Next Generation Rugged Mobile Computer Technology for Airport Cargo, Check-In and Maintenance Op's by Global Business Media

SPECIAL REPORT

Next Generation Rugged Mobile Computer Technology for Airport Cargo, Check-in and Maintenance Operations Rugged Technology Turns Aviation Challenges into Opportunities The Rise of Rugged Mobile Computing The Mobile Supply Chain Rugged Laptops â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the Key to the Connected Airport Key Factors to Bear in Mind

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Published by Global Business Media

RUGGED TECHNOLOGY TO MEET YOUR AVIATION CHALLENGES From Electronic Flight Bag and maintenance, to ground operations and in-flight applications, Panasonic’s rugged Toughpad tablets and Toughbook notebook PCs are helping major names across the airline and airport industries achieve higher levels of efficiency and productivity than ever before. Having already supported businesses such as Vienna Airport, BA CityFlyer, Finnair, easyJet and Iberia, we’ve now established an active community of industry experts – and we’d be delighted to welcome you. To join our aviation and transport innovation community, visit computers.panasonic.eu/ATIS_community_form or scan the QR code below. Alternatively, to discover how we can help your aviation business:

Visit: www.toughbook.eu Call: +44 (0)2920 542 339

Intel, the Intel logo, Intel Core, Intel vPro, Core Inside and vPro Inside are trademarks of Intel Corporation in the U.S. and other countries.

Toughbook CF-20 with Intel® CoreTM m5 vProTM processor. Toughpad FZ-G1 and FZ-M1 with Intel® Core™ i5 vPro™ processor.

NEXT GENERATION RUGGED MOBILE COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY FOR AIRPORT CARGO, CHECK-IN AND MAINTENANCE OPERATIONS

SPECIAL REPORT

Next Generation Rugged Mobile Computer Technology for Airport Cargo, Check-in and Maintenance Operations Rugged Technology Turns Aviation Challenges into Opportunities

Contents

The Rise of Rugged Mobile Computing The Mobile Supply Chain Rugged Laptops – the Key to the Connected Airport Key Factors to Bear in Mind

Foreword

Tom Cropper, Editor

Rugged Technology Turns Aviation Challenges 3 into Opportunities CPS Aviation Sponsored by

Published by Global Business Media

Published by Global Business Media Global Business Media Limited 62 The Street Ashtead Surrey KT21 1AT United Kingdom Switchboard: +44 (0)1737 850 939 Fax: +44 (0)1737 851 952 Email: info@globalbusinessmedia.org Website: www.globalbusinessmedia.org Publisher Kevin Bell Business Development Director Marie-Anne Brooks Editor Tom Cropper Senior Project Manager Steve Banks Advertising Executives Michael McCarthy Abigail Coombes Production Manager Paul Davies For further information visit: www.globalbusinessmedia.org

From Customer Service to Cockpit The Rugged Answer to Growing Demands BA CityFlyer, 2014 Vienna Airport, 2014 easyJet, 2015 FinnAir, 2014 Iberia, 2013

The Rise of Rugged Mobile Computing

Tom Cropper, Editor

Going Rugged Rugged Devices in Aviation The Digital Future

The Mobile Supply Chain 8 James Butler, Staff Writer

Getting the Details Right The Age of Information Choosing Systems

Rugged Laptops – the Key to the Connected Airport 10 Tom Cropper, Editor

The opinions and views expressed in the editorial content in this publication are those of the authors alone and do not necessarily represent the views of any organisation with which they may be associated. Material in advertisements and promotional features may be considered to represent the views of the advertisers and promoters. The views and opinions expressed in this publication do not necessarily express the views of the Publishers or the Editor. While every care has been taken in the preparation of this publication, neither the Publishers nor the Editor are responsible for such opinions and views or for any inaccuracies in the articles.

Business Mobility The Paperless Cockpit Electronic Manuals Moving into the Future

Key Factors to Bear in Mind

Jo Roth, Staff Writer

Value for Money Securing the System What Does Rugged Mean?

© 2017. The entire contents of this publication are protected by copyright. Full details are available from the Publishers. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the copyright owner.

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NEXT GENERATION RUGGED MOBILE COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY FOR AIRPORT CARGO, CHECK-IN AND MAINTENANCE OPERATIONS

Foreword W

E LIVE in a mobile world in which everything,

Our opening article comes from CPS Aviation,

from getting the news to shopping and even

who manufacture and supply the market-leading

socialising can be done at the touch of a button.

Toughbooks and Toughpads. They outline some of

With smartphones and tablets becoming smaller

the challenges facing the industry and show how

and incredibly sophisticated, it’s no surprise that the

rugged computing is changing the game for airports

business world is getting in on the act. Welcome to

and airlines around the world.

the age of enterprise IT.

Elsewhere in this Report, we’ll look at the growing

Mobile IT has huge potential for the aviation industry.

rugged PC market and how such equipment can

It can be used almost anywhere: at check-in, allowing

simultaneously become lighter and flexible, while

staff to move around the terminal helping passengers;

withstanding greater impact and enduring a wider

for maintenance teams looking to streamline

range of conditions. James Butler will then focus on

processes and for ground control crew managing a

how supply chains can be improved before we look

busy schedule of incoming and outgoing flights.

at how rugged computers are helping in other areas.

The trouble is, such daily use requires a level of

Finally, Jo Roth will run through the key factors buyers

toughness and durability an average tablet cannot

should bear in mind to ensure they get the right system

deliver. However, a new generation of ultra-tough

for their needs.

