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EA: the beating heart of the business MRO IT Project Management: keeping the plan
AMOS
A STORY OF SUCCESS
READ MORE ABOUT THE WORLD-CLASS M&E SOFTWARE SYSTEM AT SWISS-AS.COM
The best fit in terms of functionality, price and market standing, states easyJet
AMOS has clearly met the expectations as a full system for maintenance operations, says Finnish Aircraft Maintenance
We asses AMOS as a top line product which is endeared and accepted as a fine tool by our users, states Air Asia
A review of the first six weeks in operation and information on live online software demonstrations, private demonstrations, free expert advice, Industry Conferences, plus more. Change is the real constant in life and that is particularly true for airlines, MRO and IT solutions. Its very important to keep up with the latest developments so regularly check for the latest developments on www.aircraftit.com/MRO and here in the AircraftIT MRO e-journal.
Editors comment
Were already at the second issue of Aircraft IT MRO and it working well. Perhaps its the thousands of executives whove already become subscribers to the Aircraft IT MRO e-journal. Maybe its the success of our first webinars, each attracting more than 60 airlines, aircraft operators and MRO businesses to discover more about the available solutions. Or possibly its the natural feeling of a great idea whose time has come. With the best ideas; you work hard to make them happen and then, when you do, everybody assumes theyve always been around because, in our case, it seems so logical to offer White Papers and Case Studies drawn from the real experiences of people and organisations working in the business today. It seems right to package key news items into one space and to create a directory of MRO IT software. Theres real value in focusing on a major matter from more than one angle. Take this issue. There are few business processes more complex than looking after commercial aircraft; everything impacts on everything and every action has to take into account the much larger picture, the wider ramifications. Mike Denis from ICF SH&E and Wes Parfitt from EnvelopeAPM Inc. have given MRO processes a great deal of thought and their explanations of Enterprise Architecture and Project Management reflect real experience and considered reflection. In fact all of our contributors write, often, from the heart and always from the head. Of course thats not all and, as before, the information flow is not one way. Aircraft IT MRO draws value from the people who write the articles being the people who do the work, face the day to day and long term challenges, understand the real world of MRO. And you, the reader, can also contribute your views, experiences and questions through the interactive facility at the end of each article. You can participate in the convenient Webinars (see pages 22-23 for details) or ask your own questions through Ask an Expert. This is AircraftIT MRO for everything about MRO IT.
Enterprise Architecture is not simply something that IT adds to the business mix: it should be the architecture for success applied by all of the business across all functions. It should also be a dynamic entity whose integrity relies on understanding the business rather relying on what happens in the outside world. Michael Wm. Denis, Principal, ICF SH&E
16 CASE STUDY: CHALLENGES IN CAPTURING MAN-HOURS AND MATERIALS CONSUMED IN AIRFRAME CHECKS
Within the MRO process, accurate capture, recording and application of data for manhours worked plus materials consumed is critical to accurate cost control and charging. When a third party MRO also has to handle aircraft and materials for several airlines of different types, the challenge becomes significant. Dr. Roberto Asuncion, VP-IT, Lufthansa Technik Philippines A preview of the live MRO Software Demonstration Webinars from two leading MRO IT Vendors: Enigma & Manage/m (Lufthansa Technik) The development of digital technology and solutions for MRO purposes has not been a simple matter and there have been a number of different methods chosen by vendors and users along the way, including some that have failed or been superseded: a user has to try to select what will be correct today and tomorrow Thanos Kaponeridis, President & CEO, AeroSoft Systems
30 CASE STUDY: POWER PLAY AND THE CONSEQUENCES OF EQUIPMENT UPGRADES AND OVERHAULS
While aircraft are upgraded at various times, one element of an upgrade, the impact of new electrical loads generated by additions and modifications, has sometimes been difficult to assess with any accuracy. Software has now been developed to simply calculate and clearly display that impact, including on a what if basis Karl Jones, Head of Avionics & Technology Development, Marshall Aerospace Ltd. Implementing of any new software package will always throw up challenges. However, most situations can be dealt with in the normal course of the project as long as there is a sound project management plan in place which will also ensure that the project has clear objectives against which progress can be measured. Wes Parfitt, CEO and Founder, EnvelopeAPM Inc. A detailed look at the worlds leading MRO IT systems. Whats coming up in the next edition of Aircraft IT MRO
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AircraftIT MRO is published bi-monthly and is an affiliate of Aircraft Commerce and part of the AviationNextGen Ltd group. The entire contents within this publication Copyright 2011 AviationNextGen Ltd an independent publication and not affiliated with any of the IT vendors or suppliers. Content may not be reproduced without the strict written agreement of the publisher. The views and opinions expressed in this publication are the views of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of their companies or of the publisher. The publisher does not guarantee the source, originality, accuracy, completeness or reliability of any statement, information, data, finding, interpretation, advice, opinion, or view presented.
AircraftIT MRO
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
EA: the beating heart of the business MRO IT Project Management: keeping the plan
Try our live online webinars to enjoy a presentation right on your own desktop of the latest and best software solutions addressing MRO challenges that you face every day: long standing realities of running a complex MRO facility and new market and regulatory driven issues that you absolutely must get right. Your business is too important to sit back on old technology. One valuable feature is private demonstrations; one-to-one meetings with vendors of your choice anywhere in the world through the convenience of AircraftIT MRO portals platform. On the Home page, go to Search MRO Software and select a vendor. Click READ MORE at the end of the copy and, on the full page, select Request a Private Demo on the right. Book your private meeting with that vendor to discuss IT matters and MRO challenges important to your business. Another really useful facility is Ask an Expert accessed from the button at the foot of the Home Page and letting you communicate either with all of our panel experts on a particular topic or with a specific expert of your choice. AircraftIT MRO is here for you to use.
Weve harnessed expertise from industry insiders and IT users to deliver a comprehensive industry reference source. Each eJournal includes white papers from leading industry experts and consultants, and case studies from real life IT users airlines, MROs and aircraft operators. The eJournal provides an ideal platform for the global exchange of ideas and expertise, and you the reader are invited to take part, using the interactive capability of this publication. At the end of each white paper and case study there will be the option to either ask the author a question or to contribute general feedback and start a discussion look out for the interactive buttons. The eJournal is published bi-monthly and is free to everyone, but to receive every issue you will need to register for a subscription:
The AircraftIT MRO portal (www.aircraftIT.com) includes a powerful software search engine to help you learn more about IT vendors and the systems they supply. You can Search by vendor or drill down further and search by software or module type, using the Module search facility. For instance, if you are looking for Digital Documentation Management solutions or information, select the relevant module option and all the system providers will be shortlisted for you.
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INTERACTIVE
AircraftIT MRO is designed to provide the aircraft MRO community with the high quality information needed to navigate the myriad IT systems available on the market and to support properly informed decisions on this business critical process for the industry. We therefore need your feedback to ensure that we have delivered all the information that you need. Is there anything extra you would like to see covered in AircraftIT MRO? Or is there more information you would like to tap into? Do you have a case study or white paper you would like to share with your colleagues? Get in touch with us by CLICKING HERE.
Every two weeks AircraftIT MRO portal hosts a live software demonstration webinar, each event delivered by a different vendor. These sessions offer the perfect opportunity to learn about a software solution in a more informal manner and to build a richer understanding of the major systems on the market: putting the best thats out there in front of you. The IT vendor presents a live software demonstration of their solution, explaining how it can benefit airlines, MROs and aircraft operators. Once logged on, online delegates can ask questions via the interactive white board or simply sit back and watch the demonstration. There are two sessions during the day, each differently timed to accommodate all time zones. Details of the next two live software webinar sessions can be found on pages 21-23 and a full list can be viewed at the AircraftIT MRO portal (www.aircraftIT.com). Its so easy to log into webinar sessions and they run on a straightforward to use webinar platform built specifically for the portal.
Let AircraftIT MRO Keep you up to date with the latest industry news and developments such as who has purchased what system and which IT vendors are offering updated or new solutions. The news stream is constantly updated on the portal and included every two months in the eJournal.
AircraftIT is affiliated with Aircraft Commerce organizer of the worlds leading MRO IT Conferences. Over the past six years, Aircraft Commerce events have set the standards in the EMEA, Asia/Pacific and Americas zones, successfully bringing together IT Vendors with airlines and aircraft operators in those regions. Each event offers delegates from airlines, MROs and aircraft operators a wonderful opportunity to review their entire service delivery IT platform in just two days and each event follows the same format: A large exhibition area provides IT vendors with the ideal platform to demonstrate their software solutions while, at the same time, allowing airlines, MROs and aircraft operators the chance to try out all the major systems under the same roof over just two days. A conference agenda of keynote presentations, IT user case studies and interactive workshops ensure that delegates receive key information on the pressing issues and trends in this rapidly developing industry sector. Beyond the structured events, there are also outstanding opportunities for networking between delegates from airlines, MROs and operators to exchange ideas and share experiences. Upcoming eVents: Airline & Aerospace MRO & Operations IT Conference EMEA, 13th & 14th July 2011, Frankfurt, Germany. Airline & Aerospace MRO & Operations IT Conference APAC, 18th & 19th October 2011, Singapore. Click here for more information.
IT CONFERENCES/ EXHIBITIONS
True ERP software for airlines? Joined-up thinking: Linking multiple solutions Fast MRO Implementation: the benefi ts MRO IT: mapping the future
White Papers: SAKS Consulting Conduce Consulting Case Studies: Gol Linhas Aereas Kingfi sher Airlines Sol Linhas Aereas
Aircraft IT MRO V1.1 April-May 2011.indd 1
EA: the beating heart of the business MRO IT Project Management: keeping
the plan
Marshall Aerospace
Dallas based Southwest Airlines (SWA) and TRAX USA Corp announced in April 2011 the selection of TRAX to provide a new ERP MRO solution for its fleet of 548 Boeing 737 aircraft. We need a solution that makes our Mechanics jobs easier, while at the same time enhances safety and culture, said Brian Hirshman, Southwests VP M&E. The project will be implemented over a two year period and will allow Southwest to benefit from having information about their aircraft, inventory, and maintenance activities integrated into a single system, streamlining aircraft maintenance and inventory planning processes. In addition, by delivering an ERP MRO solution, SWA will realize a substantial yearly cost savings by retiring many existing applications. Later, in June 2011, TRAX USA Corp. introduced Peach Aviation (a new low cost carrier partially owned by All Nippon Airways) and Air Iceland (a regional airline, part of Icelandair Group) as the newest additions to its user family. Both carriers have chosen TRAX Maintenance to manage their MRO operations. Both Peach Aviation and Air Iceland will implement e4, the latest version of TRAX Maintenance. Comprised of over 20 modules, TRAX Maintenance will support both carriers in a number of ways. From material management and finance to technical records and reliability, the airlines will now have aircraft, inventory, and maintenance activity information integrated into a single system.
