Air Charter Business Proposal i

Air Charter Business Proposal from an Information Technology Perspective.

Steven R. Marcum, Steven Cross and Jeffery Prendergrast

Introduction to Management Information Systems

MGMT 221

Professor Ira Strauss

January 15, 2011

Air Charter Business Proposal ii

Abstract

The objective of this project is to develop a business proposal for an air charter company that caters to the tourism trade from an information technology standpoint operating in the Hawaiian Islands. The technologies that will be discussed will range from hardware and software requirements for weather, flight planning, crew scheduling and maintenance operations. To begin we will examine the flight planning system known as Jeppesen Flite Star IFR which is considered one of the world's leading desktop flight planning technologies. It includes advanced features and innovations such as Vector Plus mapping technology and vector chart themes, which offer low and high altitude en-route chart emulations as well as user-customizable charts which includes all of the complexities involved in the planning of a typical commercial airline flight from the aspect of the flight operations dispatcher. Next as we continue we will turn the discussion to crew scheduling which will lead us to Flight Pak which provides management with aircrew scheduling in both local and ZULU times. The discussion will point to how the system will provide more accuracy in the scheduling challenges managers face and additionally because of its extremely fast, point and click graphical scheduling capabilities which is designed to be not only compatible across all networks, but is also usable as a standalone tool as well which will enhance the competitive advantage of the business Finally we will discuss a technology known as Win Air thus rounded out the IT technologies as they pertain to the operational aspects of the proposal. This software is recognized as the most cost-efficient, easy-to-use, structurally integrated maintenance and inventory control software system in the aviation industry. This technology incorporates sophisticated purchasing, inventory control, production, maintenance forecasting, cost accounting and invoicing processes. With additional modules upgrades such as

Air Charter Business Proposal 1 Air Charter Business Proposal from an Information Technology Perspective. bar coding, reliability, and real time labor management, the system easily and economically allows for growth and expansion to meet the business’s needs as necessary.

FliteStar IFR is a premier Desktop Flight Planner which incorporates all aspects of VFR, IFR, and Corporate flight planning processing. The software revolutionizes desktop flight planning with extraordinary graphics, superior routing algorithms, enhanced speed, and many other innovations all contained within an incredibly user friendly interface. Complete within an amazingly vivid and high definition format. FliteStar IFR is considered one of the world's leading desktop flight planning systems. It includes all of the features of the popular FliteStar VFR system with the added innovation of Jeppesen's exclusive Vector Plus mapping technology and vector chart themes, which offers Jeppesen’s low and high altitude en-route chart emulations as well as end-user-customizable charts. FliteStar's chart filtering features allow you to select which chart items are depicted. This intelligent chart technology which automatically de-clutters the presented data minimizes label overwrites, making charts easier to read and therefore making the flight planning not only more manageable but also more time efficient. The FliteStar’s GPS-direct router avoids airspace vertically as well as laterally, when needed at the end-users discretion thereby eliminating airspace intrusion areas which enhances

Air Charter Business Proposal 2 Air Charter Business Proposal from an Information Technology Perspective. the safety of both aircrew and passengers. Because of the added safety afforded by this feature, the potential of aviation accidents and incidents can be dramatically reduced thereby leading to reduced an insurance rate which positively affects the efficiency of the business. Additionally, because the software utilizes integrated terrain data in order to make flight planning easier and more complete by displaying the color-coded elevation information in both the plan and profile views, time efficiency as it pertains to the flight planning process is enhanced thereby enhancing the competitive advantage as it relates to customer satisfaction. Another innovation of the software is a Weather Animation capability that allows weather images, including satellite and radar images, to be shown in a moving sequence format, thus depicting weather trend information more accurately. Additionally, cloud bases are automatically shown in the profile view when your weather briefing is complete. FliteStar also takes full advantage of Windows 32-bit technology allowing you to customize your screen layout. The user can adjust the display to show just a single chart, multiple charts, toolbars, and information bars, or anything in between. FliteStar includes TFR view and avoids information reported directly from the FAA Wind - Aware (pressure pattern) routing wind component arrows in the profile view. By avoiding the aforementioned data, the system now displays flight optimization data thereby allowing for the best altitude for saving time and fuel thereby not only enhancing the efficiency of the air charter

