White Paper: Ramco Systems Case Study: Qantas, Ethiopian Airlines, Lufthansa Technik Vendor Job Card: VolartecColumn: ‘How I see IT’, why plug intelligent aircraft into dumb IT? plus… News, Webinars, MRO Software Directorys

V2.2 • APRIL-MAY 2013

NOT JUST AN IT UPGRADEBut a wholesale transformation of the MRO system

NEW AIRCRAFT; NEW SYSTEMSMaking a system fit for next generation aircraft

KEEPING TRACK OF PARTSGetting the right ones where

and when they’re needed

BUILDING A NEW IT MODULEAnd fitting it into an established system

Editor’s commentAircraft IT MRO: Life can get complicated but nothing that a good team, process and system can’t handle

There’s little point in me telling you that it’s Spring here in Europe because for many of our readers that information won’t relate to what they can see through their window. In the Southern hemisphere it’s Autumn, in some areas it’s raining while other places enjoy (are subject to?) all day sunshine. The point is that there is a lot of variation across the world which doesn’t affect most people and businesses because they stay in one place but airlines, aircraft operators and aircraft have to be ready for everything… and that’s not only true of the climate.

The commercial and regulatory worlds in which they operate also require them to not only cope with different climates but also to make sure that every aircraft conforms to the regulatory environment wherever it lands. Add to that the routine timed checks, scheduled maintenance, directives, updates and plain old

fashioned parts failures and the task of keeping aircraft flying begins to look quite the complex challenge that it is. Where would we be without IT?

In this issue, you’ll find high quality writing on different aspects of IT. How about not just changing your IT but lifting it right up to date and pointing it to the future; that was an implementation challenge! Or making sure that, when you add next generation aircraft to the fleet you install next generation systems to support them. Then we have an article on how to get a grip (almost literally) on the tens of thousands of parts in the spares inventory as well as how one team went about the process of designing a whole new module for an established MRO software suite. You’ll learn what makes a key software vendor tick. Plus, of course, How Michael Denis sees IT. And, as always, lots more news and information from your sector.

Knowledge, they say, is hard to come by but at Aircraft IT MRO we reject that notion in favour of our preferred nostrum that knowledge should be put before the people who can make best use of it. Read this issue and you’ll see what we mean.

As well as all that, the Aircraft IT live demonstration webinars allow readers to research the software package most appropriate for their needs and access past webinars while, of course, future webinars are open for every reader who registers.

Aircraft IT MRO: putting knowledge in the hands of people who can use it best.Ed Haskey

CLICK HERE: Send your feedback andsuggestions to AircraftIT MRO

CLICK HERE: Subscribe for freeAircraftIT MRO is published bi-monthly and is an affiliate of Aircraft Commerce and part of the AviationNextGen Ltd group. The entire contents within this publication © Copyright 2013 AviationNextGen Ltd an independent publication and not affiliated with any of the IT vendors or suppliers. Content may not be reproduced without the strict written agreement of the publisher.

The views and opinions expressed in this publication are the views of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of their companies or of the publisher. The publisher does not guarantee the source, originality, accuracy, completeness or reliability of any statement, information, data, finding, interpretation, advice, opinion, or view presented.

AircraftIT MRO Publisher/Editor: Ed Haskey E-mail: ed.haskey@aircraftit.com Telephone: +44 1403 230 700 or +44 1273 700 555 Website: www.aircraftIT.com Copy Editor/Contributor: John Hancock E-mail: john@aircraftit.com Magazine Production: Dean Cook E-mail: deancook@magazineproduction.com

04 NewsNothing stands still and especially not aircraft, their condition and the regulations that govern their operations. Now, professionals can learn about the latest developments by checking regularly on http://www.aircraftit.com/MRO/Index.aspx and here in the Aircraft IT MRO e-journal.

16 CASE STUDY: POiNt Of MaiNteNaNce acquittalMichael Killeen, Project Marlin Project Manager, Qantas EngineeringWith Project Marlin, Qantas Engineering embarked on a transformational journey; simplifying process and IT but also providing real-time maintenance certification.

20 WHITE PAPER: taMiNg the chaOsSaravanan Rajarajan, Consultant – Aviation Practice, Ramco SystemsManaging the spares inventory can get complex and always is expensive but applying intelligent methods to the task can help to avoid chaos and contain costs.

25 COLUMN: hOw i see itWhy pay billions for smart aircraft only to plug them into dumb IT?Would you have your $100,000 Porsche serviced at the corner cycle store? So why plug your $120m B787 into an IT system that can’t handle half of the data that the airliner generates? As usual, Michael Denis asks the hard questions.