Swiss-AS and Heli-One sign contract for enterprise wide implementation of AMOS
SWiss-AS (Swiss Aviation Software) announced Heli-One as the latest member of the AMOS customer base in June 2011. Heli-One was looking for new MRO software to replace its legacy system which was no longer able to fulfill the global helicopter maintenance providers requirements. An intensive pre-sales phase was conducted which included presentations, discovery sessions, and workshops focused on assessing Heli-Ones requirements in reference to AMOS capabilities. The goals were achieved and Swiss-AS is now pleased to welcome the worlds largest independent helicopter MRO service provider into the AMOS community. As the maintenance division of CHC Helicopter, Heli-One is the primary maintenance provider for CHCs fleet of more than 250 helicopters operating in some 30 countries around the globe. This project requires an implementation process including the development of customizations, the training of approximately 2,000 AMOS users and the integration of additional major international operating units based in the United Kingdom, Norway, the Netherlands, Brazil and Australia. Due to the organizational structure of CHC and its business units, Swiss-AS will introduce Multi Company Management enabling each unit to use its own currency, ledger, average price and be able to purchase & sell parts or services to each other. Also some requirements at Heli-One, due to its business, will drive further developments in AMOS.
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MTR is the program management company responsible for the turboshaft engine MTR390-2C (Basic engine) and is jointly staffed by the partner companies who make up the business. The MTR390 family is the sole engine power unit used in the Eurocopter Tiger application, variants of which are currently ordered by or in service with four customers in two continents. MTRs Munich office is the management center of the program, responsible for direction and coordination of all development, production and support activities for the MTR390 engine. The Customer Services Department of MTR chose the BFly platform so as to provide adequate and efficient tools to the resources performing in the field support. Fifty users take advantage of Customer Support Management functionalities such as: Management of contact reports; Management of tasks; Workflow management for Q&A; Management of personalized alerts. In two months to June 2011, MTRs consultants managed the successful migration from the former MTR solution to the BFly platform. 2MoRO Solutions team also provides annual support for MTR Customer Service Department.
NWS signs up to Commsofts OASES System and Loganair goes live with new OASES Line Maintenance Control (LMC) module
CommsoFt has signed a three year user agreement in which the OASES system will support NWS with the following services: Reliability, Tech Logs and Defect Control; Planning and Workpack Production; Digital Documentation for workcard manual attachments; Technical Records and Forecasting; AD/SB Evaluation; AMP Management; Job Scheduler; Inventory management and RFQ. Nick Godwin, Business Development Director at Commsoft, commented: We look forward to [working] with the new team at NWS as it extends its expertise to new markets. As part of this agreement NWS will be joining our network of partners, supporting Commsoft with implementations and training to future new customers. Also in May, Commsoft announced that Scottish airline Loganair had gone fully live with a new OASES Line Maintenance Control module. The OASES LMC module is linked with the Sabre Rocade operations system at Loganair, which provides timely and accurate data, facilitating short term maintenance forecasting and complete line maintenance management across Loganairs extensive network of line stations. Various facilities including MEL management, LMC diary observations and repetitive defect alerting allow improvements in diagnostic and rectification capabilities, giving enhanced line availability and improved dispatch reliability. The LMC module can also be used manually where techlogs are entered quickly after a flight or with a variety of live operations feeds, including electronic flight bags, electronic techlogs, ACARS and various operations systems. Commsoft recently formed a partnership to collaborate OASES with Critical Technologies AirVault and Loganair is the first airline to utilise this enhanced service.
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EmpowerMX.com
EmpowerMX signs sales and consultancy agreements with North American MROs and announces Part 121 Air Carrier Consulting Agreement
EmpoWerMX announced the signing of a software as a service (SaaS) licensing agreement with a North American airframe maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) business. As part of this May 2011 agreement, the MRO will employ the EmpowerMX FleetCycle Execution Suite - MRO Manager (FCXM) product as its enterprise level software solution. When installed, FCXM will enable the full lifecycle process for all maintenance visits (from contract management to final billing and invoicing) via a Lean/Six Sigma-enhanced production control process. Additionally, EmpowerMX will provide the MRO with a unique software hosting solution for all its maintenance facilities. Also in May 2011, the EmpowerMX Consulting Services division announced a consulting agreement with a large US based airframe MRO. Under the terms of this agreement, EmpowerMX will design and implement new Lean-/Six Sigma enabled scheduling strategies for this MROs heavy maintenance visits. The consulting objective will be to collaborate with the MROs operations and planning teams to introduce innovations designed to enhance the business financial bottom line through targeted reductions in both span time and man hours expended. In a further announcement, EmpowerMX Consulting Services confirmed a consulting agreement with a large US Part 121 air carrier. Under the terms of this agreement, EmpowerMX will collaborate with the carriers Maintenance and Engineering (M&E) department to identify and close gaps in its Continuous Analysis and Surveillance System (CASS), ensure all elements of its maintenance program are interfacing with one another, and will implement procedures to ensure all applicable personnel receive CASS training equivalent to the training EmpowerMX provides to FAA inspectors.
to start with eight modules and 10 concurrent users. The potential to grow with the system is one of the benefits. In Crdoba (Argentina) Volartec announced in June 2011 that Air Panama has successfully implemented Alkym, Management and Control system for aircraft maintenance. After a lengthy selection process, a team of maintenance and IT engineers implemented Alkym in a project lasting approximately four weeks on site. All technical and logistic modules were installed. Air Panama has a very diverse fleet and wanted a system that could take into account this variable at a reasonable cost. The operator selected the following Alkym modules: Engineering, Planning, Maintenance Control, Purchasing & Repairs, Inventory, Receiving & Shipping, M-Transfer and M-Files. Again in May 2011 Volartec announced the selection of Alkym Control and Management System for Aircraft Maintenance by Lithuanian based Avion Express. With the pending introduction of a new A320 into the Avion Express fleet earlier this year the carrier explored the options for new maintenance management software to manage their requirements. This process ended with the selection of the Volartec solution, Alkym. Avion have opted for a 10 concurrent user license utilizing eight modules (Engineering, Planning, Maintenance Control, Purchasing & Repairs, Inventory, Receiving & Shipping, M-Transfer and M-Files) from the available 15. The implementation project has started now that the first of the A320 aircraft is in operation. Volartec have the project team on site in the Avion Express HQ in Vilnius to ensure a smooth process. The project will take five weeks after which the Avion Fleet will be under control using the modules selected.
With the introduction of the new m/ jobcontrol/engine WebService, Lufthansa Technik is creating a new system for time control of life limited engine and APU parts (LLPs). It will replace the former system of the Engine Lifetime Control and is designed to fit seamlessly into the internet-based Technical Operations WebSuite manage/m. Furthermore m/jobcontrol/engine is the basis for a reliable engine and APU compliance reporting. The new application comprises scheduled and supplementary maintenance and will provide an end to end reference of requirements documents such as engine manuals, ADs or SBs up to maintenance tasks. Moreover, it gives users information on engine configuration as well as a back to birth parts history and specific removal forecasts in relation to fleet and tail sign (MSN). Thanks to the Master Parts List m/ jobcontrol/engine is able to support the engine assembly and build up the current parts list. Based on these data, flexible and customized reporting is available. Finally, even if an aircraft does not have an automated recording system for flight hours and flight cycles or special counters, manual entry is possible via a user friendly input mask. Thus the operator always has access to up to date counter information. Lufthansa Technik customers will benefit from this additional information and functionality once the customer data has been successfully migrated into the new system. Thereafter, the old system will be taken out of service.
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maintenance, supply chain and document / content management solutions has advanced considerably in terms of functionality and technical platforms, the ability to plan, schedule, test, implement and train for new technology based capabilities is, to this day, a daunting task. Enterprise Architecture (EA) is a framework that provides structure and simplification to IT planning and capability maturity focused on enabling business processes, goals and transformation.
Enterprise Architecture (EA) is a framework that provides structure and simplification to IT planning and capability maturity focused on enabling business processes, goals and transformation.
While the trend in who runs and owns EA is definitely headed in the right direction, the current situation shows the IT origins of EA and the fact that most business units still rely on the IT department to define and enable their business strategy and operations success or failure. The aviation, aerospace and defense industries are at the higher end of the trend of having business process improvement reside in the business versus IT organization. One example is Delta TechOps, the maintenance division of Delta Air Lines. Delta TechOps has had a Managing Director, Process & Technology for over two decades. To some extent, this was a natural consequence of the airline spinning off their IT Department into a separate joint venture company in the early, 1990s. But the result was the formation of a group of industrial engineers taking over all LEAN, Six Sigma, Theory of Constraints, Business Process Reengineering / Business Process Management and information technology program responsibility for the company. Dr. Pallab Saha, professor at the National University of Singapore, Institute of System Sciences (and self-proclaimed EA Evangelist), has a running debate on the Enterprise Architecture Network group of Linkedin on why EA should not reside in the IT Department. His top six reasons are: 6. Notwithstanding history and evolution, EA does not equal IT Architecture. 5. True EA leads to redistribution of authority and reallocation of accountability, both beyond the CIOs jurisdiction. 4. EA value proposition and benefits are solely business realizable. 3. The primary goal of EA is to build coherent enterprises, not better IT systems. 2. Organizations are complex adaptive systems, hence holistic synthesis takes precedence over fractional analysis. 1. EA failure is a business organizational failure, not an IT failure. Resistance to EA is a consequence of failure, not the cause of it Whereas many organizations do not have engineers, so the skills required of EA are not resident within business units, aviation maintenance and aerospace companies do; thus the natural fit for EA to reside within the business and not IT. The proper allocation of roles, responsibilities and authority for the various domains of EA are shown in figure 1.