Air Charter Business Proposal 3 Air Charter Business Proposal from an Information Technology Perspective. but also increasing customer satisfaction through reducing the time to destination and air time therefore allowing the business to reduce charter rates which increases the competitive advantage. The software also includes aircraft performance modeling, DUATS weather retrieval, and streamlines flight plan filing into the air traffic control system. With Electronic JeppGuide complete with airport diagrams, hotels, FBOs, etc not only makes ground delays at uncontrolled airports less time consuming and more manageable for the aircrew it also makes customer hotel booking arrangements much easier. The route wizard function makes flight planning fast and simple. Also included is the feature of user-defined waypoints with lat/long resolution to 5 decimal places which allows makes direct flights as snap. New highly sophisticated routing algorithms Route around 15 different types of airspace as well as FIRs/UIRs. Over 50 aircraft models ranging from a Cessna 150 to a Boeing 757 are included in the system complete with GPS upload/download capability. As an additional feature the system is fully compatible with Jeppesen's digital approach chart software known as JeppView which is an. intelligent chart software that de-clutters the display therefore minimizing label overwrites, making your charts easier to read without manual adjustment. This software also allows the user to overlay weather on any chart projection thereby giving the pilot to obtain a more realistic view of the weather situation which will contribute to the pilot’s decision making concerning the flight. Included below is an illustration of the system.

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Air Charter Business Proposal 5 Air Charter Business Proposal from an Information Technology Perspective. For our aircrew and aircraft scheduling needs, the proposed air charter will be deploying a scheduling software system known as Flight Pak. This system was originally produced by Universal Weather and Aviation in 1995. The Flight-Pak Scheduling software system is a multi-mode suite catering mostly to larger charter fleet operators and corporate flight departments for scheduling and dispatching. The system can be customized at the air charter’s discretion to host the software on a desk top PC or local server or select the web-based hosting offered by the vendor. Additionally, the software system also has the capability to interface with any Blackberry handheld device.

Universal Weather and Aviation has made a number of modules and options available to choose from. For example, Flight-Pak’s main module enables the air charters to create a trip, schedule aircraft and crew, organize complete trip logistics, and manage all post flight record keeping and expenses in one integrated program. The pre-flight module presents a wide range of aircraft and crew calendar displays on a monthly, daily, or weekly basis. Also, information can be displayed as needed for the creation and modification of trips from a single sheet management window. The post flight module offers the capability to report, log, and analyze, aircrew, aircraft and all other trip related expenses as well as crew, flight, officer duty and training.

Another feature of the software system is fully customizable additional features and modules enhancement capabilities to meet the specific needs of each air charter operation. To illustrate, one of the available modules that can be added to the system is Charter Quote which generates trip pricing quotes, itineraries, and invoices. The system also incorporates a database

Air Charter Business Proposal 6 Air Charter Business Proposal from an Information Technology Perspective. listing all customer preferences as well. Another module known as Corporate Travel request was specifically designed for staff not involved with dispatch to submit requests for corporate aircraft use, print trip itineraries, or change existing schedules.

Finally, Flight-Pak also works with UV Trip Planner, which offers a comprehensive airport guide and FBO directory of information and services, allowing users to access a searchable database of airports worldwide and receive real time information about all facilities used for a specific trip. The system works with Map Quest which presents driving directions from FBOs to hotels.

In conclusion, scheduling flights for any general aviation operations require a certain insight. With so many tasks to do and track from managing aircraft and crew, to keeping tabs on each passengers lodging and catering preferences your successful trip depends on careful attention to detail. With Flight-Pak scheduling software from Universal Weather and Aviation Incorporated, your business can gain a significant competitive advantage by assisting you in staying on top of every aspect of flight scheduling. Comprehensive and intuitively organized, Flight-Pak is built so you can move seamlessly between scheduling screens, databases, and trip-building utilities without leaving the main trip sheet screen. Optional modules enable you to create and enhance the right Flight-Pak system to fit your specific needs thereby contributing greatly to the management of your air charter’s available financial resources. Additionally, Flight-Pak is fast, efficient scheduling software at a fair and reasonable price, one more way that the software would prove to be a vital extension of the air charter business.

