The aviation industry is waking up to the potential of digital technology. It’s now top of CEOs’ agendas across the globe, with airports increasingly having to compete to provide seamless passenger experiences and grow non-aeronautical revenue streams.

A better understanding and the collaborative sharing of data is essential for passengers, airlines, control authorities, retailers and airports – but utilizing this data won’t come without its challenges for the industry.

Benefits to passengers
Airports need to make sure they are using the right types of technology. There can be over five generations traveling through an airport at any given time and tailoring products so that all have a great experience is quite a challenge. Having information on passenger preferences – around dining and shopping, for example – can uncover potential services and entertainment offerings that grow non-aeronautical revenue.

Benefits to airports
Some processes within the aviation industry are further along than others when it comes to using data. For example, the benefits of implementing more intelligent systems for baggage handling, or adoption of radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags, is obvious.

Digital has implications for everyone and everything – including how we plan and design the physical airport facilities, and how they operate day-to-day.

As consultants, we currently undertake operational planning through simulation, using the data from spreadsheets and information we receive. Moving forward, real-time input from the airport could enable us to develop and propose scenarios in a faster, more accurate way, using better data, analytics and visualizations.

We should be able to use the data from the planning stages in both the design and operational stages – currently these three areas of expertise are largely siloed. If we were able to bring them together, the operator would have access to high-quality information in a real-time environment on a platform connected to their asset management database, and can operate the airport more efficiently.

The gains from more efficient planning mean airports get more bang for their buck and can deliver capital and investment in the right way (rather than lower value projects), increase aeronautical revenue, and improve the passenger experience.

Why collaboration is key
For government agencies, airports and airlines, collaboration is now key to realizing the benefits of data. The airport only owns between 5% and 20% of the data the aviation process generates – which isn’t much at all.

This is because of the use of outsourced contractors, such as baggage handling operators, who generate (and use) the data themselves, with airports often actually having no way of accessing it.

All parties need to realize the value of becoming digital collaborators, bringing stakeholders and partners together to generate more value than if they kept it to themselves. This could be to improve the passenger experience, increase operational efficiencies and revenue, or to strengthen security. Arup is currently working through the challenge of connecting data that the airport generates with the data that contractors and airlines collect to prove this point.

Our work with Saudi Aviation IT on its national digital aviation strategy is a great example of putting in place mechanisms for collaboration from the outset across the country’s 27 airports. The advantage here is that you have the government, regulator, airport owner and airlines all working with one voice.

We applied what we know about the digital airport, creating an entire business strategy, identifying how to generate revenue, how to improve the use of data, how to gain the skilled people needed and how to diversify the business.

But, it’s not without its challenges
One of the big challenges is getting clients to understand the leaps they need to make at a time when they’re still unfamiliar with some of the new digital technologies. We’ve seen big changes in our traditional approach to consulting – where clients come to us with a pre-existing need.

Instead, we’re analyzing an airport’s data to diagnose issues and then find solutions to improve operations. This new approach is proving successful and airports are generally very receptive, but the next challenge is how you connect this data to better outcomes.

This is an exciting and transformative time for the aviation industry. What is becoming more and more evident, is that consultants and advisors will have a big role to play in shaping these collaborations, showing how they can be effective and mutually beneficial.

source : Passenger Terminal Today

In a recent article, we explored the issue of cybersecurity in airports, and looked at how the aviation industry is determined to create a comprehensive approach to cybersecurity preparedness.

The issue of cybersecurity in airports is an area that is rapidly increasing in importance, and is looking to stay that way in the wake of industry data protection initiatives that are sweeping the globe, such as GDPR, which comes into force at the end of May 2018 across Europe, and the introduction of the US’ Homeland Security Presidential Directive 7 (HSPD-7), which will require advanced cybersecurity solutions to secure systems against ever-increasingly sophisticated cyber threats.

What is happening today in the airports environment in terms of cybersecurity?

Aviation industry experts are seeing notable growth in the adoption of cybersecurity measures in the heaviest-regulated regions, such as Europe, yet notice a wide disparity in preparedness, depending upon the size of the airport and the regulatory conditions of the region.

Deputy Director General of Programmes and Services at ACI World, Antoine Rostworoski, said in a recent interview that cybersecurity concerns are at the top of the priority list for ACI World and were discussed at length at the World Governing Board Meeting in Mauritius last year. The group are committed to the provision of support for airports of all sizes and are developing cybersecurity support tools to assist in the protection of assets, data and infrastructure against cyber-attack.