PCs, smartphones and tablets is coming to market which can withstand almost anything while providing the high-end computing we’ve all come to expect.

Tom Cropper Editor

Tom Cropper has produced articles and reports on various aspects of global business over the past 15 years. He has also worked as a copywriter for some of the largest corporations in the world, including ING, KPMG and the World Wildlife Fund.

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NEXT GENERATION RUGGED MOBILE COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY FOR AIRPORT CARGO, CHECK-IN AND MAINTENANCE OPERATIONS

Rugged Technology Turns Aviation Challenges into Opportunities CPS Aviation How the adoption of specialist mobile devices can support the success of airlines and airport operators.

F ALL the modes of transport, the aviation sector has experienced the fastest growth in decades. With this inexorable growth, comes a raft of significant challenges, all of which must be negotiated by the industry itself and any business hoping to succeed within it. But where do aviation companies look for support in meeting these challenges? One possible avenue is the adoption of rugged mobile technology across the many different activities of an airline and airport operator. Growth in the aviation industry typically means more. More passengers to accommodate, transport and manage. More customers to serve. More visitors to airports. More planes to maintain and service. More routes to oversee and coordinate. More baggage, more security concerns, more regulation. This list is almost endless. And this demand for cross-sector ‘more’ comes without compromise on speed and efficiency. Maintenance crews on the runway, apron or in the hangar need ever-easier and quicker access to flight logs, access to technical manuals regardless of weather conditions and speedier turnaround tinmes in terms of departure approvals. Equally, baggage handling and security teams within airports need absolute efficiency and accuracy in terms of data and the processes they follow ‘behind the scenes’.

From Customer Service to Cockpit Customer service and retail staff throughout the airport also face growing performance demands. Ticketing, order taking and information sharing have now become mobile operations, with customers demanding more at the point of service – wherever that might be. Even in the cockpit – where compromise is absolutely not an option – the demands for more streamlined, efficient processes grow almost

daily. With the advent of electronic flight bag and electronic data logs, pilots and their colleagues are now required to carry and maintain digital records at all times – placing major demands on the technology they choose. In a faster-moving world, higher-performing technology is an obvious route to successful outcomes. But the requirements of technology in these aviation applications are particularly specialist, especially when considering notebook PCs or tablets. • They need to be light, easily operated on the move and capable of operation indoors and outdoors, in all weather and away from sources of power. • They need to connect readily to legacy IT systems and a host of accessories and peripherals, in any number of differing configurations. • They need to offer all the additional functionality of a conventional laptop or tablet – integrated cameras, Wi-Fi connectivity, fast internet browsing, user-friendly operating systems, etc. • They also need to feature long-life batteries that can be replaced by the user – unlike ‘consumer’ tablets, which often require a replacement unit or off-site repair once the battery dies. • Ultimately, they must be tough enough to withstand the many challenging environments encountered in the aviation industry and meet stringent industry regulation. So, they need to perform under high vibration and pressure in the cockpit; or in the dirty, dusty and often wet conditions of the apron; and in the rough and tumble of airport customer service.

RUGGED TECHNOLOGY TO MEET YOUR AVIATION CHALLENGES From Electronic Flight Bag and maintenance, to ground operations and in-flight applications, Panasonic’s rugged Toughpad tablets and Toughbook notebook PCs are helping major names across the airline and airport industries achieve higher levels of efficiency and productivity than ever before. Having already supported businesses such as Vienna Airport, BA CityFlyer, Finnair, easyJet and Iberia, we’ve now established an active community of industry experts – and we’d be delighted to welcome you. To join our aviation and transport innovation community, visit computers.panasonic.eu/ATIS_ community_form or scan the QR code below. Alternatively, to discover how we can help your aviation business:

Visit: www.toughbook.eu Call: +44 (0)2920 542 339

Toughbook CF-20 with Intel® CoreTM m5 vProTM processor. Toughpad FZ-G1 and FZ-M1 with Intel® Core™ i5 vPro™ processor.

The Rugged Answer to Growing Demands Such a demanding list of requirements rules out most laptops and tablets you would typically encounter. But there is a breed of mobile device

Intel, the Intel logo, Intel Core, Intel vPro, Core Inside and vPro Inside are trademarks of Intel Corporation in the U.S. and other countries.

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NEXT GENERATION RUGGED MOBILE COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY FOR AIRPORT CARGO, CHECK-IN AND MAINTENANCE OPERATIONS

Customer service and retail staff throughout the airport also face growing performance demands. Ticketing, order taking and information sharing have now become mobile operations, with customers demanding more at the point of service

