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bridges on the existing stands, but the new bridges were of a different type. It was necessary, therefore, to put new markings on the ground and check that the bridges would fit with the current infrastructure.
The airport is also involved in an ongoing IATA certification project for Apron 2, which requires proofs for all of the paths that aircraft will use on taxiways and stands. Clearance distances need to be carefully checked. For both projects, AviPLAN is the key planning tool. “If we have new types of aircraft or need to make changes to the placement or dimensions of a stand, then we use AviPLAN to remodel,” adds Rosenau. “Also, if ground handling staff notice something that doesn’t work well or needs more space, or if we have to introduce new equipment that might not fit in the existing operational layout, then we check that with the software.”
“It is very simple, we just check it on the programme,” she continues. “We can easily design a new safety line, for example, or make many other day- to-day adjustments, as well as the big engineering projects we undertake.” For Bernard Goodworth, senior product manager for aviation at Transoft Solutions, who trained Rosenau on the use of AviPLAN, the ability to use the software for such day-to-day operational adjustments is a fundamental part of its value to airports. “It is very much suited to smaller projects as well as major or new construction projects,” he remarks. “A lot of people don’t realise that it can be used for day-to-day adjustments, too. In fact, many airports have one user who uses the software every day when they need quick results.”
“For example, when there are concrete or asphalt areas that are damaged and need to be maintained, they will only get worse unless they are repaired quickly,” he adds. “On an apron where refuelling is done, you need to make sure the drainage is in shape so that fuel doesn’t end up in the wrong place and doesn’t leak into groundwater. You need to keep the airport running while these repairs are done, and AviPLAN can be used to assess the impact of the building work, even if it is just for one day.”
Future Airport /
www.futureairport.com
The software can be used to quickly redirect aircraft around a building site, and to define temporary markings to guide planes along the taxiway to make sure the site is clear,” he continues. “Usually it has to be done well in advance so ground controllers can be made aware of the changes,” says Goodworth. “AviPLAN simulations show clearly whether these revised operational procedures would be safe. Similarly, if you have a stand that normally operates two passenger boarding bridges but has one that is defective, that calls for a reassessment for all flights using that stand to see if they can operate with one bridge.” “AviPLAN can be used to run simulations up front to see if they can still dock to the same door,” he adds. “If it can’t, then there needs to be a conversation with the airline. The solution is all about the power of the simulation, whether it is in the operational context or in a major engineering project. The key difference is that one is purely engineering planning and design, the other is operational planning, but a lot of people don’t give AviPLAN the credit it deserves in the operational area. But I have seen it used intensively at many airports, where people rely on it every day.”
Bringing plans to life Key to the use of AviPLAN in both the operational context and in major engineering works is its capacity for visualising how changes will impact the flow of traffic around an airport. The solution comes with powerful video creation tools that go far beyond technical plans in bringing a new vision to life. “You can create videos with AviPLAN that can be shared, so everyone involved gets to see more than a drawing of what would be happening,” says Goodworth. “Those video presentations become very important for the communication of temporary operational changes and they mean much more for people on the ground than a text description that they may not want to read or might find difficult to digest.” “You can play the video in break rooms and on other information system screens to communicate changes in process much better and in detail,” he adds.
At the back end, the video simulations play a vital role in ensuring that the impact of infrastructure work is easily understood. At the front end, ease of use is just as important.
“It is a really intuitive tool and it contains everything I need to plan an airport,” says Rosenau. “I don’t remember ever having a case where I needed a function and it wasn’t there. The software has so much functionality that you can use, and it is very intuitive – you can see what will be there from an aerial point of view and it has an extensive library of objects so that you can configure it very easily.”
“If you have specific vehicles or trailers, you can configure them very easily to simulate ground handling manoeuvres,” she adds. “For example, if you have to work using a tow truck then you can easily put its dimensions into the software and very quickly you have a representation of what the reality of its operation will look like.”
That simplicity and the intuitive nature of the software is a direct result of how Transoft approaches the design and improvement of the solution. That process is driven largely by user feedback. “The simulations, the precision and the ease of use are AviPLAN’s key strengths in the operational context,” says Goodworth. “The software is developed in consideration of the feedback we get from users. We respond to the feedback from people on the ground all the time. We soak up that communication. That is why it can be used in the operational context.” “It is still a complex software tool but it is easy to learn,” explains Rosenau. “I’ve been working with it for four years and I still learn new things, but you learn by doing. We have a good connection with Transoft and any big problems can be sorted out very easily.” AviPLAN could be the bridge between people involved in strategic planning and future engineering projects, and the teams in charge of day-to-day operational matters, by ensuring that when using the power visualisation tools, the message is not lost in the detail. ●
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