Author Archives: ProDIGIQ

The Case for Automation and Digitization

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The world is becoming increasingly digitized, moving away from physical stockpiles of information in favor of compact, environmentally friendly, and easily accessible data. Binders and cabinets with documents in silos, spread across an airport can now be accessed easily in one place from any device – off or on the airport.

The time is ripe for airports to consider the benefits of transitioning to an automated system. Inaction can cost an airport more than the price of an automated system, even if the upfront cost seems higher. This concept is important for any business or government entity but especially applies to the complex operations at airports. If airport operations are unable to access critical data in real time, on top of the obvious losses are hidden losses. Even when operations appear to be working as intended, there are always explicit and implicit costs that should be considered.

Airports track explicit costs – which are easily quantified – like the upfront cost of a FIDS system. The hidden or implicit costs are usually more difficult to track but are still an expense nonetheless. Implicit costs are the time that could have been spent elsewhere, potential hours lost, possibilities missed, and dangerous situations left unchecked.

Digitization and automation of timely manual processes are the keys to eliminating an immediate source of implicit losses through real-time interactions. Filing paperwork takes a lot of time and searching through the documents can be even more time consuming. Not having access to these documents when decisions need to be made can further complicate the process by duplication of efforts, such as multiple work orders filed for the same discrepancy. Bringing these to an online system makes all aspects of operations easier, organized, and cost effective – and environmentally friendly as well.

Digitizing information makes it significantly easier to access and organize critical information as well. Airfield inspections can be done from a smartphone out on the tarmac; maintenance can be aware of an airside work order as soon as operations inspector notes the discrepancy; and management efforts can be recorded from the site and read in the office simultaneously. Efficiency is reached when multiple people can access the same records on the same portal, from various devices and locations in the airport.

While digitization helps reduce time and resources by streamlining records, automation helps reduce duplication of efforts. At many airports, the lack of real-time access to relevant data causes airport staff to re-issue a work order or attend to a matter that was already addressed in a prior shift. Automation also aids in communication within and between airport departments. Automated emails have replaced calls to other departments to notify them of an issue, such as a work order. This is not only a time-saving tool but also a valuable communication medium. It keeps all relevant parties constantly on top of critical issues at the airport.

Processes currently done manually will become much more efficient and cost-effective when automated, and allow staff to focus on critical issues affecting the airport. Different airports will have different needs and budgets – but for any airport considering a system to automate their processes, the cost of inaction may very well far exceed the upfront cost of procuring a system.

The Importance of a Website

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Websites are growing greatly in importance all around the world – and with the growth of smartphones and other web-accessible devices, it is critical for airports to make sure their online presence soars to the top.

Nearly two-thirds of American adults and a staggering 85% of young adults own a smartphone now, according to a study released in April 2015 by the Pew Research Center. This number is rapidly increasing, and it covers all demographics. People young and old, across all genders, races, and financial situations own smartphones. Any remaining divides between demographics is rapidly diminishing, leaving smartphones in the massive majority.

Having established the prevalence of smartphone ownership in the United States, it is important to see how these mobile devices are utilized. According to the Pew Research Center, 97% of smartphone owners 18-29 years old, and 90% of users 30-49 years old use their phone to browse the Internet. This is a massive amount of people browsing on their phone, demonstrating the importance of having a responsive website for every airport.

With the prevalence of mobile devices taking off, it is increasingly important to ensure that your website is designed to be viewed on a variety of devices. If people can’t use their device to browse a website and find what they need, it’ll cause frustration. This frustration can keep people from returning to your airport’s website – and worse yet, to vent this frustration on social media. A website needs to be a medium to connect with passengers and make them feel good about guiding their travel through your airport, as the web is now where first impressions are often made.

To establish positive rapport with travellers and enhance the credibility of your airport’s brand, the website cannot just be responsive and usable across multiple devices – it has to be visually pleasing, easy to browse, and directed at the demographic you want to connect with. Making it viewable across all devices will mean nothing if it isn’t laid out in a way people can quickly and easily find the information they want.

A website in the modern day is the ultimate way an airport can proudly display their brand and ideals, and where most people will see it. It is a powerful marketing tool that needs to be effectively utilized, and proper optimization will greatly increase the airport’s visibility, bring new passengers, and keep frequent fliers coming back.

Airports need to take to the times and have a well-designed, optimized, and responsive website to ensure they can soar to new heights.

The Internet of Things spreads to Airports

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Technology is rapidly spreading across the world. As it improves, devices begin to spin a complex web of communication that is continually growing more complicated and integrated with other technologies – a resource that is yet to be fully utilized by airports, but could be used to great success in many fields of operations, from easing management stress to improving the passenger experience.

