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Within the aviation industry, it’s commonly understood that pilots and air traffic controllers need good situational awareness: in essence, a clear understanding of what’s going on around them. However, the importance of situational awareness to airport teams is less well-known, yet it’s crucial to the smooth running of an airport — from managing ground traffic to allocating gates, and tracking which services aircraft are using.  
 
Thankfully, new technology is making it easier and more affordable for airport teams to gain greater situational awareness, even at the smaller, general aviation airports. The growth of ADS-B (Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast), a more accurate way of tracking aircraft, is fuelling this change. ADS-B enables aircraft and ground vehicles to broadcast real-time information (such as their key identifier, position, altitude, and velocity) to others with the equipment to receive it: usually other aircraft and Air Traffic Control (ATC) but increasingly, airport operations teams.
 
In this blog, we’re going to cover a brief overview of ADS-B and its advantages over traditional radar-based surveillance, and then move on to explain how it can help airports, particularly general aviation airports.
 
## The benefits of ADS-B
 
ADS-B is one of the technologies being implemented to help upgrade the air traffic control system so that it can deal with a greater number of flights more efficiently. It is part of [the United States’ NextGen program](https://www.faa.gov/nextgen/) and [Europe’s Single European Sky Air Traffic Management Research Programme (SESAR)](https://www.sesarju.eu/discover-sesar).
 
It’s been developed as a low-cost replacement for radar and uses GPS to provide greater precision and greater coverage of the earth’s surface. For instance, large parts of Australian airspace weren’t covered by radar-based surveillance but are now visible via ADS-B. This is because low-cost ADS-B-receiving stations could be sited at strategic points on the ground. Unlike conventional radar, ADS-B also works at low altitudes and on the ground so that it can be used to monitor traffic on the taxiways and runways of an airport.
 
ADS-B works using a combination of satellites, transmitters, and receivers. Aircraft or ground vehicles broadcast a signal (ADS-B Out) which reveals information such as their flight identifier, altitude, horizontal position, speed, direction, and more (based on GPS), and this signal can then be picked up by ground receivers or by other aircraft (ADS-B In) in real-time. Aircraft equipped with ADS-B In can also use this technology to get real-time weather and traffic updates in the cockpit.
 
ADS-B is, therefore, an incredibly important tool for safety, spatial awareness, and the management of sky and ground traffic.
 
The US now requires aircraft flying in most controlled airspace to be equipped with ADS-B Out, but other parts of the world are further behind in making it mandatory. [This article](https://txtav.com/en/journey/articles/articles/adsb-out-explained) has a useful summary of the ADS-B requirements in different continents and countries.
 
## Using ADS-B to improve airport operations
 
Although the benefits of ADS-B are well-known amongst pilots and ATCs in commercial and general aviation, the benefits to airport operations are less well understood. However, they do clearly exist.
 
The key advantage is that you get real-time information about the status of flights and the position of all aircraft within your airport and up to 350 nautical miles around it. This means that airport operations teams can be fully aware of what’s happening at any given moment. While many airports subscribe to flight information schedules, they don’t always provide real-time flight information that includes on-block or off-block times.  ADS-B however, can assist with providing this information. 
 
For smaller airports that don’t have a tower, this means that ADS-B can act as a kind of ‘virtual tower’, enabling teams to track inbound and outbound flights automatically. It gives airport managers access to ATC-style data for incoming flights and ground traffic, which can greatly improve situational awareness, safety, and operational planning. It’s particularly valuable to airports that experience extreme fluctuations in traffic, which can challenge their operations. For instance, Augusta Regional Airport in the US sees a huge upsurge in traffic during The Master's golf tournament, and this requires extra awareness and planning on the ground outside of traditional gate management systems.
 