– headed by Panasonic’s range of Toughbook and Toughpad notebook PCs and tablets – that can meet every challenge outlined above. Known as ‘rugged’, these devices have the specialist capabilities to perform successfully in the hands of the most demanding aviation professional. So, what sets them apart? Rugged computers mean airport and airline staff are equipped with shock-proof, weatherproof devices with high-visibility displays suited for usage in any airport environment. They give airport ground staff access to real-time information, enabling them to anticipate possible incidents, improve the management of available resources and reduce the time required for completing daily tasks. They’re also suitable for a variety of airport ramp services such as aircraft maintenance, refuelling and inspection of ground equipment to baggage and passenger transport. And thanks to their exceptional connectivity and durability, maintenance crews are now able to access flight logs in previously unachievable times – often even before the flight has landed. As a fundamental part of a future-proofed electronic flight bag solution, rugged devices assist airlines by reducing weight on board and saving time on updating the physical charts in the flight bag, as well as gaining operational benefits with connectivity. Airline ground operations staff working outside also benefit from cutting-edge display technology for brilliant screen visibility in direct sunlight or rain and background illumination for working at night. And when it comes to durability, even the smallest rugged tablets (display sizes can be as diminutive as 4.7”) are often up to IP67 compliant for dust and moisture resistance and have wide temperature thresholds, so can be used in high or low temperatures and in conjunction with a vehicle mount. Continuing with vehicle mounting, thanks to invehicle power solutions, data can be accessed even while driving in de-icing vehicles, passenger transportation buses or in cargo tractors. Rugged tablets can also withstand falls from up to 180cm and are therefore perfectly suited to coordinate all airport ramp services. For cabin crew too, rugged devices allow them to improve the customer experience, thanks to the best in-flight entertainment services, together with more passenger-friendly duty-free sales. Thanks to their mobility and configuration flexibility, the machines are compact for staff to carry around in the cabin, yet flexible enough to add all the quick scanning and payment mechanisms that are needed today. For many airlines and airport operators, the adoption of rugged computing has gone

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way beyond theory. Many of the industry’s leading names are now using these specialised machines to support their activities, with quite outstanding results.

BA CityFlyer, 2014

BA CityFlyer deployed rugged Panasonic Toughpad tablets to help turnaround time for flights. Specifically, it uses Toughpad FZ-G1 with Electronic Technical Log (ETL) software from NVable records to sign-off flight and maintenance information. “This benefits our business but more importantly improves the service we offer to our customers. It is no doubt a contributing factor to the airline’s improvement in on-time performance,” explains Dave Cooper, Line Manager at BA CityFlyer.

Vienna Airport, 2014

Nearly 350 planes take off from Vienna International Airport every day to over 190 destinations throughout the world. More than 22 million passengers were handled last year alone. Traffic at this volume and scale must be managed efficiently: every minute an aircraft sits on the ground costs money. So, to accelerate and precisely track all ground operations, airport management made the decision to use rugged Panasonic Toughbook notebook PCs. For Quality Monitoring Ramp Services Manager, Alexander Winkler, there’s no question. “We had a wide range of solutions to choose from - from handhelds to robust notebooks. But we were quickly able to separate the wheat from the chaff. Panasonic Toughbook PCs are ideal – for our needs and for our vehicles.”

easyJet, 2015

The flight deck of an aircraft in one of the world’s busiest airlines can be a tough place for technology. Busy schedules, flying at altitude

NEXT GENERATION RUGGED MOBILE COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY FOR AIRPORT CARGO, CHECK-IN AND MAINTENANCE OPERATIONS

and landing overnight at some of the coldest and hottest destinations in Europe mean that any new equipment must be able to cope with the most difficult of conditions and still be user friendly. So, when easyJet was looking to update the pilot crews’ existing laptops, it chose one of Panasonic’s latest rugged Toughpad tablets. “The new Panasonic Toughpad tablets were the right choice for easyJet for a number of factors,” said Anthony Spouncer, Senior Project Manager for IT Operations Systems at easyJet. “Firstly, their reliability and environmental pedigree at withstanding temperatures from -25 up to 65 degrees. Their rugged nature and ability to last in tough work environments, the ability to hot swap the batteries so they can work as long as the crew need them to and the fact that Panasonic was willing to provide us with DO-160 certification, sets them apart.”

FinnAir, 2014

Finnair acquired approximately 150 Panasonic Toughpad FZ-G1 tablets for use in its aircraft. In narrow-body Airbus aircraft, there are two tablets for the cockpit and one for the cabin crew. In wide-body Airbus aircraft used for long-haul flights, three tablets are provided for the cockpit and one for the cabin crew. “The Toughpad is what we call an electronic flight bag or EFB,” Finnair technical pilot Timo Seppälä explains. “The pilots’ tablets contain things such as airport navigation charts, technical manuals – which would fill over 10,000 pages if printed – and various applications required by the pilots. “The other tablets we considered were designed for office and business use. Cockpit use requires higher levels of usability and durability, and the rugged design of the Toughpad put it above the others.”

Iberia, 2013

Iberia revolutionised airport management at Madrid-Barajas Airport with Panasonic’s Toughbook and Toughpad ranges. T4 was the first hub in the world where rugged mobile devices were used in the majority of airport ramp services. Punctuality was the main objective – a challenge that needed to be met for each and every flight. It is a complex operation because over 3,000

employees and approximately 1,000 vehicles must be coordinated with extreme efficiency making use of the latest technology. In order to be able to ensure and improve both efficiency and punctuality, Iberia developed various applications which, with the use of mobile devices, make the work carried out around the aircrafts in terminal T4 easier, from de-icing and baggage handling to refuelling and maintaining ground equipment; with all the work required for a plane to be able to take off, being coordinated globally. The main benefits of introducing ‘mobility’ at every level are, in the words of Iberia’s Dimitris Bountolos, “Greater efficiency in all work carried out around the planes, improved punctuality and practically paperless ramp handling operations, along with the economic and environmental benefits that this brings.” In an industry that never stands still, any technology adopted by aviation businesses needs to be designed with one careful eye on the future. And, in the case of today’s rugged generation of mobile machinery, that is certainly the case. So, the question is now, where else can it be deployed to further improve performance across the sector?