Figure 2
As the diagram above shows, EA starts with BA, which includes Business or Corporate Governance, Business Strategy, Business Capability Maturation, Business Process Management and Reengineering (BPR/BPM), Business Requirements specification, Organizational Design, Human Capital development, and Business Performance Management. Capabilities are, by definitions, the combination of people, organization, process, infrastructure, tools and technology that enable a business to source, transform and deliver products and services to customers and end consumers. Therefore, maturing or improving capabilities are solely the responsibility and domain of the business. The context of EA starting with BA and the definition of success being measured by business performance is why Gartner research analyst Julie Short predicts, By 2014, enterprises will make no distinction between IT governance and corporate governance.
You cant get where you want to go if you dont know where you are. This is the single most important rule of EA. Many enterprises attempt to transform their business and IT landscape without a clear understanding of their current processes, systems and capability maturity.
Engineer at the Georgia Tech Research Institute once said, Transforming Air Force Materiel Command is like rebuilding an F-16 into an F-22, while in flight. The role of IT is changing. From automation and transactional support, IT has grown to be an indispensable part of operations. As technology transforms the way that organizations do business, the IT function plays a vital role in articulating the business strategy and objectives of enterprises. There is a good solutions guide by alfabet that contains five basic rule to leveraging EA to add business value. To read it click here. found that 42% of companies surveyed had made unnecessary software or hardware purchases that could have been avoided if they had access to more accurate IT asset data. When it comes to IT planning, the quality of your decision making can only be as good as the quality of your data, information, knowledge and wisdom (DIKW). Dr. Karsten Schweichhart, Vice President of Corporate Enterprise Architecture at Deutsche Telekom, puts it simply: We cannot develop a sustainable target architecture if we dont know where we are.
manager understood his contribution to the execution of that strategy. The corporate strategy was enabled by simple standardized capabilities (common fleet, lean processes), low cost point-to-point operations and maximum asset utilization all of which included a goal of 20 minute aircraft turns. The additional time to conduct a seatbelt check contributed to preventing one enabler of the corporations competitive advantage and success. A clear picture of corporate goals and the contribution of people executing processes makes all the difference to the effectiveness and efficiency of an organization. This is closing the strategy to execution gap and aligning IT to business operations. A clear picture of the business goal also makes a difference when creating the IT vision. IT is not an end unto itself but a business enabler. So it is essential to understand the business strategy first including the goals and capabilities required to deliver them and then tie that to the lifecycle management of data, applications, infrastructure and enabling middleware such as enterprise service bus technology. Enterprise strategy is what we focus on, explains Gabriel Morgan, Principal Enterprise Architect at MSIT, Microsofts internal IT group. When we integrate with enterprise strategy, IT strategy is really a byproduct. The point is being a market leader in our product line: IT is simply an enabler to get there.
Rule 2: Articulate the BusiNess strateGY aND Goals to kNoW Where You are GoiNG.
There is a famous story about an FAA liaison manager at Southwest Airlines, back in the early 1990s. The FAA issued a Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM) to have airlines conduct a seatbelt check prior to closing the cabin door and pushing back the aircraft. According to folklore, this middle manager called his VP and was in CEO Herb Kellehers office the same day constructing a response to defeat this NPRM. Why would a middle manager become alarmed by such a benign rule and why would the CEO get personally involved? Because the core business strategy was well articulated and communicated and this middle
Nucleus Research found that enterprise IT decision makers rely on information that is, on average, 14 months old. To be honest, there are airlines that rely on EA artifacts that are 14 years old.
to keep the business flying. The same is true of enterprises and their complex process and technology landscapes a real time view is essential to make good decisions. Yet, in a recent study, Nucleus Research found that enterprise IT decision makers rely on information that is, on average, 14 months old. To be honest, there are airlines that rely on EA artifacts that are 14 years old. No software solution can provide accurate IT asset data on its own. It requires the right processes and the engagement of everyone responsible for business and IT change. Susan Green, Global Head of Business Enterprise Architecture at Bank of America, puts it like this: Its vital to know what we have, if we want to manage our business and technology from application portfolio management through to strategy definition and capability alignment.
communicate and if there are no agreed words to describe objects and ideas, communication is impossible. One of the critical roles of EA, is to define and translate business and technology entities and artifacts to ensure that these definitions are used as a common language and are shared by all business units, technology vendors and the IT department. Only when a common lexicon exists is it possible to create an accurate model of the IT landscape and how these entities map to capabilities. Accurate and consistent terminology is vital, but it is not sufficient. Terminology needs to be rich, which means it can address both business and IT realities. The manner in which you describe your landscape determines what you can do e.g. it is only possible to manage vendor contracts if all necessary contract and license information is captured. Ideally, IT planning forms part of business strategy development, informing executives of opportunities, risks and solutions, and suggesting clear roadmaps that maximize value and minimize disruption to operations. Its vital to know what we have, if we want to manage our business and technology from application portfolio management through to strategy definition and capability alignment. We get a chance to bring IT to a very interesting peer level conversation with the presidents of the company, explains Gabriel Morgan, Principal Enterprise Architect at MSIT, Microsofts internal IT group. When the strategy is formed, the enterprise architecture captures that strategy, analyses impact and brings back the information to inform decisions on what can and cannot be done, and what are the risks. Based on that information, the strategy is then articulated. IT is a part of that decision. This level of integration between IT architecture and business architecture is not common within the aviation industries. But it should be.
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Visio and Word are not enterprise collaboration tools, even with the addition of Outlook and SharePoint. Even Microsoft Corporation uses specialized EA technology. Enterprise Architecture tools are the only way to ensure that the impact of any environmental change is fully understood in advance and that your navigation system is constantly updated to support corporate decision making in a way that will best achieve business goals.
CoNclusioNs
Enterprise Architecture (EA) is a framework and human capital skill set that provides structure to capability maturity; simplifying, de-risking and improving the success probability of technology implementation and business transformation. EA must be led by business leaders supported by IT experts. Many doing a little is preferable to a few doing a lot and ensures accurate information. Documenting the lifecycles of organizational structures, roles, workflows, processes, applications, data and infrastructure is critical to optimal decision making. Finally, the use of specialized EA tools offers a high return on investment and is critical to business success. At the end of the day, MS Office and Post-it notes are no way to transform an airline.
Michael is a Principal in ICF SH&Es Commercial & Business Aviation (CBA) practice. He has over 23 years of extensive operations and technology experience in the airline, aerospace, defense and transport industries. Michaels experience includes numerous positions of increasing P&L responsibility and encompasses diverse functions including corporate strategy, market analysis, scenario planning, mergers & acquisitions, designing enterprise architectures, defining balance score card performance metrics, capability maturation and process reengineering. His key information technology experience includes aviation maintenance and supply chain management, autonomics & aircraft health management, flight operations systems, computer reservation systems, and enterprise resource planning solutions. Most recently, Michael has focused his research on Software-as-a-Service and Business Process Outsourcing operational models combined and enabled through the implementation of innovative technologies in order to optimize the profitability of capital intensive and cash flow sensitive service oriented companies. Prior to ICF SH&E Michael was a Principal at several aviation consultancies including Aviation Wikinomics, Inc., Blue Water Solutions, LLC, and Accenture. Michael also served twelve years in the US Navy as a Surface Warfare Officer and Gas Turbines Engineer. Michael has published multiple articles on aligning business strategy to operations execution with enabling information technologies and is frequently called upon to present at aviation, aerospace and defense industry conferences. Michael holds a Bachelor, Nuclear Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology and a Masters, Decision Science and Operations Research from Georgia State University. A native of Houston, Texas, Michael currently resides in Atlanta, Georgia with his wife Jackie.
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Fuel savings from EFB implementati on Pre-flight information supports service IT tools to minimise EU ETS compliance costs
White Papers: LinkSMART Aviintel Tasc4Aviation Case Studies: Lufthansa Cityline Thai Airways
2011.indd 1
Case Study How to Implement Fuel Savings linked to EFB. With so many factors to consider, technology
makes fuel efficiency decisions so much better. Capt. Joachim Scheiderer, Manager Flight Operations Engineering, Lufthansa CityLine
White Paper Operational Data as a Global Business Asset: An enterprise wide data policy will reap
benefits for consistency, analysis and costs. Shaun Rattigan, Technical Director, Aviation Intelligence
White Paper Getting the right Data Transmission for the job: A guideline for an efficient Data Link service
experience Sergio Martins, President, LinkSMART
Case Study Great Service whenever, wherever, whatever, however. THAIs Cabin Attendant Pre-flight
Study and Briefing System has revolutionised crews ability to deliver great service. Jatooron Suwannarut, Department Manager IT Management Operations, Thai Airways International
White Paper Taming the ETS-Compliance Beast. How to handle the requirements of the EU ETS directives and
how to minimize the cost of compliance by utilizing clever IT tools Guido Harling, Founder & Managing Director, Tasc4Aviation
apiD turNarouND times (TAT) and efficient materials management are both critical factors in a successful MRO event. It is, therefore, important that the correct man-hours worked and the actual amount of materials consumed during a layover are accurately recorded and reported. The ability of a cost sensitive service organization to translate work done into hours charged can still be a daunting challenge, even in this technology driven age. But, both client and service provider need to know, with a high degree of accuracy and confidence, the actual time spent by the workforce on specific tasks and quantities of materials consumed from commencement to the completion of the contracted event. Accurately reported time and material charges are synonymous with quality operations; the transparency of the reports enhances confidence in the organization handling the check thereby improving customer relations. A combination of efficient processes, a disciplined workforce and flexible IT systems will ensure the commercial and operational success of an MRO check. This could be further enhanced by integrating Lean practices not only in production but also in IT.
