Airport IQ developed a mobile information sharing system connecting existing airport systems with mobile devices (smartphones, tablets and other wearable devices) carried by ground staff. The system provides the right information at the right place and time to the right people, making it easier for planners to make optimal use of resources.
This reduces primary and reactionary delays, improves the reliability of estimates, and allows airlines to make smarter decisions about turnaround buffers, that will be shorter than before. Airport IQ also offers a simple way to simulate turnaround activities, making it possible to run operational exercises using the same mobile tools, which will simplify and improve the quality of training, as well as providing the basis for designing longer-term improvements in ground handling processes.
The project’s objectives and results have been structured into 3 key areas:
Objective 1 (turnaround efficiency): the project increases the efficiency of the ground handing process by tracking each sub-process in real-time at the individual ground staff level; the resulting activity dashboard will allow turnaround coordinator to predict more accurately the turnaround time and to take preemptive action in case a time breach is identified in a specific sub-process, therefore reducing or eliminating reactionary delays.
Objective 2 (turnaround environmental impact): the project reduces the environmental impact of the turnaround process by minimizing aircraft holding or queuing with engines on, as well as reducing unnecessary ground movements and activation of auxiliary power units; the turnaround coordinator will be able to display an aggregate “sustainability” indicator resulting from his turnaround performance, and learn how to minimize it.
Objective 3 (turnaround staff training): the project accelerates the pace of training for ground staff by introducing mobile applications that reduce the need for paper and voice-communication, while providing user-friendly interfaces and simulation tools allowing each ground staff to understand his contribution to the economic and environmental performance of turnarounds.
