GIS Now And Into The Future

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Geographic Information Systems (GIS) capture, store, manipulate, analyze, manage, and present spatial or geographic data. This evolving technology has been adapting into the airport space since the FAA launched the Airports GIS program in 2009 for the gathering and storage of airport data. This put the spotlight on GIS as an available data tracking platform to improve how airports currently store and manage various data sets for a range of reasons.

GIS has many benefits with present technology and will continue to become even more valuable with future advancements. Investing in GIS is critical to optimizing an airport’s operational processes and in doing so now will not only improve current procedures but also set an airport up for success in the future.

GIS allows airports to improve a range of processes including asset tracking, lease management, maintenance management, and everyday operations. GIS provides a unique way for airports to map/visualize any important assets as well as visualize airport properties.

GIS is extremely helpful for airports due to the “drill down” capabilities. Not only are you able to map and visualize assets and properties using GIS, but the added benefit is associating helpful data which provides insights into the particular property/asset. With a single click, one could pull up information such as:

  • Lease records regarding a specific plot.
  • Manuals and maintenance records associated with a particular asset.
  • Current inventory of specific parts associated with an asset.

Currently, GIS is an incredibly useful tool for an airport’s operations and, with future improvements, will be even more critical to further enhancing an airport’s operational efficiencies. Aniruddha Banerjee, Ph.D., an expert in GIS technology, explains that advances in predictive digital mapping will help to provide more in-depth operational insights than is currently possible. This technology could potentially analyze GIS data to identify and notify airport stakeholders of problem areas/assets at airports. For example, if an asset needed to be continuously replaced, in a non-random fashion, GIS would be able to identify that there may be underlying issues that are causing this issue and then notify airport personnel of the problem.

Another prospective innovation of GIS is its simulation/modeling capabilities, otherwise known as Simulation GIS.  Advances in Simulation GIS will allow for more accurate modeling of various airport specific scenarios. One relevant example would be the modeling of air or ground transport systems. With the potential for mass drone usage at airports, airports will have to prepare for new safety concerns regarding organizing operations for not only manned but unmanned aircraft. Specific safety scenarios through Simulation GIS will be more easily predicted and will assist with informed decision making and strategizing.

When put into action, Simulation GIS can assist an airport in implementing new and improved policies/procedures, an example being the decision on what wind speed should trigger a no-fly zone aided by simulating different wind speed scenarios with Simulation GIS. This technology can also be used for optimizing of ground transport to maximize resource usage, like finding the most efficient routes for taxiing aircraft to their gates.

Additionally, the advancement of light detection and ranging technology, also known as LIDAR, will help provide an accurate 3D measurement of factors that can become part of GIS maps.  Many studies, like the LIDAR Deployment for Airport Obstruction Survey from 2010, have shown that using LIDAR technology to map trees allows an airport to accurately plan maintenance, such as tree trimming, using growth simulations. Adding trees, fences, new construction, etc. can allow an airport to have a precise look at every part of the airports’ dynamics.

Utilization of GIS maps supports airport procedures in a variety of ways. Being able to associate data to specific layers and future improvements in predictive mapping and simulation add a resource that increases not only an airports efficiency but also reduces cost. Utilizing GIS is not just critical for present-day functions, but it is essential for future productivity.

Optimization with Gate Management Systems

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With limited gate resources, airport traffic constraints, and dynamic flight schedules, it can be challenging to manage gate availability. When confronting this challenge, more and more airports have switched to a Gate Management System (GMS) as a way to manage their Gate and Aircraft Parking assignment process.

GMS offers an intuitive solution for allocating gates according to flight schedules and arrival times. Not only does the GMS reduce the complexity of managing aircraft parking and gate assignments, but it also detects potential issues, in real-time, by monitoring aircraft scheduling and resource allocation to find conflicts and report discrepancies.

GMS also helps to enhance communication between airports and airlines regarding changed gate assignments as well as alerting of erroneous gate assignment discrepancies. GMS solutions offer automatic alerting capabilities which eliminate back and forth email/phone communication for automated alerts that send in various ways.  

By using airlines’ flight schedules to assign equipment and parking space for aircraft effectively, the GMS also automizes the gate assignment process. Using an algorithm to automatically calculate the gates to be scheduled for an aircraft based on size and type of aircraft, the GMS correctly assigns boarding gates and manages gate assignments. Since all flight schedules upload into an airport’s GMS, historical information regarding gate assignments is captured to provide insightful information such as airline gate usage, etc.   