Figure 1. Mechanics from Lufthansa Technik Philippines (LTP) service an aircraft just outside the main hangar in Manila.
Accurately reported time and material charges are synonymous with quality operations; the transparency of the reports enhances confidence in the organization handling the check thereby improving customer relations.
The ChalleNGes
Accurately measuring the total time taken to complete an event remains a highly process driven and human influenced activity. From simple turn-around checks to the more extensive D- and IL-checks, the accuracy of time-stamped data is very important in determining the commercial and operational success of a contracted event. Materials availability and consumption needs also to be closely monitored during a layover. If the required parts are not available on time, it not only delays the release of an aircraft it can also increase the cost of the layover when materials and parts consumption is not properly controlled.
Figure 2. Man-hours and materials consumption data are linked together in the MRO system when an aircraft is being serviced.
Figure 3. Capturing man-hours data. A mechanic books-on his work in one of the wireless terminals inside the hangar. The work order, task card reference and start time are automatically logged into the system as he scans the barcoded information printed in the task card.
Regulatory compliance also needs to be considered, for example, in issuing parts manufacturer approved (PMA) materials. Some customers might not allow the installation of PMA parts during a layover while others will. Hence, more stringent monitoring of materials data is required in this situation.
situation can be very disruptive for the operations. Interfaces and other third-party applications that connect with the MRO system will have to be checked and, subsequently all the affected systems will have to be corrected. The longer these problems are left unresolved the greater are the risks that data will be lost or will not be accurately entered, in which case, there will have to be a tedious process of re-checking and validly entering corrected data into the system. It is also possible that a new functionality might not exactly fit the current business processes. It is important to assess if any new system functionality introduces new and more efficient industry practices that can, in turn, raise productivity without incurring unreasonably high implementation costs or adding more complications to the current business processes. On the other hand, new business requirements requiring changes in business processes might not be supported by the current MRO system functionality. In this case, it is best to research to confirm whether the MRO system can be modified to fulfill the new requirement or if it would be more advantageous to have a separate application that will be linked to the MRO system. The earlier these errors are detected and resolved, the better it will be in terms of limiting the magnitude of the errors to a manageable size. It is best to always thoroughly test any patch or upgrade before installing it into the
An MRO system cannot cater fully for all the company specific business requirements current at any given time. It is, therefore, typical to see some customized interfaces built around the MRO system.
production system. Software issues are not the only problem. The reliability of infrastructure components such as networks, computers (desktops, notebooks and handhelds) and other peripheral devices like scanners, barcode readers and printers, can greatly affect the quality of captured data. Data accuracy is at risk whenever the system is inaccessible due to network and server downtimes. and the MRO system together with its interfaces have resulted in improved compliance and, eventually, to more accurate man-hour reports. For example, the deployment of more reliable clocking devices, the availability of more wireless devices that can be used in the hangars and in airport terminals (including the upgrading of PCs together with training and access to speciallydesigned reporting tools) has improved the accuracy of man-hours data. Some production sections that were previously reporting manhours data in the mid-90% are now registering consistent 98%-100% manhour reporting compliance. An MRO system cannot cater fully for all the company specific business requirements current at any given time. It is, therefore, typical to see some customized interfaces built around the MRO system. In LTP, a number of these interfaces deal with computations of actual man-hours reported based on various shift schedules and exceptions reporting on unreported man-hours and other outliers. Reporting of manhours is available on the MRO system and is also interfaced in the company portal. These interfaces were programmed in-house and have
Practical solutioNs
Many of the IT and business process solutions introduced in the company during the past eight years have made significant contributions towards improving the accuracy of reporting man-hours worked and materials consumed. Most of the business processes in LTP are supported by three major systems: the MRO System (Trax), the Financial System (SAP) and the company portal running on Microsofts Sharepoint platform. A majority of the specialized applications that interface with Trax are integrated in the portal. Compliance in the booking process is a key requirement for getting an accurate man-hours report. Continuous improvements in the procedures, the system infrastructure
been tested and approved by the users. A number of interfaces were developed to connect to the standard MRO system. These in-house programmed interfaces and applications address specific requirements of the business that are not found in the standard system. Having these small in-house applications avoids adding further complexities to the MRO system. It also makes it easier to isolate points of failure when implementing enhancements to the business processes. One of these in-house tools is a materials request system available to mechanics on the production area and enabling them to withdraw materials based on the ownership of those materials. The materials planner/buyer also uses it to determine non-stock items. This is particularly helpful if aircraft from several different airlines are being serviced at the same time in the hangar. A materials tracking system is also available to the personnel in the production line to determine the location of materials at any stage of the layover. A production planning system was also programmed to provide a complete 24/7 view of the maintenance work to be done including man-hours, work orders and materials requirements. This application is interfaced with the MRO system and is also available through the portal. It provides a global view of the work completed and to be undertaken at any given time on a per aircraft basis. LTP has installed both wired and wireless infrastructure inside the hangars, around the apron area and in several airport terminals in order to enable mechanics to use the MRO system, not just for clocking their tasks and ordering materials, but also to view aircraft maintenance manuals, send/receive emails, print related references etc. The wireless infrastructure has been extended to some of the airport terminal bay areas where line maintenance is carried out for several customer airlines.
Recently, several LTP vehicles were fitted with wireless devices in order to assist mechanics while working on the bridgeways and in airport parking bays. Aside from carrying the mechanics usual tools, these air-conditioned vehicles now have a laptop and printer which the mechanics can use. Both devices are powered through the vehicles electrical supply. The laptop connects wirelessly to the MRO server in the main LTP office in Manila, allowing the mechanic to work beside the aircraft wherever it is parked without the need to move back and forth between the aircraft and the terminal office to gain access to the computer systems. This facility is particularly useful when the terminal bays are full and the aircraft has to park at some distance from the offices. As mobility becomes increasingly important to support the production operations, project teams are looking into more collaborative means of communication and more efficient computing devices, including the use of tablets and smartphones to augment the traditional PCs and laptops.
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Figure 5. Extending the reach via WiFi. A mechanic working on her WiFi-enabled laptop where she can order materials during a layover.
Because of efficiency enhancements and more accurate reporting of, among other things, man-hours data and materials consumption data, additional revenues and increased cost savings have been achieved through better planning and scheduling of the workload, reduced wastage and better utilization of materials, and more accurate charging of actual man-hours worked on the aircraft during layover.
Dr. Roberto Asuncion is the Vice-President for Information Technology at Lufthansa Technik Philippines (LTP), a subsidiary of Lufthansa Technik AG based in Hamburg. He is responsible for setting the strategic IT directions and managing the IT operations of the subsidiary. Since assuming his post in 2003, he has planned and initiated several projects to improve the business value of IT. He has conducted business process reviews, IT performance measurements, Lean IT activities and regular IT strategic planning sessions within his department. He is currently involved in projects dealing with mobile applications, virtualization, web services, portals and large systems integration. Prior to this assignment, Dr Asuncion was connected with large multinational corporations in the retail, manufacturing, supply chain and banking industries, as well as, with academic and government institutions, acquiring more than 25 years experience in the Information Technology field. His interests include strategic IT management, web technologies and operations research. He has also held various teaching assignments at the University of Bamberg, University of the Philippines and the University of Asia and the Pacific. Dr. Asuncion finished his doctorate degree in Information Management at the Otto-Friedrich University of Bamberg in Germany. He also has Masters degrees in Business Economics at the University of Asia and the Pacific (in the Philippines) and in Industrial Engineering/Operations Research at the University of the Philippines. He did graduate research and wrote his masters thesis in dynamic programming at the Technical University of Munich. He completed his Bachelors degree in Mathematics at the University of the Philippines.
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An inconvenient truth
CMS has been an afterthought to MRO system selection, until now: Thanos Kaponeridis, President and CEO at AeroSoft Systems outlines a vendors perspective on an increasingly important issue.
N short, the simple reason behind the title claim could be Because MRO/IT Systems are complex. But, as is often the case, there is much more to it than that.
Historical perspectiVe
Looking back, in 1997 I was among the true believers in the value of Digital Documents and Standards and the benefits they would bring to airlines. For me, this belief was based on a major involvement with an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) and the launch of their new aircraft programs. However, the stark reality was very different. Through involvement in the ATA/EMMC/TICC (the Air Transport Association and its executive levels) standards process I observed the following trends during the period 1994-2000: Some Tier-1 carriers (including airframe and engine OEMs) who, as early adopters of Standard Generalized Markup Language (SGML) technology and early versions of SPEC2100 (what the ATA standard was then called) had spent tens of millions of dollars, yet achieved less benefits and poorer results than they had expected; The elimination of paper alone was not enough; Tier-2 and 3 carriers considered as digital data, anything that they could see through the proprietary viewers made available by the OEM. (Maxwell Data Systems, Interleaf/Worldview and other names long departed from the market). When we made our first round of marketing/sales visits in 1997 and presented demonstrations of prototype systems that automatically generated Job Cards by linking the maintenance planning document (MPD) with the aircraft maintenance manual (AMM) aircraft maintenance and task oriented support system (AMTOSS) coded tasks and delivered them over the Internet, the airlines said that they were highly impressed but believed they needed one integrated system that does everything. At that time, the airline industry, especially at the Tier-2 and 3 levels (both in North America and Europe), had a limited understanding of digital documents and their capabilities. They always equated them with the CD ROM and proprietary viewer based systems with very limited features and availability, and confined only to some of their aircraft models or engine OEMs, which they received from their suppliers.
good and bad systems. If the data and process models are poorly designed, not normalized or simply incomplete, things wont get any better by switching to Oracle, Unix, WebServices, etc. In all fairness, a true ATA iSPEC2000 Data Model had not been completed or validated seriously at this time. This conclusion is not anecdotal but based on a direct knowledge not only of applications but also relative to all their associated derivatives in the market which were built by developers who left companies then subsequently, and very rapidly, managed to create their own new MRO software solutions. Data Model discipline was truly lacking in all of those Generation 2 Best of Breed (BoB) applications. In fact, some Generation 1 mainframe systems had better structures than the emerging minicomputer-based BoB systems. To restate, the derivatives data models were as good (or poor) as the previous system the developers were copying. Technical Documentation (ATA100 Tech Doc) meant 100 tons of paper, huge libraries and distribution systems, and attempting to synchronize the yellow TRs with incoming revisions whilst ensuring that the AMM, illustrated parts catalog (IPC), Task Cards, wiring diagram manual (WDM), and the rest (the MPD in particular) were for the same configuration or version of the aircraft! (in other words, synchronizing the OEMs as-delivered aircraft effectiveness with what the airline had implemented in the current as-maintained aircraft status).
