Aircraft Operations: How Technology Can Make a Difference

By: Katrina Korzenowski, Director Aircraft Services

26th Oct 2013

2

Aircraft Operations Communications

• The Airline Industry is striving to improve operational efficiency

• With increasing flight sector lengths, the case for optimization opportunities in-flight become compelling

• In 2009 the European Commission adopted the Datalink services implementation rule which became mandated in February 2013 for CPDLC over ATN in Western Europe

• Increased dependency on automated data services between the aircraft and the ground, as well as continued growth in usage, SITA continues to invest globally in its VHF / VDL network as well as its satellite ground network

• ACARS enables efficient and reliable aircraft operations

• Providing access both to Airline Operational and Air Traffic Services

3

THE VALUE OF INTEGRATED OPERATION

CHALLENGES

• An aircraft cannot depart without certain information being exchanged between the crew and the ground staff . Before ACARS they were paper documents

• An in-flight technical problem can delay an aircraft if the engineering staff do not know about the problem until the aircraft lands

• Many airline departments need to coordinate to ensure an on time departure

SITA SOLUTIONS

• The Operational Communications network is fully interconnected with the airlines environment, so information which must be given to the crew before departure, can be delivered over ACARS to the cockpit

• ACARS can be used to inform engineers to be ready to fix a problem before the aircraft arrives

• Various ‘stages of flight’ messages sent and received to enable the streamlined operation

• A single aisle over night diversion can cost $40,000• A technical fault can cause an aircraft change, or a delayed

departure• A closed Flight Information Region or adverse bad weather can

cause cancellations, diversions and delays

Use case

SITA trials have resulted in a saving of

1,800 kg of fuel as a direct result of FMS Wind Uplink over ACARS in flight

4

Taxi Take-Off

From A/C

OUT

Link Test

Clock Update

Delay Reports

To A/C

PDC, and ATIS

Weight and Balance

Airport Analysis

V-Speeds

Flight-Plan, Loaf FMC

From A/C

OFF

Departure

From A/C

Engine Data

To A/C

Flight Plan Update

Weather Reports

En Route Approach Land Taxi

From A/C

Position Reports

Weather Reports

Delay Info/ETA

Voice Request

Engine Information

Maintenance Reports

To A/C

ATC Oceanic Clearance

Weather Reports

Reclearance

Ground Voice Request

From A/C

Catering Requests

Gate Requests

ETA

Special Requests

Engine Information

Maintenance Reports

From A/C

ON

To A/C

Gate Assignment

Connecting Gates

Pax and Crew

ATIS

From A/C

IN

Fuel Information

Crew Information

Fault Data from CMC

ALL GROUPS BENEFIT FROM ACARSDispatch, Operations, Maintenance, Engineering, Catering, Customer Service

Electronic Flight Bag

• Electronic Flight Bag (EFB) adoption rate has accelerated• Confidence in EFB ROI solutions is growing• Co-existence of ACARS and EFB expected through 2020• EFB integration is key• EFB: a platform for future innovation

5Photograph: www.time4aviation.com

E-AIRCRAFT APPLICATION SERVICES

• Poor data management affects decision-making• Lack of process automation limits growth• Difficulty in ensuring that processes are consistent • Lack of aircraft data analysis affects compliance

6

• Manual calculations not 100% accurate

• Not seeing the updated weather “big picture” in-flight impacts flight safety

BUSINESS ISSUES FOR AIRLINES

E-AIRCRAFT APPLICATION SERVICESINTRODUCTION

7

E-AIRCRAFT SERVICES (NEW!)

