Lessons From History: Digitizing Aviation Through the Ages
Written by Jim Boccarossa
The aviation industry may have started as a perceived farfetched dream. But with an innovative approach and unmatched tenacity, the Wright Brothers powered the first flight in 1903. This revolutionary foundation has guided decades of technological advancements and the formation of the industry itself—and it’s still driving tremendous transformations today. The complex systems that keep global operations running require new solutions, which is why aviation industry leaders are now focused on digitizing legacy processes like record keeping.
Manual record management processes have far-reaching consequences on critical factors like decision-making, process efficiency, applications, and equipment. But now, digital transformation opens up new opportunities to optimize these foundational practices within the industry. So, how did we get here?
Early Stages of Digitizing Aviation
One of aviation's earliest areas of digitization was using electronic instruments and navigation aids. Pilots had precise data on their position and performance for the first time through digital displays. This fundamentally improved overall flight safety and accuracy.
Around the same time, ground communications underwent a digital transformation, vastly improving networks between pilots, air traffic controllers, and ground personnel. The aviation industry replaced radio systems with high-frequency (VHF) radios and implemented satellite communications (SATCOM).
In the 1970s, the digitizing process really took off with the introduction of computer-based automation. Pilots had digital instruments to augment their maneuvering for the first time. As a result, flying became much more reliable.
All these innovations brought notable benefits to the aviation industry, such as better planning and greater fuel efficiency. Digital communication systems made overall operations more cohesive. Plus, computer-automated flight systems significantly improved safety.
However, progress wasn’t without its challenges. Pilots and aviation personnel needed extensive training to understand and implement new technologies. Also, each improvement required investments from airlines and stakeholders to adopt—and sometimes, make record-keeping, accessing, retrieving, and analyzing information easier, and simplify task management. The costs were substantial. But these improvements were necessary for the long-term succuss of modern industry giants.
Evolution of Digitization in Aviation
The need to adopt technological advancements seems obvious. However, there was resistance along nearly every step toward a modern aviation industry.
For instance, digital flight control systems were concerned about disrupting pilots’ processes. The introduction of navigation, digital data for flight planning, and weather forecast technology also met resistance. There were worries surrounding accuracy and a general lack of familiarity with the tools.
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Digitizing administrative processes like record keeping, invoicing, and documentation is now meeting similar resistance. Some are reluctant to abandon familiar paper-based procedures. However, the benefits of the technology outweigh the hesitancy behind aviation’s digital transformation.
3 Areas Where Digital Hasn’t Been Adopted
Digitizing aviation records, task cards, and parts and materials information brings numerous benefits to the aviation sector:
Records: Digital record keeping makes it easier to access, retrieve, and analyze information. This streamlines workflows and improves decision-making.
Task Cards: Automated task cards eliminate human error and make task management easier. As a result, the efficiency of maintenance and operational activities is improved.
Parts and Materials: Digital information provides unbeatable benefits such as real-time tracking, simplified inventory management, and greater traceability throughout the supply chain.
Recent Trends in Digitization in Aviation
Digitization in aviation spans a variety of different sectors and functions. For instance, big data analytics transforms maintenance and repair organization (MRO) processes with predictive maintenance.
Airlines also collect and analyze vast amounts of data from aircraft sensors, maintenance records, and historical data. They can proactively identify potential issues and schedule maintenance activities before experiencing operational disruptions.
The industry is integrating artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), and machine learning algorithms. Critical flight information can be analyzed in real-time to capture anomalies, flag maintenance needs, and enhance overall performance.
Virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR) have also transformed the pilot training process. In fact, information overlay is now being used to augment complex maintenance tasks.
Finally, the cybersecurity issues of digitizing aviation processes are being solved through the blockchain, which provides a permanent and unchangeable record. This ensures the integrity and transparency of shared data across multiple stakeholders.
Stumbling Blocks in Digitizing Aviation
The history of digital transformation within the aviation industry is clearly not without bumps in the road. For instance, a widespread labor shortage within the industry has made keeping costs low a priority. As a result, leaders are exceedingly cautious about investing in new technologies.
In addition, many simply don’t know what it will take to digitize administrative processes. A generally high turnover in leadership results in a more shortsighted approach to process management.
The industry is struggling to get through economic volatility, supply chain issues, and a lack of labor. At the same time, it’s facing the ongoing challenges that come with overhauling legacy manual processes.
Importance of Adopting Digitization in Record Keeping Going Forward
Real challenges are slowing the pace of digital transformation within the industry. But digitization and its resulting benefits are the keys to thriving in the face of these widespread issues.
ProvenAir is the leading provider of modern solutions for automation and record maintenance in the industry. Its digital platform offers automated and dynamic back-to-birth (BtB) tracing that helps companies avoid costly problems and improve productivity by creating a digital, comprehensive, and accessible historical record for every part.
It’s also solving some of the biggest labor shortage challenges with automated record management. This helps companies retain asset value, improve efficiency from nose to tail, and reduce friction in every transaction.
Securing fleet worth is largely a function of how traceable asset records are. ProvenAir’s digital solution enables dynamic trace history that’s easy to search and maintain, optimizing sales, maintenance, and regulatory compliance. This also reduces turnaround times by eliminating errors and inefficiencies in transactional processes.
Finally, ProvenAir implements cutting-edge security and data privacy measures that resolve companies' concerns when digitizing sensitive information.
Digitizing the Aviation Industry With ProvenAir
The history of innovation in aviation shows consistent advancements. However, it also shows that most improvements experienced initial resistance before they became industry standards. So, the benefits of automated record management will overcome any initial hesitation.
This presents a unique opportunity for early adopters to gain a competitive advantage with more efficient and less labor-intensive processes. With this new technology, aviation companies can overcome the current issues the industry is facing. Those that are quick to integrate will be excellently positioned to scale up their operations.
Contact ProvenAir today to learn more about its leading solution.