete EFB software solution will connect Eurolot’s aircraft to their back office systems and reduces operational workload by ensuring single point data capture. Through this state of the art deployment, Eurolot will also have the capability to efficiently exchange data on and off the aircraft via cellular communications and be able to centrally manage it via the Flightman™ Ground Administrative Manager application.
SUMMER 2012 | AIRCRAFT IT OPERATIONS | NEWS | 7
Asian Tiger leaps on ETS fuel saving solution
Smart4Aviation adds Air France and goes mobile Air France selects Smart4Aviation’s Smart SUITE
In late June 2012, Tiger Airways, based in Singapore and Australia, confirmed that it had selected Aviation FuelSaver™ to power an innovative fuel efficiency program. Developed by aviation software and consultancy specialist, ETS Aviation Ltd., Aviation FuelSaverTM is a low cost fuel performance tracking system. Linked with ETS Aviation’s own fuel conservation consultancy, it delivers significant cost savings by identifying and recording more efficient ways of operating aircraft.
Smart4Aviation announced in mid-July 2012 that Air France had become the firm’s newest partner airline, joining the Smart4Aviation family of Key Airline Partnerships, and would be adding their specific expertise to Smart4Aviarion’s pooled knowledge of the Global Airline Marketplace. Air France will be acquiring Smart4Aviarion’s Smart BRIEF, Smart MET, Smart NOTAM MANAGER, Smart OPS, Smart VIEW and Smart COMM solutions to complement their new Dispatch chain solution.
Fuel saving masterclass at the Airline & Aerospace MRO & Operations IT Conference APAC, 17th & 18th October 2012
From 6th August 2012 Smart4Aviation has offered a mobile version of its website to ensure that users can access www.smart4aviation.aero from wherever they are mobile. The goal is to provide the increasing number of mobile visitors (10%) to the Smart4Aviation.aero website with an interface that quickly leads them to the required information when browsing its content. Smart4Aviation delivers mobile solutions to its customers using devices such as phones, PDAs or tablets. Functionality depends on the Airline’s requirements. A mobile version of a product can be either web-based or native iPhone, Blackberry, Android. Also notification-based solutions that forward SMS, email or push notifications can be delivered. Smart4Aviation’s mobile solutions were recently awarded by Flightglobal ‘Webbies’ as Best Mobile App ‘Best Technical Innovation’ by the AGIFORS crew management study group and won a prestigious ‘Mercury’ award on ITCA conference.
ETS Aviation and Tiger Airways will be hosting ‘Operations IT Workshop 2: A Fuel-Saving Program Masterclass’ at the Bangkok Conference, on Wednesday 17th October from 4:00pm to 5:00pm in the Workshop Room. Among the topics covered will be: • How to access the relevant data. • Nominating a ‘Champion’ for fuel conservation within your airline. • How to build a business case and get support for the program internally. And choosing the right software for the job to ensure a successful programme For details go to pages 20-21.
Smart4Aviation for Mobiles
Augsburg Airways Cuts Operational Costs with Pacelab CI OPS Lufthansa Regional partner Augsburg Airways has equipped flight crews on its Embraer 195 aircraft with
Pacelab CI OPS, the cost index tool from Berlin-based software provider PACE. Calculating the most economic altitude and speed in any given circumstances, Pacelab CI OPS enables pilots to take direct control of the cost efficiency of their flights. The software not only takes into account current weather conditions, ATC updates and connecting flights but also the unique airline-specific cost structure. Pacelab CI OPS is deployed on electronic flight bags (EFBs), the mobile computers which are standard equipment for all Augsburg Airways pilots. To ensure a smooth and efficient introduction of the software, PACE closely consulted with IT company aircore_systems, whose framework AS-FlightBag provides the EFB’s operating system. In addition to the application en route, Augsburg Airways also uses Pacelab CI OPS to generate variable speed schedules for CI-optimized flight plans. Commenting on the introduction of the tool in early August 2012, Frank Joosten, Vice President Flight Operations at Augsburg Airways, said: “Reducing fuel expenses and increasing operational efficiency are important goals. With Pacelab CI OPS, our flight crews can make an active contribution to achieving them.” The Pacelab CI OPS software was developed in close cooperation with Augsburg’s partner airline Lufthansa CityLine; it is used by the majority of Lufthansa Regional members.
Click here for full SOFTWARE details and for a demo
8 | NEWS | AIRCRAFT IT MRO | SUMMER 2012
Aviaso software supports Thomas Cook Airlines Belgium in achieving fuel savings of 2.1%
Thomas Cook Airlines Belgium confirmed on 7th August 2012 that it has achieved fuel savings of 2.1% in the past eighteen months. Aviaso software has been supporting Thomas Cook Airlines Belgium in its fuel efficiency improvement program since early 2011 with software that provides a full range of data analysis, reporting, and monitoring tools. This helps the airline to really understand how its fuel is used, to define improvement initiatives, and to monitor their progress. As Captain Carl-Philippe Combes, Fuel Specialist at Thomas Cook Airlines Belgium said of the program: “… to ‘complete the loop’ so to speak, the software allows us to provide feedback to our crews and ground personnel, which has a strong motivating effect. Shortly after we had started implementation in early 2011, we had the software up and running. Now we have improved our fuel efficiency by 2.1%. Click here for full SOFTWARE details and for a demo
Aircraft IT acronym finder Some of the acronyms used in aviation IT. Everybody knows their acronyms, don’t they? Well, actually, not always. The reality is that, with hundreds of acronyms to describe every complex concept, focused or multiple function technology, process, piece of legislation or the resultant regulation, it’s not always easy to remember what the group of (usually) capital letters in front of you means. Sometimes it’s obvious from the context but even then, how often do you know what you think it means but still need to look up what it really means, just to check that you are correct? You go to the Internet and trawl through dozens of websites listing, literally, hundreds of acronyms from every walk of life and often with differing meanings in different contexts. That takes time and all that you’re really interested in are the meanings that pertain to aviation IT; whether that is directly about purely aviation topics or indirectly in the many generic business activities that are also used in airlines and aircraft operators. So, to make that task just a little more straightforward, Aircraft IT has created a live and growing directory of aviation related acronyms: growing because we’re taking it from the white papers and case studies published in our eJournals
delivering IT knowledge for Operations and MRO businesses. There are still some acronyms with more than one meaning, even within aviation IT and related areas: we identify these with a different color and suggest that you consider the context to decide which acronym meaning is the one you need. But this will also be very much a live facility: we’ll be regularly updating it as new (to the directory as well as to the world of aviation IT) acronyms appear in the articles submitted for publication. And if you come across an acronym that we haven’t yet included or an additional meaning for an acronym we have included, do send it in to acronyms@aircraftit.com. Please go to the Aircraft IT Dictionary of Acronyms to help you find what those (usually) capital letters mean but, if what you’re doing is safety critical, use us as a guide to where to look and then do your research properly.
INTERACTIVE
CLICK HERE TO VISIT THE DICTIONARY OF ACRONYMS
The Airline & AerospAce Mro & FlighT operATions iT conFerence 2012 – BAngKoK, 17Th & 18Th ocToBer The World’s leading MRO and OPS IT Conference in the APAC Region for airline and independent MRO personnel involved with reviewing, selecting or using MRO & Flight Operations IT systems.
presentations including : ipad/Tablet technology in the Flight Deck eFB project Management structuring an M & e system : cMs, Documentation, engineering & e-Job card production Fuel saving Masterclass structuring an M & e system : collecting Flight operations Data, Maintenance control, collecting eFB & eTl Data, line Maintenance planning & production.
Workshops including : An ipad/Tablet strategy Masterclass An eFB Masterclass Business Analytics for the Airline Mro industry independent Auditing of Mro implementations Fuel saving Masterclass Discuss your current or new system requirements with and have demos from over 40 leading MRO and Flight Operations IT suppliers in attendance.
hear and discuss the latest industry trends and developments
Two nights free accommodation available for Aircraft Commerce airline / independent MRO company readers registering via +44 1403 230 888 or stephen@aircraft-commerce.com and quoting registration code APAC2012. For further details on the Bangkok conference call +44 1403 230 888 or visit: www.aircraft-commerce.com/conferences
10 | NEWS | AIRCRAFT IT MRO | SUMMER 2012
Who’s in the news: Vendors aircore_systems
aircore_systems develops software solutions for Linux, MS Windows and iOS operating systems, which optimize the communication between cockpit and back office. The EFB solution AS-FlightBag II serves as a framework which embeds and manages all EFB components installed on board.
Aviaso
Aviaso
The Conduce Group
The Conduce Group is an IT and business services organization providing professional services through IT Services, Consulting and Software divisions. The recent acquisition of Dreamscape Design has further extended the service.
ETS Aviation
AvioVision N.V.
AvioVision N.V. aims to bring innovative solutions to common problems identified in missioncritical industries (such as aviation), by facilitating integration of technologies in its products, combining them with operational excellence into smart solutions for front line and back-office staff.
BYTRON
BYTRON is a UK based company specializing in aviation data systems, delivering weather, operational data and totally integrated 24/7 flight data management solutions for airlines, airports and air traffic control. The company has over 25 years’ experience supplying aviation systems to Air Traffic Control.
Air France
OSyS is a long-established business with a history of commercial aviation expertise, and with a number of airline customers taking advantage of the company’s Fuel Management Solution.
PACE
connecting aviation and software
Aviaso is an international software company developing products exclusively for the aviation industry. Aviaso’s focus is on complex, operational aviation topics such as Fuel Efficiency, EUETS, Aviation Reporting, and Crew Communication. Additionally, Aviaso has experience integrating aviation IT systems and also develops the Aviation Portal — an intranet solution for aviation companies.
Optimized Systems and Solutions (OSyS)
ETS Aviation has specialized in fuel‐ efficiency programs and emissions data management since 2009. The firm created Aviation FuelSaver™ software and consultancy program having launched a software and consultancy solution, Aviation Footprinter™, for managing EU ETS (Emissions Trading Scheme) requirements.
Flightman
Flightman, originally Aircraft Management Technologies (AMT), provides ‘Connected Aircraft’ solutions to airlines focusing on regulatory compliance, operational efficiency, in-cabin passenger service and revenue opportunities by integrating the aircraft within the Enterprise IT infrastructure.
Navtech, Inc.
Navtech, Inc. provides flight operations solutions including aeronautical charts, navigation data solutions, flight planning, aircraft performance software (take-off/landing, weight and balance), and crew planning solutions with many products that can be configured as part of an EFB solution, including take-off data calculation, weight and balance, and aeronautical charts.
Who’s in the news: Airlines, Aircraft, Operators, OEMs and infrastructure managers
PACE develops and distributes intelligent software solutions for aircraft and engine manufacturers, airlines, MRO providers and leasing companies, supporting the entire aircraft life-cycle, from marketing and design to customization and flight operations.
Smart4Aviation
Smart4Aviation combines over ten years of aviation and aeronautical expertise with the knowledge and skills of AzimuthIT specialists with experience and knowledge in both the aeronautical domain and software development. The company develops and delivers solutions for airlines and associated companies.
Superstructure Group
Superstructure Group is a developer of software products and services for the global aviation industry. The AQD product has been developed by software specialists with over 20 years of experience delivering aviation solutions to airlines and aviation-related organizations.
Air France is the French flag carrier, one of the world’s largest airlines and a subsidiary of the Air FranceKLM Group. It operates a mixed fleet of Airbus and Boeing widebodied jets on long-haul routes, and uses Airbus A320 family aircraft on short-haul routes.
Air Greenland
Air Greenland A/S is the flag carrier airline of Greenland, owned by the Greenland Home Rule Government, SAS Group, and the government of Denmark. It operates a fleet of 38 fixed wing aircraft and helicopters.
ATR
ATR builds ATR 42 and ATR 72, high-wing, twin turboprop regional aircraft, optimized for efficiency, operating flexibility and passenger comfort. Over twenty years, sales have exceeded 1000 aircraft to over 180 operators in more than 90 countries.
Etihad
euroAtlantic airways
euroAtlantic airways is a Portuguese registered nonscheduled International Airline, operating in the most diverse routes in North Atlantic (USA and Canada), Caribbean, Central and South Americas, Africa, Middle East, Pacific, Australia and Oceania.
Eurolot
Thomas Cook Airlines Belgium is part of Thomas Cook Belgium. It flies from Brussels Airport, Ostend and Liège Airports with a modern fleet of Airbus A319 and A320 aircraft to over 60 short-haul and medium-haul destinations.
Tiger Airways
Eurolot is a developing airline in Central Europe with flights between major regional airports in Poland. This season, Eurolot has launched new international connections to 16 new destinations, including Germany, Holland, Italy, and Croatia.
Tiger Airways operates a low-fare, low-cost business model with the aim to create a portfolio of routes throughout Asia and Australasia. The airline operates a single family type of aircraft, currently the Airbus A320 family.
Swiss International Air Lines
TNT Airways is part of TNT Express, one of the world’s largest express delivery companies. TNT Express delivers close to 1 million consignments daily ranging from documents and parcels to palletized freight. The company operates 46 aircraft.
Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) is Switzerland’s national airline, serving 70 destinations in 37 countries from Zurich, Basel and Geneva and carrying some 15 million passengers a year with its 90-aircraft fleet. SWISS is part of the Lufthansa Group, and is also a member of Star Alliance, the world’s biggest airline grouping.
Thomas Cook Airlines
Etihad Airways is the National Airline of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The airline was set up by a Royal Decree in July 2003, with Abu Dhabi, the capital of the UAE, as its hub. The airline’s fleet of 57 aircraft operates close to 1000 flights per week, serving an international network of 66 destinations in 44 countries.
Thomas Cook Airlines Belgium
Thomas Cook UK & Ireland is the second largest leisure travel group in the UK and part of Thomas Cook Group PLC. Thomas Cook Airlines, operates a fleet of 44 aircraft and flies from various regional airports to destinations worldwide.
TNT Airways:
US Airways
US Airways, operates more than 3,000 daily flights to more than 190 communities in North, Central and South America, Europe, the Middle East, and the Caribbean, from Charlotte, NC, Philadelphia, Phoenix, and Washington National Airport.
Virgin Atlantic Airways
Virgin Atlantic Airways has become Britain’s second largest carrier, operating long-haul services to 30 destinations worldwide, as far apart as Las Vegas and Shanghai from Gatwick, Heathrow and Manchester airports, employing over 9,000 people.
