UFIS Airport Solutions (UFIS-AS) announces the signing of an agreement to have the first installation of the next generation of the UFIS® product at Athen’s Eleftherios Venizelos Airport. It is planned that the new software will go into production in 2008, replacing the daily operations of the current UFIS installation.
UFIS-AS and AIA have partnered since the beginning of the project in the design and development of not only the new software but also the new system architecture. This current partnership is based on an on-going relationship between UFIS-AS and AIA that began during the construction of the new international airport which was opened in 2000. The partnership of the two for this project has allowed the project team to draw on the technical expertise and years of airport software development experience of UFIS-AS with the actual user knowledge and feedback of AIA.
The new UFIS product is based on the well-established functionality of the UFIS product line. This functionality is combined with the latest, yet tried-and-tested, technologies to create a state-of-the-art package. These newest technologies include:
- omplete development in Java
- Standard middleware
- Completely new relational database
- Advanced graphical interface
- Open architecture and usage of standard tools
- Easy assimilation in other systems with XML as the standard
The new system will offer improved real-time performance and increased platform independence. The scalability features of the new platform will allow not only large-sized airports but small- and medium-sized airports to take advantage of the solutions offered by the new UFIS product line.
The second phase of the development will also allow for multiple airport handling from a central location and will include functionality to create real what-if scenarios and to optimize information available for collaborative decision-making (CDM).
In addition to its user experience contribution, AIA has built a new testing lab for the new UFIS modules. “The new state-of-the-art test lab at AIA will allow us to fully test and prove the value of our newest product,” said Anders Sagadin, president and CEO of UFIS-AS. “Having a test lab on-site gives us the added benefit of being able to compare the workings of the new system with the current system using actual up-to-date flight data.”
Once the new system goes live, the partnership will continue with AIA becoming a sales partner for this latest UFIS product line. Spiros Lountzis, responsible for business development at AIA, is looking forward to assisting with sales of this new product and providing additional services. IT&T Department Head Leonidas Daravelis is pleased that AIA will be able to showcase this new product in the showroom at the Main Terminal Building at Athens to potential customers.