The initial data load/clean up and verification is the costliest and riskiest part of any project. After that point, data gets introduced in small increments through the keyboard or through direct interfaces
and data types. This, in turn, led to the enormous projects and more so to the even bigger migration costs when the ERP engine was upgraded by its vendor from one generation (of database and technology) to the next. All in all, it made name brand-ERP a four letter word in some circles while contributing to the wealth (and occasional demise through legal suits) of the big seven global consulting and accounting firms.
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Mainframe, Mini/terminals, Client Servers, Three-tier Application Servers/ DB Servers, WebServers and WebBrowsers are all essential and sound complex. For example, when they talk about WebBrowser, do they mean remote desk top (RDT), native http screen on Internet Explorer or deployment on any Java device? Yet MRO system vendors continue to strive for the next generation of technology standards without addressing the inherent functional deficiencies and data model flaws in their existing systems. Theyd prefer to move from Mini-computer implementations to Client Servers then perpetuating Citrix accelerator delivery until they could create their native WebServer/WebBrowser Java versions, presumably hoping that this would mask all of their problems.
challenge of updating the complete and accurate history in central records and times time since new (TSN), time since repaired (TSR), time since overhaul (TSO) is something the Best of Breed have not yet conquered. As a means to avoid this challenge, the recommendation that the lessee should use the same system as the lessor is not always feasible or practical. In contrast with MRO system landscape, true aviation CMS Systems must be designed and built so that repeated and frequent imports of large volumes of data (OEM revisions) can be made and automatically validated, before they are put in the workflow for any post processing. They must accommodate a wide range of data types from very well structured and granular to unstructured, as well as scanned content with mixed typed and handwritten information. This is one critical design difference between classical MRO IT and CMS. Many software vendors would like to draw your attention to Technology Standards which were and are of the least concern while they will continue to evolve. Their references to
manage text and graphics as binary large objects (BLOBs) within their record structure.
The pioneers of Digital Document System implementations (content management systems) were the aircraft and engine OEMs. Actually, before even that the CALS-US Defense OEM initiatives drove earlier implementations on standardizing on SGML.
ADVaNtaGes oF CMS oVer MRO/IT BuNDleD DocumeNt maNaGemeNt
1. XML and CGM editing tools supporting both DTD and Schema, and associated validation. 2. Job Card Editor (XML) linked with digital MPD, AMM not a cut and paste paradigm but rather a reference anchor based solution. 3. Management of revisions from OEM, official revisions at the airline. 4. Anchor Management. 5. Minimum revisable unit management. 6. Customer originated changes. 7. Temporary revisions surviving against full revisions if necessary. 8. Attaching SBs / ADs. 9. Resolving effectiveness for tail-MSN and SBs against published content. 10. Ability from a single collection to generate subset of views and intentionally offer different revisions of manuals to different end users / consumers. 11. Audit trail for all changes and revisions. 12. Audit trail: the ability at any point to be able to produce any previous revision and ensure authenticity and change authority. 13. Publish content to the Web but also to media, to portable and mobile communicating devices like electronic flight bag (EFB), iPAD, etc. (ensuring management of revisions). 14. Effective architecture that supports databases multi-TeraBytes of data. 15. Deals effectively with .PDF and with scanned image documents from originals. 16. Web 2.0, W3C and IT Standards compliance such as SOAP, SOA, CORBA. 17. Industry standards compliance (and continuous validation) for iSPEC2200, S1000D (in all its revisions).
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part of the iSPEC2200 Standard and, consequently, masses of .PDF started being given out free (it was cheaper for an OEM to burn DVD with PDFs than print and ship). When ATA SPEC2100 (the predecessor of iSPEC2200) started taking shape, OEM systems were migrated to SGML authoring, CGM graphics and, in many cases, were still managed within RDBMS. With the introduction of XML in 1997, and the subsequent maturity of object oriented databases, the industry embarked on a migration to XML DB, XML editing and XML schema, rather than document type definition (DTD). However, their published digital data services remained based on iSPEC2200 SGML DTDs. After several years, in 2004, the ATA finally embraced the Association Europeene des Constructeurs de Materiel Aerospatial (AECMA) standard S1000D based on the Common Source Data Base (CSDB). I cringe when I hear prominent marketing people in the CMS domain making statements like S1000D is the collection of the iSPEC2200 DTDs. In reality S1000D is a lot more than just XML and Schema based definitions. It is based on Product Management Data Base (PMDB) and productbuild configuration at the OEM which in the S1000D parlance has become the Common Source Data Base (CSDB). It is important to recognize that S1000D is also an evolving interchange standard (just like iSPEC2200) and is not necessarily the optimal internal database schema for an airlines or MROs internal reuse of digital documents. In fact it is mathematically / algorithmically impossible to
convert iSPEC2200 to S1000D without direct manual subject matter expert (SME) intervention. Also, one needs to appreciate that while the database characteristics of S1000D are very valuable, the mechanics for the next 20 plus years will expect to see page blocks of AMM, IPC, Task Cards and, so on, to perform their work. This means extensive XSL transformations (XSLT- the transformation language of XML to other formats) will be required to create viewable and usable information. And last, but not least, there are no commercial aircraft flying in service in 2011 with technical content developed based on S1000D. The first few will be the B787s, A350s and the C-Series. The major OEMs have categorically stated that they will continue with their aircraft in service according to the standards which were in place when they were launched aka iSPEC2200 for the lifetime of those aircraft. Consequently, a CMS has to be capable of accepting/importing content which will be iSPEC2200, .PDF, S1000D, images, and other de-facto enterprise content (MS-Office documents) and dealing with each according to the structure and intelligence it affords. Again, this can hardly be the add-on capability the MRO system BoBs are marketing. As with early ERP implementations, where tens of millions of dollars were spent and, in some cases, vendors and implementers were sued and lost, the experience was also grim in the early major CMS system implementations during the nineties resulting in very large, experimental, built at the customer environment, one-off solutions. Just ask airlines
like United or Delta, or OEMs like Boeing, Pratt & Whitney and Bombardier, to share their early SGML systems implementations experience.
How long did that take? capturing man-hours Measuring electrical load Using and keeping information with CMS
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to be in full compliance and have the benefits of integration between your MRO system (Best of Breed or ERP) and a Digital Content Management System (CMS) you have to engage with products and vendors that offer commercial aviation MRO/CMS expertise and products
MRO business there is essential dependence on component maintenance manual(CMM) illustrated parts lists (IPLs) produced by the 15,000 plus component suppliers. Only a handful of these have migrated to standards-based digital data offerings and most of them still supply .PDF or MS Word documents. So a CMS system must indeed accommodate these significant data types. Another anachronism exists in the world of Business Aircraft which is somewhat stuck back in the 1990s and bound to the proprietary viewer based CD-ROMs as a source of digital content data.
Interactive Electronic Technical Manual (IETM) viewer. I am unaware of any Best of Breed MRO system which performs this task on its own. b. How, for compliance purposes, is it possible to link and imbed your temporary revisions and your incoming SBs to the requisite AMM page blocks or IPC figures, without a full scale CMS? The short answer is that its not possible. c. Similarly, how do you introduce the correct Job Card content by linking the MPD line items to the requisite AMM tasks and then passing them to the Work Package which is scheduled for Production by your MRO system, without a full scale CMS? d. How do you attach link the 8130/EASA Form1 to a serviced component? e. Where do you record the completion of an SB/ AD or a Job Card? And, how do you keep the permanent record with some tasks and subtasks requiring two signatures (mechanic and inspector) and some requiring three? But I feel that I must really stop here, before some readers start arguing that CMS and MRO Systems are overly complex!
Thanos Kaponeridis is the founder of the AeroSoft Systems Inc. established in Toronto Canada in 1997. He has brought AeroSoft from a start-up through organic and inorganic growth with development, acquisitions and equity investments to become a financially strong niche player in the M&E Systems marketplace. Thanos has built up his aerospace and aviation experience since engaging at Bombardier Regional aircraft in 1992 where he managed the development of the iSPEC2200 compliant digital document systems for the CRJ and Q100. He was a long-standing member of the ATA/ EMMC/TICC eText and FOWG since 1994 in the development of digital document standards. Prior to Bombardier, Thanos was an accomplished IT/ IS senior consultant with his own firm and prior to that with the Transition Group - the Canadian subsidiary of Gartner Group, offering strategic and tactical planning of IT/IS to multi-national corporations. Mr. Kaponeridis holds a Bachelor of Applied Science from University of Toronto in Industrial Engineering and a Master of Science from University of London (UK) in Ergonomics / Human Factors.