26 CASE STUDY: MRO it as a key eNaBleR Of yOuR visiONMesfin Tasew, Chief Operating Officer, Ethiopian AirlinesWhen Ethiopian Airlines determined to introduce new MRO software it was in the context of a whole long term strategy of fleet renewal and process improvement.

30 Past weBiNaRs: kNOwledge tRaNsfeR aNd access fOR iNdustRy exPeRts View Video Recordings of our Past Live MRO Software Demonstration Webinars. See full information and view video recordings of recent Live MRO Software Demos, including: 2MoRO, AeroSoft, ADS and Swiss-AS.

32 WHITE PAPER: iNsight iNtO the cReatiON Of the New manage/m® weBsuite 2.0Dr. Falk Kalus, director, and Timo Herster, project manager, manage/m®What were the challenges of designing a new manage/m® WebSuite using methods of agile project management and the Scrum Framework and how did it work

37 veNdOR JOB caRdWhat keeps Volartec moving forward? John Barry shares some secrets of their success with Aircraft IT In this issue’s Q&A piece, John Barry, VP Business Development at Volartec, completes his ‘Vendor Job Card’ for Aircraft IT.

38 uPcOMiNg live MRO sOftwaRe deMONstRatiON weBiNaRsA preview of live MRO software demonstration webinar with IDMR Solutions presenting ‘InForm’ document management solution on 18th April 2013.

43 MRO sOftwaRe diRectORyA detailed look at the world’s leading MRO IT systems.

10 | News | AIRCRAFT IT MRO | APRIL-MAY 2013

INFOTRUST GROUP ADDS MOBILE SOLUTIONS FOR LINE MAINTENANCE AND FLIGHT OPERATIONS TO TECHSIGHT/x® SUITE OF PRODUCTS. TABLET SOLUTIONS DELIvER THE RIGHT INFORMATION AT THE POINT OF PERFORMANCE TO IMPROvE AIRCRAFT UTILIzATION, FACILITATE COMPLIANCE, AND CUT OPERATIONAL COSTSINFOTRUST Group announced, in mid-March 2013, the availability of its TechSight/X Mobile IETP for Line Maintenance and its native TechSight/X iPad® Application for Flight Operations. Both tablet solutions further demonstrate InfoTrust Group’s mission to help airlines deliver the right information, at the right time, to the right people. By giving line mechanics and flight crews access to the most current maintenance and flight information on mobile devices at the point of performance, airlines can improve aircraft utilization, help ensure real-time regulatory compliance, and reduce operational costs.

InfoTrust Group’s tablet solutions are designed specifically for use by aircraft mechanics and pilots. The TechSight/X Mobile IETP (Interactive Electronic Technical Publication) for Line Maintenance gives mechanics access to all of their Boeing, Airbus, Bombardier, and Embraer maintenance and engineering manuals on both iOS® and Android™ devices. Search and navigation are optimized for touch screens to minimize clicks and eliminate the need for complex searches. Mechanics can navigate complex wiring diagrams, view and order from illustrated parts catalogs (when integrated to MRO or ERP solutions), and access fault reporting and trouble-shooting manuals while at their aircraft; so they can perform maintenance faster and return aircraft to service more quickly than ever before.

The TechSight/X iPad Application for Flight Operations automatically delivers up-to-the-minute flight manuals and related company documentation to thousands of pilots dispersed across various geographies. Pilots can acknowledge updates, and the application automatically tracks and audits that acknowledgement to facilitate regulatory compliance. To make finding the right information easier, pilots can add notes, highlights, and bookmarks that are stored as part of their user profiles and that are persistent from one revision to the next, even across multiple tablet devices. Effectivity filtering also helps pilots find specific information related to the fleets and models of the aircraft they fly faster than when using paper-based manuals.

“Tablets represent a new paradigm for technical information delivery,” said Olivier Joufflineau, vice president of InfoTrust Group’s ATA Flight Operations Solutions and Services, “and InfoTrust Group is proud to be at the vanguard of the airline industry’s adoption of tablet-enabled technical information solutions.”

Both TechSight/X modules are available to existing customers as upgrades to their current TechSight/X solutions. The TechSight/X iPad Application for Flight Operations also can be purchased as a stand-alone solution.

