In recent years, the scope and complexity of air traffic documentation have increased significantly. Pilots, cabin staff and ground crews must have reliable and up-to-date information at their disposal at all times to ensure smooth flight operations. This is precisely why Lufthansa Industry Solutions (LHIND) has developed Volabase.
Digital documentation for airlines
Volabase: an interactive solution for flight operations documentation
Whether it’s in the cockpit or in the cabin, air traffic documentation is complex and multifaceted. Airlines must continuously maintain manuals, training documents and internal guidelines and share them with the respective crews to ensure both an uninterrupted flow of information along the entire process chain and compliance with the guidelines set forth by the international aviation safety authorities. As the amount of information and the number of variants of this information grows, the quantity of documents increases not only in number but also in complexity – all airline-specific changes and OEM revisions must be implemented in a timely and traceable manner and made available immediately to all links in the process chain. At the same time, the airlines must remain in constant compliance with their own official regulations.
A content management system for OEM documents, manuals and internal and external guidelines and regulations.
On one hand, documentation must be revised and updated regularly and comprehensively to ensure safe flight operations. On the other, the updated documents must be quickly and easily accessible in the various recipient groups’ respective applications.
Volabase enables airlines with one or more fleets to operate an efficient documentation process for all participants along the process chain. The modular, fully customizable solution for flight and ground operations is made up of three elements – the Volabase CMS content management system, the Volabase Library document library and the Volabase Viewer app for end-users. From the creation and editing of digital documents in the back office to the simplified sharing, retrieval and reading of information and standards, Volabase simplifies the flow of information, helping to ensure smooth flight operations.
Volabase is a digital documentation solution that promises airlines a range of benefits pertaining to their flight operations documentation.
- Management of the entire fleet in one system
- Cost savings due to a significant reduction of labor required for documentation maintenance and distribution
- Increased security and compliance
- Reusable modules and smart variant management minimize data redundancy
- Very good usability, clarity and high user acceptance
- Clarity and easy access save time for the end-user
You will find these and other topics below, feel free to browse at your leisure.
We’ve condensed our successful, longstanding products DocManage, DocSurf and EFOM into the new Volabase system. In doing so, we’ve made a great deal of improvements to their features and are continuously adding new functions to our new tool.
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Simplified documentation – available everywhere, 24/7
Volabase enables airlines with one or more fleets to streamline their documentation processes and make them more accessible, from the creation and updating of technical documents to a more user-friendly display on the users’ devices.
The three elements that enable seamless flight and ground operations documentation
Create, edit and publish your airline-specific documents using our XML-based content management system.
- Import and edit OEM manuals without changing the existing structures and formats.
- Simple and effective variant management
- Single-source publishing in various formats (PDF, XML, HTML)
- Create and save revisions automatically
- Revision tracking – revisions are visible at a glance
- Target group-oriented publication (e.g. for short and long-haul crews)
- Flexible publication formats – electronically or in hard copy
- Open system allowing for the integration of new documents and formats
- Compliance reports creation for EASA and IOSA audits.
The entire document library is structured clearly and accessibly in the interactive media library.
- Structure and manage extensive document collections
- Manage different revisions
- Quality assurance support
- Can be integrated into various internal distribution systems
- Sharable across different applications and user groups
- Integration of interactive content and multimedia formats
The interactive reading module for iOS and Windows enables users to open and read documents flexibly, optimized for the respective target group and for display on the user’s device.
- Optimized document management
- For iOS and Windows, accessible via web browser or on mobile devices
- Can be used online and offline
- Automatic updating of documents
- Quick and easy access to information
- Intuitive navigation and control with multi-touch gestures
- Indexed full text search
- Responsive design
- Day/night mode, display in both portrait and landscape
- Customizable to meet specific requirements
Request a demo
Please don’t hesitate to order a demo version from us or to get in touch if you have any questions about Volabase. We’re confident that we’ll be able to find the most appropriate solution for your requirements concerning technical documentation and compliance. Our wealth of satisfied customers speaks for itself – we’d be delighted to prepare an online presentation of our product range for you.
Simplified access to information and documents
Volabase Viewer grants instantaneous access to documentation for all flight and ground operations using a web browser or a mobile device. Everything you might need to look up is organized intuitively. Using the useful Revision Review function, you can compare new information with the previous version and mark it as read. Effectivity Management allows users to filter content according to their needs and locate information more quickly and clearly. The Volabase Viewer works as a stand-alone tool, within the corporate intranet or as an EFB application.
Smart revision management with the Volabase CMS
The Content Management System is the beating heart of the Volabase system – it links an interactive document library with smart editing functions and allows for continuous compliance monitoring.
The Volabase CMS covers all steps in importing, editing and publishing technical documentation for flight and ground crews. OEM XML documents can be imported and created in the document library. The automatic alignment with existing revisions and working documents allows users to compare, validate and transfer content with ease without losing original links and manually edited content.
Volabase – Benefits for Airlines
Easier maintenance and documentation
- Simple and effective variant management
- Single-source publishing in various formats (PDF, XML, HTML)
- Smart content modules facilitate quick and efficient amendments
Effective content management
- Regular link checking for consistency
- Configuration management for fleets, variants, aircraft registration and serial numbers
- Revision control with a rollback option
- Status-controlled workflow
Open for individual extensions
- Open system allowing for the integration of new documents and formats
- Can be extended to accommodate new publication formats
- Customizable variants for documentation filtering
Simplified compliance management
- Create reference reports for audits by EASA, IOSA or national authorities
- Amendment history for all manuals and regulations
- Notification and quality assurance system for amended regulations or linked manuals
- IQSMS interface available
OEM and airline-specific documents can be accessed, sorted, edited and shared in their original format.