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Within our industry, upgrading aircraft avionics typically to keep pace with industry regulations is of course a common practice for both commercial and military aerospace platforms. Also, making modifications to accommodate changes of role or to meet other operator demands is a regular occurrence too. However, modifications and/or upgrades cannot be made without considering the
ramifications of doing so, and this includes the impact on the aircrafts electrical system. In many of the projects Marshall Aerospace undertakes we are aiming to add equipment (i.e. new electrical loads) to aircraft without necessarily upgrading their generators or power bus bars (which tend to be original-fit). However, an aircrafts electrical system is a relatively dynamic entity; designed to accommodate different modes of operation (e.g. flight phases) and to provide varying degrees of redundancy in the event of losing a generator or key power distribution point. Accordingly, there are many permutations to consider when predicting the effect on the electrical generation and distribution system of adding new loads. Moreover, the aviation authorities require proof that proposed changes to an aircraft will not affect safety - under any mode of operation and/or envisaged fault condition. The normal method of providing that proof is
through conducting an Electrical Load Analysis (ELA) which is a steady-state, worse case view of all the AC and DC loads summed and compared to the ability of the aircrafts generation system to provide power. The necessity to assess the generation systems ability to cope in abnormal conditions has long been a desire in our industry. Rarely though does this assessment get any further than particular cases in the failure modes and effects analysis (FMEA) - which is normally a text based document that references some of the ELAs key findings. More frequently the ELA is in the form of and displayed in a spreadsheet, as it is better suited for calculations. Indeed, before developing our own software we too handcrafted ELAs using spreadsheets and therefore speak from experience when listing the following difficulties: Even before tackling sums it was always necessary to apply a variety of rules to validate the legitimacy of some of the figures that would be
entered, for example sensible power factors (typically between 0.9 and 1.0) and duty cycles (which cannot be greater than 100%). The spreadsheets were often large and cumbersome, mainly because we were trying to represent a multidimensional problem (i.e. introducing potential failure modes over different aircraft configurations operating in a number of modes) in a 2-dimensional format. In other words, the permutations are such that you cant help but end up with separate columns (or even tabs) for the different scenarios with cells across tab pages linked to one another; The size and complexity of the spreadsheets increases the risk of errors propagating throughout adding to the amount of time required to verify the validity of the conclusion (even with rules in place). Illustrating spare capacity (or power headroom), whilst not required by all aviation authorities, is always popular with the operators, as it indicates how accommodating the current generators and bus bars might be to other modifications. Again though, the task requires extensive number crunching in spreadsheets. In addition, commercial spreadsheet tools are aimed at a very diverse audience. The software companies want their products to be useful for book keeping, maintaining tables of contacts, presenting data as pie charts, creating histograms for presentations and a host of other tasks. Accordingly, as tends to be the case with any general purpose business focused application, we only used about 10% of the spreadsheet tools functionality and what we were using, we had to work hard. Surprisingly, a similar (if not worse) situation would have existed had we attempted to employ a Computer Aided Design (CAD) or Electronic Design Automation (EDA) tool for our purposes. There are several CAD/EDA tools available for modelling electrical/electronic circuits, cable harnesses and systems, but these are focused purely on design for manufacture (DFM). They are not optimised for conducting what if scenarios and cannot store or represent an entire aircrafts electrical configuration.
modifications and/or upgrades cannot be made without considering the ramifications of doing so, and this includes the impact on the aircrafts electrical system.
The CatalYst
A new aircraft will normally have a paper air publication, depicting the as delivered configuration of the electrical generation system and equipment loads. This is typically referred to as the Original ELA. Incremental modifications are usually approved on the basis that, after careful examination of the Original ELA, the theoretical safety margin between existing loads plus proposed additions and the generating capacity is acceptable. Demonstrating the theoretical safety margins requires conducting several ELA scenarios, and it is fair to say that the need for a dedicated software tool for ELA has been recognised within Marshall Aerospace for several decades. However, whilst having the capabilities and recognised approvals of an aircraft OEM we have a very modest budget set aside for R&D compared to the OEMs. It was during discussions with the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), a few years ago, that the subject of modelling aircraft power architectures arose, and the operator recognised that the continued airworthiness of its C-130 airlift fleet would be demonstrably more robust with a more efficient means of doing ELA. As Marshall Aerospace has operational support and maintenance contracts with the majority of progressive C-130 operators around the world we therefore helped the RAAF with an update to its paper ELA. At that time it became apparent that improving the ELA method for the reasons cited above, would be beneficial and offer all operators more confidence in the accuracy of the ELA. Hence development on a software-based ELA tool began, and we were soon referring to it as SERIES (standing for System Electrical Rating Integration Evaluation Software). We started our development programme by modelling the connectivity that exists in an aircrafts electrical distribution system, using a number of icons to represent certain bus elements; such as generators, transformer rectifier units (TRUs, for converting AC to DC), inverters (for converting DC to AC), transformers (AC to AC) and batteries (DC). We colour coded the bus elements to indicate their output type, yellow for AC and green for DC, and used arrows to provide an indication of upstream or downstream connectivity logic. Figure 1 shows the results of our efforts. With the electrical system represented we then set about devising a way of loading it, and came up with a means whereby components (by which I mean anything from a light bulb to a galley oven) can be dragged from a library and dropped onto the bus elements; to load them. It was at this stage that we started adding the kind of intelligence that was and is so painstaking to handcraft in a spreadsheet. For example, single supply components placed on a suitable bus element will automatically be accepted; and contribute to bus loading at that point. However, if there is a mismatch between a components (required) power type and the bus elements, placement will not be permitted. In addition, if a component requires connection to more than one power type, this will be indicated to the user until it is fully connected. Moreover, when connecting a single phase device to a three phase supply we have made it so that the user must select one of the phases. To support our intended what-if scenarios we had to make it easy to see the electrical loading at the bus elements, and accommodated this by allowing the user to zoom in and see the power consumption (in Amps for DC elements and KVA for AC elements, giving a breakdown for each phase if applicable). We also designed the user interface so that left clicking on a bus element will list, in a panel, all the components connected to it. And right clicking any of those components allows its properties and assignments (such as phase allocation) to be changed. Further building on the ease of use approach, dragging a component out of a bus element list disconnects it from the bus and makes it available for use on a different bus; and in the case of components still connected to another bus element, it will be indicated on the main screen that there are missing connections.
Figure 1: A considerably clearer picture than can be achieved using any spreadsheet, the user interface we created looks like the distributed power architecture it is meant to represent. Zooming in makes clearer the name of each bus item plus appends the loading (in Amps for DC elements and kVA for AC). At this level though we are more interested in the architecture/connectivity.
Figure 2: Attention to detail. This is the user interface we devised for detailing how a component will load its respective power supplies (and there can be more than one). Not shown, but different modes of operation can be represented. A radio for example, draws more current transmitting than when receiving.
Clearly, for our ELA tool to be as representative as possible of real life loading much would hinge on the level of detail we could assign to the components. We particularly wanted to reflect that some components have multiple modes of operation (each potentially equating to a different load). For example, a radio that, in receive mode, has lower power consumption than when transmitting. Worthy of note is SERIES support for multiple power supplies. Figure 2 shows the details of an Inertial Navigation Systems (INS) that can connect to three power sources (28V DC, 26V AC and 115V AC) and that the first and third are required. In its default mode the INS draws 32VA when connected to a 115V, 400Hz AC supply; and its inductance leads to a power factor correction of 92%. Not shown, but when connected to its 28V DC supply, in default mode the INS represents a load of 0.9W, and the power factor correction is 1 (which always the case for DC).
Figure 3: Above, failed bus elements are indicated by red crosses; and the links between them and their immediate children have broken. Also, where the (real) system is able re-route power this is reflected by new connections. For example, no longer able to take power from Gen No. 2 (as per Figure 1), the Essential Aircraft Bus (ESS AC Bus) now takes its power from the LH AC Bus (adding to both its loading and that of Gen No 1).
AMOS
With the ability to add and remove components (with multiple modes of operation where applicable) we next addressed the issue of failure modes, and decided that failing a bus object should be as easy as Right Click, Fail. Figure 3 shows the failing of Gen No. 2 and TRU No.2. Note: you might want to compare Figure 3 against Figure 1 to see how power is re-routed. Importantly, this re-routing (on screen) is not because of intelligence within the ELA software, rather it is reflecting the intelligence designed into the aircrafts systems. SERIES is a modelling not a design tool.
Figure 4: Above, a snapshot of Short-, Medium- and Long-term loading on an LH AC Bus, for different flight phases. It is our intention that a future version of the software will overlay the graphs with limit bars, or use some other means of showing that loads have been exceeded.
certain things could never happen. Whilst colourful and useful, the image is of course a summary of the facts and figures that must be submitted, in accordance with MIL-E-7016F, to the aviation authorities when attempting to demonstrate that (on paper) a modification or upgrade can be made safely. Figure 5 shows some of the data presented as required by MIL-E-7016F - that can be exported into a report. Catering for other industry standards should be possible too, as in theory it will just be a case of massaging the data and sums into a different format. Indeed, the RAAF wanted the calculations
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Figure 5: The hard facts. Calculations submitted to the aviation authorities need to be in accordance with industry standards, such as MIL-E-7016F. Reports can frequently run to 100 pages worth of data, and to calculate such a volume by hand (using multiple spreadsheets) is laborious and error-prone.
presented in a different report format, and we were able to accommodate that. Also, it is our current thinking that, subject to sufficient interest from industry, we will create formats as required for the commercial sector.
IN ActioN
No engineering tool would be complete without considering how it is to be used and by whom. In this respect we identified three levels of user and built appropriate profiles; Normal User, Super User and Administrator. Both types of user can run what-if scenarios but only a Super User can make permanent changes to an aircrafts configuration. Normal Users can only make temporary changes. This approach supports the Prepared By and Checked By sign-off procedures that are common throughout the industry; as we wanted SERIES to dovetail with our existing QA processes.
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the plan
Marshall Aerospace
The Administrator, a profile which is typically hidden from view, can access much deeper functions within the software, such as configuring the starting architecture (of the ELA) and editing the meta data of library components. The Administrator goes in via the Security button shown on Figure 6. To start an ELA, the tool must be set up by an Administrator. Super and Normal Users then work together trialling the loading of the system as described above. They can report back their findings at the preliminary and critical design review (PDR and CDR respectively) stages of the project; using tables and graphs from SERIES to support their findings. Once a configuration change is agreed upon (usually at the final design review or when the supplemental type certificate [STC] is confirmed) the fleet data can be updated and controlled on a tail number by tail number basis.