INFOTRUST GROUP’S ISO 9001:2008 CERTIFICATION ExPANDED TO AIRLINE CHANGE SERvICES MOvING into April 2013, InfoTrust Group announced that its Airline Change Services (ACS) group, in charge of providing outsourced technical publishing services to help airlines reconcile customized airline data into revised OEM data, has been awarded ISO 9001:2008 certification. Certification of the ACS group is an expansion of InfoTrust Group’s ISO 9001:2008 certification already held by the company’s technical publishing services group and its training and documentation services group. It reflects the company’s commitment to continuously enhance customer satisfaction as well as its expertise in helping airlines ensure compliance with regulatory requirements mandated by the aviation industry.

ISO 9001:2008 certification is the most widely recognized quality requirement standard for organizations seeking to provide products and services that meet customer expectations and fulfill regulatory requirements. Working with ISO 9001:2008-certified companies can alleviate the pressure of conducting supplier audits and facilitates supplier management due to the ISO-certified supplier’s commitment to continual improvement and enhancing customer satisfaction.

“Airline Change Services fulfills critical information management functions for some of the world’s leading airlines that rely on the accuracy and timeliness of technical information,” said InfoTrust Group President and CEO Geoffrey Godet. “ISO 9001:2008 certification across not just ACS but all of our outsourced technical information services reflects the outstanding quality of information our customers expect and the standard to which our team performs.”

iNfOtRust gROuP cONtiNues tO develOP its sOlutiONs fOR the latest Needs

CLICK HERE FOR FULL SOFTWARE DETAILS AND FOR A DEMO

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Point of Maintenance acquittalWhen Qantas set out to reform its process management framework and update its IT landscape, writes Michael Killeen, Project Marlin Project Director at Qantas Engineering, it achieved a transformational force multiplier.

16 | case study: qaNtas aiRways | AIRCRAFT IT MRO | APRIL-MAY 2013

QANTAS’ AIRWAYS IS Australia’s largest domestic and international operator. Its network spans 46 countries across

Australia, Asia and the Pacific, the Americas, Europe and Africa with operations that include over 6400 flights per week domestically and over 920 flights per week internationally to over 40 destinations using a fleet of more than 150 aircraft. Furthermore, the Qantas brand reputation has been confirmed by a range of awards … • Six awards including Best First Class Cellar and Best Business Class

Cellar at 2011 in Sky Cellars Awards. • Good Design Award by the Chicago Athenaeum for the A380 First suite

and… • Australian International Design Award of the Year for the A380

Economy seat.From an engineering perspective Qantas Engineering completes about 1.6 million tasks per annum, employs over 4000 people and is making the transition to Civil Aviation Rules 1988 (similar to EASA regulations) this year:• Old CAR 30 (combined asset owner and maintainer) to be replaced by

EASA style regulatory structure comprising CAR 42 and CAR 145• Mechanical and avionics trades replaced by EASA style B1s and B2s (Cs

and A licenses to come)

FROM HERITAGE TO HTMLHowever, like many legacy operators, Qantas was confronted with the consequences of its heritage. The procedures manual, which had been developed over 90 years, comprised over 800 chapters and its Maintenance Information System was written in 3 & 4GL COBOL over 20 years ago. The broader engineering IT landscape comprised over 300 applications. Moreover the system achieved poor integration with the company’s enterprise architecture of Oracle 11i application suite.

A transformation was required but it would need to be so comprehensive and ubiquitous that it was determined it would be best achieved as a major project in its own right. As part of the enterprise transformation, Qantas embarked on a journey to reform its process management framework and update its IT landscape under the guise of ‘Project Marlin’. The process

transformation included a complete re-write of the procedures manual that not only formalised the procedural framework using a standardised taxonomy but also reduced the number of chapters in the procedures manual to 340. Whereas in the past the procedures had been disseminated via pages of wordy descriptions, the new procedures manual comprised flow charts and information mapped documents. The IT environment was completely revamped. At the core of the IT environment changes was the implementation of a new MRO IT solution, Maintenix; the old green screen environment was replaced with a completely new HTML environment in Maintenix.

APRIL-MAY 2013 | AIRCRAFT IT MRO | case study: qaNtas aiRways | 17

From a users perspective, the IT environment went from the left…

…to the display below

figure 2

“The procedures manual, which had been developed over 90 years, comprised over 800 chapters and its Maintenance Information System was written in 3 & 4GL COBOL over 20 years ago.”

18 | case study: qaNtas aiRways | AIRCRAFT IT MRO | APRIL-MAY 2013

POINT OF MAINTENANCE ACQUITTALThe vision for these reforms was ‘point of maintenance acquittal’. Under point of maintenance acquittal, the aircraft must be declared serviceable in Maintenix before it can depart — the transactions to update work performed and configuration are acquitted in real time prior to aircraft departure by the aircraft engineer that performed the work.