This concept, called the Internet of Things (IoT), is an interconnected network of physical electronics which all communicate with each other. This data is shared and spread across devices to enable the applications and technology to better serve the user. For example, a Wi-Fi-enabled thermostat or garage opener can send data to and work with your computer, phone and even smart watch.

This concept is beginning to take form in airports as well, especially as technologies advance. Passengers and employees can use wearable technology in the form of Google Glass and the Apple Watch alike to ease travel and operations. Passengers can wave their smart device over a terminal instead of carrying a ticket and waiting in line; Google Glass can guide employees and staff through other devices towards problem areas or to help passengers, and much more.

The use of these technologies is only the tip of the iceberg that is the Internet of Things. In order to create a future of integration and growth of communicating electronics, more freedom to grow needs to be given and safety of the devices needs to be ensured. This is especially important to consider its use of at airports, as the proper application of technology can heighten safety and greatly improve the travel experience.

Advancement in biometric security could release the need for even passengers to have devices or papers. Cutting edge surveillance coupled with devices could detect threats and inform staff before employees and passengers can even notice. iBeacons placed around the airport can guide travellers to their destination, to deals at stores or airport events across the property; or it can guide staff to problem areas, passengers in need of direction, or to the proper locations in the event of an emergency.

Safety is a concern if the Internet of Things is not properly applied and secured. With so many disparate devices sending data back and forth, we need to ensure that the information is protected. Similarly with Uber and Lyft, regulations need to be put in place to ensure passenger safety on top of the convenience the applications grant. But that is only one step towards a brighter future. As long as these technologies are properly secured and implemented, airports will be able to use them to great success.

It is time to discard old business models and join the web of ever-improving technology, ensuring that airports can continually improve operations and the passenger experience.

Software as a Service taking Airports to the Cloud

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The world works at blinding speeds with advancements in technology, and airports aren’t slowing down either. Software and applications of today should be delivered and work at the same speeds, ensuring the aviation industry can keep pace.

Software has been sold with a license and up-front cost and has been received as either a physical copy or digital download. Software as a Service (SaaS) is a new model in business that is growing in popularity compared to the traditional methods.

It is a change in the way the software is sold, maintained and accessed. The software is licensed and delivered on a subscription basis and is centrally hosted by the SaaS provider. It is also known as the “Cloud” model because there is no need to physically or indirectly distribute the service, and it can be accessed instantly.

There are a number of characteristics that generally make up Software as a Service. The software is highly customizable, configurable and is often updated more frequently than traditional software. Updates are implemented and released by the SaaS provider, as needed with minimal disruption to the end-users.

Airports need services they can count on to ensure operations run smoothly, and airport personnel need to be able to share real-time information. Software as a Service encourages this through interfaces that operate over wide area networks, allowing for employees and staff to always have access to what is needed with real-time information.

Software as a Service also allows airports the flexibility to get only the software components they need and scale as their needs evolve and grow. Specialized hardware doesn’t need to be bought and installed to run the software – the software is maintained without intervention and delivered over the Internet. This means adding more capabilities is often a breeze.

Support, backups, and maintenance are taken care of by the provider, relieving the airport staff of maintaining, supporting and updating the infrastructure. These inherent traits of SaaS make it a suitable solution for airports, given the complexity of airport operations and the cost cutting that is making internal IT resources scarce.

Software as a Service is the answer for keeping pace with technology, especially in the Aviation Industry. It is time for airports to harness its full potential and take off to the Cloud.

Safety Management System Deficiencies

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Safety is paramount when it comes to aviation operations. The many regulations and systems make it the secure structure the aviation industry is now.

But the industry is still relatively young in regards to travel. Slowly it is changing from the ineffective reactive strategies of the past to the proactive planning of the future.

Argus Pros audits and examines many facets of the aviation industry, and one of their yearly releases examines Safety Management System (SMS) deficiencies. A total of 84 audits were done for the year of 2014, and Argus Pros found a number of areas with high deficiency probability within the realms of an SMS.

The three worst areas in terms of errors were the Internal Evaluation Programs (IEP), Risk Assessment, and Safety Management System Training. The three all had a deficiency probability above 67 percent, with IEP being the highest at 81 percent. The remaining areas of SMS almost all had a deficiency probability over 33 percent, with only five of the listed fifteen areas having below that.

For each deficiency, multiple solutions and strategies were put forward to help those who were lacking in the specific areas.

