Albuquerque-based mostly Ultramain Systems Inc. is converting the entire fleet at Scandinavia’s major airline to an digital computer software technique to digitally log and observe all technological problems before, for the duration of and just after flights.
Scandinavian Airways System signed a fleetwide deal this thirty day period to switch all its paper-based mostly technological, cabin, journey and fueling logs with Ultramain’s electronic logbook program. That will let pilots and cabin crews to digitally file all technical troubles for actual-time sharing with maintenance personnel on the floor.
With about 120-furthermore plane in SAS’ mainline fleet, and roughly 60 extra operated by SAS subsidiaries, it’s one particular of Ultramain’s greatest contracts considering that prior to the world-wide pandemic hit in early 2020, explained Ultramain Vice President of Solution Management John Stone.
“We’re doing the full fleet,” Stone told the Journal. “It’s no tiny operation.”
Ultramain, a homegrown New Mexico enterprise that introduced in 1980, commenced rolling out its TechLog computer software method about a decade ago.
Just before that, the firm experienced currently acquired a considerable foothold in the aviation business with floor-primarily based maintenance and logistics software package for checking and scheduling repairs and fix of vehicles and other property. Revenue of that application program assisted force enterprise profits to $10 million by 2002, though Ultramain no extended discloses its earnings.
Profits of the floor-primarily based software program carry on, but start of Ultramain’s on-board electronic logbook has considerably expanded its market place in modern a long time. Due to the fact 2012, at minimum four big carriers have adopted it, including Japan Airways, Hong Kong-primarily based Cathay Pacific Airways, British Airways and Air New Zealand.
The procedure enables airways to switch reams of paper flight logs that pilots and crews ought to fill out each time they fly concerning cockpit- and cabin-similar functions and troubles. It features a touchscreen interface that speeds interaction with floor servicing operators, permitting for a lot quicker turnaround instances so that aircraft spend additional time in the air and considerably less time on the floor in between flights.
The SAS deal involves new software package products and solutions, these kinds of as a lately created “Electronic Line Checks” program to switch paper-centered maintenance test sheets to aid quick evaluate and confirmation that all expected aircraft examining is performed amongst flights, Stone claimed.
The overall electronic logbook is also now programmed to fully method pilot and cabin-crew entries for the duration of flights even when the program is offline, immediately logging the data digitally as before long as connectivity is restored.
The SAS deal reflects the aviation industry’s rebound given that the pandemic-induced downturn. Airlines are now scrambling to locate new do the job-linked efficiencies, reported Ultramain president and CEO Mark McCausland.
“As operators return to pre-pandemic volumes, they should deal with labor shortages,” McCausland instructed the Journal in an e mail. “Digital transformation tasks these kinds of as this are a important part of that approach. We are busier now than we have ever been, and we really don’t expect this to adjust anytime before long.”
The firm presently employs about 180 people today at a 31,000-square-foot headquarters at 8100 Lang NE in Journal Centre, and at regional places of work in the Uk, Ireland, Hong Kong, India and Singapore.