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12 | WHITE PAPER: FAA | AIRCRAFT IT OPERATIONS | SUMMER 2012
“…the hardware device, whether it’s an installed avionics display or portable commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) device, commonly referred to as a portable electronic device (PED), is not an EFB unless it’s displaying a Type A or B software application…”
©AIRBUS SAS 2012 , Photo by exm company P. Masclet
What is an EFB? It may not be what you think, says Brian Hint, Aviation Safety Inspector (Operations) at the FAA; or it may be more than you think. The FAA is continually evolving policy and advice to match
E
lectronic flight bags (EFBs) have been receiving increased attention ever since tablet computing devices, like the iPad®, hit the consumer market. To keep up with this rapidly changing technology, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) released Advisory Circular (AC) 120-76B, ‘Guidelines for the Certification, Airworthiness, and Operational Use of Electronic Flight Bags’, in June 2012. AC 120-76B has incorporated many changes to guide industry stakeholders on EFB certification, airworthiness and operational use, but,
there still seems to be some misinformation about basic EFB functionality. In other words, you might be calling a device an EFB when it’s not. EFBs are intended primarily for flight deck use and include the hardware and software necessary to support their intended function. They display a variety of aviation data and perform basic calculations such as performance, weight & balance, fuel calculations, etc. A laundry list of EFB functions, providing display of paper replacement, planning, advisory-use, and various other functions, can be found in the Type A and Type B software applications appendices of AC 120-76B. Type A applications are those paper replacement applications primarily intended for use during flight planning, on the ground, or during noncritical phases of flight. Type B applications are those paper replacement applications that provide the aeronautical information required to be accessible for each flight at the pilot station and are primarily intended for use during flight planning and all phases of flight. In the past, many of these functions were accomplished using paper references or were based on data provided to the flight crew by an airline’s flight dispatch function. Most importantly, by definition, an EFB must be able to host Type A and/or Type B software applications. There is a misconception that a hardware device, by itself, can be described as an EFB. With a few exceptions, the hardware device, whether it’s an installed avionics display or portable commercial-offthe-shelf (COTS) device, commonly referred to as a portable electronic device (PED), is not an EFB unless it’s displaying a Type A or B software application listed in Appendix 1 or 2 in AC 120-76B. When a Type A or B software application is not in use, it then becomes either a certified display or merely a PED. While it may be true that a certified display is capable of hosting Type A or B EFB functions, it is only considered an EFB when it is hosting these Type A or B software applications for an intended EFB function. When the display is hosting Automatic Dependent Surveillance — Broadcast (ADS-B) in-trail procedures (ITP), for
SUMMER 2012 | AIRCRAFT IT OPERATIONS |WHITE PAPER: FAA | 13
Flight Focus Class III EFB
example, and is not hosting a Type A or B software application, it is no longer an EFB. It is considered an installed display device being driven by certified software. The EFB functions listed in Appendix 1 and 2 of AC 120-76B all have one thing in common — they are considered to have a failure effect condition of a ‘minor’ hazard or ‘no effect’. A description of failure classifications can be found in the current edition of
RTCA, Inc., (previously Radio Technical Commission for Aeronautics) DO-178. If any EFB function were to fail or display misleading information, the worst case scenario should be only an increase in pilot workload. Displaying ITP, even for situational awareness, is not allowed as an EFB function because its functional hazard classification is greater than minor. This is one of the main reasons why own-ship position, in commercial aircraft operations, cannot be displayed in
flight on a Class 1 or 2 EFB. When you display own-ship on an EFB, you are displaying your aircraft’s position in relation to other things on a map. In flight, even if being used for basic situational awareness, this information, if inaccurate, is classified as a ‘major’ hazard and could even potentially be ‘catastrophic’, if utilized improperly. Appendices 1 and 2 of AC 120-76B list examples of Type A and B software applications. There may be Type A or B software applications that could be utilized on an EFB and not currently listed in the examples provided in the respective appendices. FAA Flight Standards Service (AFS), Aircraft Certification Service (AIR), and the Aircraft Evaluation Group (AEG) have the role of reviewing any new or novel Type A or B EFB software application which may be utilized for commercial operations and deciding whether or not such an application can be hosted as an EFB function. Functions found in current and developmental avionics using approved software as described in the current edition of RTCA/DO-178, are not considered EFB Type A or B software applications; however, there may be additional functions considered by the FAA for inclusion in future policy. Today, the majority of EFBs are used to replace the paper documents a pilot would typically carry. Pilots are happier because it's 40 pounds less ‘stuff’ to carry around. Commercial aircraft operators are pleased because it’s less weight on the aircraft, which means they can either reduce their fuel load or carry more payload, and the information distribution usually also costs less. Operators are also making it easier for pilots to keep their manuals and aeronautical charts up to date by utilizing a wired or wireless solution to enable software application updates which ensures the latest revision is installed on their EFB. For some operators, though, the desire for data sharing goes beyond manuals and paper charts. These operators want continuous data connectivity to an EFB in the cockpit. Last year the FAA Aircraft Certification Service published AC 20-173, ‘Installation of EFB Components’. This AC describes the principle elements of an EFB system and provides guidance on the installation of EFB components to include aircraft connectivity provisions to support an EFB function. Additionally, there is information in this AC on mounting, power, data connectivity, controls, displays, hardware, and software, as well as overall system guidance on design assurance and environmental qualification. An operator using this policy gets access to all sorts of data, provided they do so through an installed data interface protection device,
Searching for EFB Solutions on iPad and other Platforms? Use the Aircraft IT Operations Portal to: • Search through a list of major EFB Vendors • Explore the possibility of the iPad in the Flight Deck • Watch live EFB software demonstration webinars Visit the Aircraft IT Portal for full details by clicking here.
14 | WHITE PAPER: FAA | AIRCRAFT IT OPERATIONS | SUMMER 2012
In order to bring the policy up-to-date with the technology being utilized today, the FAA published AC 120-76B. Some of the highlights of this new policy include: • Title - Replaces the word Approval in favor of the terms Operational Use and Authorization for Use. FAA Aircraft Certification Service typically uses the term approval for equipment that has been certified for use. Since Flight Standards field inspectors are authorizing the use of these devices, the term authorization for use was adopted. • Structure and Clarity - Improved structure, lines up with current realities, removes ambiguities, fills gaps, and formally answers commonly asked questions. • Companion AC Alignment - Refers to and aligns with EFB ACs that have been developed since the original publication of AC 120-76A (for example, AC 20-173, AC 20-159). • Learning - Reflects key lessons learned, technology advancements, and real-world experiences since AC 120-76A was published in 2003. • Tablets - Updated to embrace the unique characteristics and reduced complexity of tablet-based EFBs such as iPad®. • Portable EFB Definitions - New terms added, such as Viewable Storage, and expanded wording around storage area of an EFB, such as allowance for devices to be stored in a pilot’s carry-on flight bag/case. • Role Balancing and Process - Provides more guidance allowing a more active role and responsibility on the Operator; and less overall role on the FAA (Aircraft Evaluation Group, principal inspectors, etc.). The document also makes the shift from the A025 Operations Specification, Use an approved electronic recordkeeping system, to A061, Use an electronic flight bag, process for authorization. • Better Hardware Help - Includes a new Section 11, EFB Hardware Considerations, to help the operator with traditionally difficult hardware topics. • Lithium Batteries - Language added that requires the operator to utilize some minimum commercial testing standards and fully follow OEM guidance. This helps an operator that chooses devices using lithium batteries to evaluate their use and make them aware of the Li-battery hazards. • EMI/Non-Interference - Better guidance for completing testing, including the two methods options previously only described in FAA Order 8900.1, Flight Standards Information Management System, guidance. • Rapid Decompression Testing - Now explicitly supports representative device testing, even recommending against testing EFBs intended for operational use. • Operator Responsibilities - Sub-section C of Section 13, Authorization Process, includes chronological listing of the operator’s responsibilities in the authorization process. This section and the improved language in other sections should make the process less ambiguous and more efficient. • Authorization for Electronic Documents - New guidance in Section 13.u for obtaining authorization for electronic documents in lieu of required paper documents.
“AC 120-76B and AC 20-173 take into account the evolution of EFB technology. The FAA is currently working on the next version of this AC, which will incorporate new International Civil Aviation Organization language, functionality updates, and lessons learned from the field.”
Brian Hint
Aviation Safety Inspector (Operations), FAA
navAero Class II EFB
which functions much like a protective firewall for the aircraft, providing partition, protection, and security. The EFB, and its associated technology, have been rapidly evolving. Software manufacturers continue to create ever-improving applications that allow operators to replace their required paper products with lightweight, easy to use electronic displays. In some cases, these new applications allow operators to display and interact with information that increases the pilot’s situational awareness. With all of this new technology come new questions. How will the FAA adapt its policies to reflect the demands of its stakeholders while providing a level of safety that meets or exceeds today’s standards? What is the best policy that can be put forward today, to account for the new software applications that are being developed for tomorrow? As new hardware and software applications are developed to perform very complicated functions, how do we develop policy that keeps it simple? AC 120-76B and AC 20-173 take into account the evolution of EFB technology. The FAA is currently working on the next version of this AC, which will incorporate new International Civil Aviation Organization language, functionality updates, and lessons learned from the field. Some of our guidance is general, which encourages innovation and allows manufacturers and operators to come up with their own unique solutions. Other guidance we have is much more specific so that EFB functionality is limited to those applications contained within Appendix 1 and 2 of AC 120-76B. The FAA continues to develop and revise policy to safely enable the use of EFB software applications and hardware to meet the increasing demands of the aviation industry. n
Brian Hint is an Aviation Safety Inspector (Operations) with the Federal Aviation Administration. For the last two years, he has supported the Future Flight Technologies Branch (AFS-430) located at FAA Headquarters, Washington DC. The focus of the branch is the integration of evolutionary and revolutionary technology, along with new technology-based operations, into the FAA’s vision for the Next Generation Air Transportation System. Brian is the subject matter expert for Portable Electronic Flight Bag policy. Brian has over 13 years of aviation experience to include three years at a part 121 air carrier. He is an active Aircraft Commander flying the C-5M Super Galaxy for the U.S. Air Force Reserves..
USEFUL LINK
AC 120-76B
FAA Advisory Circular on ‘Guidelines for the Certification, Airworthiness, and Operational Use of Electronic Flight Bags’
USEFUL LINK
AC 20-173
FAA Advisory Circular on ‘Installation of Electronic Flight Bag Components’
SUMMER 2012 | AIRCRAFT IT OPERATIONS | VENDOR FLIGHT LOG | 15
The World according to IT
Will Windows 8 be the silver bullet we were hoping for? Words: Paul Saunders
...and me!
“However Microsoft have potentially scuppered some of our high-hopes for Windows 8 by recently announcing that there will be separate versions for devices running the x86 chipset (PCs) and those using ARM chips (smart phones and tablets).”
F
or months I’ve been telling anyone who would listen that Windows 8 is going to be a bit of a game changer for aviation IT mobility. I even came up with a mantra regarding the choice of hardware for tablets in our industry. If you want it bad – iPad If you’re happy to wait – Windows 8 This was based on the widely held belief that Windows 8 (which is due for release later this year) would provide a single operating system platform across all hardware devices. Operating systems that had come before had alternative solutions for desktop computers and mobile devices due to their processor chipsets – but Windows 8 was going to change all that. Finally you would be able to run the same software on a PC as you would on a tablet or mobile phone. Obviously there would be some challenges to convert user interfaces to be suitable for smaller touchscreens, but these were relatively minor concerns. Software vendors and OEMs downloaded beta versions of Windows 8 and were
gleefully whispering that their legacy software that had been written decades ago would work on Windows 8 tablet devices. All of a sudden the thousands of man-hours that had been invested by early adopters to convert software to iOS was looking less like time well spent. However Microsoft have potentially scuppered some of our highhopes for Windows 8 by recently announcing that there will be separate versions for devices running the x86 chipset (PCs) and those using ARM chips (smart phones and tablets). The Windows on Arm (WOA) version has been officially named Windows RunTime (or WinRT for short). This puts into doubt the theory that legacy software will run on Windows 8 tablet devices. It has also been revealed that Windows RunTime will not support Active Directory much to the chagrin of IT departments the world over. Devices which support Active Directory would be ‘enterprise ready’ placing them firmly under the control of an airline or MRO’s IT regime. This would go some way towards easing fears of more conservative IT policy makers, but this news indicates that Microsoft are targeting the consumer market much the same as Apple have done with the iPad and iPhone. There will still be a common user interface across all Windows 8 platforms using the much hyped Metro UI and there is a large amount of common architecture across the various versions of Windows 8 so it might not all be bad news. Once the first release candidate of WinRT is launched we will know if Windows 8 really will be the silver bullet some of us were hoping for.
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16 | CASE STUDY: ALASKA AIRLINES | AIRCRAFT IT MRO | SUMMER 2012
W
hen we started the iPad project at Alaska, everyone wanted to know how much fuel we would save by reducing the weight of paper and how light we could make a pilot bag. When business cases are written, those are the sort of justifications we all use. What we really wanted was nothing short of a revolution in information management. It was time for pilots to get a processor upgrade.
Pilots needed to access traditional paper information and manage the growing compilation of operational support documents
A warm reception for iPad EFB in Alaska By thinking about the pilots as well as the technology, as Captain Jim Freeman, iPad Project Pilot, Alaska Airlines explains, a new EFB has been welcomed by its users.
We had been watching the development of electronic flight bags for several years and we initially thought in terms of manuals, charts and performance for pilots. As we brought on centralized load planning and AOC datalink at the airline, some of our initial EFB considerations did not seem so important. What we came to believe was that, even though we might put the manuals and charts on a jet in paper or with an EFB, pilots would need the operational information when they were not on the jet to plan and study. So we would probably also need a device to supplement any EFB. Alaska started to look at e-Readers and net books, searching for the ‘magic device’. As the iPad was adopted by the aviation community, the idea of the new leather flight bag emerged and we began to believe we just might replace manuals and charts with only a single portable device. We could physically improve on the weight and the amount of content a traditional flight bag could never carry. We thought, and Alaska believed, that if you could enable your workers with better information management, you would enable your business in all respects. What can possibly be best described as a collision of competing agendas ensued with the start of our iPad project. Flight Operations had an information management crisis to solve that was only getting more critical every year and, with the advent of the iPad, we saw a very compelling answer at hand. The solution had to be a compromise between enabling our pilots to better manage information and legacy, corporate privacy and security concerns, and regulatory avionics processes.