The future of cybersecurity in evolving airports

Rostworoski also believes that ‘cybersecurity is a key component for airports of the future.’ This will be because of the increasing uptake of integrated airport solutions, which can create vulnerabilities within a system that could be the target of a sophisticated cyber-attack.

As the proliferation of digital connectivity and cloud technology continues, it is becoming even more necessary to begin to plan a comprehensive approach to cybersecurity measures in airports, and as more airports adopt the latest connectivity solutions, the core issue is clear.

What is the industry doing to support airport security measures?

Groups like ACI World are working with global airports and international agencies to provide the support and tools they need for both the short and long-term cybersecurity goals.

Currently, there are different security standards, including the National Institute of Standards and Technology-NIST, and International Organization for Standardization-ISO. ACI World plan to leverage both, and its Airport IT Benchmarking Tool is based on ISO 27002.

ACI World also shares its commitment to training, and will include new training courses, industry workshops and a comprehensive handbook to complement its tools and has already begun offering courses under the ACI Global Training Accredited Institute. Working alongside the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), ACI World plan to align the Airport Cybersecurity Programme with the initiatives being put in place by other agencies, departments and organisations within the aviation industry.

As industry experts come together to support global airports in their adoption of cybersecurity measures, we hope to see a growing, secure aviation environment, whether within a heavily regulated region or a non-regulated area. With education as a priority, in addition to implemented plans, tools and development support, airports and airlines will be better equipped to deal with the core issue of cybersecurity – now, and in the future.

Source ;  airportknowledge.com/talking-airports

The big data generation is upon the commercial aviation industry.

According to a 2016 Oliver Wyman MRO Survey, the global fleet of commercial aircraft could generate a massive 98 million terabytes of data per year by 2026. Between the big aviation players – the OEMs, the airlines and the maintenance, repair & overhaul (MRO) operators – there is a ton of interest not just in gathering data, but sharing it for a number of different benefits, such as predictive maintenance or health monitoring systems.

Data sharing

Some of the leading players in the industry are starting to work on their own data platforms to get in on the benefits of sharing engineering data. GE’s cloud-based Predix platform allows third party MRO operators to download predictive analytical data via the internet, store it within their own systems and share it with customers.

Airbus launched its own cloud-based data platform, Skywise, in June which collects data such as work orders, spares consumption and flight schedules from multiple sources across the industry for MRO operators to perform predictive and preventative maintenance. So far, early adopters include easyJet, Air Asia, Emirates and Delta Airlines, all of which are using the platform for predictive maintenance.

Like Airbus, many airlines and MROs will have several different customers, partners, locations and, in most cases, use different programmes for each one, which leads to data being siloed and sharing programmes being more internally focused.

Speaking at a recent MRO Europe panel, David Longridge, VP services sales for Boeing, said data collaboration between organisations is a key priority in today’s aviation landscape.

“Collaborating with data will bring more mutual benefits for airlines and MROs, but how to do this effectively between the parties is the real challenge,” said David. “No airline wants 50 different applications to look at its aircraft – ideally they’d like to use one or two.”

Collaboration at work – China Airlines

IFS customer China Airlines is one of the largest airline operators in Asia and, much like Emirates in the Middle East, provide MRO services for many of the airlines they codeshare with.

Aviation safety is a top priority for the airline and it considers the quality assurance of maintenance work as the best foundation for this. Since setting up the Engineering Maintenance Optimisation (EMO) unit in 1959, the company has become a key player in the MRO sector. Currently, China Airlines helps support over 40 domestic and international airlines with over 2,300 maintenance engineers working in five different hangars across Asia, North America and Europe.

The airline’s EMO department found its legacy IT systems were hampering its safety efforts, unable to keep up with changing maintenance and safety requirements happening in the industry.

Houng Wang, responsible for engineering activities at China Airlines, said “Our network of legacy mainframe systems often could not deliver the data insights we felt were critical if we wanted to evolve the business and intro­duce new efficiencies. For the most part, these systems were siloed from each other, and operated by their own set of processes for capturing and storing data. This made it very difficult to access and share timely mainte­nance information across the organisation.”

China Airlines chose to implement IFS Maintenix to help optimise data sharing across the airline and its subsidiaries. Real-time management of line and heavy maintenance events as well as data capture at the point of maintenance was a significant benefit to growth areas of the business – especially in expanding third-party MRO services for the airline’s customers, such as Continental Airlines, FedEx, Korean Air and Japan Airlines.

