Afast Aero: Overview
With clients across the world, Afast Aero still needed to provide specialist maintenance, despite barriers caused by COVID-19.
Quickly finding a way of adapting to a new way of working was vital for Afast Aero's Director, Jeff Gordon. New to the world of using video and AR technology for communication, the chosen solution needed to be easy to use and effective in diagnosing any issues remotely. When speaking about the solution,
"Engineering work in the aviation industry is required to meet strict safety guidelines and the ability to have seen a problem beforehand ensures that my team is fully prepared."
he explains.
Challenge
With Hostcomm's Remote Inspection solution joining Afast Aero's collection of specialist equipment collection, they were wishing to tackle the following challenges and objectives:
- COVID-19 restricting commercial travel, reducing workflow.
- Invest in technology that’ll allow them to provide a consultation service to clients worldwide.
- Find a tool that’ll aid logistical planning and cut down unnecessary travel time.
Afast Aero’s team consists of its Director, Jeff Gordon and two specialist engineers, plus contract engineers when needed. As a small team, there was a potential to boost productivity through the use of technology, but also use it to gain an advantage over their competitors within the Aircraft Maintenance industry.
Solution
Hostcomm’s Remote Visual Assistance solution uses video and Augmented Reality (AR) to provide visual support in a variety of different use cases. In Afast Aero's case, the solution is utilised in the consultation phase of the aircraft problem-solving.
As well as consultations, Remote Visual Assistance enables engineers to complete inspections remotely without having to spend hours on the road; this can significantly reduce the amount of time an aircraft is grounded. Despite priding themselves with the ability to provide a rapid response at the customer's request, every hour counts.
It was important to Afast Aero to find a solution that is simple and effective for all parties to use, especially when dealing with any language barriers. Jeff first discovered Remote Visual Assistance, after experiencing the technology first hand during a boiler inspection at his home. It was the app-free video call and features such as live annotation, image capture and remote zoom, that immediately caught his attention.
In Action
“Remote Inspections allow me to see the bigger picture at the location; it’s great to know exactly what issue we’ll be working with before we arrive at the aircraft”
Jeff said.
When asked what features were the most valuable to the company,
"being able to have a recording of the video and audio, which is particularly useful if we ever need to refer to an old job, or to ensure we are meeting quality service requirements.
Jeff mentioned
He also went on the say,
"The ability to annotate on-screen within the live video is incredibly helpful; it resolves any communication barriers and allows for a full understanding of the situation for both parties."
With the reduction in engineer travel time and the ability to complete the consultation process remotely, aircraft downtime could be reduced by 30% - 50%, depending on the nature of the problem.
Looking Forward
The pandemic has fast-tracked the need for companies like Afast Aero to invest in communication technology within their business.
With the ability to provide a Remote Inspection consultation service, Afast Aero can attract customers worldwide, and put their years of expertise into action quicker than ever before. They are now able to offer that new level of service that’ll allow them to hit each of their challenges and objectives moving forward.
“Remote Inspections allow me to see the bigger picture at the location; it’s great to know exactly what issue we’ll be working with before we arrive at the aircraft”