SUMMER 2012 | AIRCRAFT IT OPERATIONS | CASE STUDY: ALASKA AIRLINES | 17
Challenges
While each business and each workgroup within a business has different needs, the pilots at Alaska needed to be able to access their traditional paper information and find a way to manage the growing compilation of operational support documents they were never able to physically carry. Document formatting, organization and predictability of change also affected our ability as pilots to manage information. Pilots essentially, live out of a suitcase, and the human factors of carrying a corporate device called for some new strategies in device management. We ideally wanted to carry one device to stay connected with our personal lives and accomplish the goals of the company. From the Flight Operation’s side, finding freedom from a tradition print and distribution process was important as it frequently limited our ability to be quick with change and caused us to make many compromises in timing our changes to include our regulatory approval processes. We knew we could not stop change, but we wanted to control it to the extent possible. To borrow an over-used phrase, our pilots need to know where the cheese is and just when it is important to check for the latest flavor. Change is only effective when the user can both find and understand it. Standardizing the device or platform each pilot carried also paid dividends in other areas for the company, the most notable of which was training. Traditional IT would call for an open architecture device like Windows to enable e-Discovery, network access and updating. The problem is that this outlook was at odds with a mobile work force not readily available for the updates process as it exists today, not to mention the very real overhead required to manage an open system properly. Arriving for duty, a pilot’s contract and duty time are not geared to operating system and network security updates. The iPad’s closed operating system opened the door to a conversation about IT made easier. World-wide, the e-Discovery versus personal device
“We thought, and Alaska believed, that if you could enable your workers with better information management, you would enable your business in all respects.” used at work conversation has been a passionate one. A balance had to be found between creating a trust environment (trust your employees and they will trust you) and legitimately guarding the company against loss of proprietary or personally sensitive information. We never searched a pilot’s flight bag when they reported for work, but now that it is electronic, do we start? At Alaska, for the present, you could describe our risk mitigation as limited access and content in concert with fairly standard device security protocols such as remote wipe and an encrypted hard drive. Our legacy avionics process has produced safe reliable instrumentation and flight management systems. Arguably, a bit outdated when they arrive in production as compared to a consumer device, but safe and reliable. We believed we could find a way to leave core duties to the legacy process while complementing the pilot’s information management process. To do this we, along with many other airlines, proposed simple guidelines for solutions that did not interface with or try to replace our avionics. Our pilots found it increasingly difficult to accept the fact that a private airplane could so easily have command of so much more weather information with reliable off the shelf devices not available to us in the part 121 world. The process to get this information, while technically possible, was invariably
very expensive, time consuming and really just out of reach for our companies. The last challenge was, and continues to be, the pilot or end user. Like any work force, they represent the complete spectrum of attitudes towards change and in particular an electronic ‘gadget’. In our world, we only get credit when our entire work force is conversant with the new technology. While we have new technology, we had to be very careful to avoid overwhelming the user with change. By change I mean not just the new tool but avoiding a ramping up of information delivery. The edict Alaska is trying to accomplish could be summarized by stating we wish to use new technology to help users absorb change and control its pace, not to become technically compliant by checking off the legal requirements when change is released. This does mean better business by the way. Our pilots found they had to think differently about how we traditionally studied. The manual was now very light and always up to date but the process of highlighting and making notes was different and habits had to be adjusted. Our recent field trials of a mounting solution also highlighted a change that has slowly taken place for most airlines in how we conduct a procedure when some evaluators commented on the change from referencing a chart on the yoke to one displayed in the window to the side. We program from an onboard avionics database, verify and fly a procedure. Done correctly, there is much less cause to routinely look at a paper chart or its replacement once the briefing evolution is completed.
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ISSUE 5 • SPRING 2012
iPad eFB taking off
Leveraging iCapability onto AA’s flight decks CalCulating COW Cost of Weight re-assessed
Well COnneCted
Smart management of aircraft communica tions: each domain is a winner
BalanCing aCt
One technology, conflicting demands, squaring the airline IT circle to fit
everybody in White Papers: Leading Edge, Aeromechan ical Services (FLYHT), Aviation Intelligence. Case Study: American Airlines Vendor Flight Log: Smart4Aviation PLUS: ‘The world according to IT & Me!’, News, Webinars and MRO Software Directory…
18 | CASE STUDY: ALASKA AIRLINES | AIRCRAFT IT MRO | SUMMER 2012
Weather information is available via WSI, using an iPad application
Alaska’s Program
The iPad’s unique operating system has allowed compromise between all parties involved. While the closed architecture nature of the iOS does not permit traditional e-Discovery, it does allow ‘in application’ discovery and at the same time privacy for the end user. It can be both personal and business with appropriate policy and device management strategies. Alaska delivers pilot manuals and, very soon, Jeppesen charting information to the pilots using two primary applications. To date, device maintenance has been limited to lost or stolen, broken or forgotten passwords. We just recently changed the device password to a simple password to allow better access in flight especially during turbulence. We expect to also realize a reduction in forgotten password resets as well.
Corporate security is managed with an MDM (mobile device management) vendor and a policy strategy as follows: • No network access for iPad; • iPads are updated using the world wide web; • No personal email; • Corporate email is hosted by company servers for tracking purposes; • Backup to cloud servers is not allowed; • Manuals content is analyzed for security sensitivity; • Simple password allowed for quick and easy flight access; • MDM provides ability to reset or wipe, enforces protocols and delivers company applications; • Version control is managed by policy for the iOS and GoodReader application with notifications published to the user; • Version control for Jeppesen aeronautical data is managed through our MDM by not presenting updates unless they have been tested and approved. Pilots are the administrators of their iPad by virtue of their own Apple ID and password. This is not normally the case with corporate devices but, in this instance, it speaks to the trust element, allows personalization and helps to create, as much as possible, the new ‘electronic’ leather flight bag. Our pilots have always been responsible for their required books and aeronautical charts, just as they are for a current medical or license. It is now much easier to manage them and the focus and time can be spent on understanding content. Manuals are divided into two separate groups – required and reference. These are synchronized to the reading application by secure FTP servers using ‘launch points’ from within the Flight Operations, Technical Publications Department. Thanks to our IT Department, updating is as simple as drag and drop. This provides the ability to rapidly respond to mandated emergency change and also allows a policy that only requires the need to ‘Sync’ the required manuals before departure from base. Alaska’s new catch phrase is ‘Sync Before You Fly’. The importance of division of manuals is a reduction in time spent waiting for electronic updates, if they must be made, from a base Resource Center in a time critical situation. To provide redundancy for operational reliability, required manuals and documents may also be separately downloaded directly from a separate server on an as needed basis. Revisions are accompanied by linked highlights which summarize change and when touched take the user to the location in the manual where the change has occurred. Routine ‘must read’ and general information files as well as administrative information are still maintained using a centralized pilot web page. When an attachment on the web page is also included in synchronization files, it is noted; otherwise a pilot may essentially print to their iPad for later reading. Finally, aeronautical charts will be provided by a customized application that can only be obtained by pilots provisioned by the company and enrolled in the mobile device management program using a private store. Weather information is also available electronically via our OPSPEC approved weather vendor WSI, using an iPad application. This application provides textual information as well as graphical to help form a better partnership with our Dispatch. When we are eventually allowed to access internet services in flight for weather updates, both pilot and dispatcher will be looking at the same source. From a regulatory standpoint, Alaska has elected to go with a RAM Products temporary suction cup mount. It has proven to be very robust in field trials and testing for retention of mass, plus it can be readily removed from the aircraft without any tools. It will not be part of the traditional maintenance program but instead be treated as part of
the aircraft library managed by Flight Operations. While most of our current aircraft library is being eliminated, for now Alaska maintains its emergency procedures guide Quick Reference Handbook (QRH) in paper even though an exact replica is available in the electronic manuals system. As an aside Boeing has just completed development of an electronic QRH which will once again challenge existing paradigms as it is analyzed. Alaska’s iPads are owned by IT and managed jointly by Flight Operations and IT. Probably one of the more important aspects of the project was the creation of a mobile device task force and, in Flight Operations, a framework for analyzing suggestions for new applications and their impact on the operation, corporate security concerns and relative worth to the business. As we add new iPad models to the IT inventory, Flight Operations must perform EMI (Electromagnetic Interference) and rapid decompression testing on a sample of the desired model before petitioning to have it added to the OPSPEC. By not choosing to interface with our avionics, we also greatly simplify security and regulatory concerns. We actually create redundancy in information when you consider our FMC (Flight Management Computer) database contains the information needed to safely conduct an approach and landing as well as our Class One iPad EFB. To summarize, our regulatory program is designed to allow operation in the critical phase of flight: • Alaska uses the iPad as a Class One EFB with Type B charting software; • We use the RAM Mount as ‘viewable stowage’; • EMI and rapid decompression testing are performed by model on a sample device.
User Response
Reception of this change by the pilots has been largely positive. The biggest challenge has been converting our existing workforce to the mobile device paradigm. We discovered that a noticeable percentage of our pilots simply did not use smart devices. If I had to place a number on it, I would say initially, about sixty percent of our pilots were very comfortable with the iPad and the remaining forty comprised a range of acceptance from a positive learning attitude to a ‘when is the deadline to have this done’ response. Our single biggest headache was our initial decision to utilize a complex password on the device. Combined with company web passwords, network IDs and of course an Apple ID it became a bit of a challenge for our pilots. The FAA mandated parallel run time was an important transition time for Alaska as it allowed us to ease into this new way to manage our information. This is also one of the reasons we continue to use, for now, pdf formatted manuals as they provide familiarity to our pilots. As we began to speak the language of the iPad, allowing personalization aided us in embedding this
SUMMER 2012 | AIRCRAFT IT OPERATIONS | CASE STUDY: ALASKA AIRLINES | 19
“Reception of this change by the pilots has been largely positive. The biggest challenge has been converting our existing workforce to the mobile device paradigm.”
Captain Jim Freeman
iPad Project Pilot, Alaska Airlines
Alaska has elected to go with a suction cup mount
technology in the DNA of our pilots. We will undergo a similar parallel run time again as we add aeronautical charts to our iPads over the remainder of 2012. Now the emphasis will shift from reading device skills to the ability to efficiently switch between device applications and manage charts. Our newly hired pilots are immersed from day one with the iPad, never receiving a traditional paper manual set. We also find that the newer generation of pilots we hire reflect the newer generation outside our industry where a smartphone or iPad is very familiar. One of our college interns recently visited a new hire class when iPads were issued and upon seeing our program was surprised that we actually had to train pilots to use an iPad. Times do change and if we are honest with ourselves, we must acknowledge this is an on-going conversation. Our user response has also been positively impacted by our Training Department’s adoption of an HTML
distance learning program by CourseMill. This added another critical element to the iPad immersion. Distance training could be browser friendly from any platform and since they optimized it for the iPad screen it became an option for our pilots with sufficient time on the road to take recurrent training courses. The door was also opened for users to sync out or download specialized review courses from a training web page. We will use this type of training to measure our Jeppesen application proficiency in preparation to finally drop our paper charts. As Alaska continues to move forward into the mobile device world other divisions besides Flight Operations are making plans to utilize tablet devices to improve our business. Human Resources used iPads in training classes and Maintenance has a test program running in Hawaii that utilizes iPads to enable plane-side reference to needed documents. Our experience has been a good
one even though there has been a tremendous amount of work by many individuals, not to forget the end user, our pilots. Probably the best indication of growing success is to hear a pilot comment how they can finally find answers to questions they needed to know or were just curious about or hear a field trial pilot comment on how electronic chart management is so superior to paper. We still have work to do to obtain use of the airport moving map feature on the Jeppesen application and permission to connect to our onboard Wi-Fi for weather updates, but the end is in sight with a positive regulatory outlook. Flight paperwork is also within reach if we can creatively conjure up cost effective internet access at all stations. Alaska’s Chief Operating Officer reminded me on one occasion that change is hard. I believe I could add that the rewards are well worth it if we are all up to the challenge. n
Captain Freeman graduated from the US Naval Academy in 1974. He flew the Navy P-3 Orion and during his second tour, the Grumman G159 while attached to the A6 Intruder Replacement Airgroup on Whidbey Island, Washington State. After leaving active duty in 1981 he flew both the G159 and King Air for Sundstrand Data Control in the Flight Test Department. From Sundstrand, he joined Alaska Airlines in 1984. Captain Freeman has worked as a 727 Flight Engineer and flown the MD-80 and B737, serving as an instructor on both the MD-80 and B737 since 1991. He was the assistant Fleet Captain on the MD-80 in 2001 and the Director of Flight Standards from 2002 to 2011. During his tenure as Director of Flight Standards he interfaced with Alaska’s Fleet Captains and the FAA to create a standardized company flight manual system. He also worked closely with and eventually managed the Flight Operations, Technical Publications Department. His duties are now solely focused on the implementation of the iPad on the Flight Deck for Alaska Airlines.
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20 | EVENT PREVIEW | AIRCRAFT IT OPERATIONS | SUMMER 2012
“Airlines will be doing themselves an injustice not to attend this event.”
Airline & Aerospace MRO & Operations IT Conference – APAC
Cathay Pacific Airways Demonstrations of the latest Software from over 30 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 the major software solutions on the market. The software on display includes the following.
Bangkok, 17th & 18th October 2012
The world’s leading aircraft IT conference for MRO & Flight Operations solutions returns to the APAC zone for 2012
Special Offers
To attend this Conference are available for Aircraft IT Members. Airlines & Aircraft Operators AND INDEPENDENT MROS: Free Delegate place and two night’s Free accommodation at the conference hotel. All Other Delegates: Half Price Delegate Fees These special offers are limited in number so contact us as soon as possible to book. Contact Stephen Keeble at Stephen@aircraft-commerce.com or +44 1403 230 888, quoting ‘Aircraft IT Members’ special offer. If you are not already a member of Aircraft IT you can sign up for free: CLICK HERE.