In addition to reducing operating costs by $3.5 million, IFS Maintenix helped China Airlines significantly decrease its aircraft layover due to more efficient scheduled and unscheduled line maintenance, meaning aircraft spend more time in the air and less time in the hangar.

A clearer picture

The benefits of data sharing are plain to see. Better visibility into what’s happening at both the company and industry-wide level puts organisations in full control of maintenance, giving them a clearer picture of what’s happening around them to help collaboration with other industry players and benefiting from mutual efficiencies.

The gains aren’t just for airlines but for passengers too, as better vision into data will help increase aircraft availability, increase safety and provide a chance to shift cost savings onto passengers.

source : https://tinyurl.com/y8eac4l2

source : https://tinyurl.com/ya6dkuez

Key speaker at the recent IT Summit, Security Futurist and Risk consultant Dr.

Simon Moores, shares fascinating insight into cybersecurity threats facing organizations.

He identifies the broader threats for aviation and the weakest link, as part of our #AVTechTalks series.

source : http://tinyurl.com/gmoc2he

NASA has an ambitious plan for aviation in the 21^st century: to cut fuel use by half, lower harmful emissions by 75 percent and significantly reduce aircraft noise. These green aviation initiatives require technological innovations, which is why NASA recently selected five green technology concepts for further study.

1. Fostering Ultra-Efficient Low-Emitting Aviation Power

The latest NASA assault on acronyms, FUELEAP is intended to explore using a fuel cells to power electrically-propelled aircraft. The plan is to study a fuel cell system that pulls hydrogen from standard aircraft fuel, oxygen from the air and combines the two to generate electricity.

According to NASA, the fuel cell will generate electricity more efficiently than simply burning the fuel in a traditional engine, thereby saving fuel and reducing emissions. Since it’s based on standard aircraft fuels, this technology has the advantage of being easy to implement with existing airport infrastructure.

2. Compact Additively Manufactured Electric Motors

One of NASA’s strategies for increasing fuel efficiency is to improve the power density of its electric motor designs. To that end, the organization is pursuing 3D printing as a way to produce electric motor components that are lighter and potentially smaller.

Additive manufacturing is becoming more and more common in the aerospace industry, but applying this technology to electric motors is an intriguing new twist.

3. LION: Lithium Oxygen Batteries for NASA Electric Aircraft

Electric-powered aircraft are clearly an up-and-coming trend in aviation, but energy storage demands are a major obstacle to their widespread adoption. NASA is hoping to solve this problem via Lithium-Air (Li-Air) batteries, which have the highest theoretical energy storage of any battery technology.

Li-Air batteries “breath” in the sense that they pull in oxygen to react with lithium ions as they are drained of energy. The oxygen is then expelled while the battery charges. This quickly decomposes the electrolytes ordinarily used in batteries, rendering the Li-Air batteries useless after a few charging cycles.

However, if NASA researchers can overcome this problem by developing new, ultra-stable electrolytes that resist decomposition then electric air travel could become much more common.

4. Spanwise Adaptive Wings

One way to reduce aircraft noise and emissions while increasing fuel efficiency is to reduce the size of the tail, which is only needed to provide stability during takeoff and landing. An alternative design would have a large part of the aircraft’s wings able to fold up or down to act as rudders during takeoff and landing.

However, the challenge is how to accomplish this mechanical task.

NASA will determine how best to achieve the design and whether it would include conventional actuators or something more novel.

5. Lightweight Conformal Antennas for Beyond Line of Sight Communications

Interestingly, this last technology has less to do with commercial air travel than it does with Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). These aircraft are currently restricted from flying in the National Airspace System as a result of the FAA requirement that they stay within radio line of sight of their operators on the ground.

Using satellite communications is a potential solution, but the necessary antenna systems tend to be heavy and increase drag.

NASA is hoping to develop flexible antenna with foundations made from aerogel, thereby providing satellite communications while minimizing the weight and drag of the antenna.

source :  http://tinyurl.com/h7blkwv

The 63rd edition of the Farnborough Airshow is focused on digital challenges.

Whether in terms of civil or military aviation or the space industry, the words on everyone’s lips are connectivity, Big Data management and the issue of cybersecurity.

find out more : http://events.thalesgroup.com/farnborough/en/article/762810/%20The-aviation-industry-is-driving-digital-transformation