RUGGED TECHNOLOGY TO MEET YOUR AVIATION CHALLENGES From Electronic Flight Bag and maintenance, to ground operations and in-flight applications, Panasonic’s rugged Toughpad tablets and Toughbook notebook PCs are helping major names across the airline and airport industries achieve higher levels of efficiency and productivity than ever before. Having already supported businesses such as Vienna Airport, BA CityFlyer, Finnair, easyJet and Iberia, we’ve now established an active community of industry experts – and we’d be delighted to welcome you. To join our aviation and transport innovation community, visit computers.panasonic.eu/ATIS_ community_form or scan the QR code below. Alternatively, to discover how we can help your aviation business:

Visit: www.toughbook.eu Call: +44 (0)2920 542 339

Toughbook CF-20 with Intel® CoreTM m5 vProTM processor. Toughpad FZ-G1 and FZ-M1 with Intel® Core™ i5 vPro™ processor.

Intel, the Intel logo, Intel Core, Intel vPro, Core Inside and vPro Inside are trademarks of Intel Corporation in the U.S. and other countries.

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NEXT GENERATION RUGGED MOBILE COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY FOR AIRPORT CARGO, CHECK-IN AND MAINTENANCE OPERATIONS

The Rise of Rugged Mobile Computing Tom Cropper, Editor The rugged computing market is growing quickly as workplaces become more aware of the benefits of mobile working.

The rugged devices of 2017 are lighter, more portable, and capable of withstanding much more. Meanwhile they feature high-res

AST YEAR, Tech Crunch made a startling declaration: The Tablet Computer is ‘dead1’. If so that’s quite a turn around. We’re only just over six years on from the launch of the first iPad – a time when the tablet seemed set to take the world by storm. Even so, sales are in decline and the number of new launches is dropping. Against this, though, the market for rugged laptops and tablets is surging and the aviation industry is set to benefit.

screens capable of

Going Rugged

working in even the

Rugged tablets actually predate their more fragile consumer counterparts by more than a decade. It was in the mid-nineties that the first models made their way onto the market, where they were used in factories and on building sites. Those early models were large, slow and cumbersome and – compared to today’s latest generation – not particularly rugged. The rugged devices of 2017 are lighter, more portable, and capable of withstanding much more. Meanwhile they feature highres screens capable of working in even the brightest sunlight. In addition, they are likely to come with ultra-high performance features such as a large memory, the latest operating systems, ultra-fast processors, and high-res cameras. They can also be purchased with optional additional features such as a built-in barcode scanner, RFID tags and even rain sensing equipment allowing single touch use even in pouring rain. Some now include ultra-high resolution and 3D cameras for advanced imaging functionality. They might be more expensive, at around £1,500 compared to £500, but that extra money buys a great deal. Small wonder, then, that the market is growing quickly. VDC Research expects the rugged tablet market to expand from $589.7million in 2016 to $623.6million by 20202. Technoavio, meanwhile expects a 14.9% CAGR increase between 2015

brightest sunlight

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and 2019 in terms of revenue3. The market is being driven by both commercial and industrial factors. Some people, sick of screens which shatter and keyboards which malfunction with the slightest spill, are willing to spend the extra money for added performance. However, most of the growth will come from the business and industrial sector, where enterprise IT is one of the fastest growing sectors. Gartner estimates that businesses spent $868bn in 2016 in a bid to connect systems within an enterprise4. In general terms, work is becoming more mobile. Employees are increasingly accessing central systems from remote locations and using cloud-based software to streamline and automate a host of administrative processes. In doing so, they are saving money while boosting performance and productivity. Their potential in a number of sectors, especially aviation could be transformative.

Rugged Devices in Aviation The challenges of modern and future aviation require operators to become faster, more efficient and safer. Future predictions for passenger numbers suggest a doubling of flights over the next 20 years. IATA expects 7.2 billion people to travel by air in 2035, up from the 3.8bn who travelled in 20165. Such predictions have been made before and have been interrupted by unforeseen events such as 9/11 and the global economic crash of 2008. IATA’s latest long term forecasts also represent a slight downward revision over the past couple of years as economic uncertainties over growth in China, the global oil market, Brexit and the rise of Donald Trump add to economic volatility. Another major market shock could pose a significant obstacle to future growth. Even so, the weight of probability points to a market in which the skies will be crowded and airports will be operating at capacity for a larger proportion of their day. The option to expand and

NEXT GENERATION RUGGED MOBILE COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY FOR AIRPORT CARGO, CHECK-IN AND MAINTENANCE OPERATIONS

RUGGED TECHNOLOGY TO MEET YOUR AVIATION CHALLENGES build new airports is limited. Heathrow, for example, has recently received permission to build a new runway, but this comes after a prolonged planning process and with enormous political controversy. Terminal 5 was a total of 20 years in the planning. The only alternative is for processes to become faster and more efficient. Mobile technology can be useful across airport operations. It can be used to order replacement parts online and reduce downtime; to provide instant access for flight crew to maintenance manuals, flight logs and up-to-the-minute weather reports; it can provide ground personnel with accurate data in real time, and reduce the burden of administration. It can streamline and automate processes, making for faster sign-off and turnaround and increasing the number of flights per day any airport can handle. There are so many processes involved in day-to-day aviation operations that incremental savings of a few minutes over each one can add up to a transformative difference in the longer term.

