Paperless Possibilities | LARA

This article was originally published in the April/May 2023 edition of LARA Magazine

 

by Keith Mwanalushi

 

Appropriate access to maintenance data is crucial for airlines as it allows them to keep track of the maintenance and repair history of their fleet.

 

Live and up to date digital records can also aid airlines in identifying areas where they can improve their maintenance processes, such as which components or systems are most likely to fail, and address them proactively.

 

Predictive Maintenance

 

One area of particular interest is predictive maintenance which is now gaining more traction, and given that this is all based around data, having a robust system in place to manage this seems more important than ever, says Richard Landsbury, Sales Director at Rusada.

 

"Having a maintenance tracking software that can keep up with these ever-changing industry demands can bring exponential benefits, and is something airlines should consider carefully as part of their operational strategy."

 

Newer aircraft are being fitted with increasingly more advanced systems which not only transmit data back to base but can predict when faults will occur.

 

Embraer's "AHEAD" programme is a great example of this, and Landsbury from Rusada reckons it would be a shame for operators to miss out on these key advantages by having antiquated systems in the background.

 

"Our developers here at Rusada are always keeping on top of industry trends and technological advancements to make sure our flagship product ENVISION is at the forefront of what is possible and can interact and interface with these new systems to further enhance their use," he says.

 

"If a saving can be made by not grounding an aircraft, or having a part available when it otherwise wouldn't be, this is of huge benefit to operators – putting even more emphasis on having a sophisticated software solution in place."

 

Paperless Processes

 

Landsbury admits the industry's move to paperless processes, another area of interest for operators, has historically been quite slow, albeit for several justifiable reasons. However, in the last 12 months or so, he has seen an increasing openness to change.

 

"Moving to a paperless operation, especially in the maintenance hangar, can be a major change and requires a significant effort on behalf of the airline and technicians,” he says.

 

"This might seem like an expensive and laborious task. However, the benefits of this far outweigh the investment."

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