FAA Compliance, High-Value Parts Management and More: FlyRight Gains Comprehensive Asset Visibility and Tracking with AssetOptics
For flight instruction companies—including those that use precision simulators—the watchful eye of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is an ever-present consideration. As one of the most heavily regulated industries, aviation comes under strong scrutiny, with the list of requirements changing frequently.
When the FAA announced it would require electronic recordkeeping for discrepancies that occur during flight simulator operation, aviation training firm FlyRight scrambled to find a solution. That search led the company to AssetOptics’ Facilities, Equipment and Fleet Maintenance for Salesforce, which FlyRight President Matt Hapgood says is “the best solution for the best value.” Working with AssetOptics, Hapgood says his firm not only has complied with the FAA’s issues but also is now monitoring and tracking a variety of assets more effectively.
A Paper Problem
Prior to the institution of the FAA mandate, FlyRight kept tabs on its simulator discrepancies on paper. The firm had a log book outside the simulator door, and any time a function didn’t work as expected, instructors and anyone else working with or on the simulator would record a note about the issue.
When electronic recordkeeping became a requirement of the FAA’s National Simulator Program, FlyRight initially tracked discrepancies with a spreadsheet program.
When Hapgood mounted an effort to unite company operations through a unified solution for Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), it was evident the spreadsheet would have to go.
“We were already using Salesforce for other functions in the business, and it made sense to continue in that direction for our ERP system,” said Hapgood. “I asked the team to focus on Salesforce options.”
Hapgood’s technicians researched the alternatives for meeting the FAA recordkeeping requirement and presented several proposals, one of which was the AssetOptics solution. After reviewing the proposals, Hapgood selected AssetOptics as his vendor. Nearly four years later, he couldn’t be more pleased with his decision. “We are very happy. Working with AssetOptics has been a very smooth, successful process,” Hapgood says.
FAA Compliance and More
Using AssetOptics, FlyRight now tracks not only the discrepancies that occur during flight simulation operation or other work, but also a diverse array of important information related to the events themselves. Data tracked includes the person reporting and the person confirming the problem, when and how the problem occurred, how much downtime it caused, the plan, cost and time to fix it, and both the repair approver and the interim plan during repair.
To achieve this goal, Hapgood says, he worked with AssetOptics Principal Mike Edwards to tweak the solution’s core capabilities specifically to fit FlyRight’s business model. That effort also enabled him to see how much further AssetOptics could take him, and he and Edwards began a journey of continuous improvement.
“Prior to working with AssetOptics, we had not conceived of tracking parts. We tracked equipment, but not each part related to the equipment,” says Hapgood. As a result of the solution customizations, FlyRight can now track rotatable spares—spare parts whose costs make it more practical to rotate them in and out with other identical parts as needed rather than to replace them by default.
“When you have a $50,000 part, you are going to send it for repair rather than toss it,” Hapgood relates. With AssetOptics, we can keep track of those expensive assets.” Taking the solution a step further, FlyRight has also been able to serialize the tracking system—literally tracking each individual part, throughout its lifecycle, by serial number.
After completing that effort, Hapgood says, he and Edwards turned their attention to other ways in which Salesforce and AssetOptics could foster his vision of unified ERP. “Mike helped us with some massive custom programming, to take Salesforce and supercharge it, primarily for maintenance and other activity scheduling,” Hapgood notes. “With Salesforce and AssetOptics, we are now tracking all of our assets—not just parts and equipment.”
Towards the Future
Hapgood says that right now, they are largely “at a good spot” with the AssetOptics solution. “Between its capabilities and customizations, and the ability to tie everything into Salesforce—we are very satisfied with the AssetOptics solution,” he notes.
Nevertheless, that doesn’t mean Hapgood’s vision is complete. “I am always asking Mike for time to explore other ideas,” Hapgood concludes. “He is a creative genius in terms of databases and Salesforce. I would recommend him—and AssetOptics—to anyone, without hesitation.”
About FlyRight Inc.
FlyRight Inc. offers initial, recurrent and ancillary flight training in FAA approved, full-motion simulators. As an FAA-approved 142 Flight Training Center, the firm has achieved the highest level of accreditation from the FAA. Its programs are insurance company approved and based upon leading-edge training knowledge. FlyRight was founded by Jim Crawford and Matt Hapgood and a cadre of aviation and training professionals with more than 40 years of combined aviation experience. The company serves the advanced training needs of professional and owner pilots with a focus on achieving the highest possible level of safety, quality, and customer service. For more information, visit www.FlyRightInc.com.
