Story ID: 589
ATP Launches Improved Centricity Maintenance Data System
By: Curt Epstein
Caption: The new functionality aims to enhance user's capability in terms of maintenance, airworthiness and compliance.
Word Count: 602
Aviation maintenance data provider ATP is debuting new functionality of its products at the EBACE show in Geneva this week. The California-based company has leveraged its December purchase of diagnostic software developer CaseBank Technologies to develop ATP Aviation Hub Aircraft Centricity, a fully-customizable, aircraft-specific data portal, which it will demonstrating (Booth Z131).

ATP is celebrating its 40th year as a aviation data clearinghouse, and it has seen the transition from providing information on paper, to microfiche, through the digital age. The concept of "aircraft centricity" is the latest evolution, according to CEO Charles Picasso. “That was the next logical step in our value proposition, because so far the mechanics or the engineers or the chief of maintenance had to access different libraries every time they were working on the aircraft,” he told AIN. “Here, we are taking the further step to provide to them the right information at the right time and for the specific aircraft they are working on.”

Through the subscription-based portal, users can enter the specific tail number for an aircraft, and the system will immediately search publicly accessible regulatory databases such as the FAA or EASA. “They will have access to the maintenance publications or the manuals, the STCs, maintenance and complete tracking data, all the information that is specific to that aircraft,” said Picasso, adding that regulatory compliance information is updated in real time. Through its numerous agreements with airframers and component manufacturers, ATP provides libraries of original maintenance documents and publications. The subscription price is determined by the complexity of the aircraft and the number of product document libraries involved.

Individual aircraft profiles can easily be tailored via the registration number. The base configuration of the aircraft as found in the regulatory database is displayed, and the user can then select from among all the modifications available to create a precise description of that specific aircraft, which is then stored.

When the aircraft requires maintenance, the owner can authorize access to a service provider who will then be able to view that aircraft’s maintenance records. “The system will then restrict view to everything related to that aircraft, all the maintenance records, the wiring diagrams, the service bulletins, anything to do with information that’s related to that aircraft is now going to be in the scope of the next few clicks that the technician will have,” said Phillip d’Eon, ATP’s senior vice president for strategy, and a CaseBank founder. “The aircraft-centric view of Aviation Hub, pulls all that information together. It just makes sure that you are able to see everything that is going on, and all the documentation is relevant to this particular tail number.” Once the task is completed, the service provider can sign off in the system through the company’s integrated maintenance application. Outside access to the aircraft’s profile can be limited for a certain period of time, for example the duration of the maintenance event, or be available on an unlimited basis for favored and trusted maintenance providers.

According to Picasso, the new product will boost technicians' confidence that they are getting only the right information related to that tail number, helping minimize errors.

The recently launched ATP mobile application further enhances the usability of the system. “What was available through the web and through servers for laptops, is now available on any mobile device [so] the technician or the engineers have the right information anywhere at anytime, so [they can] perform the activities with the right information at their fingertips,” noted Picasso.