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Since the beginning of Aviation, the word “cloud” has continued to be one of the most feared and respected words in Aviation. Aircraft Operations are forecasted surrounding visibility and cloud is that visibility. Today, the word “Cloud” has taken on an additional meaning in Aviation, which should no longer be feared. Cloud has been re-invented in our industry and is quickly becoming the standard for providing the backbone for Airline Operational computing systems. What does Cloud mean for you as an airline? No more large-scale data centers with lots of expensive high maintenance hardware directly connected to your Airline Operational system, and, in most cases 2 data centers running in parallel to protect you against hardware failures that could shut down your operation.

For a number of years Smart4Aviation offers its outstanding airline operational applications in the Software as a Service model backed by Amazon Web Services and already has multiple implementations worldwide. AWS offers an unparalleled set of features, including automated provisioning and installation, auto-scaling of resources, multi-data center hosting, two levels of automated failover and recovery, proactive monitoring and alerting, and point-in-time restore as well as minimum downtime upgrades amongst others.

We are delighted to announce that Smart4Aviation has officially become a validated AWS Technology Partner as our Smart SUITE operational solutions have been successfully reviewed as a part of the AWS Foundational Technical Review (FTR) program. Our airline operational suite of products earned its Qualified Software solution status. The FTR provides specific guidelines to adopt a subset of AWS best practices to reduce risks around security, reliability, and operational excellence, as defined by the AWS Well-Architected Framework.

Smart4Aviation’s SaaS solution offers complete peace of mind to our airline partners, enabling them to focus on what is truly important: Customers. Cost is the biggest motivator for choosing the Cloud. At Smart4Aviation we use PostgreSQL for our AWS Cloud-based Data Management. Because we demand the best we use PostgreSQL, the leader in open-source data management with a proven record of significantly reducing costs and allowing for the elimination of other expensive 3rd party solutions. We provide fast implementation both initially and for future upgrades and new technology enhancements. We do all the work, allowing you to focus on your core business of running your airline. The Cloud has no limitations or size restrictions eliminating the need to add expensive hardware upgrades as your airline grows. Smart4Aviation becomes the airline’s IT service department allowing them to experience many resource allocation benefits that are immediately realized with Smart4Aviation managing the airline’s IT infrastructure. We are also 100% responsible for system maintenance providing a 24/7 central service desk.

Migrating to the Cloud helps businesses achieve digital transformation by boosting agility, enabling broader use of advanced technologies, and facilitating culture change. Combined with flexible payments as well as a range of sizing and deployment options Smart4Aviaiton offers a complete IT solution to airline of any size and budget.

Let Smart4Aviation take your airline to the AWS Cloud with our innovative operational solutions and IT management opportunities!

At a glance

• New start-up airline in India with impressive growth plans
• Individualised implementation strategy for a swift start of operations
• Cloud hosting provided by Swiss-AS
• Successful go-live after only three months project

AMOS with strong footprint in India

When Akasa Air was searching the market for an MRO software solution that would meet their requirements, the airline had two major criteria to be considered:

• Start of commercial operation was planned for summer 2022 and the new software needed to support the airworthiness management of the fleet.
• The start-up has 72 Boeing 737 MAX on order and plans to have completed the inductions of the ordered aircraft by 2027, being the reason why the desired software must be scalable and capable to support fleet growth without adding complexity.

Due to these two reasons, the airline was looking for a partner who could develop a strategy tailored to Akasa Air, with the objective to initially support a timely go-live and, in a second phase, to increase the usage of the software functionalities and the automation of the processes.

The implementation has just been finalised after just three months of project work with a successful go-live – on time with the operational start of their first B737 MAX.

The timely operational start of AMOS was possible due to:

• As a start-up company with brand-new aircraft, only minor data transfer is required, a process that is often the deciding factor of the project duration and
• the broad AMOS experience of the project team.

The Akasa Air team relies on Swiss-AS’ cloud hosting service. The AMOS cloud hosting package, combined with AOS (management of application and database server), provides the customer with a fully cloud-hosted AMOS environment and ideal operating conditions to benefit from the full potential of AMOS. This option relieves Akasa Air of the need to operate a technical infrastructure on premise and provides an attractive and cost-effective alternative – being the perfect setup for a start-up airline.

