Offsetting soaring costs

To help offset the high cost of fuel and added security measures, airlines are searching for ways to reduce expenses. United Airlines has embarked on a Web-based e-maintenance solution that it hopes will lower its overall fixed costs and improve on-time departures.

The Enigma 3C Platform will deliver service and parts information for United's entire fleet of aircraft in real time to the company's 5,400 aviation maintenance technicians worldwide. The implementation will be deployed via the Web to streamline the distribution of more than 100 service manuals and parts catalogs. The solution will replace existing electronic and paper-based systems used by technicians to repair and service the United Airlines fleet.

"United Services—the maintenance and engineering division of United Airlines—is dedicated to implementing new technologies that enhance safety, improve efficiency and decrease operational costs," says Greg Hall, senior VP, United Services. "This solution gives us an important competitive edge by reducing the time it takes for our maintenance technicians to access critical information. This, in turn, allows us to provide the highest level of maintenance reliability performance to the airline, contributing to our competitive edge in customer satisfaction and on-time performance."

"By leveraging the standards-based, n-tier architecture of Enigma 3C, United plans to tie the e-maintenance solution directly into existing business systems, including document management systems," says Greg Taylor, director of applications development at United. "United will be able to manage and maintain the solution with internal resources, eliminating outside support costs and ensuring all business systems remain in compliance with appropriate federal and financial regulations."