Unifying Aviation Construction Processes with Digital Tools

Unifying Aviation Construction Processes with Digital Tools
Title image-Unifying Aviation Construction Processes with Digital Tools
Categories: Blog

Unifying Aviation Construction Processes with Digital Tools

Fortune reports that 5.2 billion passengers are expected to travel by air in 2025. However, the current airport network might fall short in handling a constant influx of passengers, which is why it’s important to expand the infrastructure.

But, aviation construction projects are complex due to the various segments involved such as air bridges, cargo tunnels, baggage handling systems, and more. Each component has different requirements, timelines, and regulations, complicating effective management.

In this blog, we will examine the complexities of segment-based construction for aviation projects. Additionally, we will explore how VisiLean’s centralised project management platform can help you complete your projects on time and within budget.

 

What Are the Challenges in Aviation Construction Projects?

In order to understand how our centralised platform makes your aviation construction management easy, it’s crucial to outline the complexities of these projects. Let’s take a closer look at them.

 

  • Supplier coordination: Aviation construction projects involve multiple contractors and sub-contractors, each with their own goals, priorities and expectations. With so many moving parts, even a minor misalignment can snowball into delays, budget overruns, and operational headaches.

 

  • Work preparation: Aviation construction projects need a plethora of submittals and approvals at every stage to adhere to strict rules and regulations. This complicates the resource allocation, as the team needs to balance human resources, materials and equipment to meet the compliance deadline.

 

  • Excessive documents: Every stakeholder maintains their own record of progress, constraints and updates which turns into a huge pile of documents. Typically, stakeholders submit their updates to the planner on a weekly basis, leaving the planner to spend hours manually consolidating the data into a single progress report for a unified view of the entire project’s progress.

 

  • An active work environment: Aviation projects face plenty of hurdles, but the biggest challenge is keeping construction in sync with daily airport operations. Whether it’s upgrading air bridges, expanding terminals, or overhauling baggage systems, every step must be meticulously planned to avoid disrupting live operations. A single delay in one area can trigger a domino effect, creating delays in overall project completion.

 

  • Lack of production management systems: In aviation construction, sub-contractors often follow their own workflows, creating a fragmented process that is overwhelming for the planner to manage. They face difficulties in coordinating tasks because each subcontractor may use different tools and methods.

 

How VisiLean Can Solve Your Challenges in Aviation Construction Projects?

 

While aviation construction projects are complex endeavours, a systemic approach to managing their planning and execution can significantly offer clients better control on these projects. Production management systems like VisiLean offer robust tools that are built on lean construction principles that enable collaboration and real-time progress monitoring. Here’s how;

 

  • Enhance communication with a unified platform: VisiLean brings everyone in the supply chain onto one easy-to-use platform, making collaboration simpler and more efficient. It connects all stakeholders within a single system to reduce confusion, keep everyone on track, and speed up project progress.

 

  • Reduce latency through real-time updates: VisiLean eliminates the need for suppliers to spend hours updating multiple Excel sheets. With real-time updates from the site, planners can instantly track project progress, ensuring tasks and milestones are on schedule. This saves time, reduces errors, and helps planners make quicker, more informed decisions to keep the project on track.

 

  • Improve collaboration with Lean tools: VisiLean simplifies lookahead planning by providing powerful Lean tools that streamline the collaboration process. During lookahead meetings, teams can make-ready their work to ensure resources are delivered exactly when needed. This prevents waste, avoids unnecessary inventory, and maximises space; which is critical for projects with limited time and confined working areas due to operational infrastructure.

 

  • Unify tech adoption with process alignment: Getting your team started with our platform is quick and hassle-free. With a simple, easy-to-use interface, your team can easily understand and start using VisiLean right away. Plus, our friendly support team is always just a call away, ready to help with any questions or guidance you might need. Together, the intuitive design and dedicated support ensure a smooth onboarding experience, so your team can hit the ground running and focus on what really matters.

 

VisiLean x Mace – Enhancing Heathrow Expansion Project

 

Heathrow Airport’s expansion was a highly complex expansion project that needed careful coordination to avoid any disruptions in the operations. Mace, a leading UK contractor, was appointed to manage the airport expansion project, including upgrades to cargo management, security, and the installation of new air bridges. To keep everything on track, Mace deployed VisiLean within terminals 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5. This helped them streamline their processes, improve collaboration, and ensure the timely delivery of each project.

 

The Challenge

The projects at Heathrow faced several significant challenges. Mace was dealing with a manual, labour-intensive process that led to poor coordination and inefficiencies. There was limited collaboration between Mace’s team and suppliers, and multiple tools were creating extra work for the project team.

 

The Planning

During weekly lookahead meetings, the team was able to map out more than 20 key constraints, such as approvals, design, and manpower—to ensure the team was always prepared and work was ready to proceed without delay.

 

The Execution

One of the biggest benefits of VisiLean was its real-time updates. Suppliers could send progress updates directly through the platform, reducing manual errors and variability. This seamless flow of information allowed teams to make faster, more informed decisions. The use of live 4D BIM models gave the project team a clear, up-to-date view of the work, helping them manage progress and keep everything on track.

 

The Monitoring & Control

As part of the PPCS (Production Planning and Control System) process, Mace was able to continuously monitor supplier performance with real-time updates, weekly work plans, and progress reviews. The Percent Plan Complete (PPC) metric was used to measure success, while custom dashboards tracked real-time workflows and captured both successes and areas for improvement. This allowed Mace to fine-tune their approach and ensure the best possible outcomes.

 

Proven Results

The integration of VisiLean led to better project control, more efficient collaboration, and a smoother overall process. With improved planning, real-time updates, and better communication, Mace successfully delivered key aspects of Heathrow’s expansion, proving the value of a streamlined approach to construction management.

 

Proven Result of Case Study - VisiLean x Mace Enhancing Heathrow Expansion Project
Proven Results

Need to Enhance Your Aviation Construction Projects? VisiLean Can Help

 

Aviation construction projects are complex and require careful coordination due to multiple segments like air bridges and baggage systems. In this environment where downtime is not an option, VisiLean can play a critical role in ensuring better collaboration and providing a clear view of progress. Our platform eliminates time-consuming tasks like updating Excel sheets, reducing errors, and allowing for real-time updates. With cloud-based management and Lean tools, it simplifies planning, boosts efficiency, and ensures timely project delivery.

 

Book a demo today to see how we simplify aviation construction projects.

 

Don’t get left behind. Discover how VisiLean can enable your teams to be more efficient. Want to know more? Head to our YouTube channel , or visit our website, to learn about all our features and book a demo with our team!

VisiLean’s Milestones in Construction Innovation 2024 for product enhancements, successful client partnerships, and industry events.
Confused about construction planning methods (CPM, Takt)? Learn why there's no "one size fits all" & discover how to choose the right approach for your project.

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Book a Demo

Enter your details and we will be in touch to schedule a short meeting and demo of VisiLean. During your demo, we will explain are different product offerings, how the software works and how it can be tailored to your project. After this, you will be able to start your fully-fledged 30-day trial. We have comprehensive how-to guides and dedicated customer support to make the switch to VisiLean as easy as possible.