CLICK ON THE FOLLOWING LINK FOR Full Conference Information:
> Conference Website
CLICK ON THE FOLLOwing FOR CONFERENCE BROCHURES:
> Airlines/Aircraft Operators Brochure > Independent MROs Brochure > All other delegates Brochure
Delegate Registration AND TO BOOK YOUR PLACE(S) See special offers above or click on the following: > Airline/Aircraft Operators > Independent MRO Providers > All other delegates Alternatively contact Stephen Keeble on +44 1403 230 888 or email: stephen@aircraft-commerce.com
MRO IT Solutions
A
ircraft Commerce and Aircraft IT are delighted to be returning to Bangkok this October for the APAC event in the hugely successful MRO & Flight Operation IT Conference series. The conference has been running with great success in the EMEA, Asia/ Pacific and Americas zones for the past seven years; bringing together IT Vendors with the airlines, MROs and aircraft operators in those regions. The October 2012 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. The MRO & Flight Operations IT Conference in Bangkok 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 30 major MRO and Flight 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 APAC region. This information and shared experience driven program has made the 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 addon solutions with how to incorporate them into their current IT System; or simply on a fact finding mission to learn about the whole process.
• Best of Breed MRO IT Solutions; • Tablet/iPad solutions for the Hangar; • Fully Integrated MRO Systems linked to Enterprise Wide Solutions; • Supply Chain Solutions; • Digital Documentation Management; • Content Management Systems; • Documentation Scanning Solutions.
“A great way to meet other operators as well as vendors and to hear about the latest technology.” Jazz Air
SUMMER 2012 | AIRCRAFT IT OPERATIONS | EVENT PREVIEW | 21 Click here for full SOFTWARE details and for a demo
“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
Keynote Presentations & Case Studies
• Keynote case study presentation: Structuring and implementing a system to get electronic data from: Flight Operations, EFB, ETL, AHM & EHM into the M&E System. • Airline Case Study: Preparing for the A380: How to make the most of the A380’s technology from a maintenance point-of-view. • A successful RFID project: The challenges of implementation, the immediate benefits of tracking parts, using mobile solutions and achieving swift ROI following go-live. • The problems of achieving 2-way data exchange between airline and 3rd Party MRO M&E Systems. • Airline Round Table Discussion — iPad on the Flightdeck.
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; • An iPad / Tablet Strategy Masterclass; • A Fuel-Saving Programme Masterclass; • The need for independent Auditing of MRO Implementations; • A Business Analytics for the Airline MRO Industry Masterclass.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
For full conference information and to register your delegate place(s) click here Or call our hotlines on: +44 1403 230 888 / 307
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Interactive Workshop / Master class Sessions
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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.
• A Class 2 EFB Success Story. The blueprint for a successful EFB program including an in-depth look at the software solution and the operational benefits. • Aborted to take off! Lessons in EFB project management — best practice to avoid EFB failure. • Fuel Efficiency: How to discover Fuel Savings and how to monitor the Progress of your Fuel Savings program.
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Flight Operations IT Solutions
• iPad solutions for the Flight Deck; • Paperless Cockpit Solutions; • Electronic Flight Bags (EFBs); • Electronic Technical Logs (ETLs); • Flight Planning Solutions; • Operations Cost Management; • Fuel Saving Software; • Emissions Trading Solutions. IT Vendors exhibiting their solutions at Bangkok this year include: ADB Tech, AeroSoft Systems, Airbus, Arconics, Boeing, BYTRON, Closed Loop, Commsoft, EmpowerMX, Enigma, Flygprestanda AB, FLYHT, Hexaware, Holocentric, IFR France, InfoTrust Group, Mxi Technologies, navAero, Omega Systems, OSyS, Aviation42, PSIpenta, Ramco Systems, Rusada, SDS, Smart4Aviation, Swiss-AS, TRAX, Ultramain, Volartec… click here for full details on each exhibitor.
Adopt fast, adapt faster
Is your airline equipped for today’s fast-changing world? Can you switch services and applications on and off instantly? Are smartphones all your passengers need to book, check in and board? Can you communicate and exchange operational information with your pilots around the globe? And can you seamlessly share realtime information and help people collaborate, wherever they are? Working together with SITA, you can say “yes” every time.
Discover SITA’s intelligent airline vision at www.sita.aero/airlines
22 | WHITE PAPER: AVIATION42 | AIRCRAFT IT OPERATIONS | SUMMER 2012
HTML5 demystified Write once – run anywhere: with HTML5, say Steve Crabb, CEO and Ingunn Ingimars, IT Consultant at Aviation42, one software applications works across all devices in an airline.
SUMMER 2012 | AIRCRAFT IT OPERATIONS | WHITE PAPER: AVIATION42 | 23 Click here for full SOFTWARE details and for a demo
“Processing power increases every day, storage space seems to expand at the same rate as the universe and our demands for a glossier, fancier, faster experience are on the rise. No wonder so many have been tempted to create standards and convince others to follow them. .”
“T
he wonderful thing about standards is that there are so many of them to choose from“. This statement, which so accurately summarises the world of programming, has been attributed to both Grace Hopper, a computer scientist and US Navy Officer, and Andrew S. Tanenbaum, a professor of computer science. Processing power increases every day, storage space seems to expand at the same rate as the universe and our demands for a glossier, fancier, faster experience are on the rise. No wonder so many have been tempted to create standards and convince others to follow them. RealPlayer, JavaScript, HTML, QuickTime, Flash, XML, XHTML, XSL, XST, CSS… there is an excess of concepts; but on which one should we really bet? Is there any one correct way of developing content for the World Wide Web? Do we need a unified approach? As it turns out, the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) an organisation dedicated to developing standards for the World Wide Web, has come up with the standard for HTML5, albeit still in draft at the time of writing, but it has already attracted a great deal of attention.
Why do you need HTML5?
You can regard HTML5 as a ‘write once, run anywhere’ technology. A correctly developed website in HTML5 will run on your desktop’s web browser, on your tablet computer and on your smartphone. You should not need to create and maintain separate websites for separate devices. Another advantage of HTML5 results from its focus on improving graphics and media support by eliminating the need for Adobe Flash or other third party plugins when viewing online videos. It also enables websites to be used offline because local storage has been added, improving offline capabilities. And geolocation is built in, giving you the location of the user; also access to hardware such as the camera and microphone is already available in some browsers. These are only few of the reasons you should take a closer look at HTML5.
HTML vs. HTML5
For a little over two decades now, your everyday webpages have been created, or coded, with some versions of HTML (HyperText Markup Language).
HTML is a set of tags, or angled brackets, which serve as instructions as to how web browsers should render or display the content. If you want to display a word in bold font on your webpage you would write it like this: Here is a <b>great</b> sentence which will be displayed as: Here is a great sentence The ‘5’ in HTML5 simply refers to this being the 5th version of that coding language, but it has attracted much more attention than, say, the 4th version of HTML (published 1997) or the 3rd version because it is more extensive than previous versions and has a lot more tags. The earlier versions were used by developers and designers to create standard websites to be viewed solely in web browsers on your computer. With the advent of tablet computers and smartphones, coupled with easier and cheaper Internet access and users wanting more videos and more graphics, it was soon evident that the world needed something more than HTML. HTML5 not only has all the old HTML tags but many interesting new ones have been added to it.
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Is HTML5 the only thing I need?
Although you can build great websites with HTML5, it doesn‘t quite solve the question of life, the universe and everything. For styling, web designers still employ CSS (Cascading Style Sheets). If it is a rich user interface experience you are after then JavaScript and associated frameworks, and libraries such as AJAX, JQuery and JQueryMobile are available.
What do you need to run HTML5?
An HTML5 compatible browser is a must. These exist for most operating systems such as Microsoft’s Windows, Apple’s OS X and Linux and for a multitude of mobile operating systems, Google’s Android, Apple’s iOS (iPad/iPhone/iPod), Nokia’s Symbian, RIM’s Blackberry and Microsoft’s Windows Phone 7 (and 8). Because HTML5 still retains all the old tags, all older webpages are still OK in newer web browsers and most web browsers today support most of the new tags in HTML5. You can test how compatible your web browser is (on your computer, tablet computer and smartphone) by following this link to obtain a score: http://html5test.com/
We know aviation software! Software
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We help you design your solution we implement it and help you install it.
Data integration and migration – we do know aviation data!
We have years of experience working with data, turning it into easy to understand information.
Look deeper into your organisation, unclutter your IT world and allow us to help.
Contact us for more information T +48 71 72 30 100 E info@aviation42.com W www.aviation42.com
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24 | WHITE PAPER: AVIATION42 | AIRCRAFT IT OPERATIONS | SUMMER 2012
HTML5 apps
In the ‘good old days’, the windows design philosophy reigned supreme and installable applications or programs, apps for short, were focused pretty squarely on that platform. Then the web browser revolution came and web apps became the flavour of the day. More recently along came the iPhone and the App Store and the development community fell in love with native apps, the installable applications, once again. To develop a native app for the major platforms separate code needs to be written for each operating system on which you want to run. On the up side, native apps provide a more responsive user interface, can use the available features of a device such as cameras, gyros, GPS, the phonebook etc. and are easy to find via the appropriate app store. An HTML5 web app is essentially a web application designed specifically to run in an HTML5 browser. It can be written once and run in all compatible browsers. This helps in reducing the development costs while deployment and updates are made easier. In addition, there is no need to submit the app for approval as with Apple’s App Store. On the down side the user experience can be compromised compared to native apps and access to the device’s features remains limited. One fundamental difference between an HTML5 app and a native app can be explained by examining the dealings of the Financial Times and Apple. The Financial Times had created a native app available in Apple’s App Store in order for their readers to read the news on the iPad and iPhone. But, as Apple takes 30% of the revenue generated by apps in its App Store, the only real option to avoid this fee is to develop a web app instead. In what is seen as a landmark case, the Financial Times decided to move its native iPad/iPhone app to an HTML5 web app primarily because Apple wanted a 30% slice of all its subscription revenue. http://www. reuters.com/article/2011/08/31/us-apple-ftidUSTRE77U1O020110831
“An HTML5 web app is essentially a web application designed specifically to run in an HTML5 browser. It can be written once and run in all compatible browsers. This helps in reducing the development costs while deployment and updates are made easier.”
HTML5: the pros and cons
A few positives • HTML5 builds on two decades of HTML development and has enhanced rather than revolutionised the way we display content on the World Wide Web; • Write once, run anywhere reduces development costs; • HTML5 releases you from your office chair and makes it easier for you to work on the go. The downside and future challenges • HTML5 as a standard is still being developed and it will take a few years until it becomes complete; • Implementation across the major browsers is still patchy for some functionalities/tags; • HTML5 developers still do not have full control of the features of the devices, such as the camera.
Video — without plugins
Before HTML5 there was no in-built method for playing videos in a web browser. The de facto standard is to use the Adobe Flash Player with the <object> tag but the downside to that approach is that Flash does not play on iPhone/iPad/iPods unless some workarounds are employed – the simplest workaround being to publish your video on YouTube and link to it. Other third party plugins exist but the end result is the same — the user has to download that particular plugin to play the video. HTML5 has introduced the <video> tag which provides a host of controls (such as Play, Pause, Stop, volume controls and other whizz bang effects). So, it can‘t get any easier, can it? Well, not quite, as there is still a myriad of video formats and codecs available and the HTML5 standard, in its draft format, has not yet specified which video format and codec should be supported by all web browsers (for more info, refer to http://en.wikipedia. org/wiki/HTML5_video). Mark R. Robertson has written a good article (http://www.reelseo.com/file-formats-containers-compression/) on the subject of video formats and codecs but the short version is that the video format, such as .mov, .avi and .mp4, is a sort of container that stores the
SUMMER 2012 | AIRCRAFT IT OPERATIONS | WHITE PAPER: AVIATION42 | 25
“Reports filled in by your airline crews may also benefit from this technology as you can have them fill in reports on tablet computers while on-board the aircraft and then upload the information once they get connected.” information needed to play a video, e.g. the video stream and the audio stream. You then compress or encode the video stream using one compression scheme, e.g. h.264, and the audio stream using another compression scheme, e.g. MP3. The different compression schemes are called codecs (short for coder/decoder). For online videos you have to choose a good video format and codec to strike a reasonable balance between quality on the one hand (little or no loss during compression), and load time and bandwidth on the other hand. This subject alone is material enough for an entire article but from the above we can draw the conclusion that we still have a way to go until we get a universal way of delivering online videos to our users.
Geolocation — you are here
Geolocation, short for geographical location, is supported in HTML5. Web browsers that support the geolocation tag can get information on where the user is and use that information to enhance his browsing experience, e.g. by searching for a nearby café or a pharmacy. The accuracy, however, depends a bit on the device running the HTML5 webpage. Your smartphone might have a GPS which will yield a more accurate location than your laptop‘s web browser which has to rely on the nearest connection box of your ISP (Internet Service Provider).
Local storage and working offline
You may have heard of website cookies, the small bits of information that get passed between your browser and the web server that hosts the webpage you are looking at. The cookies take time to load and they require bandwidth when you open, or load, new pages. HTML5 introduces a new concept of a larger local storage on your computer and your browsing experience becomes faster and more agile as a result. HTML5 uses the local storage to provide offline support. This means you can create web applications (webpages with a lot of functionality) and use them when not connected to the Internet. Imagine having checklists you would like to download to your computer, then go somewhere where there is no Internet connectivity, work on the checklists and then upload them when you get connected again. Reports filled in by your airline crews may also benefit from this technology as you can have them fill in reports on tablet computers while on-board the aircraft and then upload the information once they get connected.
Canvas — graphics on the go
The world of aviation is a fast-paced one and aviation professionals most likely spend as much time on the go as they do in a traditional office environment in front of a large computer screen. Mainframe and client/server computer systems are making way for feature rich web applications which are always up to date and accessible around the clock. This has generated a demand for
SOME USEFUL LINKS
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzPxo7Y6JyA&feature=player_embedded http://www.the10most.com/code/the-10-best-html5-tutorial-websites-you-should-visit.html http://experimenting.in/other/demo_webstorage.htm http://html5demos.com/drag
sophisticated and dynamic graphics such as dashboards, graphs and charts to present the information in a quick and easy manner. HTML5 introduces the <canvas> tag for such graphics and you use JavaScript as the paintbrush to tell it what should be displayed.
Drag & drop — let’s get moving
User controls on web pages have, up until now, been quite limited to input fields and submit buttons, and drag & drop capabilities required quite amount of coding. With HTML5 you can now quite easily create web applications which allow the users to drag and drop objects on your pages, e.g. to reorder lists and delete items by dragging them away. This helps make web applications more interactive and user friendly.