Air Charter Business Proposal 7 Air Charter Business Proposal from an Information Technology Perspective. Another aspect of Flight-Pak is that it has the capability to grow and evolve to meet the air charter’s needs. Recent enhancements include; retrieve deleted trips, get crew and passenger passport validity alerts before the flight, verify your scheduled crew and passengers against the TSA's Selectee list. Additionally, Flight-Pak data can be accessed through your BlackBerry; this data includes runway information, passenger phone numbers, maintenance crew information, trip notes, and more. Also, with this feature management can assign a maintenance crew to each registry and obtain automated e-mails when they are scheduled on a flight using the additional available software called Charter Quote which allows for the downloading and printing of extensive maintenance data and other existing reports. Because Charter Quote was created specifically for charter dispatching, the module generates accurate charter quotes, itineraries, and invoices for charter operations. It also has the capability of creating fully detailed or the optional quick, simplified quotes based on your needs. The comprehensive database maintains a list of your customer’s preferences and time-saving features, including a one-button transfer from a quote to trip-sheet status for detailed scheduling in the Preflight Module.

WinAir Essentials is a cost-efficient integrated maintenance and inventory software system developed specifically for growing aircraft charter operators, flying clubs, and maintenance facilities. While simple in design, it is a powerful system that provides all of the data management that a growing maintenance department needs to stay in compliance with government regulations, report on maintenance costs, and track and control inventory in a cost efficient manner.

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As with each edition within the WinAir Series, WinAir Essentials is integrated with inventory and maintenance management systems that include many powerful and flexible features: such as real-time management of rotables and consumables, inventory tracking and purchasing with unlimited user defined classifications of inventory. Additionally, the software provides detailed inventory characteristics including notes, alternates, quantity, location, vendor, and cost of current stock and past transactions, historical details of parts used and invoiced, and parts currently on order. Aircraft invoicing vendor and customer card files, component repair tracking, master part definitions which include unlimited notes, unlimited alternate part numbers for each master part, repair orders by vendor, PN, SN, Repair Order Number, etc. Work orders and job cards invoicing for work orders. Also detailed cost reporting by aircraft or job extensive inventory and maintenance reporting options with customized security levels are available. Depending on your operational needs, you may select either a basic system or a full package that also includes a maintenance programs module. Both of these systems provide seamlessly integrated inventory and maintenance production control; while the optional module adds the following features: Maintenance tracking and forecasting for up to ten aircraft Maintenance Schedule Templates used to define the maintenance requirements of controlled aircraft including inspections, components, airworthiness directives and service bulletins which automatically generates work order tasks from the maintenance scheduling system. Point-and-click options

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for installing or removing components are available for future maintenance forecast and aircraft compliance reports.

All of the Maintenance Schedule Templates include Inspection, Overhaul, and Retirement requirements for every affected P/N of the Airframe and Engine components in every possible position on the aircraft and many additional features: All airframe and engine scheduled inspection requirements. Repetitive service bulletins and Air Worthiness Directives. Assemblies are defined through linked component and inspection requirements feature. Custom counters are defined in compliance with the required type-specific maintenance intervals such as Auxiliary Power Unit hours, multiple engine cycles, etc. Parts requirements attached to each Inspection or component change, applicable rotable and consumable parts defined in the master parts list including class, manufacturer; aircraft type code, Stock Number applicability, and procurement details. Valid and approved substitute parts links with part numbers. Technical logs and default fleet report options are also defined. Aircraft Type code database are also defined. Parts A classifications database definition is also included, defining the position, rotable condition, and issued by database. Below are illustrations of the system.

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Air Charter Business Proposal 11 Air Charter Business Proposal from an Information Technology Perspective.

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Air Charter Business Proposal 12 Air Charter Business Proposal from an Information Technology Perspective. [pic]

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Now that the operational aspects of the proposal have been addressed, we will turn our attention to the marketing and payroll aspects. The marketing plan for our charter company will be multi-faceted. The avenues through which we will promote our business are by driving traffic to our website from various means of advertising, which will include both targeted marketing and interactive marketing initiatives.