Karl Jones is a Chartered Engineer and Member of the IET. He is a specialist in the integration of new avionics into legacy platforms and has worked in aircraft avionics for his entire career; and is currently a department head in the Engineering division of Marshall Aerospace. He has worked on fixed- and rotary-wing platforms and was initially concerned with the development of new military aircraft. Latterly, Karl has specialised in the modification and upgrade of civil and military aircraft and has led a diverse range of integration projects from radios to radars, CNS/ATM packages, glass cockpits, electronic warfare and also the development of in-house data convertors that facilitate easier integration of dissimilar systems. A particular passion of Karls is ensuring his engineers understand the end-to-end project engineering lifecycle - from requirements capture, verification goals, systems engineering, rig test, installation design, test and collection of validation evidence. Karl holds a Bachelor of Engineering degree with First Class Honours in Communication Engineering from Polytechnic South West, in Plymouth, and is based at the Marshall Aerospace in Cambridge, UK.
KARL JONES
Figure 6: The frontend to SERIES: Aircraft is for managing platforms on either a fleet basis (as military operators may wish to do if all aircraft have the same configuration) or a tail number by tail number basis (as commercial operators may wish to do if aircraft are similar but not identical). Components accesses the library of loads. Sorting & Grouping enable data to be presented in different ways. Security is how the Administrator configures and controls the tool (as to be used by Super and Normal Users). Modes is where Short-, Medium- and Long-term loading can be controlled and results investigated (as per Figure 4). Power Ratings relates mainly to generators and batteries. Modifications launches a library of modifications, so that they can be explored on a case-by-case basis or in groups. View Current Configuration presents a view similar to that shown in Figure 1. Note: Scenarios are effectively the what-if investigations we wish to perform. SERIES has the ability to record what were doing, and the New, Open and Delete buttons are for managing those recordings .
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s aN MRO IT software consultant and project manager, I focus on successful implementation of MRO M&E software using project management principles. Project management is a broad topic: this article will look into the basic framework of project management and how this practice is utilized during the implementation of MRO software. It will also cover important points to consider before and during an implementation. Before we can discuss the management of an implementation, we must first understand the definition of project management. In the future we can discuss the framework, consisting of process groups, knowledge areas, and component processes and how they relate to MRO software implementation.
Project MaNaGemeNt
Project management is the application of skills, tools, knowledge, techniques and project activities in the processes required to successfully undertake a project. A project is a temporary endeavor: it has a definite beginning and end, and creates a unique product or service. The five basic process groups of project management include: Initiation, Planning, Executing, Controlling and Closing.
A project is a temporary endeavor: it has a definite beginning and end, and creates a unique product or service. The five basic process groups of project management include: Initiation, Planning, Executing, Controlling and Closing.
scope we can look towards the project planning phase, creation of the project plan, resource plan, financial plan, quality plan and risk planning. We then move to the execution phase which is generally the longest part of the project. This is when the deliverables of the project are completed with actual project delivery and implementation. During this phase, we build the deliverables, and monitor, control and manage time, cost, change, and risk. It is at the end of the execution phase that a final review is carried out to confirm that the project has met the objectives outlined in the initiation phase. Following the completion of all project deliverables and the final acceptance of the project closure by the customer, i.e. the operator, a formal project close should take place. Activities that should be visited during this time will be to identify any outstanding items, producing a formal hand over to the customer environment, cancelling supplier contracts and releasing project resources internally and externally as well as communicating the closure to all stockholders of the project. Finally, documentation recording lessons learned should be finalized at post implementation and presented to the project sponsor. Following best practices in project management will ensure that your organization completes a successful project. Remember that a successful project requires having a clear roadmap that will support finishing on time and on budget with all the required deliverables being met. This roadmap will ensure that you stay on track during the course of the project.
Fig 1: What the project management team must do at each stage of the process
Project management is both a science and an art. It is more than planning and project execution, involving maintenance of schedules and budgets plus requiring considerable project management skills.
the present time and situation. An analysis must be done to see what projects are already in place and how the initiation of another may impact them or vice versa. Many operators tend to already have too many projects in place and it is almost impossible for them all to succeed. Since all projects require access to limited or even scarce resources, it is vital that each project has a clear reason for existing. It must be determined that the present time and situation are right for the project and whether the existence of this project might effect the success of another.
How long did that take? capturing man-hours Measuring electrical load Using and keeping information with CMS
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The project maNaGer the riGht persoN For the joB One of the major factors in predicting success for any project is selecting the right project manager. Project management is both a science and an art. It is more than planning and project execution, involving maintenance of schedules and budgets plus requiring considerable project management skills. This is where the project manager comes into play. For a project to be successful, the project manager must have the backing and support of upper management, and that can sometimes be tough. If the project manager wants to please everyone, he/ she is not the right person for the role. The project manager ensures that the deliverables are met regardless of whose toes he/she needs to step on to get the job done. Upper MaNaGemeNt Upper management cannot afford a loose involvement but must be actively involved during the implementation process. Support from top management will allow for a more seamless implementation because they are responsible as key stakeholders and so should play a pivotal role at the initiation stage. Should they be only partially involved or not involved at all, their lack of involvement will lead to delays and eventually, to a failure of the implementation. With the backing of top management, quick decisions will mean less delay, ensuring a smooth implementation process. Costs Another important aspect to consider is project resources, specifically costs. Project resources should be adequate to complete the project. Too often when resources are being allocated, the true costs are not accurately calculated missing the hidden costs. Hidden costs, when not taken into account, will lead to out of control finances which, in turn, can mean project failure. People Insufficient resources and an insufficient number of team members will also play a major role in the projects success. A lack of resources or insufficient resources required for the MRO software implementation will lead to failure or serious problems in achieving the project objectives and milestones. The system needs proper infrastructure and resources for its successful implementation. To avoid errors in implementation and to ensure a smooth process, there should be sufficient resources available. Choosing the right people and the right team is a key contributor to success. Team members must all possess the necessary skills and must be willing to be involved in the project. A project will not work with team members who do not want to be involved or do not see the long term value of the new MRO software. The right people will be enthusiastic about the project. No matter how enthusiastic a team may be, it is generally not possible for members of teams to carry on with their day to day activities while also implementing the new MRO software so additional internal or external resources are usually required. Once a project starts to fail because of lack of manpower, it is difficult to negotiate for the additional time and money which will be necessary to ensure success. A commitment to enough manpower resources must be settled upon before starting the project implementation. A complete resource analysis should be carried out in the initial phase to justify the expenditure and need. With respect to the implementation and possible success of your project, you may additionally need to identify other external resources such as facilities, equipment and managerial staff. These resources are a major cost and will impact the budget. Failure to identify outside resource costs could place a considerable burden on the project; however utilization of outside specialists or consultants may reduce this risk. Lack oF uNDerstaNDiNG Over a decade working with MRO software projects, I have found that one of the most difficult challenges for implementation is the lack of education and understanding of MRO software. The other main challenge is a limited knowledge of the true scale of a product implementation from operators and upper management. DeVelopmeNt oF methoDoloGies There are several ways for assuring project realization and success. We can do this with the development of methodologies and quality processes that are now considered standard. Despite the existence of standard methodologies, projects
still fail because companies do not have them in place in the organization as policy. You must set in place your company project management methodologies. Without them, projects undertaken in your organization simply have no foundation for success. SelectiNG MRO IT Implementing an MRO solution is a difficult practice. It is important that the organization makes the correct decisions when selecting the best MRO IT for their purposes. Consideration must be given to projected growth, geographical locations, long term abilities and the investigative factors when selecting the MRO IT package. This practice is difficult for typical MRO facilities that simply have limited exposure and knowledge about the MRO IT environment selection process and bench marking the required deliverables. Whether you are working with a consultant or your internal PMO or simply the engineering department heads, the more detailed an idea you have going into application selection and then implementation, the more likely you are to choose the best application for your purposes and to have that application configured to fit your specific needs today and in the future. Excess customiZatioN Excess customization and multi-location implementation can have an effect on the system. Many modern MRO systems allow for some customization, however too many alterations to suit the requirements of the business outside of the initial intended use can and will cause issues if the product is customized to fit the organization and not the organization to fit the product. The risk is that the software will have too many alterations which can change the software totally and result in project failure. A little customization is helpful but too much can lead to errors in the implementation. Initially, it is best to allow the software to operate off the shelf; then, only after running-in, production and a gap analyses, implement the required customizations.