The Digital Future The aviation industry is undergoing a digital transformation towards a far more connected future. Separate departments will be able to talk to each other and share information in real time. Europe’s airspace could be operated through a single system, aircraft can send information about their performance and location to operators on the ground, and big data can gather information about passenger movements to anticipate busy periods and ease overcrowding. The future of business in general, and aviation in particular, looks set to change significantly. It will be a world based on mobile technology, automation and connectivity. This represents an area of transformative potential which can improve turnaround rates, cut out errors and maximise value from every member of staff. In a business which operates on tight profit margins and to even tighter deadlines, that could prove to be immensely valuable. However, making the transition represents a sizable culture change – one which will involve the adoption of new technology and practices and a shift in the way operators work and think.

From Electronic Flight Bag and maintenance, to ground operations and in-flight applications, Panasonic’s rugged Toughpad tablets and Toughbook notebook PCs are helping major names across the airline and airport industries achieve higher levels of efficiency and productivity than ever before. Having already supported businesses such as Vienna Airport, BA CityFlyer, Finnair, easyJet and Iberia, we’ve now established an active community of industry experts – and we’d be delighted to welcome you. To join our aviation and transport innovation community, visit computers.panasonic.eu/ATIS_ community_form or scan the QR code below. Alternatively, to discover how we can help your aviation business:

Visit: www.toughbook.eu Call: +44 (0)2920 542 339

Toughbook CF-20 with Intel® CoreTM m5 vProTM processor. Toughpad FZ-G1 and FZ-M1 with Intel® Core™ i5 vPro™ processor.

the weight of probability points to a market in which the skies will be crowded and airports will be operating at capacity for a larger proportion of their day

Intel, the Intel logo, Intel Core, Intel vPro, Core Inside and vPro Inside are trademarks of Intel Corporation in the U.S. and other countries.

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NEXT GENERATION RUGGED MOBILE COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY FOR AIRPORT CARGO, CHECK-IN AND MAINTENANCE OPERATIONS

The Mobile Supply Chain James Butler, Staff Writer Mobility is the watchword in supply chain management and the next generation of advanced rugged tablets holds the key.

Information is becoming much more critical for supply chains. With budgets coming under pressure, companies are switching to a ‘just in time’ approach in which they minimise the level of their inventory

N OLD article dating back to 2003 sums up the curious nature of the aviation industry. Writing for McKinsey, Stephen J Doig remarked that the aviation industry achieves the remarkable every day “moving more than five million people more than 40 million air miles around the world6.” They do this while maintaining better than ever levels of safety and reliability. However, he writes, once the aircraft reaches the terminal things change. Staff are idle; they wait for people and equipment to arrive, bags go missing, inventory is mislaid and time wasted.

Getting the Details Right Time is money. It’s true in any industry, especially a capital and labour intensive sector such as aviation. Elsewhere in the world, it’s those companies with the best technologies and processes which win the day. Comparatively speaking, the aviation industry lags far behind. We are now nearly 17 years down the line from that McKinsey article, but many of the problems remain. Airlines focus so heavily on safety, speed and performance that they overlook simple day to day details. They’ve mastered the impossible, but run up short against the mundane. That needs to change. Making money has always been difficult for airport operators, airlines and suppliers alike. Despite decades of consistently rising demand, prices have remained relatively flat. As the Economist notes, profit margins in the industry are at just 1%. In 2012, airlines made a profit of only $4 for every passenger they carried7. That situation has improved a little in recent years. IATA estimates profitability had grown to approximately 5.6% by the end of 2015. The return of capital reached 9.6% making it attractive to investors and easier to attract funding for new aircraft and projects. Much of this has been down to weak oil prices8. With Brent Crude prices expected to remain in the

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region of $45 per barrel, fuel costs will fall. However, this saving comes amidst a backdrop in which revenue is falling. The market is slowing as global economic uncertainties grow. The UK Budget airline easyJet announced a fall in profits for the first time in seven years in 2016 as it struggled with international terrorism, the fall of the pound and air traffic control strikes9. American Airlines also announced falling profits and disappointing revenue10. In this environment, mundane operations become mission critical. Aviation companies can continue to grow profits despite a difficult market by driving efficiency and innovation. Crucial to this will be new technologies which improve supply chains.

The Age of Information Information is becoming much more critical for supply chains. With budgets coming under pressure, companies are switching to a ‘just in time’ approach in which they minimise the level of their inventory. However, at the same time, they need to maintain a fast reliable service. PDQ Air Spares, for example, offers a 48 hour turnaround and for that it needs to maintain a large quantity of inventory on site. This can be expensive, so to minimise costs they place certain non-core products on an overnight delivery so they can order and send as and when needed while still meeting tight delivery deadlines. For this, they need data. Software can track the status of any product anywhere in the supply chain. Having access to a mobile computer allows operators to see, at a glance, where an item is. If there is a problem with an order – such as if a part misses a connection or is delayed – a notification can be sent which the operator sees in real time. This data plays an important role in an industry where audit trails are compulsory so the more information about supply chains can be available, the easier it is for companies at every stage to ensure regulatory compliance.