Whilst Qantas chose not to roll out tablets as part of Project Marlin, one should not under-estimate the effort required and the impact on its people of transferring 150 aircraft in 12 months from the legacy to the new system. In getting ready for the move to Maintenix and ‘point of maintenance acquittal’ Qantas:• Deployed over 200 PCs and laptops, wireless

networks and 4G access points to support the PCs; and…

• … expended over 4000 training days on both its own people as well as over 500 contract staff who handle Qantas Aircraft;

• Created over 6 million tasks in Maintenix, many of which were migrated from the COBOL environment.

As a result of Project Marlin and the changes that it brought about in the overall operation, 14 IT applications were decommissioned as their functions were absorbed into the MIS at the heart of the IT architecture.

Key to success ‘Catch phrase’ In practice this means…

Scope Scope is controlled. Scope is the enemy of schedule and cost

• Small discrete projects are better.

• Don’t build the windows version of the DOS system (Conways law).

• ‘Tell me why we cant use standard functionality in a system we have’.

Work & Schedule Work & schedule are predictable

• Apply and stick to proven project lifecycle methods.

• Set the schedule and stick to it.

• Resource level.

team team is high performing

• Networking mediocrity doesn’t create. excellence; keep project team small (Brooks’ Law).

• Project team needs to stay flexible.

risks and Issues risks and issues are managed

• Robust process & tools • Be disciplined; regular

reviews of open risks and issues.

• Use daily scrums to shorten decision cycles.

Business benefits and costs

Business benefits are realised

• Push cost management down to stream leads who are creating change requests.

• ‘Speed to market’ reduces the risk that the business moves on.

Stakeholders Stakeholders are engaged

• Use working groups to keep the project team small.

• Keep it practical. • Ensure there is executive

sponsorship.

Integration management

one project, one team working together

• Manage solution interdependency risk; there needs to be a business solution architect.

• Have a robust PMO and manage the schedule.

Supplier relationship Management

Suppliers are managed for mutual benefit

• Use the right contractual framework to obtain accountability and match your skills; only prime if you can!

• Manage the vendors. figure 3

“…the transformation of its processes and IT environment serves as a platform for the enterprise to re-invent itself from a legacy airline to an agile customer focused organisation. No one should under-estimate the effort that these sorts of transformation activities take…”

APRIL-MAY 2013 | AIRCRAFT IT MRO | case study: qaNtas aiRways | 19

MANAGING THE PROJECTProject Marlin was a major undertaking for Qantas. The project ran for over three years and, at its peak, had over 250 people on board. With a project of this size and complexity governance was a significant contributor to success. Project governance, which included Board Reporting, was based on ‘8 keys to success’.

Project Marlin was not always plain sailing but some of the lessons we learned might be useful for those who could be newly embarking on a similar exercise.• The fundamentals still apply… • Apply the basics of systems engineering to the

technical solution: • Understand the requirements;• Stick to standard functionality; • Be flexible on the solution — a 90%

solution 100% implemented is better than a 100% solution never implemented.

• Projects still need to be governed against the 8 keys:

• Scope is the enemy of schedule and cost — keep it tight;

• Get stakeholders engaged at all levels with a practical approach;

• Keep the issues and risks management feedback loop short and effective; make a decision;

• Each person on the project needs to be individually necessary and collectively sufficient; smaller is better.

• Being a project manager is more than just applying the process — there has to be a vision for the future, technical leadership and people leadership.

Whilst Qantas encountered some challenges, the transformation of its processes and IT environment serves as a platform for the enterprise to re-invent itself from a legacy airline to an agile customer focused organisation. No one should under-estimate the effort that these sorts of transformation activities take but, if airlines are to continue to deliver increased levels of safety and efficiency, point of maintenance acquittal and the process and IT transformation that Qantas has implemented, will surely be a step along the way. n

MICHAEL KILLEENPROJect MaRliN PROJect diRectOR, qaNtas eNgiNeeRiNgMichael is a qualified professional mechanical and electrical engineer with a range of experience in operational and

consulting roles. After commencing his career in manufacturing, rising to the position of Engineering & Maintenance Manager, Michael worked for PricewaterhouseCoopers and IBM GBS as a consultant. In this role Michael not only lead a range of projects in industries ranging from mining to public service but was also the practice leader for Asset Management in Australia and New Zealand. Since joining Qantas, Michael has focussed on transformation and asset management across a range of roles within Qantas Engineering including General Manager Supply Chain, A380 Fleet Manager and Project Director on Project Marlin.