Conclusion
This article has hopefully demystified and simplified the hype around HTML5 and helped you understand how important a role it can play in your airline. Keep in mind, however, that technology is in constant flux and you should not let the latest trends guide your IT strategy. Remember to analyse carefully what you really need and whether your airline has the management resolve and financing to see technological changes through. n Some acronyms explained… AJAX: Asynchronous JavaScript and XML HTML: HyperText Markup Language XML: eXtensible Markup Language XHTML: Extensible Hypertext Markup Language XSL: Extensible Stylesheet Language XSD: XML Schema Document CSS: Cascading Style Sheet
aBOUT AVIATION 42 Aviation42 is a branch of software house Output42 and specialises in software solutions for aviation. They create bespoke systems, work on data integration and migration, build data warehouses for business intelligence, create special reports and undertake consultancy. Our long term employees all have a minimum of five years’ experience designing, developing and working with complex aviation software and data. We are well versed in numerous programming languages, different databases and always keep abreast of technology. At Aviation42 you get a one stop solution in which we help you translate your business requirements into zeros and ones, help you install and configure our solutions and provide the necessary training.
Steve Crabb CEO, Aviation42
Steve Crabb has been developing aviation software for nearly 25 years. Prior to founding Aviation42 the bulk of Steve’s career was dedicated to leading the team that created a fully integrated Airline MRO and Operations system, currently in use by Airlines, MRO’s, SFO’s and military operators worldwide. With an Aeronautical Engineering degree from the University of Hertfordshire, Steve is one of the co-founders of Aviation42, a company focused on providing innovative software solutions and consultancy to the Aviation sector. His team is currently working on, amongst other things, HTML5 real time communication and HTML5 data visualisation.
Ingunn Ingimars
IT Consultant at Aviation42
Ingunn Ingimars joined Aviation42 as an IT consultant specialising in IT architecture. Her consultancy work includes both organising and setting up IT departments from the ground up as well as helping airlines in identifying key problems areas. Her systems reviews cover software systems and their interfaces, cross-department communication and how business processes can be mapped to software processes. Her focus is to help choose the right software systems and to maximise the return on IT investment by sharing data between systems and turning raw data into meaningful information; thereby increasing operational efficiency. With a degree in software engineering from Reykjavik University and a degree in English Literature from the University of Iceland, Ingunn worked as a software developer for six years and as a software project manager for three years prior to her career in IT architecture. She entered the world of aviation in 2003 when she co-founded the Icelandic airline JetX, later rebranded Primera Air.
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Vendor Flight Log
26 | VENDOR FLIGHT LOG | AIRCRAFT IT OPERATIONS | SUMMER 2012
Rudolf 'Ruedi' Christen, CEO, Aviaso Inc.
re development. Prior to Ruedi has more than 25 years of experience in aviation and softwa ement team of Belair Aviaso he was flying Boeing 757 aircraft and was part of the manag 's IT and started Airlines in Switzerland. At Belair, Ruedi was responsible for the airline products at Aviaso. Prior to development of the Aviation Portal, which is now one of the main ting company. In his free Belair, Ruedi worked as a project manager in a management consul together with his family. time, he enjoys doing sports and spending time in the mountains
What makes Aviaso tick
AircraftIT: Your name, your job title and the name of the business? Rudolf Christen: Rudolf ‘Ruedi’ Christen, CEO, Aviaso Inc. AircraftIT: How did Aviaso get started? RC: When I was still working for Belair Airlines in Switzerland, we started to develop an intranet solution containing functions such as integrated flight briefings for pilots, dutyplan viewing, crew communication, and document management. Without us having done any marketing, several airlines approached us and wanted to buy the software. Therefore, we decided to start the company Aviaso. The focus of Aviaso is on complex, operational topics such as Fuel Efficiency, EUETS, Aviation Reporting and Crew Communication. AircraftIT: What is the attraction of aircraft operations related Software and Hardware? RC: We are very passionate about aviation. At the same time we are deeply interested in state-of-the-art software technologies. Everybody in our company either has a background in aviation or a strong desire to work in this field. Connecting our passions, aviation and software, is what attracts us most. We believe comprehensive IT knowhow is a prerequisite for good aviation software: yet only an in-depth understanding of aviation makes great aviation software. AircraftIT: What is the guiding business principle that drives Aviaso? RC: The only way to make great products is to know what our customers really need. Our guiding principle is ‘successful customers make us successful’. At the end it is very simple; we can only be successful if our customers are successful.
Aviaso
connecting aviation and software AircraftIT: What has been Aviaso’s greatest business achievement to date, and why? RC: Difficult to pick just one. Probably the greatest business achievement was to have the courage to start early with the development of our Fuel Efficiency software. As a former pilot, I was convinced that being able to collect the right data and to provide good analysis software can help airlines in saving a lot of fuel. However, I knew that this is a very challenging and complex topic to be properly solved. We were one of the first companies doing software development in this area and invested huge development efforts in our product. Now it is very rewarding to see the airlines’ interest in our software and to see that taking the risk some years ago has indeed paid off now. AircraftIT: What have been Aviaso’s disappointments and what have you learned from them? RC: As in real life, also in a company not everything always goes smoothly. Important for us is to be able to learn from the things that did not work out as they should have. To point out one example: three years ago, we started to develop a new product without paying enough attention to the business requirements. We failed to deliver and realized — once more — that knowing the business requirements always has to come first.
AircraftIT: In a sentence, how would you summarize what Aviaso does for aircraft operations customers? RC: Aviaso supports airlines in improving their operations and reducing their costs with innovative and easy-to-use software. AircraftIT: What is new on Aviaso’s development horizon? RC: Our principle is to focus on a few complex topics and provide comprehensive solutions instead of having ‘me-too’ products in many areas. In the areas where we have products, we want to have the leading product – or at least one of the top three products. There will be very interesting extensions coming to our Fuel Efficiency product. We will also bring our data collection and data analysis approach to more areas in an airline to further support our customers in increasing their efficiency and reducing their costs. AircraftIT: What do you want your customers to say about Aviaso? RC: We hope our customers say that Aviaso is a reliable and innovative provider of high quality products and services. Aviaso has not lost a single customer in its company history and we do everything to keep it this way. We are quite conservative in our marketing efforts. We would rather put our focus and energy on the relationship with our existing customers. We see that this also pays off regarding new clients, since we gain most of our new customers through references from our existing customers. AircraftIT: Ruedi Christen, thank you for your time.
What’s in the MRO? Click here to read AircraftIT MRO eJournal.
CASE STUDIES INCLUDE: V1.6 • SUMMER 2012
Y S STOR SUCCES QANTgAS ion erat gen their MRO Software for the next Transformin
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ic Vendor Job Card: IDMR Solutions Studies: Holocentric, Airbus, Virgin Atlant ary of Acronyms… White Paper: InfoTrust Group Case MRO Software Directory and Diction ars, Webin News, , IT’ see I ‘How plus Bangkok Conference previewed…
Click here to subscribe for free now to order 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
A New System for Qantas Engineering Geoff Zuber, General Manager, Aerospace & Utilities, Holocentric Getting high value by spreading IT Services Dr Franck Duluc, Engineering & Maintenance Research Manager, Airbus Documentation in the 21st Century Julie Steadman, Principal Airworthiness Records, Virgin Atlantic MRO Networks Michael Dennis, VP, Customer Engagement, InfoTrust Group
Plus… How I see IT Standards are great, unless there’s more than one VENDOR JOB CARD: What makes IDMR Solutions tick? Israel Revivo tells Aircraft IT and… The Aircraft IT Dictionary of Acronyms
28 | WEBINARS | AIRCRAFT IT OPERATIONS | SUMMER 2012
Past Webinars: View Video Recordings of our Live Software Demonstration Webinars at Aircraft IT
Build your own Flight Operations Software Demo Webinar Library. Search through and sign up to view the convenient video recordings of all previous Live Flight Operations Software Demonstration & Masterclass Webinars at the following link: www.aircraftit.com/Operations/Webinars/Past.aspx This exceptional video library contains recordings of Live Software Demonstrations and Masterclasses from the following major IT Vendors: Arconics, Flightman, AIR SUPPORT, ETS Aviation, BYTRON, Smart4Aviation, Flight Focus, OSyS, FuelPlus, Flygprestanda, Evoke Systems, T&A Systeme, SITA, AvioVision, FLYHT, plus more. An outline of four of the recent Webinar Recordings can be seen below.
Masterclass and demonstration Webinar. Unlock the potential of EFB technology
Flight Planning and Scheduling demonstration Webinar Recording
29th March 2012
5th April 2012
n Session OVERVIEW
n Session OVERVIEW
Sign up for this Webinar recording and be introduced to SITAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new e-Aircraft Application Services, which can revolutionize the use of Electronic Flight Bag (EFB) Technology by fully integrating your on-board IT systems to your ground IT network. You will see how this new application can unlock the full potential of EFB and learn the enormous operating benefits this brings. Whether you want to learn how a fully integrated EFB solution can benefit your operations or how to maximize the return on your current system, this Webinar will provide the answers.
Sign up for this Webinar recording for a demonstration of the hugely popular Flygprestanda FOCS (Flight Operations Control System) operations suite. FOCS is a modern, feature packed system available for advanced Flight Planning and Flight Scheduling - you will see how a powerful modular Flight Planning system can bring company-wide benefits to airlines and aircraft operators by providing superior control and support for their daily operations. The demonstration will show you: real-time Flight Preparation, Full overview Scheduling, Automatic Route Scheduling, Tripkits & Driftdown, Weather & NOTAM, Crew Web Portal, plus more.
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SUMMER 2012 | AIRCRAFT IT OPERATIONS | WEBINARS | 29
About the Live Software Demonstration Webinar Recordings
How it works.
Whether you missed them the first time around, need to refresh your understanding of available systems before making a key decision or if you are building a reference portfolio of relevant knowledge, these past webinar recordings will add vital market intelligence to your established professional skills. They’ll improve and sharpen your awareness of available solutions and add to your knowledge store. You’ll gain an overview of the major Flight Operations software systems on the market today, from the world’s leading IT Vendors, and all at a time and a place compatible with your busy schedule. Each demonstration lasts 1 hour, providing airlines and aircraft operators with the perfect introduction to each Flight Operations software solution demonstrated.
• Visit: http://www.aircraftit.com/Operations/Webinars/Past.aspx • Use the scroll option or view the details of the latest recorded sessions on the right and select a Webinar recording you would like to view. • Next click ‘Register for Recording’ and enter your details. • Once approved the video file will appear in your Member’s Area at the Aircraft IT website. • You can then view the Webinar recording as many times as you wish, share it with your colleagues and retain it as part of your own market intelligence reference library.
iPad Flight Operations Management & Crew Portal System demo and webinar
Software demonstration: Logipad iPad EFB Management Solution
19th April 2012
3rd May 2012
n Session OVERVIEW
n Session OVERVIEW
Sign up to view this Webinar recording for a demonstration of Evoke System’s EFOS System; a web-based crew portal and flight operations management system available online, on iPhone, on iPad app and on Windows based EFB devices. A demonstration of a multifunctional Flight Operations suite (EFOS) which can operate via iPad, iPhone and web-based applications, including: electronic library & regulatory notices; crew training management; Journey log; fuel analysis; ETS collection, data analysis & reporting; Safety Management; EFB; and integration with 3rd party solutions.
Sign up to view this Webinar recording for a demonstration of the Logipad EFB Management Solution, designed to update and maintain data on EFB devices. The Webinar concentrates in detail on the iPad functionality including a Demonstration of the App and Ground Infrastructure communication process.
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30 | WEBINARS | AIRCRAFT IT OPERATIONS | SUMMER 2012
Upcoming Live Software Demonstration Webinar at www.aircraftit.com this September Sign up to free live online software demonstrations for a perfect introduction to the world’s leading Flight Operations Software vendors and to learn how they can assist and add value to your operations
Aviaso
connecting aviation and software
Live software demonstration of Aviaso’s fuel efficiency solutions n Session 1: 27th September 2012, 06:30 AM GMT/UTC n Session 2: 27th September 2012, 15:00 PM GMT/UTC n Duration: 1 hour plus Q&A.
Sign up for this Webinar on the 27th of September and learn how to manage fuel costs, one of the largest cost factors in airline operations, and how to leverage the data collected in the process to help other stakeholders to generate further operational efficiency.
n Session Agenda Overview fuel efficiency: n Economic background
Join Aviaso on the 27th of September for this unique webinar about Fuel Efficiency. You will be able to see how to discover fuel savings and how to monitor your fuel efficiency improvement program. A full demo of the powerful Aviaso/Fuel Efficiency software will be given and we are happy to answer the questions you might have.
Webinar Overview
Overview Aviaso/Fuel Efficiency software n Data collection and data quality assurance; n Analysis and communication tools; n Benefits for operations and IT. Case studies from airlines already using the software Live demo Aviaso/Fuel Efficiency software n How to discover fuel savings potential; n How to monitor the progress of the fuel efficiency improvement program; n How to communicate with stakeholders; n How to customize and tailor for your airline.
Full Webinar Details
The economic impact of efficient fuel management is huge. Fuel is the largest or one of the largest cost factors in an airline. Depending on the airline, fuel costs represent 20% - 40% of the total costs. IATA states that an airline having a successful fuel savings program, can reduce its fuel costs by 3% to 5%. Aviaso provides comprehensive support for an airline to achieve these savings. The Aviaso/Fuel Efficiency software performs the following main functions: • Collects data from the various IT systems an airline is using; • Checks and improves the quality of the data; • Provides sophisticated analysis-tool to discover fuel savings potentials; • Provides tool to monitor the progress of the fuel efficiency improvement program; • Communicates the results to the stake-holders.
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SUMMER 2012 | AIRCRAFT IT OPERATIONS | VACANCIES | 31
Targeted opportunities
If you’re seeking out your next career move, then Aircraft IT Operations ‘Vacancies’ [insert hyperlink] is the place to find great opportunities in the sector where your experience and skills are valued. Or simply use us for an overview of the market while deciding whether to move. Aircraft IT Operations is the specialist website and publication for your sector so you won’t have to trawl through a host of general vacancies to find the aviation IT ones that need your skills and will advance your career.
