We also saw the appeal of having the same technical infrastructure supporting both our pilots and our dispatchers, so that they are all getting data from the same source. This data is updated every two to three minutes, giving pilots the ability to track wind speeds, rates of precipitation, the position of weather systems, and much more in near real time.Ĭaptain Ware explains, “Our flight dispatchers have been using WSI Fusion for flight planning and tracking for several years-so we knew that we could trust WSI technology. We chose WSI Pilotbrief Optima, a live weather and hazard tracking and monitoring application, to run on the EFB-so our pilots can now view live weather data from an iPad mounted in the cockpit.”ĭeveloped by The Weather Company, WSI Pilotbrief Optima presents multiple forms of detailed data on weather and other hazards on a single easy-to-read display.
Southwest employee scheduling software manuals#
In June 2014, Southwest Airlines began a journey of digital transformation: it sought to modernize its cockpit by moving from paper-based information-the aircraft operating manuals and navigational charts that pilots refer to when flying an aircraft-to electronically-accessed material.Ĭaptain Ware notes, “We decided to replace paper reports with a suite of applications running on a mobile device connected to on-board Wi-Fi, known as an Electronic Flight Bag (EFB).
We wanted to find a better way to help pilots track and visualize global weather conditions from the cockpit in near real time and help ensure they are seeing the same weather picture that our dispatchers are seeing to enhance coordination.” “Pilots also receive notifications from ground control that warn of bad weather, but these are text-based reports that require interpretation by the Captain or First Officer. It’s much better to make a small turn 400 miles away and avoid the weather entirely. However, these on-board weather radar systems have a limited detection radius of approximately 140 nautical miles: by that point, it can be too late to make an efficient turn or find an alternative route. “As well as flight plans and weather reports, pilots also have weather radar systems in the cockpit. However, because the weather is always changing, the information provided in the weather report can be out-of-date by takeoff, and doesn’t always correspond to the actual conditions experienced during a flight-especially if that flight is long haul. Traditionally, flight dispatchers produce weather maps that pilots print out in black and white to review before a flight. He continues, “The only way to effectively avoid turbulence is to track the position of weather systems and find an alternative path around the worst areas.
For all these reasons, we want to minimize the amount of time we spend flying through severely turbulent conditions or making large deviations around hazards.” “Safety and comfort are pilots’ top priorities, and we also have to think about keeping flights on schedule and flying as efficiently as possible. If you are trying to stow luggage or serve snacks and drinks to passengers, turbulence increases the risk of injury to both passengers and cabin crew. To increase passenger comfort and maximize efficiency, Southwest Airlines, one of America’s leading passenger airlines, wanted to help its pilots spot and avoid bad weather and other hazards.Ĭaptain Will Ware, a pilot at Southwest Airlines, takes up the story: “Turbulence is a normal event for any flight, and it’s not dangerous in most cases-but it can be unsettling for passengers, and it makes life more difficult for flight crews. Not only can turbulence cause discomfort and injury for both passengers and flight crews it also increases drag, which reduces flight speed and fuel efficiency, as well as causing vibrations that can damage the aircraft. Turbulence can turn a smooth journey into a bumpy ride for airlines and their customers. Business challenge story Plotting a safe course through bad weather and other hazards
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