ABOUT QANTASQantas Engineering and Maintenance experience dates back to when the airline first commenced operations in 1920. Since then, Engineering and Maintenance has gained nearly as many years of experience in contract work. The Engineering and Maintenance branch employs some 6,000 personnel (from a total airline staff of about 30,000).

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IDMR’s Technical Documentation Management System, InForm, has been designed to play a central role in the long-term survival and proliferation of technical documentation. InForm, written from the ground up as an airline document management system, will allow you to author and maintain virtually any document. Technical Documentation Management is now on aviation executives agenda’s worldwide.Technical documents are the primary source of aircraft, engine, and component reference InFormation which are constantly changing. On-going revision’s and updates by manufacturers, vendors and airline personnel add more complexity in controlling these documents. Failing to follow manufactures, vendors, and regulatory agencies approved maintenance repair and overhaul procedures can result in poor quality control or worse non-compliance fines.Without a centralized approach to Technical Documentation Management, these important documents are usually stored in multiple places, version control is lacking and in many cases different automated tools are used to create and maintain record keeping, perpetuating a process that is extremely time consuming and in most cases inaccurate. InForm offers a Technical Document Management Solution that provides a single repository for storing electronic documents received from outside sources such as manufactures, vendors, and internal personal.IDMR offers airlines, manufactures and third-party maintenance providers the industry’s most technically advanced, web centric, fully customizable, easy-to-use, all encompassing, mission critical and affordable suite of Technical Documentation Management solutions.

www.idmr-solutions.comsales@idmr-solutions.com

Tel: +1 888 675 4527

DOCUMENTS…MANAGED.

INTERACTIvE: GET INvOLvED!Why not get involved with the debate? Send

your comments or questions to Michael by clicking here.

How I see ITWhy pay billions for smart aircraft only to plug them into dumb IT? Michael Denis

Last year I was working in Europe with an airline scheduled to get the Boeing 787. Taking on any new aircraft is a planning and scheduling challenge, and airlines often rely heavily on the OEM for assistance. Besides pilot, engineering and mechanic training, new type certifications, new tooling, new technology, in this case, no one had noticed that there wasn’t a hangar for the bird to fit in – something that would take more than the nine month lead time this airline was left with.Next Generation (NextGen) aircraft like the B787, the A380 before it and the soon to follow A350 require a significant investment in information technologies and processes from what airlines have done in the past. Consider: the B787 creates just under 100GB of data per hour of flight; that is 1.5TB (Terabytes) on the average transatlantic flight. The GEnx engine tracks 1001 parameters, 230% more than the GE90 and the B787 tracks 20,300 parameters, a 60% increase over the B777.The value proposition for owning these aircraft is operating and support efficiencies. Fuel efficient engines, lower weight, lower ‘cost to maintain’ composite bodies, flexible maintenance scheduling. To achieve these significant efficiencies, NextGen aircraft perform complex diagnostics, prognostics, aircraft health management, integrated XML content, dynamic maintenance packaging and autonomic logistics. But to reap the benefits of your billion-dollar purchase requires equally advanced off-board information technologies.What? They didn’t tell you that your 1960’s Sceptre, 1990’s Maxi Merlin or most of the ‘best of breed’ MRO IT systems on the market today can’t integrate or properly manage the data and content that your shiny new aircraft is using and generating?If you are an airline getting one of these NextGen aircraft, you have options. Do nothing. It worked in the past and you might be able to get away with it in the future. Just don’t go ask the OEM why you aren’t getting the promised performance out of the aircraft – sort of like voiding your warranty by plugging a 220V 60Hz motor into a 100V 50Hz grid.Outsource everything to the OEMs. Don’t fret, the OEMs knew your airline wasn’t prepared for the data tsunami, so they have performance based contracts called Goldcare and Totalcare and Power by the Hour. Trust them, just because they sold you the airplane, parts, engineering services and MRO support, doesn’t mean they won’t do their best to minimize your total cost per operating hour.OK, so if option one and two don’t sound so hot, how about we do our homework and prepare before the aircraft arrives. There are a number of aviation consultancies who can quickly identify the functional and technical gaps in an airline’s flight, engineering and maintenance operations capabilities.NextGen MRO IT for NextGen aircraft and engines offers a great opportunity for airlines and Part 145s to modernize and significantly improve labor productivity and material turns across the organization. And the traditional hurdle put in our way by finance to question the investment has already been answered.