Aviaso
Aviaso
Job Alerts for first sight
As well as listing current career opportunities, Aircraft IT Operations ‘Vacancies’ also lets you sign up for ‘Job Alerts’, to receive email alerts and be among the first to learn about the latest opportunities and in pole position to put yourself forward. Career opportunities currently on the website include the folliowing.
SIGN UP BY CLICKING HERE
Navtech
connecting aviation and software
Senior Software Engineer (Java) An opportunity to work with Java technologies on fuel efficiency and emissions management projects in a people-oriented environment where learning is encouraged and achievements are recognized and rewarded. CLICK HERE FOR MORE DETAILS
Aircraft IT Operations is the specialist website and publication for your sector so you won’t have to trawl through a host of general vacancies to find the aviation IT ones that need your skills and will advance your career.
Latest Vacancies Aircraft IT website ‘Vacancies’ page puts great opportunities with the best businesses in front of professionals in their field
Quality Assurance Engineer For someone with software testing and automation experience who is passionate about quality, interested in how an airline operates and would like to understand processes like crew planning, flight scheduling, crew communication, airline documents management. CLICK HERE FOR MORE DETAILS
Conduce Software
Permanent / Full Time Application Developer An excellent opportunity for a software developer to work with C# ASP.Net, Visual Studio, SQL Server, iOS in a dynamic and vibrant young business and to work with mission critical software in use within the airline industry. CLICK HERE FOR MORE DETAILS
Software Developer For someone with strong technical abilities who strives to proactively enhance their skills, an opening in our Aircraft Performance Systems (APS) team to help create the next generation of product. CLICK HERE FOR MORE DETAILS
Navigation Data Analyst A trainee role, involved in learning and developing skills to enable the day-to-day maintenance of the Navtech UK Aeronautical Navigation Database carried out to the required specification and quality standards. CLICK HERE FOR MORE DETAILS
Installation Management Specialist For someone who is interested in the technology used by airlines to fly their aircraft, the tools that enable personnel to operate aircraft safely and productively and what it takes for airlines to win in an increasingly competitive market. CLICK HERE FOR MORE DETAILS
Aeronautical Analyst The job is to produce aeronautical charts and associated documentation to the required specification on time and in full. CLICK HERE FOR MORE DETAILS
For career opportunities as professional as you and with you in mind, go to Aircraft IT Operations ‘Vaca ncies’ website and eJournal.
32 | WHITE PAPER: AVIATION INTELLIGENCE | AIRCRAFT IT OPERATIONS | SUMMER 2012
Already 2013 for ETS Stage 2 The EU Emission Trading Scheme is soon to enter its second trading period (2013â&#x20AC;&#x201C;2020) but, says Guido Harling, lead auditor of ETSverification GmbH, for airlines, the work starts now
SUMMER 2012 | AIRCRAFT IT OPERATIONS | WHITE PAPER: AVIATION INTELLIGENCE | 33 Click here for full SOFTWARE details and for a demo
“In today’s rapidly changing business environment, airlines and, indeed, the wider corporate world have to think about how they can quickly adapt and respond to a massively changing market.”
T
he European Union’s (EU) emissions trading scheme (ETS) was launched for aviation in 2010. The directives will, for the first time, compel airlines to commence trading certificates in 2013 in respect of the ‘completed’ emission year, i.e. the first certificates will refer to 2012 emissions. Right now, the first trading period which spans the years 2010, 2011 and 2012 (even though real trading starts in 2013) is almost over. Soon we will be entering the second trading period that spans the period from 2013 until 2020 and this article sets out to shed some light on the changes for this period and the ramifications of trading; plus, of course, the IT tools and techniques you can employ to mitigate the impact. Aviation trading period and ETS phase As airlines and aircraft operators, we speak about the first and the second trading periods for aviation. However, the overall ETS (which includes both stationary emitters and aviation) refers to that period (2013–2020) as ETS phase III.
What’s new in aviation ETS stage 2 – the topics:
New Monitoring Plans for 2013–2020 Since all aviation ETS monitoring plans are only approved and valid until December 31st 2012, aircraft operators (AOs) will be required to submit new monitoring plans for the next trading period (2013–2020). For this trading period new monitoring and reporting requirements have been established by the European Commission (EC), as laid down in the Monitoring and Reporting Regulations (MRR). For the aviation sector the changes, as compared to the monitoring thus far, are fairly limited. Nevertheless, all annual emissions monitoring plans (AE MPs) need to be revised and adapted to the new requirements before January 1st 2013. The monitoring plans for tonne-kilometre (TKm) data do not need a revision, as the related monitoring requirements remain unchanged. Access to the European Union Registry and the Aircraft Operator Holding Account (AOHA) The European Union Registry for aircraft operators is now available. The Union Registry is the mechanism by which EU ETS allowances will be held, traded and
surrendered for compliance purposes. Aircraft operators who undertake flights from 2012 onwards will be required to open an AOHA in the Union Registry in order to surrender certificates by April 30th 2013. In June 2012, the operator account/registry structure underwent fundamental changes. All tasks that have, until now, been the responsibility of national registries have been taken over by a central EU-wide registry that has been developed by the European Commission and will be run by the Commission. The accounts, however, will continue to be administered by the individual member states. Therefore getting access to the free emission certificates requires a two-step process (EU registry access and local member state account access) New states (Switzerland and Croatia) joining the EU ETS The Swiss Federal Office for Civil Aviation (FOCA) and the EU are currently conducting negotiations on the possible linking of their local ETS to the EU ETS. If an agreement is reached, the linking will take place in 2014. The acquisition of TKm data to establish a benchmark for the allocation of free certificates will start on January 2013 provided that the negotiations with the EU on the ETS can be concluded. If not, the Federal Council will postpone the collection of TKm data. Similarly Croatia will be part of the EU ETS by 1 January 2014, due to the country's planned accession to the EU on 1 July 2013. The scope of the aviation part of the EU ETS will therefore in the future cover some additional flights: the domestic flights within Croatia, as well as those between Croatia and non-EEA countries. Therefore, aircraft operators performing domestic flights within Croatia and flights between Croatia and non-EEA countries have the possibility to monitor the tonnekilometre data for the additional flights in 2012 and to apply for additional free allowances by 31 March 2013. EUROCONTROL’s ETS Support Facility (SF) is open for Aircraft Operators The ETS SF is a support function established and operated by Eurocontrol to provide aircraft operators with information about the airfields they have flown to or from in the area of applicability of the EU ETS. This will help aircraft operators with data collection and
OSyS Fuel Management A proven solution used by airlines worldwide
Realize the next wave of savings by understanding operational usage. Data Integration - establish an accurate baseline Fuel initiative management – maximize return on investment Custom alerts, dashboards and reports – educate stakeholders Advanced modelling – find the hidden opportunities ETS monitoring and reporting – be compliant and trade efficiently Control related costs by accurate budgeting / forecasting
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34 | WHITE PAPER: AVIATION INTELLIGENCE | AIRCRAFT IT OPERATIONS | SUMMER 2012 Click here for full SOFTWARE details and for a demo
EU-ETS Emissions Trading System Aviaso/EU-ETS ensures full compliance with the
Full regulatory compliance Automated data collection
EU Emissions Trading System legislation. The software supports fully automated data collection,
and comes with adapters directly connecting to the major airline IT systems. High data quality is
Guaranteed high data quality
achieved with over twenty ready-made validations
and cross-check routines. Besides all standard
support the creation of their emissions monitoring and reporting obligations. The ETS SF can also be used by third parties, such as verifiers and service companies that aircraft operators have authorised to receive their data.
process is tedious because it will require an account with your local member state first and secondly an access to the EU registry. Find an overview of the EU registry page here: http://ec.europa.eu/clima/policies/ets/ registries/index_en.htm
What airlines will need to have done in preparation to demonstrate that they are ready for stage 2 by end of September 2012 In this section we deliberately speak about end of September because this is the first deadline that is approaching. Keeping this in mind - this section can be summarized very briefly almost in telegraphic style.
About ETS verification GmbH
EU-ETS reports many more reports are available
Comprehensive reporting
Aviaso
• Be ready for the new monitoring plans The template will be published by end of July and the various tools (the FMS for Germany and ETSSWAP for the UK) will be available for data input at month end. As stated before the new plans will have to be returned to the competent authority (CA).
CLICK HERE for more information
• Open your registry account (Every aircraft operator impacted by EU ETS will need to have an account). The registry account is needed to receive free emission certificates (if the AO had submitted a TKmm report and received an allocation notice). Also AO’s need the account to buy the missing emission certificates for covering or offsetting the actual emissions produced in 2012. Start now (if you haven’t already) since the
for additional analyses and auditing purposes.
connecting aviation and software
www.aviaso.com
Aviaso Inc. · Huobstrasse 10 · CH-8808 Pfaeffikon · Switzerland · Phone: +41 55 422 0000 · www.aviaso.com · info@aviaso.com
ETSverification GmbH offers verification services within the framework of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme for aviation and the company is accredited in multiple EU member states. In preparation for emission trading, several airlines have engaged ETSverification to assess their compliance readiness. During this optional Pre-Audit which consists of a Compliance Review / ETS Systems Review / ETS Data Analysis, airlines benefited from the written Gap-Analysis report that lists all Pre-Audit-Issues that could impact the legal audit in an adverse way. In many instances the PreAudit helped airlines not only to reduce the risk of a difficult Full-Year-Audit but also revealed how airlines could minimize the reported emissions and increase the all-important tonne km number. www.ETSverification.com
SUMMER 2012 | AIRCRAFT IT OPERATIONS | WHITE PAPER: AVIATION INTELLIGENCE | 35 • Submit your monitoring plans to Croatia and possibly to Switzerland For both countries, AO’s with flights in and out of these countries can apply for an allocation of free emission certificates by submitting a TKmm report. The prerequisite for both, the TKmm report and the AE report to be verified, is that the AO has an approved monitoring plan. • Request access to the Eurocontrol ETS SF The access to the data from Eurocontrol will ease the AO’s effort for the annual creation of the emissions report. Even though Eurocontrol is a non-profit organization the access is not for free. Nonetheless for operators we estimate that having more than 1000 ETS relevant flights per year will justify the charge and present a benefit in savings for report creation. Find the link below: http://www.eurocontrol.int/articles/etssupport-facility
How this will impact your IT requirements and which solutions are beneficial to give you a head start
There are two key messages which we have to get across here: First: utilize smart IT Aircraft operators should utilize smart IT solutions and taking third party advice on what to do will give aircraft operators a head start. Here is why: the ETS directives are becoming increasingly data hungry and
will put an administrative burden on all impacted aircraft operators. In fact all reporting for aviation ETS requires detailed information on the individual flight level data. Only dedicated IT systems that interface with your flight planning and OPS data can handle these tasks. Consider also that all ETS relevant data will have to be archived for ten years and it becomes even more obvious. Despite the high quantity and quality of data required for ETS data reporting, and the associated problems with this, IT systems employed for ETS have in many cases helped airlines. This is because ETS has driven airlines to further reduce fuel usage, increasing fuel efficiency and thus lowering their operating costs. ETS will force a level of data recording that was not there in the past, triggering improved fuel efficiency at the same time as reducing emissions. Add to that the new upcoming requirements of trading, where airlines are asked to keeping emission certificates in inventory, creating reliable forecasts and procuring of additional certificates. These requirements will stretch the capabilities of any home-grown system to its limits. The good news is that third smart party solutions can be found for these purposes. Second: take expert advice This leads to our second message – unless you have an entire department that takes care of your ETS issues it is probably good advice to seek the help of third party experts. Just as in the area of IT, the matrix of possible solutions or avenues you can select in order to comply with the ETS directives is huge; especially when it comes to optimal ways on how to procure certificates. n
Guido Harling
lead auditor, ETSverification GmbH
About Tasc4Aviation
This strategic advisory company supports aircraft operators in all issues related to ETS for airlines. Right now pressing issues for airlines impacted by ETS are: • Support for new monitoring plans; • Registry account procedures opening; as well as… • Advice on certificate procurement and trading. Besides that Tasc4 advises on the right size IT solution for airlines to minimize the ETS compliance burden and to reduce cost. Tasc4Aviation employs expert students of Aviation Management from the International University of Bad Honnef Bonn. www.Tasc4Aviation.com
Click here for full SOFTWARE details and for a demo
Guido Harling is the founder and lead auditor of ETSverification GmbH, Germany’s first and only verification body dedicated solely to the aviation industry. He is also ambassador for Tasc4Aviation GmbH and a teaching lecturer at the International University of Bad Honnef Bonn.
A ground-breaking software and consultancy service designed to maximise fuel efficiencies and save operators $$$ millions. Aviation FuelSaverTM integrates seamlessly with existing flight data systems and identifies every fuel-saving opportunity by analysing over 100 ground and flight operating parameters. Aviation FuelSaverTM delivers all the software functionality and consultative support that any airline, whatever their size, requires to power a potent Fuel Saving Programme efficiently, quickly and at low cost. AND it allows you to accurately track your savings.
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www.etsaviation.com
36 | SOFTWARE DIRECTORY | AIRCRAFT IT OPERATIONS | SUMMER 2012
Operations Software Directory
AIR SUPPORT A/S
W: www.airsupport.dk T: 0045 7533 8889 E: pps@airsupport.dk Company formed:1988; Office Location: Billund, Denmark Name of Product Marketed • PPS - Preflight Planning Solutions, CrewBriefing Five Key Business/Software Areas • Flight Planning • CrewBriefing facilities AIR SUPPORT specializes in the provision of pc-based flight planning software systems with integrated web-based CrewBriefing — PPS and CrewBriefing - services to private and commercial business aircraft operators, regional/charter/cargo/national airlines, military/utility operators and flight service providers.
Key ‘at-a-glance’ information from the world’s leading Operations software providers. From Electronic Flight Bags (EFBs) to Fuel Management Systems; From Flight Planning Solutions to Operations Cost Management — the leading IT vendors below can cater for all requirements.
Aircraft Management Technologies
W: www.flightman.com T: +353 1 8061000 E: info@flightman.com
Today, PPS is used by aircraft operators throughout 32 countries operating more than 3000 turboprop and jet aircraft daily consisting of more than 350 different aircraft types and versions. PPS is powered by LUFTHANSA Systems FlightNav worldwide navigation data including all global route restrictions, worldwide updated NOTAMs, Surface Weather data and Wind and Significant Weather charts based on original source data.
