Airpro

Introduction

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Airpro implemented the Falcony reporting system in March 2020, just before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Airpro employs Falcony for internal reporting of incidents, deviations and safety observations. As Airpro operates within the civil aviation sector, incident reporting is mandated by the EU regulation. Safety holds paramount importance in Airpro's corporate culture, and every employee has access to the reporting system. Falcony has been warmly received among employees due to its user-friendliness and versatility, effectively meeting Airpro's reporting needs.

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Company

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Established in 1994, Airpro is a part of the Finavia group and one of the oldest aviation service providers in Finland. The company offers ground handling, passenger, security screening, airport and logistics services to various aviation operators.

Airpro operates at Helsinki-Vantaa Airport and 10 network stations across Finland. In 2022, Airpro employed over 1200 skilled professionals with a turnover exceeding 67 million euros.

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Expectations for the new system

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Airpro sought flexibility from the incident reporting system. Flexibility allows for agile content customisation and rapid response to deviation situations. Flexibility and usability enable diverse statistics, facilitating smooth data-driven decision-making. "According to user feedback, our incident reporting process works well from reporting to handling, closure, and data utilisation, with continuous improvement in mind," notes Quality & Safety Manager Timo Venäläinen.

At the EU level, stringent requirements are in place for reporting and handling deviations to ensure aviation safety. Airpro must share corrective actions of safety-related deviations with authorities, demonstrating that they are properly and clearly handled. "It's not enough for us to be satisfied with our deviation handling. The process must be transparent to the authorities, who must concur. Globally, we have received praise from both authorities and airline operators for our clear system, meeting aviation-related regulatory requirements, starting all the way from anonymous reporting. The deviation handling process built into Falcony aligns with regulatory demands and minimises the risks of inadequate handling," Venäläinen says.

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Implementation

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The implementation of the new system commenced in early 2020. Airpro created training packages for system adoption and had a dedicated team from Falcony to support the successful rollout. "The ease of implementation surprised us. Thanks to the user-friendly interface, Falcony was easy to introduce to our personnel," Venäläinen explains.

All Airpro employees gained access to Falcony in March 2020. Unlike the typical resistance to new systems, users welcomed Falcony with open arms. Despite the significant impact of the pandemic on the aviation industry, the Falcony implementation exceeded expectations, with a record number of observations already collected by November.

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Results & Benefits

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Airpro has utilised Falcony not only for mandatory reporting to authorities but also for proactive observation and quality reporting. During its use, the system has accommodated other use cases, such as a reporting channel for the punctuality of departing flights. "The system's flexibility allows for out-of-the-box thinking, and we have several development projects currently underway. For instance, integrating various inspection templates into the same interface is an intriguing possibility," reveals Venäläinen.

Speaking of results, Venäläinen highlights the company's reporting frequency, which is closely monitored: "We measure the number of reported observations per 1000 working hours. Additionally, Ground Handling separately measures reports per turnaround operation." One of the most crucial indicators of safety culture is the number of incidents and observations reported by employees: "We receive a substantial number of reports, but can there ever be too many in this case?"

According to Venäläinen, Falcony has also delivered significant time savings and improved overall efficiency in implementing corrective actions: "Designated personnel receive real-time notifications of new incidents and related comments, allowing for swift handling and closure of deviations. This leaves us more time for process improvement, creating an overall picture from individual observations, identifying trends, and creating new template versions." Venäläinen has noticed progress in Airpro's overall safety culture as well, as the system's user-friendliness has further engaged employees in safety matters: "Falcony represents our willingness to admit mistakes and raise our hand when needed. And if necessary, concerns can also be reported anonymously. This way, we can collectively learn and effectively share best practices."

Falcony has been in use at Airpro for three years now, and Venäläinen has been extremely satisfied with the collaboration: "It has been gratifying to witness the developmental strides Falcony has made during our partnership. I have never been told that something cannot be done; instead, requests are handled promptly, and solutions are found. We have also introduced Event Risk Classification (ERC) for each deviation, commonly used in the airline industry. This allows us, as a ground handling company, to contribute even more effectively to aviation safety."

"Even though significant changes are not made to the service on a company-specific level, ideas for improvement are listened to attentively, with a focus on how those ideas would benefit the entire customer base. Additionally, Falcony shares development ideas from their other customers, providing us with new insights into our operations. I can wholeheartedly recommend the system to everyone," Venäläinen concludes.