NEXT GENERATION RUGGED MOBILE COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY FOR AIRPORT CARGO, CHECK-IN AND MAINTENANCE OPERATIONS

RUGGED TECHNOLOGY TO MEET YOUR AVIATION CHALLENGES Just as importantly, the ability to reduce costs while also improving service, quality and delivery times will provide companies with a critical edge in an increasingly competitive landscape. If inventory costs are minimised, profit margins can be more comfortable, and suppliers can pass savings onto customers. Information about the location of stock and equipment can also improve another common problem for the industry – losing inventory. Considering the number of machines and equipment any operator uses, it’s unsurprising that much of it goes missing. When it does, replacements must be ordered and operations are interrupted. Today, however, operators can tag a device and track its location using handheld mobile devices, dramatically reducing the level of inventory wastage. Key to this is the increase in mobile technology. This has come to dominate supply chains in other industries. Mobile computers made themselves useful in the warehouse where workers would use RFID tags, barcode printers, scanners and voice solutions to increase the range of tasks they can perform while on the move. The latest tablet computers and smartphones can deliver all this functionality within one small handheld package. These can then connect to a central processing system from any location with an internet connection and allow operators to quickly update administrative systems. This reduces

the time and effort put into managing inventory and also increases the accuracy of the data at operators’ disposal. All of a sudden, they can have a complete view of the state of equipment in real time.

Choosing Systems The benefits are clear and demonstrable. However, there is some disagreement about precisely what type of equipment will be needed. Rugged tablets and smartphones are lighter and more durable than ever offering high end functionality, but they are expensive. Some have pointed to the development of consumer grade smartphones which are themselves becoming more suited to some industrial environments. They are tougher, feature high resolution displays which function in a range of different conditions and can now incorporate many industrial functions such as bar code scanning simply by downloading an app. They are less expensive, but will this lower initial cost be worth the higher soft costs of maintenance and replacement? There may well be some areas of airport operations where consumer grade devices will be adequate. However, such are the range of conditions and threats engineers and ground crew are subjected to that rugged devices will be increasingly vital in the future. Operators will need to develop a clear understanding of the market, and how they can mould it to fit in with their own requirements.

Visit: www.toughbook.eu Call: +44 (0)2920 542 339

Toughbook CF-20 with Intel® CoreTM m5 vProTM processor. Toughpad FZ-G1 and FZ-M1 with Intel® Core™ i5 vPro™ processor.

Intel, the Intel logo, Intel Core, Intel vPro, Core Inside and vPro Inside are trademarks of Intel Corporation in the U.S. and other countries.

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NEXT GENERATION RUGGED MOBILE COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY FOR AIRPORT CARGO, CHECK-IN AND MAINTENANCE OPERATIONS

Rugged Laptops – the Key to the Connected Airport Tom Cropper, Editor New software holds the key to an exciting future for the aviation industry, but it depends on a new generation of light, flexible, but rugged hardware.

Mobile technology has become commonplace in business, but its use is patchy across the aviation industry

T’S EARLY in the morning at Madrid Airport and Iberia’s fleet of aircraft are being checked. Every piece of data is being recorded and logged using handheld tablet computers. Each of these has been specially designed to withstand the rough and tumble of life in the field. It’s just one aspect of how mobile technology is helping them process more people and more aircraft to a higher degree of safety and efficiency.

Business Mobility Mobile technology has become commonplace in business, but its use is patchy across the aviation industry. For one company, such as Iberia, it’s everywhere. Engineers use them to order spare parts and send quick notifications; operators use them to schedule jobs, prioritise tasks and identify problems; ground supervisors get more information about the status of incoming and outgoing aircraft giving them more autonomy in their work; baggage handlers use them to ensure passengers’ bags get where they need to go, while loading crews have more detailed information about where bags need to be and when. With Iberia processing 600 flights during a single day at Madrid Airport – which can include as many as 80 at one time – co-ordination and organisation are crucial. Others, though, are some way behind – either trying to muddle through with existing paperbased technology or attempting to use cheaper consumer grade tablets. What Iberia have shown is that this is a technology which can be deployed right across the entire operation. Operators simply need to understand what it can do and how it can be incorporated into their operations.

The Paperless Cockpit We’ve all heard about the paperless office – as businesses strive to transfer costly paper-based administration into the virtual world. The same 10 | WWW.AIRPORTTECHNOLOGYREPORTS.COM

is true of airlines’ drive towards the paperless cockpit. Before each flight, crew must undergo comprehensive and rigorous safety checks, all of which require them to read an extensive set of documents. Eliminating the heavy flight manuals would not only save paper, but can deliver a small but significant saving in fuel. Over the past few years, airlines have been phasing out their old bulky flight bags in favour of what’s known as the electronic log book. They can do this with specialist software provided by the Flightman set of management solutions, which provide a range of software solutions for what they term the connected aircraft. This is an aircraft in which everything is connected to the wider operation. Not only can flight crew perform checks electronically with the electronic flight bag, but they can also access real time information on weather conditions, update data to a central system and relay information about flight position, progress and flying performance to operators on the ground. This new generation of software solutions can be crucial to the future of aviation. However, to work, they will need to be encased within hardware tough enough to cope with the challenge. The first step for many companies has been to take consumer grade tablets and put them to use. This is the approach Thompson Fly initially took, but without success. They encountered increasing failures with tablets unable to cope in the challenging environment of the cockpit. Here the big risk is impact damage. Cockpits are tight and crowded, and airplanes are liable to sudden changes in altitude. Getting dropped on the floor is part and parcel of life for a tablet computer. They found an alternative with their ground crew who were already using Panasonic Toughbooks with good results. They began testing a number of models and found that the Toughbook CF-TD with its magnesium alloy case and reinforced

NEXT GENERATION RUGGED MOBILE COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY FOR AIRPORT CARGO, CHECK-IN AND MAINTENANCE OPERATIONS

metal screen case edges was the best suited to the task. The Toughbooks were tested to withstand drops of 30cm to ensure pilot’s data would be safe. The Thompson Fly story points to the benefits of sharing information and practices between departments. Aviation is a patchwork quilt of different departments co-operating, but working separately. These often have different procedures and technologies. So, while one area of an airport might be working with the latest computing technology, another could be struggling with out-dated paper-based methods or using technologies which are not up to the task. Improving communication between different functions will be crucial to spurring innovation and ensuring airports and airlines are working to maximum efficiency across the spectrum.

