Seattle-based Boeing and its AerData and Jeppesen units that claims to offer digital aerospace solutions to over 300 airlines and related companies, are also eyeing to leverage artificial intelligence to streamline business operations while enabling airline operators to be more efficient, competitive and attractive to consumers.
AerData, that has offices based in the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, develops software for lease management, engine fleet planning, records scanning and technical and back-office services for aircrafts, while Englewood-based Jeppesen makes software aimed at improving aviation efficiency.
According to the company, the collaboration is powered by services like Cortana Intelligence and Azure IoT Suite to improve commercial aviation by enhancing factors like predictive aircraft maintenance, fuel optimization, airline systems and the overall cabin passenger experience.
Kevin Crowley, Vice President, Digital Aviation, Boeing who took over as Chief Executive Officer at Jeppesen on February 1, 2016, said:
Boeing’s expertise and extensive aviation data resources coupled with Microsoft’s cloud technology will accelerate innovation in areas such as predictive maintenance and flight optimization, allowing airlines to drive down costs and improve operational efficiency.
He added, “Together, two companies that changed their industries are teaming up to accelerate the digital transformation of aviation through the use of analytics-based applications, cloud technologies and large-scale integration.”
According to the jet manufacturer, the partnership will not only aid Boeing analytics suite as a digital solution but will also enable airlines to solve business challenges like crew scheduling costs, as much as 7 percent, and save hundreds of pounds of fuel on every flight, claims the company. Boeing claims that its applications provide airlines, airplane leasing companies and maintenance suppliers with real-time information to optimize operational performance, fuel use, maintenance, and supply chain performance. Including purchasing and leasing airplanes and engines, training, route planning and managing inventory and maintaining fleets. It also claims to digitally navigate over 13,000 aircrafts on a daily basis.
Judson Althoff, executive vice president, Worldwide Commercial Business, Microsoft, stated:
At Microsoft, we are focused on empowering organizations across industries to advance their digital transformation. Working with Boeing, we can help businesses across aviation to become more adaptive, innovative and intelligence-driven, including airlines, operators, suppliers, support, and service providers.
In another joint statement, Greg Jones, Director, global industry travel, Microsoft pointed out the digital transformation occurring with the explosion of data and the resulting advanced analytics that aims to assist a new generation of pilots, mechanics, dispatchers and even flight attendants.
He commented, “Carriers want better access to information, so they can eliminate operating inefficiencies. This news of Boeing and Microsoft working together to drive that digital transformation in the airline sector, enables us to deliver all these Boeing services on the Microsoft Cloud to our mutual airline customer.”