With a GMS Airports can significantly increase their operational efficiencies and enhance communication between stakeholders.  But more than streamlining the gate assignment process, airports can also improve their passengers’ travel experience and provide airlines with cost savings by minimizing the time aircraft spend taxiing on the runway. As airports are seeing all the benefits of having a GMS, it is becoming more and more a necessary tool needed for the modern day airport.

Critical Aspects of an Effective Safety Management System

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In the Aviation Industry, organization is crucial to FAA compliance. In the past, when tracking information regarding safety issues such as incident documentation, event response, and follow-up procedures, the most common method to capturing this critical information had been through paper and pen.

However, a new alternative has been surfacing. Recently, more and more airports are moving towards an online system to automate their safety management process. For airports, these systems allow them to proactively address safety issues, document and avoid potential hazards, and improve their incident response procedures.

There are 3 key attributes crucial to a Safety Management System (SMS) Solution.

Data Sharing and Documentation

Airports understand that incident documentation is critical to gaining operational insights which can help in the prevention of accidents and incidents. One of the key benefits of using software to manage SMS is the ability to provide various stakeholders with the ability to document safety information anywhere through the use of mobile devices. Airport stakeholders now have the capability to report safety issues, attach images to reports, and alert airport personnel regarding safety events, straight from the field. Not only can they submit reports more efficiently, but the information can be easily distributed and shared to relevant stakeholders. SMS solutions offer automated alerting capabilities that will automatically alert designated personnel of any safety events that have been reported.  

Using transaction logs to track development of a report or event provides clarity and organization to a system. From start to finish, transaction logs document the entire progress of a form, enabling the user to view any revisions, additions, or amendments that have occurred.

Configurability

Using a configurable reporting system allows for ease of adaptation to changing events. Reports, submissions, and incidents are always developing, so keeping up with the associated documentation can be challenging. Configurable reporting systems provide a simple solution to this by offering user friendly forms that can adapt to the various changes airports face.

One way to permit dynamic access to the system is by using customizable rules and privileges. In having the ability to create specialized privileges, different access levels can be assigned to users that help divide labor and create a more organized safety management environment.

Queryable Data and Trend Analytics

Having queryable data makes trend analysis easy. By using a queryable system, critical details of an event such as description, causes, and severity can be searched by keywords or phrases that detect the similarities in various safety events. Additionally, this data can be visualized by specific fields to help provide a holistic representation of trends. These trends can be downloaded and shared to bring attention to important events.

Conclusion

As the aviation industry is transitioning to increased digitization, airports are starting to see the benefits that intuitive online solutions provide. These solutions allow a more efficient data gathering process, provide the flexibility to adapt with a constantly evolving airport, and revolutionize the safety management process for the better.

 

 

Mobile Apps: The New Solution to Public Demand

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Data Analysis: the Future of Airport Efficiency

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In our modern age, data is collected everywhere – from customer satisfaction reports to records of a website’s clicks per day – and airports are no exception. Just as with any other business, an airport’s success depends on its ability to use data analysis as a tool to innovate and keep in stride with the needs of customers.

Airports already have feedback at their fingertips in the form of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). Records of KPIs include information such as the numbers of on-time departures, numbers of runway incursions, and the revenue per enplaned passenger. Unfortunately, many airports do not use KPIs to their highest potential.

The shear volume of data that airports hold can make useful analysis challenging. Efforts to manually analyze data through spreadsheets and other basic programs are slow and ineffective. Monthly data reports are simply not consistent enough to allow an airport to recognize patterns.

Data analysis must be preformed on a regular basis, in order to provide airports with enough accurate information to show trends. Taking advantage of KPIs through effective data analysis can prove to be enlightening, as airports gain the ability to identify problem zones or inefficiencies that may not be evident at first glance.

However, most airports do not have personnel on hand to analyze daily data inputs. Nonetheless, the task of arranging, monitoring, and analyzing data can be made efficient and simple, even without hiring data-analyzers – a switch to software can be the solution!

Data analysis software has the capacity to adapt to an airport’s individual needs, show trends, locate problem areas, and discover inefficiencies in the airport’s functions. Most importantly, software streamlines the data analysis, making the information easily accessible and usable by the airport; a spreadsheet of numbers and dates becomes a map pinpointing a problematic segment of the runway. A virtual Dashboard displays an airport’s data in a centralized and intuitive manner with maps, graphs, and charts. In other words, airports can observe, react, and fix problems faster, leading to increasing revenues and decreasing costs.

And the best news? Increased insight into the running of an airport allows for an all-around increase in efficiency, resulting in increased satisfaction for employers, employees, and customers alike.