Another key benefit is that because ADS-B can even track aircraft once they have landed (provided it remains enabled and broadcasting), airport teams can automatically track when aircraft are landing, departing, taxiing, and moving on and off-ramps. This can ensure more accurate billing for services, such as ‘touch and go’ fees or landing fees. It can also help teams monitor noise abatement issues.
 
For smaller airports that traditionally rely on manual tracking using paper-based systems or spreadsheets, harnessing the potential of an automated solution such as ADS-B can be revolutionary. It can significantly reduce manual administration, the risk of human error, and the negative consequences of this, such as under-billing.
 
As our airspace becomes more crowded, particularly with the increased popularity of drones and UAVs, it’s clear we need better awareness of where craft are, both in the air and on the ground. ADS-B is a vital tool that can help with this and in most airspace, it’s now being either mandated or heavily encouraged and subsidized. It is expected to eventually replace radar as the primary surveillance method for ATC monitoring and separation of aircraft worldwide. As a result, more and more airports will inevitably use ADS-B, and the benefits it offers them will increase as the technology develops and software providers further maximize its potential.

## Situational Awareness software, powered by ADS-B
 
The AeroCloud airport management platform has a Situational Awareness module,  which enables your team to become better informed and more aware. Based on ADS-B technology, this module can receive any ADS-B signal broadcast by an aircraft within 350 nautical miles. It can track the position of each aircraft in real-time and provide information about its flight number, tail number, aircraft type, altitude, speed, direction, and more.
 
It enables you to:
- Improve daily operations and safety by gaining complete visibility of everything that’s happening now in and around your airport (with map views)
- Ditch manual record-keeping and significantly improve your efficiency, by automatically tracking how an aircraft uses your airport, including the time it lands, arrives at a stand, and departs from a stand
- Build a permanent digital record, which you can interrogate later. This will improve invoice accuracy and can help you resolve issues or discrepancies related to billing or noise abatement.
 
Situational Awareness is just one module in our intelligent airport management platform, which makes operations teams' lives easier by automating tasks and ensuring everyone across the airport gets the information they need.
 
[The AeroCloud platform](https://aerocloudsystems.com/platform/) is built for the cloud, so it’s fast, lightweight, and flexible. It can also be used on any internet-connected device so you can take it with you wherever you go.
 
Do you need to improve situational awareness at your airport? [Contact us today](/get-in-touch/) to find out more about this module and see if it can help.

Situational Awareness: How ADS-B can help airports

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Flight diversions are rare events, and the main reason they happen is bad weather. This can be something as simple as snow or low cloud, or sometimes it can be because of a severe tropical storm or hurricane.

In the summer of 2021, Hurricane Elsa approached Florida, became Tropical Storm Elsa, unleashed rain and flooding, and cut off power to thousands. It forced many airports in Florida to close to inbound flights, forcing them to divert elsewhere. When this happens, it can be a real operational challenge for those managing the airport. They need to know they can rely on the systems and processes they use to deal with the situation.

> “Initially, we did not anticipate much impact for our airport and did not plan on closing to aircraft operations,” said [Lionel Guilbert](https://www.linkedin.com/in/lionel-guilbert-749a3a90/), Senior Vice President of Operations & Public Safety at [Sarasota Bradenton International Airport (SRQ)](https://srq-airport.com/). “But as the storm progressed quickly, we decided to close after the last commercial operation. Doing this helps our tenants close up shop and prepare for the storm’s impact.”

Air carriers began canceling their flights in and out of SRQ throughout the day, which was visible in AeroCloud’s Gate Management module.

> “This made it so much easier for our staff to answer passengers’ inquiries about flight status. This is usually one of the most challenging pre-storm issues we encounter,” added Guilbert.

> “We were able to work efficiently and complete storm preparations for Common Use equipment at Ticket Counters and Gates as they were taken out of service,” added [Evan Knighting](https://www.linkedin.com/in/evan-knighting-396a665/), Senior VP and Chief Information Officer. “SRQ uses Aerocloud’s FIDS system, meaning any changes that were happening within Gate Management were immediately displayed on the FIDS screens throughout the airport, on the website widget, and the mobile app.”

