SubscribeCity of Derry Airport has recently installed a fully integrated airport management system incorporating a movement based billing system and flight information display system.
The system accepts inputs from Air Traffic Control (ATC), Ground Handling and Fuelling and draws down aircraft and operator data from static databases. It processes all of the data and produces a range of outputs including full credit and cash billing, statistics for the Civil Aviation Authority and National Air Traffic Services, flight information display, check-in and departure gate screen display, a range of management reports and full audit tracking.
It also interfaces directly to an accounting package and updates the sales ledger and nominal ledger. The system was designed and installed by Airport Information Systems Ltd based in Nottingham and is a development of their ALDIS 2000 and AFIDS 2001 software systems.
The system is based around a movements based billing system where the initial input of aircraft movement details by ATC cascades through the system picking up additional billing elements from Ground Handling and Fuelling to produce monthly accounts.
This initial input either from a pre-entered schedule or from an ATC entry initiates a fully automated Flight Information Display System (FIDS). The system updates all of the terminal arrival and departure display screens. It also incorporates a check-in desk display system; boarding gate display system and baggage carousel display system and most of the displays are auto-triggered reducing manual inputs.
The system also links out through a dedicated server and updates the airport website in real time. The general public can access the website at www.cityofderryairport.com and view the Arrivals and Departures screens exactly as they appear in the terminal.
The system also includes a notepad feature coupled with an Intranet display of all flights including commercial, military, training etc. The entry allows for any IATA delay code or up to 1000 characters of free text to be entered by flight. The notepad is available to AFIDS 2001 users and any of the view only PCs connected via the airport’s Intranet by the user positioning the mouse pointer over the flight number or registration. Information available via the notepad cuts down the requirement of telephone, radio and fax communication between the various disparate departments of the airport.
This feature is also available to authorised users using the airport’s website.
Airport Manager, John Devine, is delighted with the new system, “The airport had been in the market for a proven management system for some time and after a lengthy evaluation process AIS Ltd were awarded the contract.
Rick Goold and his team at AIS have worked very closely with the management team at the airport to produce a system completely tailored to our needs. They have demonstrated great flexibility in adapting the system for our needs and I believe that through our co-operation the airport has an excellent system and AIS have further enhanced an excellent product.”
Rick Goold, Managing Director at AIS Ltd agrees, “Our involvement at City of Derry has been both challenging and rewarding in equal measure. AIS have had to adapt and develop our product portfolio and the process has left us with a product that offers more advanced features than ever before.
To give an example our standard billing system is designed solely for credit customers and we have now developed a fully featured cash invoicing system that compliments the credit billing system and gives the airport complete flexibility in dealing with its customers.”
Further information about the system can be obtained from AIS Ltd on +44 (0) 115 943 6677 or by email on ais001@aol.com or speak to Michael Edwards or Damien Tierney at the City of Derry Airport on +44 (0) 28 7181 0784 or email info@cityofderryairport.com
