Austrian Airlines is currently the first airline in the Lufthansa Group to introduce the Aviatar Technical Logbook into flight operations. It is a type of app that is installed on a tablet PC and is intended to improve collaboration between pilots and maintenance teams.

This solution was developed by the sister company Lufthansa Technik. According to a media statement, the latest big data technologies will be used. “The Aviatar Technical Logbook is the perfect solution for Austrian Airlines’ needs,” said Wolfgang Ramminger, project manager for the introduction of the Technical Logbook at an IATA conference in Vietnam. “At Austrian Airlines we call it 'eTAL' for Electronic Technical Aircraft Logbook. Our pilots tested the innovative solution and agreed: its intuitive design makes it as easy to use as modern applications on smartphones. The innovative OnePageView that the Aviatar team developed for us is particularly beneficial for our flight crews. It shows all the information relevant to the captain clearly on one screen. In addition to a user-friendly design, AVIATAR's Technical Logbook also offers open interfaces to many different types of data sources, allowing crews and technicians to access related data within the application. Thanks to our streamlined and optimized processes, we can save 2,5 tons of paper annually, which is also an important advantage for me personally and shows how we benefit from digitalization.”

Pre-filled text blocks and input masks are intended to make it easier for pilots to transmit messages to technical operations more quickly. For example, errors, malfunctions or cosmetic imperfections can be entered into the app. The technical company then receives the message and, depending on the severity of the case, will take a closer look at it immediately or at the next scheduled line maintenance. Not every “defect” is safety-relevant because, for example, a small scratch on a passenger seat does not need to be repaired immediately.

Availability of real-time data directly connected to the M&E (Maintenance and Engineering System) system ensures maintenance on arrival and enables seamless collaboration between pilot and maintenance. This leads to lower throughput times and costs. In addition, the standardized data structure helps airlines gain insights into trend analysis.

“I am proud to be part of the joint team of Austrian Airlines and Aviatar Technical Logbook in introducing the next generation of the eTLB (electronic technical logbook). It is the most modern solution and ready for implementation, making it an easy choice for airlines around the world looking for an eTLB today. It was great to work with the agile team at Austrian Airlines and to be able to further develop the application with the innovative ideas of our new customer. Like all other solutions on our Aviatar platform, our Technical Logbook is suitable for use with any Maintenance & Engineering System and can be used regardless of aircraft types, MRO providers and other systems,” said Dajana Kunz, Senior Manager Digital Products at Aviatar . “To maintain our competitive advantage, we will continue to work with all of our customers in our Aviatar Community to ensure our digital solutions continue to be the first choice for airlines.”