About Swiss AviationSoftware and AMOS

AMOS is a comprehensive, fully-integrated MRO software solution being developed and distributed by Swiss AviationSoftware. Swiss-AS, a 100% subsidiary of Swiss International Air Lines has more than 200 customers worldwide and belongs to the industry-leading MRO software providers. Our loyal customer base includes pure operators of all sizes, major low-cost, regional and flag carriers, large airline groups and MRO providers. In the Americas and in Asia, AMOS is distributed through a partnership with Lufthansa Systems. For more information, please contact us via marketing@swiss-as.com.

Every year ahead of the monsoon in the South-South East Asia region, several airports prepare their runways for the heavy rains they experience from June onward. The monsoon season is a great challenge for airports especially for the ones where domestic traffic is picking back up post Covid-19. The weather conditions during the monsoon season can significantly affect the safety of the operations as well as the operating costs. The monsoon, which is characterized by frequent and significant episodes of thunderstorms and heavy rain, has an impact on visibility, wind conditions and runway conditions. In case of sudden and dense rainfall and insufficient drainage, water might accumulate and operating areas of the airports might even be overflowing with water. This is what was reported by the Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) on Twitter in September 2021 “due to sudden heavy rain, for a short period, there was waterlogging at the forecourt”.

It is projected that the monsoon weather episodes will be even more challenging in the future. The research article “Robust increase of Indian monsoon rainfall and its variability under future warming in CMIP6 models” (Katzenberger, Schewe, Pongratz & Levermann, 2021), highlights the following: “The projected increase in summer monsoon rainfall in combination with the projected long-term increase in interannual variability will be accompanied by an increased number of extremely wet years and potentially more high-rainfall events”.

NAVBLUE, airline operators and the airport can join their efforts in increasing the runway condition awareness with RunwaySense.

RunwaySense is a collaborative web-based platform where airspace users share runway condition reports in real-time to enhance the runway condition awareness, and to allow the airport to anticipate and mitigate slippery conditions. RunwaySense uses unique data from A320 and A330 family aircraft provided by the Braking Action Computation Function “BACF” to accurately report the condition of the runway it has just landed on against the FAA’s Take-off and Landing Performance Assessment (TALPA) Runway Condition Assessment Matrix (RCAM). RunwaySense data is compliant with the ICAO Global Reporting Format “GRF” which came into effect on November 4, 2021.

 Key figures

• More than 1,600 aircraft committed to install BACF and more than 1,200 aircraft already flying with BACF
• More than 35,000 BACF-ACARS messages received globally per month 
• More than 20 airports have already subscribed to the RunwaySense Service

2021 South-South East Asia monsoon highlights 

In 2021, 6 different airlines issued BACF reports in South-South  East Asia. Today we count more than 200 BACF-equipped aircraft being operated by these airlines that subscribed to the RunwaySense Service.

BACF provides 2 types of measurements: 

1. Friction limited measurements are generated when the braking force is friction limited mainly in case slippery conditions are encountered on the runway and this whatever the cause of the slipperiness (e.g. ice, snow, water, rubber, sand among others). This type of measurement is made available to the flight crew in the cockpit a few seconds after the landings so that it can be used for the Pilot Report of Braking Action.
2. Non-friction limited measurements are issued when the braking force that is reached is in line with the commanded level of braking. In these cases, BACF identifies the braking action on the runway is equal or better than a given braking action level.

On 30th October 2021, the Government of India Ministry of Earth Sciences India Meteorological Department (IMD) published a press release “Salient Features of Monsoon 2021” which explains the following: “Considering month to month rainfall variation over India as a whole, the season is very uniquely placed in the historical record for its distinct and contrasting month to month variation. The rainfall over the country as a whole was 110%, 93%, 76% and 135% of Long Period Average “LPA” during June, July, August and September respectively. The IMD defines the LPA of rainfall as being the “rainfall recorded over a particular region for a given interval (like month or season) averaged over a long period like 30 years, 50 years etc”.