The first step is to build our company website. In doing so, we need to accomplish a couple of things. First, we need to have future vision as to what our long term corporate goals are and be sure to create a website that can accommodate the growth and traffic that our company will require. As our goal is to direct all current and future advertising efforts to our website, we need to make sure it is thorough.

We will need to utilize a web host to offer traffic analysis of our site. Learning about our customers and who our target audience is will allow us to continue our growth. As we cater to our target audience, we can also launch future advertising campaigns to cater to outside target audiences.

Internet advertising will play a key part in our marketing campaign. Our business will cater to the tourist industry through the promotion of our charter company on websites that tourists would utilize. We will also partner with local businesses in order to promote our business through them.

Banner advertisements will be purchased on these various websites as a means of exposure to the tourists visiting these sites. The websites to be targeted will include Hawaiian tourism websites, local hotels and restaurants. The ads will direct readers to our website where they can find more thorough information about our services.

Air Charter Business Proposal 14 Air Charter Business Proposal from an Information Technology Perspective. Beyond the straight advertising campaigns, we will also create key relationships with local businesses and partner with them as a means of exposure while saving large advertising dollars. By offering a promotion or discount on our services by advertising through another company’s channels, both companies can benefit. We can pay a ‘promoter fee’ to any company willing to partner with us. In other words, they are compensated for their advertising access. For example, if a cruise line agrees to offer our charter ‘adventure tour’ as an excursion option for its customers, we can pay the cruise line a percentage of our per-head-profits for any business came directly from their cruise. Another avenue would be to cross-advertise each other’s services and offer a ‘call to action’ incentive or offer to create a sense of urgency for our audience in order to get a response.

We will also request links to our website through sites of non-competing companies. This not only directs more traffic to our site, but it is also a way to increase our link popularity and ultimately affect our ranking in search engines.

Through the use of social media avenues, we can further promote our business. We will create a Facebook page, along with a Linkedin profile and establish a Twitter account. These are all popular forms of ‘free’ social media marketing which allow us to engage and interact with current customers while attracting new ones.

We can also stay on top-of-mind with the search marketing technique of email newsletter promotions. Sending an email blast is a good way to keep in regular contact with our existing customer base.

Air Charter Business Proposal 15 Air Charter Business Proposal from an Information Technology Perspective. Through the utilization of the channels listed above, I feel that we will achieve enough exposure to grow our business into a successful company. Marketing and advertising through the appropriate media channels is key to having a successful business in today’s world. They not only provide a solid return on investment, but also result in stronger customer relationships and ultimately higher sales.

Now that we have addressed the marketing aspect, we will turn to payroll concerns. Our business will utilize Paychex as our payroll processing company. By using outside vendor software and outsourcing our payroll duties, we will be able to keep our focus on our business while leaving the essential process of payroll to the specialists. Outsourcing reduces the complexity and risk associated with doing one’s own payroll. The online services allow for automatic payroll processing with the ability to view our reports over the internet, and on a secure website. The online service option allows for 24/7 access as well as payroll reports which can be viewed within an hour or two after processing. We will utilize the accounting software, Quickbooks, to import our payroll information to be posted. Paychex will also handle our Human Resource administration. They provide all of the necessary services including employee management services, worker’s compensation, new hire reporting, COBRA and unemployment insurance. Our taxes will also be handled by Paychex. Their ‘Taxpay’ system will file our payroll taxes. They can electronically transfer all necessary taxes from our bank account and deposit them with the appropriate tax authorities. They will also file tax returns for our business. As a ‘one-stop-shop’, Paychex is a leader in payroll and HR and a good choice to oversee our outsourced business needs that fall within their categories.

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References

Jeppesen Flitstar IFR Flight Planning Software (n.d.). Retrieved from www. http://jeppdirect.jeppesen.com/product_details.jsp?id=prod789

Aircraft Maintenance and Inventory Tracking Solutions (n.d.). Retrieved from www. http://www.prlog.org/10169915-winair-essentials-aircraft-maintenance-and-inventory-tracking-solution.html

Universal Weather and Aviation Inc (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.universalweather.com/triptools/flight-scheduling-software/