Click Here for Software Details Click Here to Request Private Demo
Arconics
Company formed: 2000; Office Location: Dublin, Ireland (HQ) Name of Product Marketed • Flightman™ Electronic Flight Folder Number of Modules................11 Five Key Business/Software Areas • Flightman™ connects aircraft to airlines’ backend systems via onboard EFB software applications and provides airlines with significant costs savings in both Flight Operations and Maintenance • Flightman™ runs on all classes of hardware (FAA EFB Class 1, 2, or 3) • Is independent of hardware vendor • Supports all aircraft types • Is able to host third party applications and is independent of operating system AMT (Aircraft Management Technologies) was founded to address the need in the market for an electronic means of capturing and reporting data between aircraft and central back office systems. Flightman™ represents a common sense application of emerging technologies that can automate existing processes in the cockpit, cabin and on the ramp, in turn reducing costs. AMT’s Flightman™ product is a complete Electronic Flight Bag (EFB) software solution. Flightman™ enables airlines to be compliant in all aspects of onboard flight operations in a cost effective manner and provides a platform for future revenue generation applications in the cabin. AMT’s patented, award-winning Flightman™ software comprises three main elements: 1) a set of onboard software applications, 2) a ground server for the management of EFBs, and 3) capabilities for optimized communications between the onboard software and ground systems.
Click Here for Software Details Click Here to Request Private Demo
W: www.arconics.com T: (00353) 1611 4625 E: info@arconics.com Company formed: 2001; Office Location: Dublin, Ireland Name of Product Marketed • Manual Manager, AirPortal, EFB Viewer Number of Modules..................5 Five Key Business/Software Areas • EFB Document Management • Airline content management • Flight crew notices management • Mobile document viewer apps • EFB document viewer Arconics is a leader in content management software and services for airline operators. Our team has over 10 years of world-class expertise in airline operations and document standards, web and mobile applications and XML data processing. Arconics provides EFB Document Management for Notices, Manuals and Forms on EFB Class 1, 2 & 3, Web and Mobile. Arconics products reduce costs, improve efficiency, and ensure regulatory compliance. Thousands of flight and ground operations staff, pilots and cabin crew depend on Arconics products to help safely and efficiently operate their fleets every day.
Click Here for Software Details Click Here to Request Private Demo
Aviaso Inc.
W: www.aviaso.com T: +41 55 422 0000 E: info@aviaso.com
Aviaso connecting aviation and software www.aviaso.com
Company formed: 2003; Office Location: Pfaeffikon, Switzerland Name of Product Marketed • Fuel Efficiency, EU-ETS, Airline Portal, ART - Aviation Reporting Tool, CCP - Crew Capacity Planning Number of Modules.............. n/a Five Key Business/Software Areas • Fuel Efficieny • EU-ETS • Airline Portal / Intranet • ART - Aviation Reporting Tool • CCP - Crew Capacity Planning Aviaso is an international software company developing products exclusively for the aviation industry. The first product — the Airline Portal — has been deployed at Belair Airlines in 2003. Since then, the product-portfolio has been continuously extended into various areas of the aviation industry. Besides developing its own products, Aviaso is also developing custom-specific software and realizes system integration projects for aviation companies. Furthermore, Aviaso maintains datacenters in Switzerland and Sofia and provides customized hosting-solutions for aviation companies. Aviaso has its head office in Switzerland and software development centers in Sofia/Bulgaria and Kharkiv/ Ukraine. Please, visit our website www.aviaso.com for more information about the Aviaso products and services.
Click Here for Software Details Click Here to Request Private Demo
AVIATION 42
W: www.aviation42.com T: +48 71 7230109 E: steve.crabb@aviation42.com Company formed: 2009; Office Location: Poland, UK, Denmark, Switzerland Name of Product Marketed • Sabre Reporting - Data Migration - Software Development - System Integration Middleware - Check Optimiser - RADIXX Interfaces - FAST Fatigue Data Extracts Number of Modules.............. n/a Five Key Business/Software Areas • Sabre Reporting & Integration • Data Migration • Software Development • System Integration • Middleware Aviation42 is a software company focused on providing Airlines with highly skilled, cost effective solutions in: Sabre Reporting and Integration; Custom software development; Data Migration; System Integration; Middleware; RADIXX Interfaces; and Fatigue Data Extracts
Click Here for Software Details Click Here to Request Private Demo
SUMMER 2012 | AIRCRAFT IT OPERATIONS | SOFTWARE DIRECTORY | 37
Aviovision NV
W: www.aviobook.aero T: + 32 16 29 89 80 E: info@aviovision.aero
AviIT Ltd
Company formed: 2010; Office Location: Leuven, Belgium Name of Product Marketed • AVIOBOOK / EFB for Airlines & Business Aviation Number of Modules................10 Key Business/Software Areas • Main • Operational Flight Plan • Briefing • Weight & Balance • Charts • Performance • Reports • Library • Tools • EFB Ground Administration Tool AvioVision N.V. is a young Belgian company that is offering an innovative and comprehensive EFB solution, by facilitating integration of technologies in its EFB products, combining them with operational excellence into smart solutions for front line and back-office staff.
Click Here for Software Details Click Here to Request Private Demo
W: www.aviit.com T: +44 (0)1383 620922 E: info@aviit.com
BYTRON
W: www.bytron.com T: +44 (0)1652 688626 E: info@bytron.aero
Company formed: 1984; Office Location: Kirmington, North Lincolnshire, UK Name of Product Marketed • skybook®eFB, skybook.aero, skylightES, Slot Management, Fuel Monitoring, AIS Notam Management Number of Modules..................6 Five Key Business/Software Areas • Electronic Flight Bag • Pre-flight Briefing • Airport CDM • Flight Data Management Systems • Air Traffic Control & Operational Management Systems
Company formed: 2004; Office Location: Fife, Scotland. Name of Product Marketed • Archimedes & eMan Number of Modules..................2 Key Business/Software Areas • ACARS data management - Archimedes • ACARS Technical Consultancy • Technical publications Distribution - eMan • Document Acknowledment - eMan Read & Sign • IT systems management & support AviiT is exclusively focused on the provision of software solutions to the aviation sector. Drawing upon data sources such as ACARS, Archimedes provides a powerful capability to capture, analyse and present valuable, real time data in a clear and flexible format to Operation and Engineering teams. eMan provides an efficient capability for the distribution of technical publications across the maintenance and repair estate. Used by aircraft operators and 3rd party MROs alike, eMan unlocks the benefits of smooth and efficient distribution of engineering and process documentation. eMan is available as an on-premise or hosted offering for complete deployment flexibility.
Click Here for Software Details Click Here to Request Private Demo
BYTRON is a UK based company specialising in aviation data systems that provides totally integrated flight data management solutions, delivering operational data reliably to aircraft operators, airports and air traffic control. We provide a wide range of products and solutions, including EFB (Class I & II) solutions, Airport CDM, and much more. The company’s design philosophy is, and has always been, to provide highly flexible, technically innovative, and compliant user-oriented solutions. With over 25 years of experience supplying aviation systems, we are experts at getting the right data, to the right place, at the right time.
Click Here for Software Details Click Here to Request Private Demo Click here for full SOFTWARE details and for a demo
Why ARMS®: Aviation Resource Management System?
ARMS® Sub-Systems include
Low IT Investment Footprint
Commercial Planning
Low Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)
Flight Operations
Speed of Implementation
Flight Planning & Dispatch
Ready Out-of-the-Box; yet all Modules are fully Customizable
Crew Management & Web Portal [for Aircrew & Cabin Crew]
Freedom of Mobility
Flight Data Monitoring & Analysis
Flexible Ownership/ Usage Plans: Pay-per-Use or Pay-per-Month
Engineering & Maintenance
Fully Scalable; from large intercontinental Fleets to small Charter Operations
Logistics & Inventory Management
Seamlessly Integrated Ops Crew M&E MRO, etc.
Integrated Document Management System - InfoPrompt®
Deployed as a Turnkey Solution: Aviation IT Products + Services + Support
www.sds.co.in
ARMS® and InfoPrompt® are Registered Trademarks of Sheorey Digital Systems Ltd. Mumbai, India.
38 | SOFTWARE DIRECTORY | AIRCRAFT IT OPERATIONS | SUMMER 2012
ETS Aviation Ltd.
W: www.etsaviation.com T: +351 91 580 1007 E: dscarlisle@etsaviation.com Company formed: 2009; Office Location: Gibraltar, UK Name of Product Marketed • Aviation FuelSaver™, Aviation Footprinter™, ETS Support Service Number of Modules..................2 Five Key Business/Software Areas • Fuel-efficiency Software Solutions • EU ETS Data Management and Reporting Verificiation Software • Fuel Saving Consultancy • ETS Data management consultancy ETS Aviation Ltd. are specialists in fuel-efficiency programmes and emissions data management. Since early 2009 our team of aviation specialists and software designers has helped hundreds of aviation operators all over the world. We work with airlines, business aviation operators and trip support companies. And we make their life easier. We created the ground breaking Aviation FuelSaver™, software and consultancy programme - the easiest to use and lowest cost fuel efficiency system on the market - having already launched a software and consultancy solution called Aviation Footprinter™, for managing EU ETS (Emissions Trading Scheme) requirements..
Click Here for Software Details Click Here to Request Private Demo
Evoke Systems
W: www.evoke-systems.com T: +44 (3)456 521240 E: info@evoke-systems.com Company formed: 2001; Office Location: Norwich, England Number of Modules.............. n/a Five Key Business/Software Areas • Training Records and Expiry Management • Cabin Crew Flight Reports • Journey Log and Fuel Analysis • EU-ETS Management • Document Library and Notices Evoke Systems is a British software company founded in 2001 to provide innovative, cost effective solutions to the airline industry. EFOS (Electronic Flight Operations System) is a web-based crew portal and flight operations management system with supporting mobile device software for use as part of an EFB solution. Evoke Systems has clients in both the commercial and business aviation sectors operating from the UK, Europe and the Middle East. They include start-ups and established airlines looking to streamline their processes. Our customers tell us that we provide exceptional levels of support and provide creative solutions to their problems.
Click Here for Software/Product Details Click Here to Request Private Demo
Flight Focus
W: www.flightfocus.net T: +65 6419 5299 E: sales@flightfocus.net Company formed: 2007; Office Location: Singapore (HQ), Jakarta and Bandung, Kuala Lumpur Name of Product Marketed • The Flight Focus PLATFORM™ Number of Modules.............. n/a Five Key Business/Software Areas • Electronic Flight Bag • Avionics Systems Integration • Flight Operations Support Services • Applications Services Provider (ASP) • Flight Operations Consultancy Flight Focus has been a supplier of innovative, leading edge Avionics and Electronic Flight Bag solutions and associated Flight Operations Support Services to the global aviation industry since 2007. Flight Focus employs over 130 staff who are engaged in a wide range of activities directly related to the design, development and delivery of its avionics solutions; this includes hardware and software design & development, manufacturing and maintenance, Flight Dispatch services & support, and global Sales & Marketing teams. Headquartered in Singapore, Flight Focus has further office locations in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and Indonesia (Jakarta and Bandung) dedicated to research and development, software and hardware design, and technical support.
Click Here for Software/Product Details Click Here to Request Private Demo
Flygprestanda AB
W: www.flygp.se T: +46 40 642 00 10 E: sales@flygp.se Company formed: 1969; Office Location: Malmö/Sweden, Connecticut/USA Name of Product Marketed • Airport Analysis, Performance GURU, FOCS Number of Modules.............. n/a Five Key Business/Software Areas • Aircraft Performance Services • Flight Planning Software • Performance Engineering • Special Performance Calculations • Engine Failure Procedures Flygprestanda AB, a pioneer in aircraft performance calculations, was founded 1969. For over 40 years Flygprestanda has been in the forefront of providing aircraft operators of all kind with high quality services. Today Flygprestanda is serving around 200 customers worldwide from the head office in Malmö, Sweden and continues to lead innovation in this part of the aviation industry with its well known Airport Analyses, Performance GURU and Flight Operations Control System (FOCS). High quality performance calculations for take off and landing are essential for safe flight operations and a modern flight planning solution is the key to achieve the most cost efficient operations possible.
Click Here for Software Details Click Here to Request Private Demo
FLYHT - AeroMechanical Services
W: www.flyht.com T: + 1-403-250-9956 E: sales@flyht.com
Company formed: 1998; Office Location: Calgary, Alberta Canada Name of Product Marketed • AFIRS 220, AFFIRS 228, FLYHTStream, FIRST Number of Modules.............. n/a Five Key Business/Software Areas • ACARS over Iridium • Global Communications and Flight Following • Accurate and automated OOOIs • Real-time FDM for FOQA • Real-time Fuel Management System FLYHT’s AFIRS™ 228 is the only system to bridge gaps in ACARS coverage using the Iridium® global satellite system while also being Future Ready™. AFIRS goes beyond ACARS data with Configurable Intelligence on Demand™. No longer is your investment in ACARS connectivity restricted to accessing only ACARS data. Your aircraft is rich in non-ACARS data that if accessed can significantly improve operational efficiency and profitability. Through our on-demand capability we ensure that additional connectivity and functionality is available at your fingertips - enabling your ACARS over Iridium investment to do more than just offer global coverage.
Click Here for Software Details Click Here to Request Private Demo
FuelPlus Software GmbH
W: www.fuelplus.com T: +49 (511) 496050 E: info@fuelplus.com
Company formed: 2000; Office Location: Hannover (Germany), Brasov (Romania), Johannesburg (South Africa), Boston (USA) Name of Product Marketed • FuelPlus Number of Modules................15 Five Key Business/Software Areas • Fuel and Operational Analysis • Emission Monitoring & Reporting • Fuel Supply Management • Fuel Operations Support • Fuel Accounting FuelPlus, a leading provider of fuel management IT solutions for the global aviation industry, enables airlines to implement and operate sophisticated fuel management processes which improve internal efficiencies, and achieve substantial savings. FuelPlus consists of a set of modules to handle fuel planning, tendering, contract management, inventory and supply chain management, operations, tankering, EU ETS emissions monitoring and reporting, prepayment, and accounting.