Increasing Airport Security Through Software – Security Management Software

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It is incredible to believe security remains an issue while traveling with today’s safety requirements for airline passengers. From full body scanners to restriction of liquids and possibly the prevention of laptop use during flights, passengers are put through rigorous tests to ensure they are safe to fly. Yet what if major threats are actually entering elsewhere than security checkpoints? This is what happened on April 20th, 2014 when San Jose transient, Yahya Abdi, jumped a perimeter fence onto the tarmac and climbed into the wheel well embarking on a journey across the Pacific to Hawaii.

Thankfully Abdi was found alive on the tarmac but this presents a larger issue: how secure are our airports? Since Abdi, there have been 10 reported “stowaways” aboard flights internationally. One teenager breached the perimeter at JFK but was caught taking a selfie before he could enter a plane. Additionally, the Chicago Tribune reports that “intruders breach U.S. airport fences about every 10 days” since 2012. “Five intruders brought knives and one a loaded gun.” Airports such as JFK and San Jose International both exceed FAA safety regulations and the TSA provides additional regulations regarding the security of secured areas, however, breaches occur. Given the current political tide it is not ill-conceived to believe that security regulations may become stricter with the inclusion of perimeter and gate security reporting. Regardless of the regulations airports should proactively utilize intelligent security software to enhance the safety of their customers, employees, and tenants.

Security management software is available today to automate and facilitate the inspecting and reporting of airport gates, perimeters and other vulnerable assets. Software can be customized for individual gates and perimeters. Furthermore, today’s user friendly software will facilitate the jobs of inspectors and administrators resulting in increased productivity and job satisfaction. The use of software for security reporting can be done from airside locations to landside locations by an inspector in the field on his tablet or smartphone. Submissions into a centralized system may alert necessary personnel of security incidences in real-time while also allowing airports to digitize and archive all inspections and incident report forms. Lastly, security management software will allow tracking of security breaches and detection of vulnerabilities to prevent further occurrences through the use of heat maps and trend analysis allowing authorities to pinpoint problem areas and address security issues.

It is clear that airports should be actively using innovative security software solutions for their airport needs. Those who take action promptly will be benefitted through favorable standing with the FAA, higher productivity, and most importantly—safer customers, employees, and tenants.

Runway Lighting: How’s the Maintenance?

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Lights are easily one of the most important fixtures present on a runway. Runway lights guide pilots during the takeoff and landing procedures, and for this reason, airports have to keep their runway lights up to standard. After a few instances where poorly maintained runway lights damaged aircraft, the FAA tightened its requirements for the maintenance of all airport visual aid facilities in Part 139 certificated airports.

The current version of Advisory Circular, (AC) 150/5340-26, Maintenance of Airport Visual Aid Facilities, outlines all changes that the FAA made in its policies. The FAA requires airports to establish a program to keep careful records of the maintenance of runway lights. One specific change in FAA policy was to emphasize the importance of checking the bolts of in-pavement lights. This special consideration comes from an instance where an in-pavement light came loose, and damaged an airplane during take off. Now, the FAA requires airport personnel to check the torque of the bolts regularly, and completely replace all bolts that are not up to standard. Considering the sheer volume of requirements, it is not surprising that the FAA suggests a program “tailored to suit each airport’s particular needs”. Such a program can be created with the help of software.

According to the FAA, a maintenance record of runway lighting should “provide a service history of each piece of equipment, ensure regular maintenance […], and provide a data base for statistical analysis of lighting system performance.” The task of keeping track of “each piece of equipment” of a runway light system is challenging, while keeping all the information in an organized and understandable format can be just plain cumbersome. Software can simplify the task by providing one convenient place to input data, as well as the tools necessary to track the continual maintenance of any given piece of equipment. It can also aid in generating reports on the bolt torque records, when required internally or by the FAA. With a simple switch to software, airports can make the maintenance of their runway lighting systems efficient and reliable.

To view Maintenance of Airport Visual Aid Facilities: 150/5340-26C

The New Snow and Ice Control Plan (SICP)

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Snow and ice are two of the most serious contaminants for airport runways. Airports have strict processes for how they assess the safety of their runways when these contaminants are present. However, their carefully planned processes will need to change soon.

In the latest news from the FAA, all Part 139 certified airports must revise their Snow and Ice Control Plan (SICP). This change in FAA policy affects airports that conduct snow operations. The deadline for the SICP revisions is here. The FAA requested all submissions by September 1, 2016. The revised SICPs are expected to be put in effect October 1, 2016.

