(Indonesian Language Here)

Navtech create solutions to simplify operational activities and crew management. This includes the provision of technology products for graphics, operations, aviation planning and navigational data. Navtech are a leading international provider of flight operations software for the commercial aviation industry, which they develop, market, and support. Their systems are designed to assist commercial passenger and cargo air carriers to increase safety, maximize efficiency, and reduce costs in their daily flight operations. Their dispatch solutions provide advanced aeronautical charts, navigational data, and optimized flight paths and ensure compliance with complex national and international safety regulations. Their crew planning software builds and manages schedules that minimize costs and increase employee satisfaction and retention while complying with collective agreements and government regulations.

The two products that were featured at the conference were their Navtech Pairing Optimizer (PO) and their Navtech Preferential Bidding System (PBS).

Their Pairing Optimizer is a fully-configurable desktop application that is customizable for each airline. Our team works directly with each airline to get the best results possible. Full training and documentation is provided. The Pairing Optimizer produces crew pairings covering a scheduling period of a week, month, or even a full season of more than half a year. Features include: Generated pairings satisfy all governmental, industry and company policies, and individual scheduler constraints-whether compulsory or discretionary. Large-scale optimization engine ensures complete solutions that best meet the objectives of low cost, robustness, and operationally desirable trips. Optimization is performed using an incorporated Mixed Integer Linear Program (LP Solve) that uses the Branch-and-bound algorithm. LP Solve can handle integer variables, semi-continuous variables and special Order Sets with no limit on the model size. Airlines can define a cost for each rule, constraint, preference and element -optimization must then find the lowest "cost" solution.

The optimizer can focus on any element or mixture of elements, not just the lowest financial expense as defined by the Administrators Navtech Optimizer is highly customized for each airline. Before the program is installed, a wide range of possible airline-specific options may be selected.

The Web PBS Bidder is a web-based application used by crewmembers to enter bid preferences and view information regarding their schedule and pairing information. Crewmembers can log into the Web PBS Bidder interface as often as they wish before bidding ends to adjust their bids. Or, crewmembers can enter a generic bid that is used every month to build their schedule. The Web PBS Bidder features: An intuitive interface that leads crewmembers through the bidding process. A list of pairings in the current bid period based on a crewmember's category; crewmembers can search through this list using multiple filters. An interactive schedule that shows their complete schedule, including vacation, absences and training. A detailed Reasons Report that shows crewmembers their awarded schedule; every bid preference entered—up to the awarded schedule—receives a reason why the bid was honored or not honored.

Indonesia is currently experiencing rapid growth and development within its aviation industry, and with the activation of new regulations that are coming into effect at the end of this year (2011) due to recent legislation (UU Penerbangan Nomor 1/2009) we expect that there will many changes taking place within the actual structure of the industry here.

One of the most important issues in this highly competetive global industry is the quality of management. We currently inport many of our pilots and grounfstaff from overseas. In the interests of gaining a competitive edge globally, will we also need to inport management? From what I saw at the Navtech conference, their Pairing Optimizer and Preferential Bidding System which clearly simplify many of the issues associated with scheduling and staff management. A spontaneous testimonial from one of the participants from a local airline in Indonesia validated the fact that the Navtech systems can significantly reduce airline operational costs.

I personally was very impressed with the operational simplicy of the system, and the ease with which you can change and update operational peramaters.

Note: Neither myself, Phillip Rekdale, nor IndonesianAviation.Com are affiliated with Navtech and this is not an official Navtech page. I would just like to help promote their products here because I believe they can contribute to aviation development here in Indonesia.