Click Here for Software Details Click Here to Request Private Demo
SUMMER 2012 | AIRCRAFT IT OPERATIONS | SOFTWARE DIRECTORY | 39
G-AERO division of GrandTrust InfoTech Pvt Ltd
W: www.g-aero.com T: +91 9995801266 E: raju.v@grandtrustinfo.com
Company formed: 2008; Office Location: Cochin, India Name of Product Marketed • G-COMS Airline Cost & Contract Management System • G-RPS Airline Route Profitability System • G-ARMS Airport Revenue & Contract Management System • G-GRMS Ground Handling Services Revenue & Contracts Management System Number of Modules.............. n/a Five Key Business/Software Areas • Airline Contract Management • Airline Cost Management, Budgeting and MIS/Dashboard Reporting • Airline Route Profitability • Airports / GHA Contracts Management • Airports / GHA Revenue Management G-AERO offers a suite of innovative software products for Airline, Airports and Ground Handling Agents for their Contracts, Cost and Revenue Management. G-AERO product suite not only helps to implement proven industry best practices but also assures direct financial benefits. G-AERO uses latest, secure Microsoft .Net technology in developing its solutions. G-AERO believes in providing best value for money for their customers and there by ensures quick ROI.
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IDMR Solutions
IFR FrancE
W: www.IDMR-Solutions.com T: 347-565-4367(IDMR) E: irevivo@IDMR-Solutions.com
W: www.ifrfrance.com T: +33 562 74 75 00 E: commercial@ifrfrance.com
Company formed: 2008; Office Location: Cochin, India
Company formed: 1987; Office Location: Colomiers, Toulouse, France
Name of Product Marketed • InForm Number of Modules.............20+
Name of Product Marketed • AMASIS & KEOPS
Five Key Business/Software Areas • Technical Manuals • Ground Ops • Audits • Distribution
Five Key Business/Software Areas • Flight scheduling • Crew rostering & Crew management • Flight Operations • Direct Operating Costs & Budget • Operations & Financial reporting
IDMR is a global provider of easy to use and all encompassing Technical Documentation Management Solutions which have been designed exclusively for Fleet operators, MRO providers and OEM organizations. IDMR’s Technical Documentation Management Solutions have proven success in increasing operational performance and decreasing operational cost while insuring airworthiness, safety and regulatory compliance.
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Number of Modules 7 and 10 add ons
KEOPS is a reliable solution for airlines and operators to manage airlines operations, crew management and costing, Our experts propose high level services to assit users during the implementation phase and the day to day operations (customizations,training and consulting).
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Wireless In-Flight Entertainment
Electronic Flight Bag
Global Satellite Connectivity Flight Planning
Flight Data Management
Central Dispatch Ground Connectivity
For More Information On Our Solutions:
w w w. f l i g h t f o c u s . n e t
sales@flightfocus.net
Flight Following
40 | SOFTWARE DIRECTORY | AIRCRAFT IT OPERATIONS | SUMMER 2012
InfoTrust Group, Inc.
W: www.infotrustgroup.com T: 949-732-7532 E: loster@infotrustgroup.com
Company formed: 1994; Office Location: Irvine, CA, Boulder, CO, Phoenix, AZ, Austin, TX, Shanghai, China, Paris France Name of Product Marketed • TechSight/X S1000D, TechSight/X ATA Number of Modules.............10+ Five Key Business/Software Areas • Content Management System (CMS) • Interactive Electronic Technical Publisher (IETP) • Technical Operations Edition • Technical Publications Edition • Flight Operations Edition InfoTrust Group is a recognized leader in the aerospace industry for more than 25 years. InfoTrust delivers solution to hundreds of companies for their information processing, conversion, authoring, content and change management, publishing and distribution objectives. InfoTrust’s wide range of end-to-end solutions that increase productivity by taking advantage of XML capabilities and content reuse, and that produce more accurate and reliabile information for compliancy. Its solution support all flight ops, engineering, maintenance, engine, component and training manuals. InfoTrust currently services major airlines, OEMs, suppliers and MRO s worldwide. To learn more about TechSight/X and InfoTrust Group’s full range of products, services and solutions, please visit www.infotrustgroup.com.
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Navtech, Inc.
W: www.navtech.aero T: +1 519 747 1170 E: info@navtech.aero
Company formed: 2002; Office Location: Waterloo, Canada; Surrey, UK; Kista, Sweden Name of Product Marketed • Aircraft Performance Family: ToDc, Weight & Balance, Airport Obstacle Database, Driftdown Data, WiFly. • Charts Family: Aerocharts, Enroute Charts, eCharts, iCharts• Crew Family: Navtech PBS, Navtech Optimizer + partner offerings from IBS, IBR and eTripTrader • Electronic Flight Bag - solutions for viewing Navtech eCharts, Aircraft Performance products, and Navtech Flight Plan via EFB • Flight Planning Family: Navtech Flight Plan + weather services • Navigation Data: data from suppliers such as: GE, Honeywell, ARINC, Universal etc. Number of Modules..................6 Five Key Business/Software Areas • Aircraft Performance • Flight Planning • Flight Dispatch and Weather & NOTAM • Crew Scheduling/Planning • EFB Software Solutions • Weight & Balance Navtech, Inc. is a leading global provider of flight operations solutions, serving more than 350 airlines and aviation services customers. Navtech’s product suite includes aeronautical charts, navigation data solutions, flight planning, aircraft performance software (take-off/landing, weight and balance), and crew planning solutions. Many of Navtech’s products can be configured as part of an EFB solution, including take-off data calculation, weight and balance, and aeronautical charts. These products, supported by Navtech’s AS9100 and ISO:9001 certification, directly support millions of flights each year and help Navtech customers maximize efficiency, reduce costs, ensure compliance with complex national and international safety regulations, and effectively deliver their services.
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Optimized Systems and Solutions (OSyS)
W: www.o-sys.com T: +1 703 889 1300 E: osysaviation@o-sys.com
Company formed: 1999; Office Location: HQ Reston, VA; Houston, TX; San Diego, CA; Indianapolis, IN; Derby, UK; Bristol, UK; Gateshead, UK; Singapore; Qatar Name of Product Marketed • Fuel Management and Optimization; Emissions Trading Scheme MRV; Electronic Flight Bag (EFB); Asset and Equipment Health Monitoring; MRO Business and Parts Management; JetSCAN® Engine Health Monitoring Number of Modules.............. n/a Five Key Business/Software Areas • Fuel Management/Optimization • Emissions MRV • Electronic Flight Bag/EFB • Equipment Health Monitoring • MRO Business and Parts Management With a heritage of providing IT value-added services for the Rolls-Royce aftermarket, and delivering services commercially since 1999, Optimized Systems and Solutions (OSyS) has proven solutions for commercial aviation and defense. OSyS provides a complete range of best-in-class aviation services to enhance fleet performance and business operations. OSyS monitors more than 9,000 engines belonging to hundreds of civil aviation customers, helps meet compliance requirements with our products and services. Customers are able to increase availability of their critical assets, minimize risk and operational disruption, simplify data management to gain more value from IT investments, and improve operational efficiency.
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PACE GmbH
W: www.pace.de T: +4930293620 E: info@pace.de
Company formed: 1995; Office Location: Berlin (Germany), Seattle (USA) Name of Product Marketed • Pacelab CI OPS, Live View, Trajectory Designer, EFB Data Recorder, Post Flight Server Number of Modules..................3 Five Key Business/Software Areas • Cost Index Operations • Fuel Efficiency Monitoring • Electronic Flight Bag • Takeoff and Landing Performance • Cabin Configuration Working with leading OEMs, engine manufacturers and airlines for more than 15 years has enabled PACE to develop a range of innovative products that directly respond to the trends and challenges of the international aviation community. PACE closely collaborates with performance engineers, senior training captains, fuel conservation and operational efficiency managers and consultants to deliver real solutions for real people. PACE’s portfolio of flight operations solutions is designed to support airlines’ universal efforts to improve their daily operations, strategic planning and operational efficiency and to offset high fuel prices and environmental demands with a more effective fuel management.
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Sheorey Digital Systems Ltd.
W: www.sds.co.in T: (+91-22) 2281 9198/ 2281 1086 E: rohit.jha@sds.co.in; vicky.sheorey@sds.co.in
Company formed: 1993; Office Location: Mumbai, Bangalore, Singapore Name of Product Marketed • ARMS®: Airline Resource Management System; ARMS® Lite: Aviation Resource Management System-Lite; InfoPrompt®: Integrated Document Management System Number of Modules..................8 Five Key Business/Software Areas • Commercial Planning Sub-System (ARMS® - CPSS) / Flight Operations Sub-System (ARMS® - FOSS) • Flight Planning & Dispatch Sub-System (ARMS® - FPDS) / Crew Management Sub-System (ARMS® - CMSS) • Digital Flight Data Recorder Analysis Suite (ARMS® - DFDR-AS) / Charter Sales Manageent Sub-System (ARMS® Lite - CSMS)* • Computerized Reservation & Requisitioning Sub-System (ARMS® Lite CRRS) • Departure/ Boarding Control Sub-System (ARMS® Lite DCSS) 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® is an internet rich, current-generation, state-of-the-art Information Technology System that effectively addresses the extremely critical and cost sensitive nature of Commercial Airlines/ Air Transport operations. It is a unique combination of (a) an Enterprise Resource Planning System (ERP) (b) Decision Support System (DSS) (c) Workflow Automation Solution (WFA) (d) Executive Management Information System (EMIS) (e) Integrated Document Management System (IDMS) viz., InfoPrompt®. These cutting-edge information technologies are seamlessly interwoven to provide the civil aviation industry with a cost-effective integrated solution, which is modular, scalable & highly user-customizable. ARMS® is a robust and well-proven system.
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SITA
W: www.SITA.aero E: info@SITA.aero
Company formed: 1949; Office Location: Head Office: Geneva, Switzerland. Main Regional Offices in: Rio De Janiero, Brazil; Beirut, Lebanon; Atlanta, USA; Singapore; Rome, Italy .
Name of Product Marketed • e-Aircraft Application Services, e-Aircraft AirportLink WiFi Service, Messaging Services Number of Modules................21 Five Key Business/Software Areas • e-Aircraft Application Services (for EFB) • e-Aircraft Connectivity Services • AIRCOM ACARS Services • AIRCOM Datalink Applications • AIRCOM Cockpit Voice SITA is the world’s leading specialist in air transport communications and IT solutions. We deliver and manage business solutions for airline, airport, GDS, government and other customers over the world’s most extensive network, which forms the communications backbone of the global air transport industry. We innovate collaboratively with the air transport industry, and the industry itself drives the company’s portfolio and strategic direction. We are the only IT and communications company to run annual, industry-renowned IT surveys for airlines, airports and passenger self-service. Our portfolio includes managed global communications, infrastructure and outsourcing services, as well as services for airline commercial management, passenger operations, flight operations, aircraft operations, air-to-ground communications, airport management and operations, baggage operations, transportation security and border management, cargo operations and more. In addition, we sponsor .aero, the top-level internet domain reserved exclusively for aviation. We are one of world’s most international companies. Our global reach is based on local presence, with services for over 550 air transport industry members and 3,200 customers in over 200 countries and territories. Set up in 1949 with 11 member airlines, today we employ people of more than 140 nationalities, speaking over 70 different languages. SITA had consolidated revenues of US $1.49 billion in 2010.
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SUMMER 2012 | AIRCRAFT IT OPERATIONS | SOFTWARE DIRECTORY | 41
Smart4Aviation
T&A Systeme GmbH
W: www.smart4aviation.aero T: +31 20 654 1824 E: info@smart4aviation.aero
Company formed: 2009; Office Location: Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Kraków and Gdansk, Poland; New Delhi, India
Name of Product Marketed • Smart BRIEF, Smart BRIEF CABIN, Smart NOTAM MANAGER, Smart FUELING, Smart VIEW, Smart MET, Smart OPS, Smart DOC, Smart EFF, Smart EFB, Smart eFORMS, Smart PERFORMANCE, Smart ALERT, Smart COMM, Smart VIEW+, Smart ULD MANAGER, Smart LOAD, Smart HUB, Smart ONTIME, Smart FUEL MANAGER, Smart MISSION MANAGER Number of Modules................21 Five Key Business/Software Areas • Smart BRIEF • Smart COMM • Smart FUEL MANAGER • Smart EFB • Smart PERFORMANCE Smart4Aviation was founded to provide web based products and services to optimize, simplify and improve airline operations. The Smart4Aviation’s goal is high quality, cost-effective solutions backed up with 24/365 support service. It offers 21 modules which are interoperable, compatible and can be freely composed into the one system as well as software developed on demand, which are used with success by pilots, crew, dispatchers, ground ops and many different departments. The modules work as basic building blocks that can be used to build the system that will meet exactly customer’s requirements, that are tailored to the customer’s needs.
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W: www.logipad.aero T: +49 23 24 92580 E: info@logipad.aero
Company formed: 1994; Office Location: Hattingen, Germany
Name of Product Marketed • Logipad Number of Modules..................6 Five Key Business/Software Areas • iPad EFB Management • Class-I EFB • Class-II EFB • Logipad for Cabin • Logipad for Maintenance T&A SYSTEME GmbH is an IT-Service & solution provider, founded in 1994 and headquartered in Hattingen, Germany. The company has around 60 employees and focuses on national and international customers that reach up to 10000 devices. We have solid international experiences with customers of global reputation. In addition to consulting services, we are a strategic partner for development of scalable future proven IT-solutions. With Logipad T&A provides a global EFB Management solution, to handle and support any data on Class-I, Class-II and iPad Devices with one standardized ground process.
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THALES
W: www.thalesgroup.com/aerospace T: +33 (0)5 6119 65 00 E: topwings@thalesgroup.com Company formed: 1968; Office Location: Toulouse, France Name of Product Marketed • TopWings Number of Modules..................1 Key Business/Software Areas • EFB hardware • EFB software solution • Ground Operations • EFB Project guidance • Scalable end-to-end solution An integrator to design, customize and support your EFB solution. TopWings® is an innovative and unique solution that provides a tailored answer to your needs for Electronic Flight Bag (EFB) implementation. Thales’s one-stop solution is a global EFB offering for operators, comprising Hardware and Applications for cockpit and cabin. It also provides Data Management and Ground Applications with a wide range of services. With TopWings, operators obtain significant operational savings and quick return on investment. Best in class, TopWings is a customisable, modular solution that helps key decision makers master complexity and make timely decisions for better outcomes.
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