Project Failure Often companies that implement MRO IT systems have only a vague notion of what deliverables they want to see from implementation of a new system, and this is really where companies should focus their attention. With this, we should look at project failure and how to overcome improper management and execution. Most aviation software implementations have a terrible implementation record as do software implementations generally for that matter. A study by PwC (PricewaterhouseCoopers) concluded that half of all projects fail, and only 2.5% of corporations consistently meet their targets for scope, time and cost goals for all types of projects - www.pwc.com. Why do software implementation projects fail? There are lots of reasons such as poor sponsorship, weak reporting and communication and a lack of management leading to improper control of the project. Other reasons for which projects fail include poorly defined objectives, poor planning, continued utilization of old technologies, lack of project management methodologies and utilizing poorly trained or inexperienced staff with insufficient levels of knowledge. The number one reason for failure is that project managers often fail to set a clear direction for the project. Without a clear direction, their projects suffer scope creep, cost overruns and delays. TraiNiNG Extensive training programs need to be given to users to overcome implementation troubles. The users of a newly implemented MRO IT software must be given sufficient time to understand the new system and get used to it. They should be allowed more time to learn the system logically as well as being provided with opportunities to work through complete system workflows perhaps with small workshop scenarios prior to the go live phase. The initial investment of time and support for new users will give greater returns into the future operation of the system. Allowing department heads and users to be involved with the workshop scenario creation will allow for local users to become Super Users. The new system should be made as easy as possible
to learn; when we look at training programs we must look at the benefits, advantages and value of trained and knowledgeable staff, as they are the foundation for MRO software implementation and future operations. For the greatest return on your investment with your system, users must fully understand the software capabilities. Training must focus on technical and non-technical aspects. Training programs should be defined for each level of user. For example, senior managers may need training on a broader level compared with an operator who may need training on analytics and reporting aspects of the system. Different training approaches and styles may need to be made available as not all individuals learn the same way. The best approach for training delivery is a rolledout approach over a specific period of time. This allows for comprehensive learning without overly taxing the students. Also, use the latest technologies available for delivery; available technologies include video blog, web based, and computer based. Other training styles include classroom, web application format, printed materials, on the job, and e-Courses. One of the most important factors for continued successful use of the MRO IT software should be continual long term training. Over time, most users will develop short cuts with the program; they will tend to find the shortcomings of the application and create work arounds. These short cuts and work arounds, in my experience, can mean dropping over 25% of the systems features and functions. Another issue is that many users tend not to look outside the module in which they work and are simply unaware of the secondary effects that short cuts may cause within other modules of the program. A blended training approach will, over time, provide students with the appropriate information in the best environment to comprehensively absorb the wider functionality of the system and will also expose students to the best learning styles for them. When planning your training program, remember to review the following questions: Who will be the audience? What type of training deliveries will be used? If using classroom training or workshops, will the training be held at the head office environment, or will the trainees come to a specific training center on-site or will they be required to travel regionally or internationally? Will the training roadmap be completed internally or via the MRO software company? Who will be responsible for the delivery of web based training options? Will the software company develop the initial training materials including the manuals and e-learning courses? Will there be any score card for the training? Will students be required to undertake examinations? ChaNGe maNaGemeNt Change is difficult for most people and companies and it must be managed; but it is inevitable and so staff must be flexible. The software company and the software itself will often introduce changes, including to roles, responsibilities, procedures and processes. Your management team must be able to deal with these changes, adapt and continue to control the project. This can be done with continued education and management, as well as communication. Where there is a lack of information, there will be lack of control over the change. Remember, to overcome resistance to
change is to give clear communication and education. Resistance usually comes from fear so educating the employees will reduce this. Some people will resist change and will have adjustment issues and some employees will simply have anxieties during these transition periods. These employees should be supported. Management needs to be supportive. Special training programs may be required. People and departments will be greatly affected because of the implementation of a new MRO IT system. Some individuals may lose considerable power that they currently hold within the old system and will resist change as much as possible. If the employee refuses to cooperate, a more forceful approach may be required. In such cases, the employee will be offered an incentive to leave the company with either buyout options or perhaps retirement options; or perhaps be internally transferred. For the successful implementation of an MRO software package, you cannot allow resistance from those in current positions of power. As a last resort, forceful coercion tactics can be used. Management can explicitly or implicitly force employees into accepting change. Successful implementation depends on making it clear that resistance to change can and will lead to jobs losses, dismissals, employee transfers or loss of promotion opportunities. Unpleasant as that may seem, the success of the project could depend on it. Other issues Other issues that can occur are that the system may not work in the way that was planned. To overcome MRO IT implementation troubles, a contingency plan must be developed at the beginning of the project. Strategies should be established in detail in order to avoid any errors. Make sure that proper research about the software has been completed. The selected MRO software package should be suitable for the company and the selection of the software vendor should be done only after proper research has been undertaken including an evaluation of internal processes, and talking and meeting with actual users and/or current customers of the short listed software vendors. Request onsite customer visits and involve your own internal users. Your internal users of the current legacy system are the ones who know the environment best. Some of the factors that lead to errors with MRO software
Fig 2: A Gant Chart to track progress in each element of the project
Where there is a lack of information, there will be lack of control over the change. Remember, to overcome resistance to change is to give clear communication and education.
implementation could occur if care is not taken. Implementation takes investment meaning time and budget investment, resource investment and upper management investment. Regardless of all that, if the new software is not implemented the right way from the initial phases, you will have long term and continual loss on that investment, more than likely for the life of the software. It is therefore important to consider all possible risks to ensure that the software is implemented successfully. It is also important to have as much control as possible to produce as few errors as possible.
Wes Parfitt, PMP is CEO and founder of EnvelopeAPM Inc. and Global Aviation Audits. He has more than 10 years experience in aerospace project management, audits and MRO software implementation having inducted over 30 MRO M&E systems in 20+ countries in the past decade. Based first in Australia and now Canada, and with broad aviation software and technical records knowledge, Wesley has worked with high profile, fixed-wing and helicopter operators and MROs across the world.
WEs PARFITT
We have covered some of the points that will need to be considered for successful implementation of an MRO IT product plus possible problems that operators may encounter if project management principles are not followed. In order to achieve a successful implementation, one that is running with the desired deliverables and in which the users are satisfied with the improvements to their day to day work, it is recommended that project management principles be followed. A successful MRO IT implementation will provide a good return on investment.
The users of a newly implemented MRO IT software must be given sufficient time to understand the new system and get used to it. They should be allowed more time to learn the system logically as well as being provided with opportunities to work through complete system workflows.
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Key at-a-glance information from the worlds leading MRO software providers.
Pure-play systems are designed specifically for the aviation MRO industry and typically offer a complete solution to fit with the highly regulated nature of the industry. ERP MRO Solutions are part of a complete end-to-end enterprise wide software package and allow for extended capability with other systems such as Finance and Human Resources. Specialist Point solutions are MRO systems that are particularly strong in certain niche areas and usually complement the pure-play solutions. For ease of reference the directory below is divided into two sections: Pureplay and ERP MRO Solutions; and Specialist Point Solutions
2MoRO Solutions
W: www.2moro.com T: +33 (0)559 013 005 (EMEA & Asia) T: +001 514 861 8686 (Americas) E: 2moro@2moro.com
Company formed...................................................................2004 Office Location......................................France (HQ) and Canada Name of Product Marketed Aero One, Aero-Webb, BFly Number of Modules....................................................................6 Five Key Business/Software Areas Fleet Management Technical Referential Management Maintenance Forecasting Inspection, Sentencing, Workbench Configuration Control
Created in 2004, 2MoRO Solutions is an innovative company dedicated to software development for the Aerospace & Defense market (operational and R&D needs). We are located in America and in Europe. Our solutions are operated in 17 countries. We provide three high value products: Aero-One, Aero-Webb, BFly. We have partnership with the world best of class ERP and PLM software providers, SAP and PTC. Our products are fully integrated with ERP offering cross functionalities: Accounting, Financials, Sales, Purchasing , Operations, Inventory & Distribution. We offer specific A&D functionalities: Fleet Management, Technical Referential Mgt, Maintenance Forecasting, Maintenance Execution, Inspection & Sentencing, Configuration Control, CRM & CSM.
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Lufthansa Technik AG
Ramco Systems
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Mxi Technologies
W: www.commsoft.aero T: +44 (0) 1621 817 425 E: nsg@commsoft.aero
Company formed...................................................................1971 Office Location...................................... Tiptree, Derby, Norwich, Gatwick, UK; Brisbane, Australia; Coimbatore, India Name of Product Marketed OASES Number of Modules..................................................................10 Five Key Business/Software Areas User Friendly - ease of use for all levels of expertise Excellent Support - full support throughout the life cycle of the product Scalability - can grow with your business Cost - low cost of ownership Security - proven security
Communications Software Ltd provides the Open Aviation Strategic Engineering System (OASES), covering all aspects of aircraft maintenance for airlines and third-party maintainers. Areas covered include: inventory control; rotable tracking; demand handling; requirements planning; PO and RO processing; component and aircraft technical records; maintenance forecasting; aircraft check planning and documentation, plus check accomplishment analysis; aircraft technical log recording; shop floor data collection; work in progress; time and attendance monitoring; and system and component reliability analysis, plus repetitive defects, sales order processing, full quotation management, invoice passing, advanced scheduling, line maintenance control, AD/SB evaluation and deferred defect management. The company provides electronic AMMs and IPCs linked electronically to, and accessible by, the system.
Rusada SA
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Volartec
EmpowerMX
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Enigma
W: www.enigma.com T: +1 781-273-3600 E: infous@enigma.com
Company formed...................................................................1992 Office Location....Burlington, MA USA; Singapore; London, UK; Tokyo, Japan; Hertzlia, Israel; Stockholm, Sweden, Name of Product Marketed InService MRO, InService Job Card Generator, InService Revision Manager, Enigma 3C Number of Modules................................................................ n/a Five Key Business/Software Areas MRO Technical Documentation Delivery Revision Management/Control Job/Task Card Automation Illustrated Parts Catalogs Service and Parts Documentation
Enigma solutions help airlines and MRO facilities reduce costs and improve service efficiency and consistency by providing maintenance technicians with the latest maintenance manuals, spare parts and service information, filtered by tail number. Enigma takes data from enterprise applications such as MRO Planning and Engineering, ERP, etc. and creates an interactive maintenance solution that delivers the latest service, parts, and diagnostic information. By offering dynamic, integrated parts and service information, and links to inventory, order management and other systems, Enigma enables engineers to quickly update and distribute technical publications, and technicians to swiftly perform maintenance and repairs.
Hexaware Technologies
W: www.hexaware.com/travel-transporthospitality-solution.htm T: India: +91 22-67919595 T: Americas: +1 609-409-6950 E: vaibhavs@hexaware.com
Company formed...................................................................1990 Office Location...........Mumbai, New Jersey, London, Frankfurt, Singapore, Japan, Dubai, Mexico Name of Product Marketed Hexaware is a Technology and Business Services Company providing end to end services to the Aviation market. Number of Modules................................................................ n/a Five Key Business/Software Areas Custom MRO Software development and maintenance System selection consulting & system integration services Implementation, upgrades and migration of MRO products Interface Development Customization and Enhancement across modules
Hexaware is a niche, focused IT and BPO services company providing end-to-end system integration and IT services to customers across Travel & Transportation, Banking and Financial Services, Healthcare and Manufacturing industries. With annual revenues of USD 230M for FY 2010, Hexaware has a global workforce of around 6300 consultants working across various industries and technologies. Hexaware has a strong experience working in various business functions in MRO and Technical Documentation domains and specialize in System selection, custom software development and maintenance services, Business Intelligence / analytics, Infrastructure Management Services (IMS), and Quality Assurance and Testing services.
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EVOLVE
The world of aviation maintenance is evolving. Maintenance organizations looking to maintain their competitive edge and safeguard their future need adaptable maintenance software. With its unparalleled commitment to quality and innovation, Mxi Technologies delivers industry-leading software that lets you keep pace. Dont just react to changes in the aviation industry. Evolve with them. Join the Evolution. mxi.com/evolve
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