Electronic Manuals Elsewhere, ground grew and engineers are using rugged technology to replace vast amounts of paper, particularly in the use of manuals. In order to do their job, engineers need ready access to a manual. Previously, this would have been a physical book, but in recent years this made the transition to an electronic format. The aim had been to allow technicians to review the manual directly on their desktop computers, but they needed greater mobility. They required constant access to the manual wherever they

were and whatever jobs they were doing. This meant logging onto their computers, choosing the appropriate file and printing – resulting in a waste of time and valuable paper. To resolve this, they turned to consumer brand notebooks, but they had problems. Not only were they bulky and cumbersome, but they were too fragile for the environment in which they were working. Maintenance costs were high and equipment was simply not capable of surviving in the rough environment. Toughpads provided a quick and simple solution. Not only are they mobile and flexible enough to work with, but they are shock resistant, viewable in all light conditions and can withstand corrosive chemicals. They can be programmed to offer direct access to the manuals on the go.

Moving into the Future As this article has demonstrated, rugged tablets are already providing the catalyst for rapid development. They are being shown to help companies save money and improve performance. The future is promising. Demand has been rising and shows no sign of slowing down. With such a positive market, new players are entering the arena. Competition drives innovation, which will see new sophisticated solutions coming to market. Capacity will rise quickly which means airports will have yet more opportunities to improve their offering.

RUGGED TECHNOLOGY TO MEET YOUR AVIATION CHALLENGES From Electronic Flight Bag and maintenance, to ground operations and in-flight applications, Panasonic’s rugged Toughpad tablets and Toughbook notebook PCs are helping major names across the airline and airport industries achieve higher levels of efficiency and productivity than ever before. Having already supported businesses such as Vienna Airport, BA CityFlyer, Finnair, easyJet and Iberia, we’ve now established an active community of industry experts – and we’d be delighted to welcome you. To join our aviation and transport innovation community, visit computers.panasonic.eu/ATIS_ community_form or scan the QR code below. Alternatively, to discover how we can help your aviation business:

Visit: www.toughbook.eu Call: +44 (0)2920 542 339

Toughbook CF-20 with Intel® CoreTM m5 vProTM processor. Toughpad FZ-G1 and FZ-M1 with Intel® Core™ i5 vPro™ processor.

Intel, the Intel logo, Intel Core, Intel vPro, Core Inside and vPro Inside are trademarks of Intel Corporation in the U.S. and other countries.

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NEXT GENERATION RUGGED MOBILE COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY FOR AIRPORT CARGO, CHECK-IN AND MAINTENANCE OPERATIONS

Key Factors to Bear in Mind Jo Roth, Staff Writer

As demand has grown, new entrants have flooded into the market. Many are those which have simply taken their existing tablets or PC and sought to toughen them up

UGGED COMPUTERS and laptops offer all sorts of benefits to the aviation industry. However, buyers will need to work hard in order to select the right solution for their needs. Mobile computing is the future of aviation – and rugged devices hold the key to get there. That would seem to be the lesson of this Report so far, but that, in itself, is not quite enough. It’s one thing to understand what this technology can do, and where it could yield benefits. It’s quite another to put it into action. That’s important because a badly implemented transition may not only fail to deliver improvements, but it can also hinder existing operations. There are all sorts of things that could go wrong. Devices may not be as robust as they claim to be; they might not be compatible with existing systems; they could be insecure or exhibit reliability problems. Different systems will suit different situations. For example, a device might work for ground crew, but be wholly inappropriate for flight crew. Equally, they may require differing levels of ruggedness. You may need a fully rugged laptop for the warehouse but, in the passenger terminals, wear and tear may be a little less. It’s about finding the right product for the right task. To get the right solution, buyers will need to do plenty of research, but in the meantime, there are some key issues they should be looking at.

Value for Money The average cost of a ruggedized laptop is two to three times higher than a standard laptop of a similar configuration. Taken across airport operations, that mounts up to a sizeable initial spend. Airports will make a calculation: is the initial outlay worth a reduction in repair, downtime and running costs? This is by no means a straightforward assessment. On the one hand, the longer equipment is used, the greater the saving on repairs, maintenance and replacement. However, technology is advancing, with new models replacing the old every year. How valuable will that durability be considering a computer may be updated within a couple of years?

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Against that there is the issue of additional functionality brought to areas where computers might previously have feared to tread. Connected IT can save time, improve accuracy and enable engineers to achieve much more than they would have previously thought possible. This translates into productivity improvements and cost savings which may not be directly down to the use of mobile computing.