“NextGen aircraft perform complex

diagnostics, prognostics, aircraft health

management, integrated XML content,

dynamic maintenance packaging and

autonomic logistics. But to reap the

benefits of your billion-dollar purchase

requires equally advanced off-board

information technologies.”

26 | case study: ethiOPiaN aiRliNes | AIRCRAFT IT MRO | APRIL-MAY 2013

ETHIOPIAN AIRLINES, THE fastest growing airline in Africa, has developed an international reputation for innovation, technology

leadership and its commitment to becoming a world leading aviation group according to its Vision 2025 strategic roadmap. To support the Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) function as one of the business’s profit centers, Ethiopian is upgrading its MRO operations with state-of-the-art facilities and capabilities.

In this case study, Ethiopian details how its commitment to standard processes, coupled with the use of MRO IT across the full maintenance footprint including engineering, planning, execution and materials, will enable a ‘best-in-class’ maintenance unit suitable for both its mixed fleet and rapidly expanding MRO operations.

STRATEGIC PLANNING THROUGH vISIONARY THINKINGOrganizational vision underpins the long-term business strategy of many aviation organizations. Ultimately, commitment is what differentiates those airlines that turn their vision into a reality from those that barely progress beyond the formulation of the idea. By ‘commitment’, we at Ethiopian Airlines do not only mean in the sense of ambition or dedication – there is no shortage of either in aviation – rather, we demonstrate commitment in the sense of actually understanding and accepting what that concept requires of the entire organization. And, more often than not, what that commitment requires is change.

Airlines embrace change in many ways. The economy is no more

predictable than the weather, but both impact on operations and exist beyond human influence. However, aviation organizations adapt quickly and repeatedly. This constant force of change on the business can explain why many commercial operators often stagnate when it comes to the areas of their business that can be controlled. However, by avoiding change in these areas, airlines may miss out on the significant opportunities of evolving and proactively driving change through.

In this spirit of embracing change, in 2010, Ethiopian Airlines outlined Vision 2025, a fifteen year strategic plan that would support the organization’s evolution into Africa’s most competitive and leading aviation group.

DEFINING OBJECTIvES FOR MRO IT REPLACEMENTWith Vision 2025 in place, the project team tasked with developing the MRO IT replacement plan was asked to translate this future vision into tangible, present-day objectives. The team identified three key goals:1. Support Fleet ModerNizAtioN. Fleet modernization and

growth are at the core of Vision 2025, and, as a result, the team identified the aging Maxi-Merlin MRO IT installation as a barrier to short and long-term success. The dated legacy solution would be inefficient in supporting short-term plans for the receipt of the Boeing 777 and the Bombardier Q400. More than that, it would be absolutely incapable of supporting the receipt and ongoing operation of the planned Boeing 787 and Airbus A350 fleets.

MRO it as a key enabler of your visionIt’s not enough to simply want change, says Mesfin Tasew, Chief Operating Officer at Ethiopian Airlines, organizations must commit to enacting change.

2. Support the ModerNizAtioN oF Mro prACtiCeS. The company’s growth plans rely heavily on implementing efficient best practices throughout MRO operations. Evaluating business processes and implementing best practices across the maintenance function also demanded a more modern MRO IT solution that reinforced and supported IT driven business transformation.

3. drive eFFiCieNCieS ACroSS the Mro orgANizAtioN. In a highly competitive marketplace marked by rising fuel prices, Ethiopian recognized that success would be hinged solely on factors that could be controlled; namely, driving greater operational efficiencies. By implementing an MRO IT solution that offered an integrated view of operations from flight scheduling through to maintenance execution and materials management, the company could drastically improve productivity during all maintenance visits, both scheduled and unscheduled.

The search for an MRO IT solution extended beyond the simple selection of a system to collect and store transactional maintenance data; of utmost importance was choosing a system that was transformational – one that could help optimize asset lifecycle management and drive continuous improvements across the business.

In evaluating a number of vendors, it became apparent that Mxi Technologies’ Maintenix software was the best solution capable of supporting the increasing sophistication of the Ethiopian fleet, expectations for best practices and efficiency, and rigorous demands for compliance control.