> “Timely and accurate information is critical during events like this, and having the systems integrated meant all of these updates displayed in real-time. In addition, my staff used the AeroCloud SRQ App throughout the day to monitor any changes or updates,” said Knighting.

By letting carriers who hadn’t yet canceled their flights know the real-time situation, local station managers could see others take precautionary actions ahead of the storm. In the end, SRQ suffered no damage from the storm and restarted operations the morning after closing.

> “Compared to last time something like this happened, communication was so much better, and we saved so much wasted time,” added Knighting. “People didn’t need to chase down information, and we didn’t have passengers and tenants waiting around for any updates.”

Guilbert summed up SRQ’s relationship with AeroCloud.

> “We are glad to have partnered with AeroCloud for our airport operations needs when we did, especially during this challenging past year. Our airport life and the service to our passengers is better thanks to the AeroCloud platform!”

To find out more about how we're helping airports like Sarasota Bradenton, [get in touch](/get-in-touch/).


Customer Story - Sarasota Bradenton International Airport (SRQ) and Tropical Storm Elsa

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On Block / Off Block is our podcast about working in, and with, airports - and it's hosted by our CEO, [George Richardson](https://www.linkedin.com/in/george-richardson-a7520615a/).

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In this fourth On Block / Off Block podcast, you can hear George's interview with AeroCloud's Head of People, [Dai Garrett](https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidgarrett1/). They discuss Dai's role, how he's helped other companies grow their teams, and what's important to keep in mind as you hire people into a start-up like AeroCloud.

The podcast is available on most platforms including [Apple Podcasts](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/on-block-off-block/id1581968113) and [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/show/5b7PiXHek6FypzYIafb4Y5).

On Block / Off Block podcast number 4: Interview with Dai Garrett

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In this webinar, Ian Forde-Smith, AeroCloud CTO and one of the people behind the Chroma Airport Suite, discusses his journey in the airport technology industry with Director of Airport Engagement for Europe, Claus Hein.

You'll learn:

- The story behind the development of the Chroma Airport Suite
- Why Ian decided to co-found AeroCloud
- How technologies like cloud, mobile, and AI are making airport operations easier and more effective

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The best way to see the benefits of AeroCloud is to have a demo. To arrange one [get in touch](/get-in-touch/).

Webinar Recording: Chroma to Cloud

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**Airports are always looking to improve operations and passenger experience. This can be a challenge in a typical year. But when a global pandemic leads to an instant 96 percent drop in traffic, it focuses minds on improving efficiency and enabling better service.**

At AeroCloud, we pride ourselves on our focus on helping airports overcome their operational challenges. Our platform was built and continues to be developed based on real requests from our users. It’s built to be modular, so airports only need to pay for the parts they want.

One airport that considered AeroCloud’s platform to support them was [Tampa International Airport (TPA)](https://www.tampaairport.com/) in Florida, who have since become a customer.

> “We didn’t necessarily want a big, all-in-one solution, as they can be overkill. You only end up using about 10 percent of the features,” says [Marcus Session](https://tampaairport.com/employee-spotlight-marcus-session), Vice President, Information Technology Services at Hillsborough County Aviation Authority (HCAA), which runs TPA.

> “The AeroCloud team was responsive and helped address our issues,” adds [Adam Bouchard](https://tampaairport.com/employee-spotlight-adam-bouchard), Director of Operations at HCAA. “They worked with us as a partner, giving us access to the parts of the platform and making changes as we needed.”

> “Flexibility was one of the key factors that made us choose AeroCloud,” Session comments.

TPA has been utilizing the modular, cloud-native platform that can run on any device and that gives access to other stakeholders around the airport since 2019.

