A lot of people are confused when they first hear the word “Aviatar” because it makes them think of the blue creatures from the famous film “Avatar”. And even though the two words probably share the same root, they refer to entirely different things. Whereas avatar refers to a virtual figure, Aviatar is “a made-up word that combines the two words aviation (flying) and avatar (a virtual figure), and actually refers to an aircraft’s digital twin,” Marcus di Laurenzio explains in an interview. It means that all the data and information pertaining to the state of an aircraft’s “health” is digitalised on a user interface. We talked to Marcus di Laurenzio, head of the Aviatar project at SWISS.
So what is Aviatar like at SWISS?
Aviatar is a program that we can use on our computers. It looks a little like the Apple Store, and it contains a number of applications that can be downloaded as required. Different members of staff need different information, and therefore different applications.
What kind of applications are they?
An aircraft’s digital twin will always provide me with the latest information and data on that aircraft. For instance, I can see at a glance where and at what altitude it is at, perhaps if it is on the way to Hamburg. I can see that it will be returning to Zurich today and then flying on to Berlin. The applications display different information on the state of the aircraft’s “health”. The “Condition Monitoring” application indicates that a certain part of the aircraft needs some maintenance work, and at the same time it calculates how much longer it can continue flying in that condition.
What will Aviatar change for the customer?
This new platform will change the maintenance process, aircraft monitoring, and a large number of operational processes in general. Thanks to today’s accounting models and analysis tools, data can be evaluated far more specifically. This results in even faster and more precise action. And ultimately, to our SWISS customers, it means improved punctuality and reliability of their booked flight.
What will SWISS be presenting at Digital Day?
At Digital Day, we will be explaining the Aviatar platform and showing an interesting film about it. Our flight attendants and pilots will be explaining what digital tools they use in their daily work. And finally, there will be the chance to meet “Pepper”, our humanoid robot, in “person”. We look forward to meeting lots of curious visitors!
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