Argus Pros found a few ways to improve the Internal Evaluation Program. They suggest that all the processes involved be documented thoroughly, all auditors to be properly trained in their duties, and everything is operated following the Safety Management System manual.

The deficiencies in Risk Assessment can be remedied through the proper application of strategies when new changes are made to the company, environment, procedures or even the current level of risk, according to Argus Pros. In turn, organization policy may change or new procedures could be created due to Risk Assessment.

Safety Management System Training would ensure th¬at all employees are properly trained in how to use and utilize all the aspects of Safety Management Systems. Annual safety training for employees is necessary, according to Argus Pros. Training should include how to perform root cause analysis, the staff needs to be aware of how to investigate aircraft accidents, report, and track hazards and always perform risk assessment and analysis.

Training for such should be done right away and regularly, either in a class, through the Internet or another venue. This will ensure that everybody is trained to guideline and industry standards and are capable employees.

These numbers may seem frightening at first, but the fact that we know of the deficiencies will allow us to work towards a better future. A more structured safety system is also being pushed to the forefront with new rulings coming into effect, such as the ruling passed by the FAA requiring 14 CRF Part 121 air carriers to implement a Safety Management System under their rules and regulations.

These changes point towards an ultimately brighter and safer future of aviation as the systems mature into using proactive methods instead of reactive ones – ensuring that flights will be as safe as can be for all travellers throughout the year.

For more information, click here read the 2014 Safety Management System Audit results that Argus Pros released.

The Future of Airports and Smart Technology

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The future has regularly been imagined as a place of flying cars, hoverboards, and stylish steel furniture – but the future is arriving faster and more subtly than some would expect.

We have glasses that can record video, read news, browse the internet and check the weather without touching a thing. Systems to identify you just by staring into a camera, putting your finger on a pad, or waving your hand through a machine. The devices of the future are what we have today.

A lot of convenient smart devices have been manufactured over the years, and the wearable devices may soon rise in popularity alongside smartphones. Google Glass and the soon-to-be-released Apple Watch are among the top recognized of the wearable devices. Other similar products have been released, but they haven’t been nearly as much in the spotlight as these two.

A variety of biometric identification has also been developed over the recent years. Complex facial recognition software and systems have been developed, along with the traditionally imagined retina and fingerprint scanners of the future. These systems can be used to speed up and simplify all the processes that are part of taking a flight. Retina scanners will allow you to check in and pass security; fingerprint scanners let you check in your luggage and shop as you wait; facial recognition cameras to track your travels through the airport and make sure you arrive on time – sending messages straight to your smart devices telling you where you need to go and when.

Even more complex and unique systems are being designed to identify people – Everything from wristbands that measure a person’s unique Electro Cardiogram signature, to systems that scan the veins in a person’s palm. As these technologies advance, the public use of them may increase due to the ease of use that many of them can grant. The possibilities are nearly limitless once the technology and infrastructure are in place.

What do these technologies mean for passengers and airports?

Passengers soon won’t have to worry about many items if biometrics and smart devices are utilized properly. Boarding passes can already be held on a smartphone, and soon will be able to be put on smart watches as well. Facial recognition software could recognize people already classified as threats, or let the average traveler breeze through checkpoints. Security and ease of use would be the ultimate goals of these technologies.

Some airports have already set up Bluetooth technology to guide travelers through the airports with alerts – informing them where and when their baggage will be dropped off and how long it will take for them to get there. They can also for targeted advertising. Someone walking past a store in an airport will get an alert on sales going on inside the store, and there are even more possibilities with devices constantly being released.

This technology and similar ones could be used to guide and alert staff as well. If there’s an accident that needs tending to, the closest employee can be directed to it without disrupting the flow of work for other employees. Both passenger and staff applications for technologies that ease the flow of travel and work will be great

As devices are refined and introduced into daily life, they could be applied to many aspects of airport and aviation operations.

Worries about security and the flow of private information

There are a number of concerns that people have with this growth of biometrics – images of criminal investigation TV, spy movies and dystopian futures distorting the use of appliances like this with the fantasy of films. But there are legitimate concerns with any new method of data collection and identification.

Security is the goal of biometrics – finding a unique way for someone to identify themselves readily. But what if a way is found to fake the inputs? What if a device of yours is stolen with this unique data inside? A concrete way of defending this data from ill use is paramount to biometric identification becoming a true future.

Even when the security is top of the line, there is a worry of how this personal data will be used. Individuals will want to know who will have access to what information on them. Transparency is key to allowing this information to be used and ease the fears that people may have.