AC 150/5200-30D, released by the FAA on July 29, 2016, explains the proposed changes that airport operators will have to make in their SICP. Luckily for airports, many of the proposed changes are not major. The biggest change is the addition of RCAM.

RCAM, or Runway Condition Assessment Matrix, is, “the method by which an airport operator reports a runway surface assessment when contaminants are present.” RCAM is designed to be a simpler method of reporting runway conditions. For example, the assessment of the slipperiness of the runway are no longer reported in Mu measurements. In RCAM, the observed contaminants on the runway are assigned numeric values, called Runway Condition Codes (RwyCC). These codes are then reported to pilots.

With the winter snowfall coming up soon and the deadline for new SICP implementation having passed, Part 139 certified airports will have to adjust quickly to meet the new guidelines.

One option available to airports for the management of these new requirements is the use of software. With software, the data reported by airport operators will be intuitively managed to meet the new requirements. Additionally, software can include the capability to analyze and provide insight into past trends. Furthermore, airports can keep their carefully planned processes of assessment. Software can intelligently replicate each airport’s specific process. Airports can find software that operates in this manner beneficial, especially in light of these new regulatory requirements.

To view AC 150/5200-30D:

http://www.faa.gov/documentLibrary/media/Advisory_Circular/150-5200-30D.pdf

 

The Optimum Option for Airport Lease Management

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At many airports, unused property and buildings can often be leased and incorporated into the airport with parking lots, car rental agencies, concession stands, and private hangars. These leases are one of the most reliable and consistent sources of revenue for airports. However, keeping track of all the details of each lease is often the biggest challenge. Every aspect of each lease is subject to change, so it is crucial for airports to keep careful and updated records.

Some airports keep their lease records manually, on paper or with Word and Excel spreadsheets. In fact, smaller airports may have only one staff member to manage all of the airport’s leases. The massive amounts of paperwork make keeping all lease information accurate and up to date very difficult and time consuming. When records fall behind, leases expire, tenants leave and properties remain empty.  Empty properties still have to be maintained, and  when they don’t bring in revenue, airports lose money.

Automating the process of lease management is a great option to help airports stay on top of their leases. By switching over to lease management software, airports can gain greater insight into the conditions of their lease properties at every step of the leasing process.

In a digital, cloud-based format, all lease information becomes easily accessible and adjustable by airport staff from any device. Issues regarding the conditions of any given lease can be viewed and resolved instantly, with lease information at the airport’s fingertips at all times. Airport operators and leaseholders can be notified automatically notified in advance of expiring leases or insurance policies. Any expiring leases can be updated and renewed, and newly available airport properties can be easily tracked and leased to new tenants. The quick turnaround of leases, results in a steady or even growing revenue stream for the airport.

In short, software that can track an airport’s leases is highly convenient. It eliminates the ineffective process of going through stacks of paperwork and replaces it with just a few clicks on an intuitive software.

SMS – The Time is Now

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The aviation industry was buzzing this week with the news of the released guidelines for SMS implementation from the FAA. This Supplemental Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (SNPRM) provided clarifications, guidelines, and a timeline to what will be coming soon in SMS implementation.

The FAA has proposed that an SMS be “developed, implemented, maintained, and adhered to” at all certificated small, medium, and large hub airports, all airports with a port of entry or international designation, and airports with over 100,000 total annual operations. According to the FAA, this accounts for 268 airports operating in the United States, covering over 98% of all U.S. passenger enplanements.

It is no secret that the FAA has been planning to implement SMS requirements for some time. In fact, the first proposed rulemaking on SMS was released in October 2010. Since then, many adjustments have been made and several pilot programs have been conducted. These efforts and studies, along with industry feedback, have led the FAA to their current proposal. Many airports – including Cat X airports such as Denver International – have already implemented an SMS program to stay ahead of these forthcoming regulations.

But what exactly will an SMS need to accomplish for an airport? In short, an SMS should operate as “a management system for integrating safety activities into normal day-to-day business practices.” The four components of SMS; safety policy, safety risk management, safety assurance, and safety promotion must be addressed and integrated throughout the airport’s organization by an SMS program. In turn, this will allow airport personnel to identify and mitigate hazards and risks before they cause incidents or accidents, and plan everyday operations in a manner that enhances safety.

For airport executives, the time to act on this news is now. The FAA making significant strides toward implementing this SMS requirement. It is imperative that airport executives begin to look into these requirements and begin planning how their airports will comply with them.

To view the referenced SNPRM, click here.