Ultramains digital logbook seems on the iPad at left, alongside different cockpit shows, for pilots to digitally log all technical points earlier than, throughout and after flights. (Courtesy of Ultramain)
Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal
Albuquerque-based Ultramain Programs Inc. is changing the whole fleet at Scandinavia’s main airline to an digital software program system to digitally log and observe all technical points earlier than, throughout and after flights.
Scandinavian Airways System signed a fleetwide contract this month to interchange all its paper-based technical, cabin, journey and fueling logs with Ultramain’s digital logbook software program. That may enable pilots and cabin crews to digitally file all technical points for real-time sharing with upkeep employees on the bottom.
With about 120-plus plane in SAS’ mainline fleet, and roughly 60 extra operated by SAS subsidiaries, it’s certainly one of Ultramain’s largest contracts since earlier than the worldwide pandemic hit in early 2020, mentioned Ultramain Vice President of Product Administration John Stone.
“We’re doing the whole fleet,” Stone instructed the Journal. “It’s no small operation.”
Ultramain, a homegrown New Mexico firm that launched in 1980, started rolling out its TechLog software program system a couple of decade in the past.
Earlier than that, the corporate had already gained a considerable foothold within the aviation business with ground-based upkeep and logistics software program for monitoring and planning maintenance and restore of automobiles and different property. Gross sales of that software program system helped push firm income to $10 million by 2002, though Ultramain now not discloses its income.
Gross sales of the ground-based software program system proceed, however launch of Ultramain’s on-board digital logbook has considerably expanded its market in recent times. Since 2012, at the very least 4 main carriers have adopted it, together with Japan Airways, Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific Airways, British Airways and Air New Zealand.
The system permits airways to interchange reams of paper flight logs that pilots and crews should fill out each time they fly relating to cockpit- and cabin-related operations and points. It features a touchscreen interface that speeds communication with floor upkeep operators, permitting for sooner turnaround instances in order that plane spend extra time within the air and fewer time on the bottom between flights.
The SAS contract consists of new software program merchandise, corresponding to a just lately developed “Digital Line Checks” system to interchange paper-based upkeep verify sheets to facilitate speedy evaluation and affirmation that every one required plane checking is completed between flights, Stone mentioned.
All the digital logbook can also be now programmed to completely course of pilot and cabin-crew entries throughout flights even when the system is offline, robotically logging the information digitally as quickly as connectivity is restored.
The SAS deal displays the aviation business’s rebound for the reason that pandemic-induced downturn. Airways at the moment are scrambling to search out new work-related efficiencies, mentioned Ultramain president and CEO Mark McCausland.
“As operators return to pre-pandemic volumes, they need to take care of labor shortages,” McCausland instructed the Journal in an e mail. “Digital transformation tasks corresponding to this are a serious a part of that technique. We’re busier now than we’ve ever been, and we don’t count on this to alter anytime quickly.”
The corporate at present employs about 180 folks at a 31,000-square-foot headquarters at 8100 Lang NE in Journal Heart, and at regional workplaces within the UK, Eire, Hong Kong, India and Singapore.