Aside from these worries, the prospects of new smart technology and biometrics are looking bright and brighter, becoming the future we’ve imagined in the past. Watches that act as phones and monitor our exercise and movement for the day, tap out messages to send away, and glasses that grant us access to the Internet. The future is truly approaching at fast speeds.

Part 121 Air Carriers will now need a Safety Management System

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This final ruling by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requires all authorized Part 121 air carriers to create and put into place a safety management system (SMS).

The rule came into effect on March 9th, 2015 and requires Part 121 Air Carriers to begin the process of planning and implementing an SMS. Within six months of the date, air carriers will need to submit their implementation plan to the FAA; then within three years of the same date, have it operating.

The FAA put this ruling into place as part of a concerted effort to improve the safety of air transportation and change the industry’s reactive attitude towards safety into a proactive one.

According to the FAA, the commercial air carrier accident rate has decreased by a great amount in the United States over the past decade – but the FAA discovered a trend of what could have been preventable hazards and accidents. Spurred on by this, part 121 air carrier’s must submit an implementation plan within six months of the final ruling, and implement the SMS proposed by the end of this three-year period.

What goes into a Safety Management System?:

The Safety Management System must have the four major components: safety policy, safety risk management, safety assurance, and safety promotion. These four parts must be fulfilled in order to have a functioning and proper SMS.

Safety Policy requires the air carrier to define safety objectives and commit towards reaching them. It also calls for the designation of an accountable executive who is responsible for the safety performance and management of its operations. This executive and a sufficient management staff will be responsible for the organization, integration, implementation and maintenance of the safety management system.

The safety risk management component is fairly straightforward. It requires air carriers to develop a process of analyzing existing and potential systems, and identify hazards that might impact operations. Once they’re identified, the risk and the possibility is analyzed to determine if it’s an acceptable safety risk or not. If it is not, then methods of risk control must be implemented.

Safety assurance is the method through which “the air carrier will develop and implement processes to monitor the safety performance of its aviation operations,” according to the FAA. It is designed to be a way to monitor and audit operational processes, investigate incidents and accidents, and allow for confidential reporting of hazards and new safety improvements.

Safety promotion is the training of employees and managers to develop the tools needed to communicate necessary safety information. Involvement of employees is vital to the success of an air carrier’s safety management system. Employees must know their responsibilities and duties, and be trained in everything relevant to the safety performance of the air carrier. They must also be made aware of any information resulting from various safety management system analyzes.

The cost of implementing the rule is estimated to be $135.1 million dollars over ten years, but the benefits could be anywhere from $104.9 to $241.9 million dollars across the decade. The benefits depend heavily on the mitigation costs, but they are difficult to quantify.

The FAA has adopted the final rule with a number of minor modifications based on comments. Some of the important changes are as follows:

Scalability:

Scalability was addressed – though the rule was not limited as suggested. The FAA recognized the impact that the rule could make on small businesses. The FAA designed the requirements to be applicable to all air carriers, making sure that all sizes, scopes, complexities and types were covered. 14 CFR 5.3 was revised in order to fit these changes.

Scope:

A number of entities asserted that the rule was too broad and would reach beyond the Federal Aviation Administration’s oversight authority. Commenters suggested that the rule be revised in such a way to limit SMS to areas that would only directly affect aviation activities. The FAA took the comments into account and limited it as such.

The FAA acknowledged that some airports may only use their safety management systems on the narrow range where it is required, and others may expand it beyond that. If an air carrier decides to expand, the FAA will continue to only oversee SMS related activities in accordance with the provision.

Protection of Information under FOIA:

Sixteen organizations raised concerns about SMS data not being protected from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act. The consequence would be that the Federal Aviation Administration’s oversight would be compromised because of the lack of data being submitted to them. Commenters said that the protection of data is vital to ensuring the free-flow of information with the FAA.

The FAA noted that there are already protections afforded to voluntarily submitted reports, data and such under Public Law 112-95 (the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012) – as long as it has been produced or collected to develop and implement a safety management system.

Enforcement:

The FAA was asked to publish its plan for compliance and enforcement. The FAA stated that each SMS would be uniquely designed to meet the needs and wants of each air carrier. Determining compliance will depend on what is needed in each case – meaning discretion will be exercised in deciding how to enact enforcement.

The FAA also acknowledged that a fundamental concept of safety management system is for the air carriers to identify and correct their own noncompliance – which is not a new concept with FAA policy.

There are many more items that were discussed and addressed in the comments and by the FAA – so if these are of interest or affect you, read on in the full final ruling on the topic issued by the FAA here. (January 2015)

Resource Library: SMS Collection 3

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ACRP Synthesis 37:

The Airport Cooperative Research Program’s (ACRP) Synthesis 37 is a collection of lessons learned from Airport Safety Management System (SMS) Pilot Studies.