It is interesting to note that there is a direct correlation between the monsoon season and the rainfall figures reported by the IMD on one side and the rate of BACF friction limited measurements on the other side:

• In June 2021, the usual starting month for the monsoon season, the IMD reported that the rainfall over the country was 110% of the LPA whereas we observed an increase of 60% of the rate of BACF friction limited measurements from May to June 2021.
• In July 2021, the IMD reported that the rainfall over the country was 93% of the LPA whereas we observed a slight decrease of 7% of the rate of BACF friction limited measurements from June to July 2021.
• In August 2021, the IMD reported that the rainfall over the country was 76% of the LPA whereas we observed a decrease of 60% of the rate of BACF friction limited measurements from July to August 2021.
• In September 2021, the IMD reported that the rainfall over the country was 135% of the LPA whereas we observed an increase of 60% of the rate of BACF friction limited measurements from August to September 2021.

The highest rates of BACF friction limited measurements were observed in June and in September, the same months where the IMD reported the highest percentage of rainfall. This observation tends to show the effectiveness of BACF in detecting slippery conditions in case of heavy rainfall.

Practical example of correlation between the weather conditions evolution and the reports collected from BACF

At a given airport and on a given day during the monsoon season of 2021, the METAR data were correlated with the BACF reports.

At this airport, during the whole day, the reported temperature was oscillating between 26°C and 28°C.

• METAR – From 0:00 UTC to 4:30 UTC, light intensity rain and haze were reported.
• BACF – At 3:02 UTC, a “non-friction limited” BACF report was generated further to the landing of a BACF equipped aircraft. BACF reported that the braking action was “at least GOOD TO MEDIUM” on a 200 meters length portion of the runway.
• METAR – From 4:30 UTC, thunderstorms with heavy rain were reported.

The degradation of the weather conditions consequently led to the degradation of the braking action level measured by BACF. 2 consecutive “friction limited” reports were collected.

• BACF – At 4:29 UTC, BACF reported that the braking action was “GOOD TO MEDIUM” over a portion of about 200 meters length.
• BACF – At 4:35 UTC, BACF reported that the braking action was “MEDIUM TO POOR” over a portion of about 100 meters length. As per the ICAO RCAM (Runway Condition Assessment Matrix), a “MEDIUM TO POOR” braking action corresponds to the following criteria in terms of runway surface description: “More than 3mm depth of water: standing water”.
• METAR – At 5:00 UTC, the METAR showed thunderstorms and rain instead of heavy rain (as previously reported).
• BACF – At 5:18 UTC, BACF reported a braking action “At least GOOD TO MEDIUM” over a distance of about 300 meters.
• METAR – At 5:30 UTC and 6:00 UTC, thunderstorms and heavy rain were reported again associated with gusting wind up to 16 knots.

At 6:12 UTC a BACF equipped aircraft landed without generating any BACF report. The absence of report might be due to a low commanded braking force or might be linked to the improvement of the weather conditions as reported in the subsequent METARs.

• METAR – From 6:30 UTC and until 9:00 UTC thunderstorms were still present but associated with light rain.
• BACF – The next BACF report that was generated reported a braking action “GOOD TO MEDIUM” at 8:54 UTC. 
• METAR – From 9:30 UTC onward, rain and light rain were reported without any further weather event to be highlighted.
• BACF – All BACF reports that were received during the rest of the day highlighted a braking action “at least GOOD TO MEDIUM”.

What are the benefits of RunwaySense while facing the monsoon season?

During the monsoon preparation phase, the BACF data can contribute to gaining a more robust and accurate understanding of the actual runway condition with regards to its effect on the aircraft braking performance. The granularity of the BACF measurements (down to 100 meters length) can help identify some specific sub-portions of the runway that might be more specifically subject to slippery conditions under certain conditions. This might help focusing the maintenance work on some specific areas of the runway.

During the monsoon period, BACF provides real time information about the runway condition without interfering with the airport traffic. The more aircraft equipped with BACF, the more frequent the BACF reports are and ultimately, the more accurate the picture about the runway condition evolution is at any point in time. In case of sudden degradation of the weather conditions, the airport awareness of slippery conditions caused by standing water will be enhanced. And on the contrary, the airport will also gain visibility in case the runway condition is improving which will contribute to increase runways availability as well as reduce potential delays and diversions.

