After witnessing the positive impact Onboard Tracker had on crew management operations through a range of vendor companies, 2023 marked a significant increase in the number of Operators taking their first steps ‘onboard.’ Aspiring to replicate the efficiencies in planning, scheduling, and management of training and competence across their global assets, our team recognised the distinctions between Operator and Vendor management. Consequently, the decision was made – to enhance Onboard Tracker with Operator-specific functionality.
The result? A brand-new Flight Logistics Module.
This innovative addition ensures seamless coordination, real-time updates, and optimised capacity for operators overseeing diverse flight schedules, empowering users to enhance scheduling precision and minimise organisational conflicts with ease. The integration of the module into the Onboard Tracker system not only revamps offshore management but also eliminates the manual processes that were previously reliant on spreadsheets.
Originally designed to streamline scheduling and enhance offshore logistics coordination for Apache, their input played an integral role in creating the new module, serving as the first pilot company. Offshore admins, planners, and offshore logistics teams from the energy company collaborated closely with our development and implementation teams to shape the module. Since its inception, ongoing collaboration sessions have been hosted with other Onboard Tracker Operator clients, encouraging widespread adoption of the tool.
The new module enables users to record all helicopter flights, including interfield transfers, effectively matching the helicopter’s capacity with the flight schedule. With this enhancement, flight logistics becomes more intuitive, enabling operators to oversee flights directly from the online software and resolving scheduling conflicts quickly.
Another notable feature is the system’s capability to flag scheduling mismatches, e.g., impacted crew changes due to weather and ensure teams are notified, and flight schedules are adjusted to accommodate any scheduling changes. Furthermore, it provides real-time information on the number of people on board, aiding operators in avoiding exceeding the helicopter’s capacity.
The online module can establish daily flight schedules from onshore helipads to offshore assets, optimising capacity, and the number of people on outbound, inbound, and interconnecting flights. The introduction of the module has brought a whole new category of users onto the tools, those offshore responsible for POB management, proving Onboard Tracker’s use case not just onshore, but offshore too.
In the next phase of development, the Flight Logistics module integrates with the Personnel on Board (POB) module. This integration offers accurate forecasting and scheduling, providing complete visibility and control over all site arrivals, departures, and current POB across core, project, and ad-hoc operations. The new functionality allows operators to plan their assets more efficiently, offering personnel forecasts, offshore bed availability, and insights into personnel movements, making scheduling for inbound, outbound, or connecting flights a streamlined and automated process.
While the Flight Logistics module is operator-specific, its value extends beyond as it enhances flight schedules, improves personnel management, and adapts to dynamic offshore conditions. The new Onboard Tracker function provides comprehensive insights across assets, facilitating the creation, management, and confirmation of POB lists and offering a single point of access for global arrivals and departures.
Following substantial growth in the Operator client base in 2022 and the natural progression to invest in operator-specific modules and features, Onboard Tracker is aiming to enhance usage and fortify the systems offering throughout the energy sector supply chain. From recording all helicopter flights to flagging scheduling mismatches and providing real-time information on board occupancy, the Flight Logistics Module has become an indispensable asset, bringing a new level of efficiency to operators, and revolutionising the entire spectrum of flight logistics management. This innovative addition to the software is set to transform crew management offering a comprehensive solution for the ever-evolving needs of the industry.
