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ANA, Japan’s largest airline, opts for IBS’ software for Aircraft Simulator Maintenance

All Nippon Airways (ANA), Japan’s largest airline by passenger numbers, has inked a deal with IBS Software for the implementation of its cloud based Maintenance, Repair & Overhaul software, iFlight MRO for maintenance of flight training related equipment. The deal widens IBS’ MRO footprint in APAC, with China Southern and Gameco as the other major customers in the region.

The solution will allow ANA to ensure that the various aircraft training equipments including the simulators are maintained and kept ready for operational training of its staff. The system will help manage the maintenance of these equipments besides allowing them to be scheduled for various training sessions.

ANA has a fleet strength of 243 (as of November, 2014) aircrafts and every pilot is trained on aircraft simulators before commercial operations. Hence it is imperative that simulators are defect-free and readily available for training requirements. Non-availability of these equipments or disruption in the trainings can result in a shortage of flight-ready pilots, impacting the commercial operations of the airline.

While the Aircraft Simulator Maintenance tasks and activities are similar to that of the commercial aircrafts, the processes are much different and flexible. This, therefore, demands a system that is capable of handling all aircraft maintenance, but with much more simplicity and efficiency. Following a stringent evaluation carried out by ANA, iFlight MRO emerged as the preferred choice because of its scalability to manage both lean and complex processes through a single application platform. The solution is offered to ANA on a SaaS mode from the IBS-managed data center in Japan.

Speaking on this occasion, Yukihiko Sasaki, Vice President & Head of Portfolio Management of the Airline noted, “We selected iFlight MRO through a stringent evaluation process that endorsed the capability of the product to meet our business requirements. We require the product to be implemented and fully integrated in to our IT system in very short duration with no room for any error. The product capability, along with the proven delivery track record of IBS improves the predictability of the implementation and minimizes our risk. We look forward for a successful implementation and to work with iFlight MRO in the coming years”

Speaking on behalf of IBS, Sankalp Saxena, President & Head of Aviation Business Services acknowledges, “We are indeed delighted that an airline of such international standing has placed trust in IBS’ capabilities to manage the maintenance requirements of its flight training equipment. To our already proven capability of addressing the complex maintenance process for commercial airlines & MRO shops, this deal with ANA highlights the flexibility of the product to adapt to the lean & simple process associated with the maintenance of flight training equipment”.