available from an iPhone, he says, to reduce the volume of data the user is required to enter. This could be integrated with a part or tool request, for example. Ramco expects to integrate location intelligence into maintenance transactions in the next version of the software, he says.


British Airways Engineering has partnered with Tata Consulting Services (TCS) to market SWIFT MRO to airlines/MROs worldwide.


Hybrids Other products are built specifically for the maintenance market but include traditional ERP modules like financials and human resources. These hybrid solutions try to offer the best of both worlds to customers who may not already have an out-of-the- box ERP system. Ramco’s Aviation Suite includes back


office functions such as finance and HR, as well as deep maintenance and engineering functionality, says Thamizha Nambi, the company’s senior vice president for aviation solutions. The software also can integrate with Oracle or SAP, if a customer already is using those ERP systems. Ramco’s latest release, version 5.6, adds


a feature called WorkSpaces, which tailors the software experience to specific roles


AvPro


Decision Software Systems’ AvPro software, based on the FoxPro database, is used it to track aspects of maintenance work such as project schedules, employee hours and part numbers.


Customers can pick and choose between modules dealing with inventory manage- ment, asset management, work orders, component maintenance, accounting and employee training. Small to medi- um-sized organizations are the best fit, says Nathan Schnurman, business wdevelopment manager.


16 Aviation Maintenance | avm-mag.com | May 2013


in the organization. This specialization, or personalization, feature allows managers, when they log in, to see everything they need to know, such as transactions pending approval and exceptions in a visual way. Role- and functional-area WorkSpaces include tech records, stores, procurement, receiving, sales, accounts payable and accounts receivable. Ramco has a wide customer base among regional airlines and helicopter operators. Ramco’s solution is accessible via a customer’s own network but also via the public cloud, using Web giant Amazon’s server services. Among the benefits are flexibility and long-term savings, as customers offload the costs of buying and maintaining hardware and software. Security is not really an issue because each customer’s data is stored in a separate database, Nambi says. The software already is tuned to leverage the capabilities of mobile devices such as iPads and iPhones. Nambi notes other emerging trends. People want to be able to perform searches on application data—to find, for example, what transactions are open for a particular component, he says. They want to be able to mine their data. In response, Ramco is rolling out an enterprise search function with release 5.6.


Personalization also is becoming more


of a trend, as software migrates to mobile devices, Nambi observes. The user naturally wants to see only what is relevant to his job. The next step in personalization is for the software to use location information that is


AMOS Swiss AviationSoftware emphasizes that its AMOS solution is not an ERP but a “best-of-breed,” maintenance-specific application. Although the product has


Pentagon 2000SQL Pentagon 2000 Software’s Pentagon 2000SQL is an ERP because “it supports all of an enterprise’s general business… activities—including accounting and financial reporting,”as well as industry- specific maintenance functions, according to the company. Its “core” modules, however, include functions such as inventory, quotations, vendor RFQ-purchasing, shipping and invoicing, electronic catalog, and virtual warehouse management. Among the system’s strengths are its complex materials management capability, says Kirk Baugher, executive vice president of business development. Typical MRO software systems are not strong in this area, he says. Among its customers are Fokker Services, HEICO, Airbus Military North America, L-3, Elliott Aviation and “lots of repair stations,” Baugher says. More than 80 percent of its customers are in the aerospace industry. Pentagon 2000SQL also offers out-of-the-box links to Aeroxchange and Aviall. The software, which uses Microsoft SQL Server database, takes about 30 minutes to install, Baugher says. Implementation, including data conversion, takes weeks to months. The company partners with Rackspace to provide cloud-based access, but most customers host the software on their own server networks. The software also can be run on an iPad over WiFi, he adds. Bombardier/Flexjet uses the system for heavy maintenance, employing battery-powered laptops on roller carts, Baugher says. The software is commercial off-the-shelf, or COTS, but is flexible enough to allow users to customize forms and set different behaviors.


Mainstream Solutions In the middle of spectrum are mainstream solutions that focus on a wide range of maintenance functions. Among these are AMOS, EmpowerMX and Commsoft’s OASES.


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