In the medium to long term, the BACF data are key inputs to feed and build predictive models which would help in anticipating slippery conditions even before these slippery conditions are actually present on the runway.

Master Class: 

NAVBLUE will be pleased to organize a new Master Class about RunwaySense in the course of September. During the Master Class you will learn more about the RunwaySense and how it can assist airports in monitoring runway conditions and targeting their runway clearing activities. 

In the meantime, for more information, please contact us: runwaysense@navblue.aero 

• Thai Airways as a new customer for NetLine/Plan, NetLine/Sched and SchedConnect
• 13 out of 20 Star Alliance codeshare partners now utilize SchedConnect

Raunheim / Singapore, 25 August 2022. Lufthansa Systems announces Thai Airways as a new customer of its network planning system NetLine/Plan and the schedule management solution NetLine/Sched. The carrier has also opted for SchedConnect, the Lufthansa Systems’ codeshare management and schedule distribution system. With NetLine/Plan, airlines can maximize the profitability of their route network while balancing commercial realities and operational constraints. NetLine/Sched enables the airline to measure the best commercial timings for flights with the optimum aircraft utilization while considering market condition changes and maintaining operational integrity. SchedConnect delivers efficient and automated code share management by saving significant time in daily tasks and identifying ideal and potential codeshare connections.

All applications for Thai Airways are provided as an end-to-end service in Lufthansa Systems’ Global Aviation Cloud. The security measures are certified in accordance with multiple industry standards and are regularly reviewed in audits. Lufthansa Systems is the customer’s single point of contact for the entire technology and service stack.

“We are happy to welcome Thai Airways as a valued customer of NetLine/Plan, NetLine/Sched and SchedConnect. The joint project was initiated with remarkable speed, focus and commitment by both Thai Airways and Lufthansa Systems, resulting in a swift and successful implementation”, said Tom Vandendael, Senior Vice President Regional Management and David Parrish, Vice President of Sales Southeast Asia and China from Lufthansa Systems Asia Pacific.


About Lufthansa Systems

Lufthansa Systems GmbH & Co. KG is a leading airline IT provider determined to shape the future of digital aviation. It draws its unique strengths from its ability to combine profound industry know-how with forward-looking technological expertise and has lived by its slogan “We’re into IT” for more than 25 years. A wholly-owned subsidiary of the Lufthansa Group, the company offers its more than 350 customers an extensive range of successful IT products and services for the aviation industry, many of which are market leaders. Lufthansa Systems’ pioneering portfolio covers all of an airline’s business processes – in the flight deck, in the cabin and on the ground. As a tech company and airline IT provider, Lufthansa Systems is committed to identifying its own environmental footprint and improving that of its airline customers across the globe. Headquartered in Raunheim near Frankfurt/Main, Germany, Lufthansa Systems employs around 2,400 people at its locations in 16 countries.
www.lhsystems.com

Contact
Lufthansa Systems GmbH & Co. KG
Press Office
Ansgar Lübbehusen
Tel.: +49 (0)69 696 90776
E-Mail: publicrelations@LHsystems.com
www.LHsystems.com

eTT Aviation https://ettaviation.com/ and Empire Airlines https://empireairlines.com/ recently announced that Empire has fully implemented eTT’s SkedFlex Flight Planning system into production for dispatching flights under 14 CFR part 121, adding another eTT product to their operation.

Fully integrated with the SkedFlex Air Operations Suite, SkedFlex Flight Planning is a Next-generation Flight Planning System that is highly configurable, providing the ability for Flight Planners and Dispatchers to set up their environment to accommodate their own processes and workflow. Using the latest technology and algorithms SkedFlex Flight Planning is designed to find the optimum route and altitude profile for your flight to ensure you are operating in the most cost-effective way.

Dan Perich Dispatch & Scheduling Manager at Empire Airlines stated: ‘When we decided to replace our flight planning system, eTT was the first company that we considered due to our long-standing relationship with them.

We were happy to take on the role of launch customer as we were comfortable with the outstanding technology and customer service that we have always received from eTT. During the implementation and acceptance testing we were impressed with the ease of setting up and configuring the system along with the accuracy of the flight plans being calculated. Now, dispatching our 121 flights is much easier and faster and the results are more accurate than ever before.’

