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This Handbook, Integrating Airport Information Systems, one of the products of Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP) Project 01-03, provides the basis for an airport to integrate information systems successfully. Chapter by chapter, this Handbook provides the guidance needed to develop the level of integration required to ultimately develop a computer desktop interface to access the information and metrics that create a big-picture mosaic of the airportâthe managerâs dashboard of the future. Good decision-making is facilitated by good information. At an airport with integrated information systems, senior managers can access desired information from their desktops by use of a dashboard, which the managers have customized to provide the level of informa- tion needed to efficiently and effectively address the most business-critical decisions of that airport. Information such as the following could be available and reviewed at will on the managerâs dashboard: ⢠The airportâs current financial picture; ⢠Current operational issues and the immediate effect on the budget; ⢠Return on investment analyses for alternative development proposals; ⢠Projected arriving and departing passenger counts, by hour, day, and week; ⢠Percentage gate usage by airline; ⢠Current and forecasted airfield conditions; and ⢠Percentage delays by terminal. Senior managers could identify metrics of business-critical information calculated from key data. The ability to review the chosen metrics as desired would be coupled with the abil- ity to drill down to the level of detail required for any analysis needed to assess the effect of business decisions before they are made. For example, one senior manager might choose to review the non-airline actual revenues received to date as a percentage of planned revenues. Another senior manager might wish to see, on a daily basis, the current outstanding work orders. Another senior manager might want to see the current Notice to Airmen (NOTAM), while the chief executive officer (CEO) might want to view automatically calculated significant metrics derived from business-critical information, as well as the status of any significant security issues and wait times at passenger screening. Figure S-1 is an example dashboard that demonstrates what the CEO at a major airport might like to see on his or her desktop. Many data points are useful to all airport managers and CEOs; however, depending on their various sizes, volumes of traffic, and operational levels, different airports require different information and reporting. The dashboard should be customizable to fit the specific needs of each CEO and should exist in a configuration that provides the most necessary information while filtering out that which is not as useful. For example, CEO A might require a deeper level 1 S U M M A R Y Integrating Airport Information Systems
of detail than CEO B. The dashboard, as shown in Figure S-1, provides the ability to drill down through the information to get at the various levels of data. On the other hand, the dashboards shown in Chapter 7 reflect high-level views for a CEO who only needs summary information. Public airports combine elements of various business enterprises and serve diverse func- tions. A public airport may function as a transportation infrastructure, a public utility, an engine for developing community economics, an airline supplier and partner, and more. However, U.S. airports are generally operated as publicly owned businessesâbut mandated to be as financially self-sufficient as possible. Managing the complexities of an airport in todayâs crisis-oriented environment requires a myriad of daily financial and operational busi- ness decisions, as well as proactive business planning, problem prevention, and problem- solving. The successful integration of information facilitates decision-making and problem- solving at an airport. In some cases and in some organizations, full integration may not be feasible. Some legacy systems and infrastructure may be so old that it is not cost-effective, or even possible, to col- lect the necessary data. Cost restrictions and closed architecture systems can make integra- tion difficult; however, some level of information integration will be necessary. The goals are 2 Integrating Airport Information Systems Figure S-1. Dashboard executive summary.
to integrate in ways that allow an airport to minimize unnecessary costs, increase the likeli- hood for success, and ensure that integration will provide real benefits to the decisionmakers. Each situation and each dashboard should be analyzed and addressed on a case-by-case basis. This Handbook provides the information to make these goals a reality. Using the information in this Handbook, airport management can ⢠Analyze the state of information integration at their airport, ⢠Develop a vision, ⢠Plan for future integration efforts, ⢠Incorporate the best practices into the integration process, and ⢠Proceed to successful integration. Summary 3