KEY SUCCESS FACTORSWith MRO IT objectives in place, the team then directed its focus to articulating what key factors would play a prominent role in the ultimate success of the new software:

1. StANdArdized proCeSSeS. Maintenix’s commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) system, applied against Mxi’s Standard Aviation Solution (SAS) business processes and use cases, set the stage for Ethiopian to deliver an MRO function that could capitalize on standardized industry best-practices. The project team evaluated Mxi’s SAS processes and use cases against existing processes, identified the details, and made the necessary adjustments to conform to the SAS. In the event that variations of processes were required as part of routine operations, these were easily addressed through minor configuration changes to the software.

2. good dAtA. Ethiopian’s detailed data migration strategy balanced the demands of the implementation timeline against the availability of human capital and the substantial amount of information that needed to

APRIL-MAY 2013 | AIRCRAFT IT MRO | case study: ethiOPiaN aiRliNes | 27

be cleansed, transformed and imported to ensure the successful ongoing operation of the new solution. To mitigate the amount of data being migrated at any one time and support a strong organizational change management approach, the team chose a phased implementation and organized system ‘go live’ by fleet and functionality. The variety of data sources included:• Manufacturer source documents (IPC) to derive

the majority of the equipment baseline;• Data extracted from Maxi-Merlin for job cards,

part serial numbers, and ‘last done’ dates for maintenance tasks;

• Spreadsheets that were used to track other data elements that existed outside of Maxi-Merlin.

3. orgANizAtioNAl Buy-iN. Beyond executive sponsorship, the project team recognized that the

success of the Maintenix implementation would hinge on securing the unwavering support of middle management and, ultimately, the end user community. Demystifying the new system goes a long way here. Ethiopian’s Maintenix training strategy was structured around the skill levels of the user community and the difference in the user interface between Maintenix and the legacy Maxi-Merlin system. Because Maintenix is a real time system, versus the previously used post-work capture system, the team identified that users may need to be closer to workstations and that expectations of when system work needed to be completed relative to shift start times and end times also had to be reset.

To protect the company’s investment in the Maintenix software and drive maximum value from the system, the MRO organization was tasked as the business owner of the new system, with the IT organization in

a key supporting role. In addition, Ethiopian instituted ongoing monitoring for indicators of non-adherence to process, identifying training improvements, and to drive end user community engagement. The organization also identified key performance indicators which would be assessed over time to measure returns and demonstrate value.

ORGANIzING THE PROJECT TEAMIdentifying the appropriate project team was acknowledged as an important next step in guaranteeing an implementation that would be delivered on time and on budget. Consequently, leaders from across the organization from C-level executives to end users were engaged as part of the project team and shared in the responsibility of delivering on the project’s success. This shared responsibility also encouraged full ownership of the project across the whole of the organization where the result was not solely an MRO project or an IT project, but an ‘Ethiopian Airlines project.’

Working closely with Mxi Technologies, including executive sponsors together with Mxi Services and IT leads, the Maintenix implementation project team was comprised of the following representation:

exeCutive repreSeNtAtioN• Lead sponsor – Chief Operating Officer, formerly the

Vice President of MRO;

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“Using the Maintenix solution, Ethiopian Airlines is confidently managing the maintenance requirements of ‘classic’, ‘next-generation’ and ‘advanced’ fleets while enjoying the organizational transparency and real time visibility afforded by a modern and holistic maintenance management solution.”

28 | case study: ethiOPiaN aiRliNes | AIRCRAFT IT MRO | APRIL-MAY 2013

MESFIN TASEWchief OPeRatiNg OfficeR, ethiOPiaN aiRliNesMr. Mesfin joined Ethiopian in 1984 as Associate Engineer and progressed through the business, serving in supervisorial and

managerial positions in the technical areas. In 1997 and 1999 he was appointed as Director Operations & Technical Systems Support and Chief Information Officers respectively. In 2006, he was assigned as Vice President Maintenance and Engineering. He has been the Chief Operating Officer of Ethiopian since 1st November 2010.

• Co-sponsor – Senior VP of Ethiopian MRO Division;

• Co-sponsor – Chief Information Officer.

Mro orgANizAtioN repreSeNtAtioN• Internal Project Manager;• SMEs representing major business areas –

Engineering, Planning, Line Maintenance, Hangar Maintenance, Shops, Quality Assurance, Materials – for business process analysis, testing, baseline development, data migration, policy and procedure development, and end user training.

it orgANizAtioN repreSeNtAtioN• Legacy system technical expertise;• Data migration support;• Integrations and reports development;• IT operations;• Administrative management.

This collective accountability and cross functional expertise was supremely valuable in ensuring the success of the Maintenix implementation.