‘We purchased Eagle Cap Software in 2020 to round out the SkedFlex Air Operations suite by adding themission critical element of flight planning and dispatching.” said Tom LaJoie, eTT CEO. ‘We were thrilled that Empire partnered with us to help finish what the Eagle Cap guys created to meet the needs of the US Domestic market. We’re now enhancing SkedFlex Flight Planning to meet the requirements of the long haul and international operators.’

About eTT Aviation
eTripTrader, Inc. (dba eTT Aviation) has been in business over 20 years and is a service-disabled veteran-owned small business (SDVOSB) headquartered in Boise, Idaho. eTT specializes in scalable aviation flight and crew management, flight planning and dispatch, maintenance, accounting, inventory, HR, and management information solutions that revolutionize the way airlines achieve scheduling flexibility, compliance and control, all while steadfastly adhering to its core values of being Accountable, Ambitious, Ethical, having a Positive Attitude, and always Ready to Help.

For more information: www.ettaviation.com
Contact: Dana Knight, dana.knight@ettaviation.com

About Empire Airlines
Empire Airlines is a 44-year-old company located in Hayden, Idaho. The company started out as a passenger carrier, but is now primarily a commercial cargo carrier operating for FEDEX. Empire Holdings, Inc. owns Empire Airlines, Inc., Empire Aerospace, LLC, and Empire Unmanned. With a “We can do that!” attitude, the company has approximately 400 employees. Some of Empire Airlines’ core competencies include: building and repairing aircraft, training and educating flight crews and mechanics, air cargo services, the mentoring of startup airline companies, and commercial UAS/UAV
services to several industries. The Empire family of companies is dedicated to sustainability and giving back to the community, and the companies and their employees are very active in community programs.

CAIRO, EGYPT: Egypt’s 2^nd largest carrier, AlMasria Universal Airlines, has selected Rusada’s ENVISION software to unify its airworthiness, maintenance, and flight operations.

From its base in Cairo, AlMasria serves destinations across North Africa, Europe, and the Middle East with a growing fleet of Airbus A320s and Boeing 737s.

To achieve greater efficiency and cooperation during their planned growth, AlMasria will adopt Rusada’s ENVISION software to manage an array of activities through one solution. Modules to be implemented include Fleet Management for airworthiness, Operations Control for flight ops, Base & Line Maintenance, and Inventory Management.

Rusada’s in-house implementation teams will deploy each module in a staged approach to ensure a seamless transition for AlMasria.

Julian Stourton, CEO at Rusada said:

“I am very pleased to be working with yet another fast-growing airline who understands the value our software can bring. AlMasria have been incredibly forward-thinking in this regard, and this proactive approach ensures they have a system that grows with their fleet, rather than having to play catch-up later down the line.”

About Rusada

Rusada is a leading provider of aviation software with over 35 years of experience in the industry. Its ENVISION software manages over 2,000 fixed and rotary wing aircraft for 150 operators, maintainers, and manufacturers in 45+ countries. With its headquarters in Switzerland and offices in the USA, UK, UAE, India, Singapore, and Australia, Rusada provides global support for a global industry.

Specialising in the management of airworthiness, maintenance, and flight operations, ENVISION is developed solely for aviation. Its modern, web-based platform features a suite of integrated modules, enhanced by a series of native mobile apps. ENVISION’s easy-to-use interface provides users with clear, actionable information, enabling processes to be carried out quickly and efficiently, and all without the need for paper or spreadsheets.

Media Contact

Chris Prior
Marketing Manager
chris.prior@rusada.com

+44 (0) 1295 231619

Dallas, TX, United States – August 03, 2022 – Global aviation software provider Ramco Systems Corporation, USA (RSC) is continuing to expand its footprint into the North American defense market. With the recent establishment of its U.S. based, wholly owned subsidiary – Ramco Systems Defense and Security Incorporated (RSDSI), the company announced the opening of new offices for RSDSI in Dallas and Washington D.C.