> “Our tenants and ground operations teams have access to the relevant parts of AeroCloud, and we can send them alerts when there are irregular operations and diversions. Previously they had to look at FIDS to know about changes. The platform is easy to use and supports the whole airport,” adds Session.

**To find out more about how we're helping airports like Tampa, [get in touch](/get-in-touch/).**


Customer Story - Tampa International Airport (TPA)

Carbon Neutral Britain - Certified Carbon Neutral Business logo

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We are proud to announce that AeroCloud has partnered with [Carbon Neutral Britain](https://carbonneutralbritain.org/) to measure and offset our carbon footprint, to become certified as a Carbon Neutral Business.

Being a cloud-native business, the carbon footprint of our platform is minimal. AWS hosts our platform, and they are working towards [using 100% renewable energy by 2025](https://sustainability.aboutamazon.com/environment/the-cloud?energyType=true). This low footprint means we were able not only to offset our operational carbon emissions, but we've become carbon negative. We support woodland projects that more than offset our footprint.

We're proud to work with airports everywhere to help them achieve their environmental goals by ensuring we don't add to their footprints.

Is your current airport software provider carbon negative? If not, [get in touch](/get-in-touch), and let's discuss how we can help you achieve your sustainability goals.

AeroCloud certified as carbon neutral by Carbon Neutral Britain

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AeroCloud has been chosen on the 2021 Startups 100 List.

[The 2021 Startups 100 List](https://startups.co.uk/startups-100/2021/startups-100-2021/) identifies the 100 most disruptive and innovative UK small businesses. All companies must be UK-based and founded in the last five years. There are then two assessment and ranking stages. AeroCloud is in position 66 on the list.

This listing is another validation of our business as it grows, and is a tribute to the AeroCloud team and all our customers.

If you want to know more about working with a company that regularly appears on award lists, [get in touch](/get-in-touch/).

AeroCloud are on the 2021 Startups 100 List

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For hundreds of US airports, [Part 139 inspections](https://www.faa.gov/airports/airport_safety/part139_cert/) are a big deal. They are essential for maintaining safety standards, but the paperwork associated with them can be a real headache for airport operations directors. In this article, we’re going to run through the key challenges of Part 139 for airport operations teams and explain how your airport can achieve compliance more easily.

## What is Part 139?

Part 139 — or to give it its formal title, 14 CFR Part 139 — is a regulation for airports in the U.S. that host commercial passenger services. More specifically, it’s for airports that host scheduled passenger flights on aircraft with more than nine seats or unscheduled passenger flights on aircraft with more than 30 seats. Part 139 stipulates that these airports need an Airport Operating Certificate (AOC). To get or retain their AOC, airports need to comply with standards designed to ensure safety and pass regular (usually annual) inspections by the FAA, known as Part 139 inspections.

## What’s the problem?

While Part 139 is an essential regulation, it places a hefty administrative burden on airports, particularly the smaller ones with fewer resources. For instance, it requires airports to have written plans and procedures for things like:

- daily safety inspections of airport condition and equipment
- controlling pedestrians and vehicles in the movement area
- airport rescue and firefighting
- managing wildlife hazards
- clearing snow and ice
- regular staff training, and many more. 

Crucially, it also insists that airports keep records of all critical activities, particularly inspection findings and actions, incidents and accidents, and staff training.

Many small and medium-sized airports try to keep manual records — either by using basic software such as Excel or by keeping a massive pile of paper-based records — which is, of course, time-consuming, slow, and inefficient. It’s also usually impossible to view these records remotely, which can be a problem if you have people working off-site. Then there’s the risk of losing information if pieces of paper get mislaid or if the spreadsheets aren’t backed up regularly. 

The result is that Part 139 admin becomes a major headache for airport operations teams, and the risk is that their paperwork — rather than their actual safety standards — lets them down in the annual FAA inspection. 

## Making Part 139 easier

Approximately 520 US airports currently comply with Part 139 (source: FAA, June 2021), so if we can make the process a little easier for just a proportion of those airport operations directors, we’ll be happy.

