JustSystems announced that All Nippon Airways (“ANA”) has adopted JustSystems’ dynamic document vision and the xfy document-centric composite application platform as the foundation of its new system for creating, editing, and managing aircraft rulebooks and operation manuals.

ANA will use the dynamic document-driven system to edit rules and instructions, provided by Boeing as XML documents, into its own format and to manage the documents to be shared among people involved in the aircraft’s operation. ANA’s pilots will also use the system to view their manuals as part of the electronic flight bag (“EFB”), a standard device installed in the cockpit of the soon-to-be-launched Boeing 787, the state-of-the-art jet that ANA will be the first in the world to fly.

Using xfy-based dynamic documents, ANA will deliver rapidly, constantly changing data to its pilots and maintenance crews, ensuring that only the most authoritative, up-to-date information reaches those users. Moreover, ANA can use the dynamic documents to dynamically render specific views of information based on criteria such as user, role, point in a workflow process, or result of a web service query. In turn, dynamic documents display information that is the most relevant and appropriate to the context of its usage.

ANA had been studying the prospect of introducing a new system in conjunction with the launching of the Boeing 787. Since the instructions and rules to be provided by Boeing are written as XML documents, it is critical that the system provides the freedom to edit in XML as well as an interface friendly to users who lack a background in XML.

ANA’s decision to install the JustSystems dynamic document solution reflects the high regard ANA placed on the array of features, offered by the new system, that assist users in performing their tasks accurately and efficiently in a team-based environment. Such features range from direct, word processor–like editing, to automatic extraction of revisions, comparisons of old-versus-new versions, appending reasons for changes at revised locations, and approval of revised content.

Boeing selected ANA as the launch customer for the Boeing 787, making ANA the world’s first airline to pilot the aircraft. The most advanced aircraft today, the 787 features a wide variety of systems that implement some of the most cutting-edge technologies available. Among these is the EFB, a flight deck computer system that displays not only an electronic version of the flight manual, but also the aircraft’s position when taxiing at airports, contributing to improved safety and efficiency.

At ANA, instructions and regulations provided by aircraft manufacturers such as Boeing are edited to fit its own proprietary formats. These are then distributed as manuals to pilots and relevant departments.

The installation of the new dynamic document-driven system means that frequent changes will be reflected comprehensively, allowing ANA to quickly provide in-flight and operations staffs with copies of manuals and other printed materials that are guaranteed to have identical content. By preventing serious situations from arising due to defects in the flight manual, such as writing, printing, or circulation errors, ANA continues to improve on the safety of its passengers, the company’s highest priority.

For more information on JustSystems contact Elena Annuzzi Elena@techmarket.com at TECHMarket Communications.