Overview

In commercial aviation, aircraft are only profitable when they’re flying and maintenance is a complex and highly regulated field where record keeping is paramount. With much of the world’s commercial fleet held on lease, rapid de-leasing is imperative to minimise the time aircraft spend grounded. In the past, the administrative workload of capturing, processing and verifying maintenance documentation could see aeroplanes remain out of service for two months or more.

The Challenge

Waviatech (now bought out by AerData) initially contracted us to improve the security of their own web-based segment, Stream, however the partnership subsequently expanded to include further development and a redesign of the web portal. The interface was completely overhauled and secured, with an updated design presence that prioritised user experience.

During this work it became apparent to the team at Red River the underlying service could be substantially improved. In particular, by introducing in-line scanning and optical character recognition, documents could be digitised and processed at or near the point of issue, reducing the backlog and delay at major milestones such as the end of a lease – a revolutionary change for the industry.

Red River’s initial engagement was to secure and improve Stream’s web-portal, but in partnership with Waviatech it identified that the core product could be further improved by the adoption of in-line facilities for scanning and processing. Red River was commissioned to prototype a new version of the software which would be demonstrated at an industry show. The prototype’s success led to firm orders for the improved product.

The Process

During this work it became apparent that the underlying service could also be substantially improved. In particular, by introducing in-line scanning and optical character recognition, documents could be digitised and processed at or near the point of issue, reducing the backlog and delay at major milestones such as the end of a lease – a revolutionary change for the industry.

With a major show imminent, Red River rushed to deliver a prototype in just a fortnight. Waviatech received several orders, and commissioned Red River to deliver a full product within three months.

The Solution

Working with Waviatech, Red River created a worldwide workflow system that would greatly streamline asset management in the airline industry. Accessed via a downloadable Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF) Smart Client, the new solution offered users a seamless experience through which all aircraft data could be scanned, indexed and retrieved.

For the first time in the industry, documents could be captured at or near source, processed centrally and viewed by stakeholders including airlines, maintenance organisations and asset owners. Records verification and regulatory oversight could be an ongoing process, rather than a huge and expensive hurdle to jump at the end of a lease. Through Stream, it was now possible to complete the paperwork for de-leasing in as little as a day.