In terms of the record-keeping side of things, there are cost-effective specialist software solutions out there that will simplify your processes and reduce your workload. The key advantages of these solutions over the manual approach are:

1. **They enable collaboration and automation**, which saves time and reduces the risk of losing information. For instance, airport inspections and any resulting issues can be logged immediately in the software using a mobile device. Required actions can then be assigned to teams or individuals who automatically get notified. 
2. **They reduce admin**. If you are using the tools to log issues as you inspect the airport, there is no ‘extra work’ afterward, such as writing up reports or logging issues in a spreadsheet. 
3. **All the information is in one place and is easily viewable by managers and team members**. This enables airport operations directors to stay on top of their inspections, maintenance, and repairs more efficiently.
4. **There is a ready-made and transparent system** for maintaining records (there’s no need to design your own record-keeping system, woohoo!) It means there’s a complete digital audit trail, and FAA inspectors can quickly review your records before their visit without you having to spend days gathering information from multiple places.
5. **Records are more secure**. Back-ups are regular and automated, and access to information is always tightly controlled with user profiles. 

In short, specialist digital solutions can save you a lot of time and resources. 

We suggest you look for a cloud-based system instead of the now outdated on-premise setup because the cloud offers so many advantages. Of course, the most significant plus point of cloud software is that you can access it 24/7 from any device (e.g., smartphone, tablet), so you won’t need to buy expensive bespoke devices for your field ops people. There are plenty of other benefits, too, such as not needing your own IT hardware or in-house expertise (which means reduced IT costs) and the fact that software upgrades and bug fixes are delivered seamlessly — sometimes without you even noticing.

## Our solution to Part 139 headaches

The AeroCloud platform has an [Inspection Management module](https://pmo.aerocloudsystems.com/inspection-management), which provides a simple way to log and track airfield issues and ace your FAA inspection for Part 139. You probably won’t be surprised to learn that it’s one of our most popular modules!

Airport operations teams can use this software to:
- Log all their inspections and capture images of hazards
- Create service requests, set up automatic alerts, and prioritize the most critical work
- Keep track of inspections and progress on service requests 
- Record staff training
- Maintain a list of inspectors and their responsibilities and keep them accountable.

A particular strength of our solution is that it’s intuitive and easy to use, and you can add an unlimited number of users to ensure all your airport operations staff (plus FAA inspectors) can use the same system. 

[Inspection Management](https://pmo.aerocloudsystems.com/inspection-management) is just one module in our intelligent airport management platform. Our platform makes operations teams' lives easier by increasing situational awareness, automating tasks, and ensuring everyone across the airport gets the information they need. 

The AeroCloud platform is built on the cloud, so it’s fast, lightweight, and flexible. It can be implemented in a matter of days and requires minimal maintenance. We also allow you to subscribe to just the features you need and quickly scale your subscription up or down as required.

Is your airport struggling with Part 139 compliance? If so, [contact us today](/get-in-touch/) to discuss your challenges, and let’s see if we can help.

Thanks for reading - I'd like to know more about your airport and your plans for the future, please [connect with me on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewahoppe/) and feel free to reach out.

Taking the stress out of Part 139 inspections

On Block / Off Block is our podcast about working in, and with, airports - and it's hosted by our CEO, [George Richardson](https://www.linkedin.com/in/george-richardson-a7520615a/).

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In this third On Block / Off Block podcast, you can hear George's interview with AeroCloud's Director of Airport Engagement for Europe, [Claus Hein](https://www.linkedin.com/in/claus-hein-6863753/). They discuss Claus' role, some of the experiences that made him the person he is, and how he's helping airports across Europe to get more value from their operational software.

The podcast is available on most platforms including [Apple Podcasts](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/on-block-off-block/id1581968113) and [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/show/5b7PiXHek6FypzYIafb4Y5).

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