CONCLUSIONIn 2011, Ethiopian went live with the Maintenix software and has succeeded in using the system for its next generation 777-200LR and Q400 fleets. The system is fully operational with engineering, planning, execution, materials, and technical records. In the first half of 2012, Ethiopian completed the implementation of Maintenix across the entire fleet, shops and customer MRO operations. On August 14th, 2012, the scope of the implementation grew to include Ethiopian’s first Boeing 787 Dreamliner, a historic entry into service with a direct, non-stop flight from Washington DC to Addis Ababa.

Using the Maintenix solution, Ethiopian Airlines is

ABOUT ETHIOPIANEthiopian Airlines serves 69 international destinations spanning four continents and is a multi-award winner, recently winning Gold in the African Airline of the Year 2011/2012 Awards organized by the African Aviation News Portal. Ethiopian also received the 2011 AFRAA award for being consistently profitable over the years and won AFRICAN CARGO AIRLINE OF THE YEAR 2011 as well as Airline of the Year 2009 from the African Airlines Association (AFRAA).

With its acquisition of and firm orders for several new modern fleets, the airline is well positioned to aggressively pursue the implementation of its 2025 strategic plan to become the leading aviation group in Africa.

ABOUT MxIWith solutions designed specifically for aviation maintenance, Mxi Technologies provides integrated and

intelligent software, support, and services to commercial airlines, MROs, OEM aftermarket service providers, and defense operators. Mxi Technologies’ Maintenix® software uses a modern architecture and provides advanced capabilities such as a role-based Web browser interface, long range and automated line planning, automated workflow, electronic signatures, support for portable wireless devices, and a comprehensive range of integration APIs. Mxi Technologies’ customers range from emerging small to midsized organizations to the largest global enterprises.

confidently managing the maintenance requirements of ‘classic’, ‘next-generation’ and ‘advanced’ fleets while enjoying the organizational transparency and real time visibility afforded by a modern and holistic maintenance management solution. Improved decision-making, faster response

to maintenance requests, and continued return on experience are just a few of the benefits the company has realized and will continue to realize through the implementation.

These benefits and the future receipt of additional Boeing 787 and Airbus 350 aircraft have positioned Ethiopian Airlines for accelerated future growth. In addition, the ongoing extension of the company’s third party MRO service offerings to other carriers will constitute a sizeable part of future revenues.

Vision 2025 is the driving force behind the complete modernization of the maintenance unit, an ambitious fleet renewal strategy, and the induction of Africa’s first Boeing 787 fleet into service. By connecting success with its inner purpose through Vision 2025, Ethiopian has realized continued profitability and global recognition.

With the next stage of Vision 2025 just around the corner, Ethiopian is bolstered by the successful achievement of these milestones and the knowledge that they can serve as a model for the industry. n

MAINTAINING THE BOEING 787BUSINESS DRIvERSThe induction of the Boeing 787 is core to Ethiopian Airlines Vision 2025 and its objectives for fleet modernization. In addition to enhancing the customer experience, this next-generation aircraft provides the sustainable fuel and maintenance efficiencies necessary to help the company remain competitive in a highly volatile industry. Starting from August, 2012, Ethiopian has taken delivery of four 787 aircraft and has flown over 5,500 hours on revenue-generating routes, serving as an ongoing symbol of the company’s African and global leadership. Using Maintenix, Ethiopian has been able to reduce the time from receipt of new aircraft to revenue-generating route operation to 24 hours, with more than 60 scheduled passenger flights taking place within the first two weeks following delivery of each aircraft.

THE MAINTENIx SOLUTIONThe volume of software parts, coupled with Boeing’s own concept of operations for maintenance of software, posed unique configuration, process, and tool challenges for Ethiopian’s MRO organization. A data migration strategic assessment highlighted and informed the project strategy and implementation plan, with several data sources used to set system configuration and aircraft baselines, including the Illustrated Parts Data (IPD) based on the new SPEC1000D messaging standard.

Mxi Technologies’ Maintenix software has allowed Ethiopian to confidently manage the technical complexity inherent in the efficient and profitable operation of the 787 fleet. With the airplane generating the As Flying Configuration Report and Maintenix generating the Allowable Configuration Report our Engineering department is able to identify non-compliance at the point of maintenance execution, and track the allowable software configuration per Airworthiness Directive (AD), Service Bulletin (SB), Engineering Order (EO), or scheduled maintenance activity. While applicable to the successful operation of any aircraft, this transparency is particularly important in the operation of a next-generation fleet due to the exponential increase in compatibility rules caused by an increase in the number of software components and the significant revenue impact of maximizing the use of next-generation fleets.

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