The goal of the synthesis was to provide U.S. Part 139 airport operators with data and experiences that were learned through the pilot studies, but the lessons could certainly be applied to airports that are safety-minded.

The synthesis covered the management of the pilot program, all findings related to the components of SMS and lessons learned from them, along with challenges and benefits to an SMS with conclusions and trends.

For more information, read the ACRP Synthesis 37. (March 2012)

FAA Office of Airports SMS Desk Reference:

In 2012, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Office of Airports released the Safety Management Systems (SMS) Desk Reference. It’s a massive collection of all the information pertinent to SMS as of 2012.

The Desk Reference is written as a supplement to FAA Order 5200.11 by bringing to light the necessary requirements needed to implement an airport SMS. The reference mostly covers the procedures needed to bring all the components of SMS in line with Safety Risk Management (SRM).

There are a number of sections on general SMS guidance, one on the FAA, airport and state roles and responsibilities when implementing SMS, FAA Airport (ARP) specific implementation of SRM, funding for ARP SRM activities, a description of the ARP SRM Tracking System (SRMTS), and a description of ARP SMS Safety Assurance and Promotion.

For more information, read the FAA Office of Airports Safety Management System (SMS) Desk Reference. (June 2012)

Resource Library: SMS Collection 2

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ACRP Report I, Volume II:

The Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP) Report I, Volume II is aimed towards airport operators and others responsible for organizing any Safety Management Systems (SMS) at an airport.

It is a guidebook that expands on the information in ACRP Report I, Volume I, thoroughly detailing the components of the system and presenting all the information needed to perform all the necessary SMS tasks.

The chapters within cover the basics of Airport SMS, how to get started, implementing SMS at an airport, Safety Risk Management, and finally the continuous operation of SMS.

Though the Guidebook was published in 2009, and though the final FAA guidance has not been released and could change, it can still be a good resource for those wanting to learn more.

For more information, read the ACRP Report I, Volume 2: Guidebook. (June 2009)

Roundtable Review Nov. 2011 of Part 139 Implementation Studies:

Through Gap Analysis, a number of airports have begun adopting implementation of Safety Management Systems (SMS) after the original pilot studies. They began to identify what components needed to be added on top of what had already been in place.

The goal of the Implementation Studies was to determine what methods and policies were best for the adoption of Safety Policy, Safety Risk Management (SRM), Safety Assurance and Safety Promotion.

The fourteen airports that participated in this study applied the changes necessary through a few different methods, but came together and decided on changes that needed to be made before full implementation of SMS at airports.

To read the full study and their conclusions, download the Part 139 Safety Management System (SMS) Implementation Study’s November 2011 Roundtable Meeting Summary. (November 2011)

Big Data in the Aviation Industry

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Information is always flying in and out of our hands in this modern age – but to really take advantage of this flood of big data, it has to be grasped and analyzed so proper decision-making strategies can be used.

Relation to Aviation Industry:

The handling and understanding of big data is of growing importance for the aviation industry. With a growing traveller demographic, airports will have more and more information to deal with. It will be important to know everything from enplanements, revenue streams and maintenance activity to productivity analysis, security and growth drivers on a constant basis.

Understanding of big data will help predict future trends, behaviors, increase efficiency and be ahead of the curve. This knowledge is very important with global air passenger traffic increasing by 4% yearly, and freight traffic increasing by 5.1% per annum for the next 15 years, according to the Airports Council International—meaning there will be 7 billion passengers total and 170 million tons of freight by 2020.

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BIG DATA: Information gathered by Gartner Inc. as posted by the Wall Street Journal on February 10, 2015.

Challenges of “Big Data”:

With a significant growth in airline passengers, the importance of data analysis in solving problems and predicting future events is becoming more and more apparent. Sorting through the flood of information and figuring out what is actually needed is the biggest issue of the modern age.

You need all the proper skills and capabilities, the ability to integrate multiple data sources and bring together big data technology with your existing infrastructure if you want to be able to properly understand what you’re taking in.

To draw conclusions from data you’ve collected, you also need to be very aware of your biases. If you aren’t, the interpretations of the data will be skewed and incorrect – costing precious time and money.

You also need the systems and people in place to handle and interpret the mass of data that will constantly be coming in. There needs to be thought put into what you want to figure out, how and when the information was gathered, and build tools to process the information and lay it out in an understandable manner.

Don’t let important data fly through your hands at inopportune times – learn more about data analysis and figure out how to make your airport more efficient and prepare for the near future.