JetStar & EAM RFID Solutions Deploy First RFID-Enabled Aircraft
• Jetstar deploys RFID to streamline onboard safety equipment management
• RFID cabin equipment enablement program to extend across almost 67 aircraft in Australia
• Jetstar is an early adopter of RFID technology, which shows commitment to innovation
Jetstar Airways is employing state-of-the-art technology to save time and maintenance costs with the launch of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology to audit safety equipment onboard its aircraft.
Jetstar Australia and New Zealand Head of Engineering David Lau said the implementation of EAM RFID Solutions’ software allowed the airline to apply extra rigor to its existing onboard safety equipment management program.
“We have a range of onboard safety equipment that must be regularly checked and tested by our engineers and our previous manual inspections could take up to 10 man-hours,” Mr Lau said.
“With RFID technology the inspections can now take fewer than five minutes to complete, significantly improving maintenance efficiencies for us.”
“We’re now using RFID to track and trace life vests as well as other safety equipment items that need to be replaced from time to time such as life rafts, oxygen generators, portable breathing equipment, fire extinguishers and oxygen bottles.”
“The use of RFID for the inspection of cabin equipment expiry dates significantly reduces regulatory non-compliance risk and will also reduce on-aircraft maintenance activity required.”
Following a strong collaborative effort between Jetstar Engineering and EAM’s RFID Solutions team over several months, RFID-enabled safety equipment on the airline’s first Boeing 787 and Airbus A320 was successfully deployed at Jetstar Australia maintenance facilities in both Melbourne (Victoria) and Newcastle (New South Wales) in late 2014.
Director of Operations and Engineering at EAM Worldwide Eloy Leal said it was critical to first understand Jetstar’s processes in order to deliver the right technology solution.
“Using RFID in this way is a testament to Jetstar’s forward thinking and commitment to technological innovation in order to strengthen aircraft maintenance management,” Mr Leal said.
“Using RFID to track hydrostatic and functional maintenance brings the technology usage to a whole new level. It represents a paradigm shift in the way we think about compliance control and efficiencies inside airline scheduled maintenance programs.”
EAM Worldwide in conjunction with EAM RFID Solutions has delivered over one million RFID-enabled enabled life vests to airlines across the world. In 2015, Jetstar Australia and New Zealand will equip all aircraft in its fleet with RFID and undertake RFID inspections in Australia, Singapore and New Zealand.
About Jetstar Australia and New Zealand
Jetstar Australia and New Zealand (subsidiary of the Qantas Group) is currently the third largest domestic Australian airline (by market share) and fifth largest international airline (by capacity share) serving international routes to-and-from Australia. Jetstar operates both international and domestic services in New Zealand and is the country’s second-largest airline, representing around 20 per cent of the domestic market share.
About EAM RFID Solutions
EAM RFID Solutions (a division of EAM Worldwide) is one of the world’s leading aircraft RFID solution providers for airlines, aircraft operators, and MRO facilities. EAM RFID Solutions offers an affordable end-to-end suite of software and business solutions specifically designed for tracking aircraft parts across the aviation supply chain. With a feature-rich web platform, EAM RFID Solutions’ application boasts a flexible, dynamic, and user-friendly experience that can assist in optimizing processes and strengthening regulatory compliance, both inside and outside of the aircraft. EAM RFID Solutions has a customized approach to each client, which is underpinned by an all-inclusive support, training, and a continuous improvement ethos.