Air France Improves On-Wing Maintenance Support
Client: Air France Industries
Challenge: Improve the quality and speed of on-wing maintenance operations at one of Europe's busiest and fastest-growing airports.
Solution: A new maintenance facility housing a specially adapted IT system, called Centre Maintenance Hub. It includes a logistical component for parts management and maintenance vehicle deployment, as well as an application called PROLOG – for logistical management and DVE – for paperless documentation.
Results: Reduced travel time for on-site mechanics and security procedures and significant savings from stock rationalization. Plus, the ability to absorb air traffic increases without hiring additional staff.
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Because of rapid expansion at Roissy-Charles de Gaulle Airport outside Paris and increasingly stringent security protocol, Air France Industries is looking to unique building designs and specialty IT systems to improve maintenance operations on the tarmac.
In 2003, airport expansion began to increase flight capacity. But the new terminals also increased the distance between Air France’s maintenance facilities and airplanes sitting on the tarmac.
To address the issue, Air France and CSC planned a new maintenance building at the airport, with the latest IT, to improve on-wing maintenance capabilities.
No time off for on-wing repairs
The increased distance, as well as heightened security measures, meant maintenance personell were losing too much time making short trips.
A feasibility study underlined the importance of these concerns and highlighted the need for a 30,000-square-meter structure able to accommodate 1,200 people, to cope with the air traffic increase.
Combining logistics, IT and construction
The facility features a specially adapted IT system, called Centre Maintenance Hub, which includes a logistical component for parts management and maintenance vehicle deployment. Another feature includes PROLOG, for logistical management, and DVE, a paperless document process tool.
Benefits are immediate
The new facility opened in May 2008 and is estimated to reduce time spent for on-site mechanics’ travel and security procedures by 15 percent, in addition to savings from stock rationalization. Air France absorbed the increase in air traffic without hiring additional staff.