AIRCOM SERVICES Flight Operations

• AIRCOM ACARS Services• AIRCOM Datalink

Applications• AIRCOM Cockpit Voice• ATS AIRCOM systems• ATS AIRCOM ATN• ATS AIRCOM FANS 1/A• ATS AIRCOM Pre-FANS• Satellite AIRCOM Service• VHF AIRCOM Services

• Flight Briefing• Flight Briefing Bundled• Advanced Weather Service

PART OF SITA'S NEW E-AIRCRAFT SERVICES PORTFOLIO WHICH ADDRESSES AIRCRAFT EFB AND CONNECTIVITY TECHNOLOGIES

AIRCRAFT SOLUTION LINE

• e-Aircraft Application Services− EFB Applications− EFB Integrator− Professional Services− Application Integration

• e-Aircraft Connectivity Services

8

Operations Control

Crew Management

Document Management

Departure Control

MRO

CRM / PRM

Briefing Documents Msg

Advice

Load Sheet InfoNOTOC

Briefing Documents ChangesMsg

Crew List

Passenger List

FCOM A/C Doc Company Info

Changes

Technical Log Book MEL

Catering Special Info

Boarding Status

Duty Roster

Airline Crew

Msg

Paper ACARS

Voice

Dispatch

Load Control

Other….. Charts Training Catering

Deferred Item List

Msg

Msg

Msg

Integration Challenge…..Today's integration of “on board” work with the airline’s systems

9

Airline

SITA eAAS EFB Solution

EFB

EFB Integrator

ACARS

Mobile Device

Operations Control

Crew Management

Document Management

Departure Control

MRO

CRM / PRM

Dispatch

Load Control

Other…..

10

Aircraft related apps/data Update: weekly/monthly Cost savings by reducing printing and logistic cost Little to no savings due to business process optimization

Charts

Documents

PerformanceW&B

EFF / Flight Folder/WX

Tech Log

LoadsheetPax Info / CRM

MessagingQAR Data Schedule

Fuel Recon

Flight related apps/data Update: per flight Significant cost savings due to business process optimization

EFB

Flight related data & forms Update: always Full integr. in on -board/back-end IT

Flight Briefing / Flight Planning

Operations Control

Crew System

Departure Control System

Fuel ConservationManagement

MRO

Other airlineback-office servers

ACARS

OOOICPDLCFANS

FPL UplinkFuel

LoadsheetEtc.

Document Mgmt

Chart DB

Application Update /Version Control

• EFB Integrator can connect to most airline ground systems by configuration

• Full connectivity to on board EFBs and ACARS

• Automated distribution of data based on business rules and available communication channels (3G, SATCOM, Gatelink, WIFI, WIMAX, VHF, etc.)

• Support of all EFB applications and data incl. “flight related” applications (e.g. EFF, TechLog, CRM, Pax Info, etc.)

• Full integration allows business process optimization and significant cost savings

• Support of all EFB classes and aircraft types

EFB

SITA eAAS EFB SolutionConnectivity to all EFBs, ACARS & Back Office

AIRCOM Server /

EFB Integrator

11

EFB IntegratorAirline Document

Management

Airline system pushesdocument to AIRCOM Server which

has EFB Server module enabled

EFB CentralServer

2. The aircraft arrives ata gate

4. The AIRCOM Server receives the “I am here”message & through the EFB Server module it

responds with new content for the aircraft

3. And establishes connectivityvia (for example) Gatelink

SITA eAAS EFB SolutionSynchronization Process

12

EFB IntegratorAirline Document

Management

Airline system pushesdocument to AIRCOM Server which

has EFB Server module enabled

EFB CentralServer

2. The aircraft arrives ata gate

4. The AIRCOM Server receives the “I am here”message & through the EFB Server module it

responds with new content for the aircraft

3. And establishes connectivityvia (for example) Gatelink

• Support of airframer specific EFB standards (BEGSS, OWAGS, MIAM for Airbus)

• Direct connection with Class I, II or III EFBs for all other

SITA’s solution automates this processSeamlessly across all fleet types

SITA eAAS EFB SolutionSynchronization Process

13

Connectivity

Distribution

Audit trail

Fleet independent

SITA eAAS EFB Solution

• by configuration• least cost routing, all channels

• automated end to end• based on business rules

• full auditable, all records

• fleet and hardware independent

EFB Integrator