Having witnessed significant growth in the U.S. defense segment, Ramco Systems Corporation is serving major U.S. defense prime contractors providing services across the Department of Defense, ranging from depot maintenance, aircraft fleet management for In-Service aircraft, Government facility management, adversary air services and pilot training, logistics and sustainment support for aircraft in the field, and MRO activities with its aviation MRO software. With RSDSI the company will now be well positioned and equipped to support the existing and new U.S. Defense and Security customers.

As part of the new defense entity, Ramco has hired U.S. military and U.S. defense industry veterans to lead the defense focused organization. Robert Sprigg (USN RADM ret.) leads as the President of RSDSI, and Rod Rodríguez (USAF Lt Col ret.) joins as Vice President of Business Development. These leaders bring a wealth of experience from their U.S. military service and various positions in the U.S. defense industry leadership at the SVP, C-Suite, President and CEO levels.

Manoj Kumar Singh, President Ramco Systems Corporation, USA, & Chief Customer Officer – Aviation, Aerospace & Defense, Ramco Systems, said, “The formation of the Defense & Security organization is a major milestone for Ramco Aviation, and a key structural investment for our growth in the U.S. Defense market. There is a clear realization in the market that while the security and defense compliance of the software is critical for entry into this segment, the real value comes from the functional and technical richness of the software that directly impacts the end goal of the U.S. military – mission readiness of its aircraft fleet. This is where Ramco’s unique differentiation comes in. We are excited to have Robert Sprigg and Rod Rodríguez lead our defense organization’s growth and our future contributions to the U.S. Defense and Security community.”

Ramco Aviation, Aerospace & Defense (AAD) Software is trusted by 24,000+ users to manage 4,000+ aircraft globally. With 80+ Aviation organizations onboard, Ramco is the solution of choice for top heli-operators, leading defense companies, space launch vehicles, UAS/Drones, eVTOL and multiple MROs around the world. Available on cloud and mobile, Ramco AAD Software provides accessibility with ‘Anywhere Apps’, significantly reducing transaction time both during aircraft-on-ground (AOG) conditions and critical aircraft turnarounds. Ramco is changing the paradigm of enterprise software with Artificial Intelligence based solutions, powered by new features such as digital task cards, offline capability, chatbots, mail bots, HUBs and cognitive solutions.

Vistair, a leading software and technology company that drives operational efficiencies for aviation organisations, is pleased to announce that Kuwait Airways Company (KAC) has selected their DocuNet solution to accelerate digital transformation across Flight Operations.

Kuwait Airways launched a program to focus on maximising efficiency, and to sustain growth while increasing returns. KAC has selected Vistair’s DocuNet to digitally transform the editing, publishing and distribution of manuals and forms. Leveraging a single, enterprise-wide platform for operational content to increase the efficiency of content management and distribution.

DocuNet will provide a robust centralised platform for operational and manufacturer manuals (Airbus, Boeing, and Gulfstream), leveraging the benefits of XML data, increasing compliance, and providing advanced mobility for end-users.

Capt. Yousef Al-Ali – Director Flight Operations at Kuwait Airways, stated, “Vistair’s fully managed solution offers a modern, global-ready system with high levels of both capability and stability. Working with Vistair’s specialists, we can add significantly more intelligence to our data. The innovative, streamlined system will improve efficiency for both the Technical Publications team and users of operational data across the airline.”

About Kuwait Airways Company (KAC)

Kuwait Airways Company (KAC) established in 1954 is the National Carrier of the State of Kuwait, with a fleet strength of 30 aircraft in commercial operations and 11 aircraft, specifically for VIP operations (Amiri). The fleet is deployed on routes across the Middle East, Indian Sub-Continent, South Asia, Africa, Europe, UK, and the USA. The VIP fleet operates worldwide – unscheduled and on demand. Further information is available here.

About Vistair

Vistair delivers the aviation industry’s most flexible, intelligent, and powerful document and safety management solutions that drive world class levels of operational efficiency, safety and compliance. Vistair’s comprehensive product suite, exceptional team, and unrivaled experience in both aviation management technology and advanced data services, positions Vistair as the partner of choice for 40+ aviation organizations worldwide. 

Image copyright:  Johannes Klinghardt