Securing the System Any system which uses wireless connectivity instantly creates a security risk. Businesses which have used cloud computing networks have found their data to be at risk both from malicious and accidental data loss. Devices can be lost or stolen and data can be intercepted. The more mobile devices in operation, the greater the potential risk. The best rugged PCs come complete with password protection, security software and backup software so that data is not at risk. Buyers should understand what the dangers are, what security measures are in place and what can be done if there is an issue. They will need to install a state of the art security system, which takes into account the increase in endpoints created through the use of mobile devices. An endpoint is a place from which a central network is accessed. Each one presents a potential security threat, and must be secured. However, external threats will not be the biggest problem. Just over half of data breaches occur because of a mistake by staff. A survey of IT professionals found that 20% of businesses reported losing data as a result of a software vulnerability incident while 22% reported loss due to an accidental leak by staff11. Passwords can be compromised, equipment or data storage devices can be mislaid – indeed the use of mobile computing significantly increases the chance of devices containing critical information going missing. Staff will need to be trained and appropriate protocols put in place. All devices which log into a central system must be listed, secured and accounted for. Electronic tagging can aid in the location of a device in an emergency.

NEXT GENERATION RUGGED MOBILE COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY FOR AIRPORT CARGO, CHECK-IN AND MAINTENANCE OPERATIONS

RUGGED TECHNOLOGY TO MEET YOUR AVIATION CHALLENGES Robust contingency plans must also be put in place outlining a clear course of action if and when an issue arises.

What Does Rugged Mean? The term ‘rugged’ may be increasingly familiar, but what does it mean precisely? In its most basic term it refers to anything which can withstand more than the average consumer tablet, but that’s quite a wide definition. For example, a device might be highly resilient against cold, but still be vulnerable to impact damage. It might be more robust than the average computer but not by much. A product labelled as rugged is not, in itself, much of a guide. Manufacturers might make all sorts of claims, but without independent verification that’s not much use. The very best devices are those capable of boasting MIL-STD rating. Developed by the US military in the 60s this is designed to show how a piece of equipment will stand up to a range of

environmental testing. The standard has been updated from time to time over the years, but it remains the best possible benchmark by which to judge a device. It consists of 28 different testing methods which cover everything from extreme cold to gunfire. This is a reliable and independently verified assessment of what a device can and can’t do. Much of this is down to the reliability of the provider. As demand has grown, new entrants have flooded into the market. Many are those which have simply taken their existing tablets or PC and sought to toughen them up. However, those which have specialised in this market, and focused on different sectors such as aviation, will be at a distinct advantage. They have the experience and background to deliver high quality products tailor-made to specific situations. They can also offer ongoing technical support and, in some cases, the ability to tailor a product to a specific situation. It’s an added feature which can prove valuable.

It’s one thing to understand what this technology

Visit: www.toughbook.eu Call: +44 (0)2920 542 339

Toughbook CF-20 with Intel® CoreTM m5 vProTM processor. Toughpad FZ-G1 and FZ-M1 with Intel® Core™ i5 vPro™ processor.

can do, and where it could yield benefits. It’s quite another to put it into action

Intel, the Intel logo, Intel Core, Intel vPro, Core Inside and vPro Inside are trademarks of Intel Corporation in the U.S. and other countries.

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NEXT GENERATION RUGGED MOBILE COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY FOR AIRPORT CARGO, CHECK-IN AND MAINTENANCE OPERATIONS

References: 1

Tablets Are Dead: https://techcrunch.com/2016/02/25/tablets-are-dead/

Why the Rugged Market is Outpacing Consumer Devices:

http://www.rcrwireless.com/20161018/opinion/reality-check-rugged-tablet-market-outpacing-consumer-devices-tag10 3

Rugged Tablet Market 2015-2016:

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/global-rugged-tablet-market-2015-2019---market-study-300219238.html 4

Roundup of Cloud Computing:

http://www.forbes.com/sites/louiscolumbus/2016/01/18/2016-roundup-of-cloud-computing-and-enterprise-software-predictions/#9a3fbdd2230d 5

IATA Forecasts Passenger Demand to Double Over 20 Years: http://www.iata.org/pressroom/pr/Pages/2016-10-18-02.aspx

The Hidden Value in Airline Operations:

http://www.mckinsey.com/industries/travel-transport-and-logistics/our-insights/the-hidden-value-in-airline-operations 7

Why Airlines Make Such Meagre Profits: http://www.economist.com/blogs/economist-explains/2014/02/economist-explains-5

Airline Profits Grow: http://www.iata.org/pressroom/pr/Pages/2016-06-02-02.aspx

Easy Jet Profits Fall: http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/business/easyjets-profits-fall-first-time-8989906

American Airlines Profit and Revenue Fall: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/american-airlines-profit-and-revenue-fall-2016-07-22

Accidental Data Loss By Staff Now a Primary Weak Point:

http://www.information-age.com/accidental-data-leaks-staff-now-primary-security-weak-point-123458600/

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Visit: www.toughbook.eu Call: +44 (0)2920 542 339

Intel, the Intel logo, Intel Core, Intel vPro, Core Inside and vPro Inside are trademarks of Intel Corporation in the U.S. and other countries.

Toughbook CF-20 with Intel® CoreTM m5 vProTM processor. Toughpad FZ-G1 and FZ-M1 with Intel® Core™ i5 vPro™ processor.

NEXT GENERATION RUGGED MOBILE COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY FOR AIRPORT CARGO, CHECK-IN AND MAINTENANCE OPERATIONS

Notes:

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