- Import and supported update process of OEM manuals
- Multiple document standards and formats
- Continuous updating of manuals and guidelines
- Completely compatible with Airbus applications
New revisions performed by the manufacturer can be incorporated faster and changes implemented more efficiently. This saves time and improves safety.
- XML-based content management
- Automatic creation of important change directories in PDF publications, e.g. list of effective pages/chapters, revision highlights
- Authoring support through change descriptions and comparisons, tasklist entries, and document links
- Effective workflows for approvals and quality assurance
Users can directly access current information tailored to their own device, role or fleet pattern without the need for lengthy searches.
- Ready for immediate use on iOS and Windows devices
- User-friendly interface
- Mobile views for cockpit, cabin crew and ground operations
- Interactive content, graphics and multimedia formats supported
All revisions are recorded in the interactive document library, stored with a timestamp, and communicated to the appropriate user groups.
- Manage and view multiple revisions and metadata
- Link content across multiple revisions
- Automatic detection and highlighting of changes, including their change descriptions
New or amended regulations can be incorporated faster and more efficiently. Linking documents in an audit-proof manner ensures continuous compliance and, in turn, increased safety.
- Documentation updated continuously
- Revisions can be located and read more easily
- Classification of information content: Must/Should/Could
- Compliance checklist for audits by aviation safety authorities such as IOSA and EASA
- IQSMS interface available
The interactive document library saves you time and money
Volabase eliminates both the need to print and distribute documents by hand and the tedious process of editing and formatting Excel spreadsheets and PDF-based documents. Airlines can centrally manage documentation for their entire fleet – or multiple fleets – in one single system. The streamlined revision procedure means outdated or redundant information is revised continually, reducing the risk of compliance violations.
The information you need – immediately available everywhere, 24/7.
Pilots, cabin crew, dispatchers and other users alike can use the integrated documentation solution and locate all relevant information immediately and quickly. Volabase can be used online or offline and is compatible with all iOS and Windows-based devices. Current revisions are displayed and linked within the document, making it easier for users to find and track new information.
Who benefits from documentation with Volabase?
- Easy editing in a WYSIWYG editor
- Version histories for all types of information
- Easy creation of change directories for PDF outputs (list of effective pages/chapters, revision bars)
- Information unit (library units) reusability avoids redundant activities
- Documents can be shared across organizations, facilitating collaborative work
- Templates enable standardized layouts
- Effective variant management based on aircraft registration and user groups
- User group management
- Quality assurance by means of workflow status application and distribution to QA groups
- Continuous compliance
- Information distribution to specific devices and user groups
- Audit-proof links between manuals and regulations
- Extensive reporting capabilities
- Standard templates for audits
- External auditor access to the system to monitor compliance
- Easy amendment synchronization for new regulations or manual contents
- Responsive design with an HTML look-and-feel
- Efficient search engine
- Ability to access previous and future revisions
- User-friendly interface in all situations (e.g. day/night mode)
- Quick retrieval of desired documents
- Find revisions instantly, view changes in comparison and mark them as read
- Filter information by aircraft registration or individually defined criteria
- Save information as favorites or add notes
- Restore user-specific settings and favorites via backups
- Perfectly positioned for the future challenges thanks to an XML-based solution, effective compliance management and integrated solutions.
Implementing Volabase – Our Service
Volabase supports airlines in all operating processes pertaining to technical documentation. We help you analyze your existing procedures and advise you on your specific situation in order to improve your process chain, increase your documentation efficiency or optimize the manner in which your systems interact with each other. We’ll also assist you in migrating your existing documents into the Volabase CMS.
Furthermore, we’ll provide support in integrating Volabase into your existing system and analyze the individual requirements surrounding the documentation processes with you. If necessary, more interfaces and external systems can be connected to Volabase.
- OEM handbooks:
- Aircraft Flight Manual (AFM)
- Flight Crew Operating Manual (FCOM)
- Quick Reference Handbook (QRH)
- Minimal Equipment List (MEL)
- Safety Management System (SMS)
- Training documentation and courses
- Airline-specific standards and guidelines, such as
- service guidelines
- tannoy announcements in multiple languages
- dispatcher documentation
The philosophy behind Volabase
Our customers are part of Volabase. By working closely with airlines, we keep their requirements and needs in mind and incorporate them into our product roadmap. Our experts work hand in hand with the airlines, and this constant exchange of knowledge and ideas helps us to develop innovative solutions that are always adapted to the needs of our customers. We work tirelessly to develop and improve our products, keeping a close eye on the challenges the market presents. This enables us to respond immediately to new technological and business requirements and trends.
- Over 20 years of experience in digital solutions for airline flight and ground operations documentation
- Practical experience and expertise gained via successful application within the Lufthansa Group and at many other airlines
- High customer focus and the ability to adapt products to companies’ requirements and wishes.
As a full-service provider, LHIND offers a range of innovative products and solutions for the aviation industry as well as consulting and support for migration projects. With the flight briefing solution iFF, the ID travel management solution myIDTravel and the travel management software myDutyTrip among others, we offer a broad portfolio of smart products aimed at driving the digitalization of airlines forwards.
Learn more about LHIND’s digital solutions
Please don’t hesitate to order a demo version from us or to get in touch if you have any questions about Volabase.