Phase II Development

In 1999 KBSI was awarded an Air Force (Tinker AFB) Phase II SBIR contract (and subsequent enhancement) entitled XML/IDEF3-Based Training. The XML/IDEF3 SBIR effort was chartered with establishing technology to rapidly capture, integrate, customize, store, manage, and disseminate enterprise asset and process knowledge throughout the depot maintenance organization, supporting improvements in asset visibility, resource utilization, and production cost. The technology is coupled with focused user education and training in more highly integrated and efficient asset management processes.

In the RampMap™ Phase II project, KBSI was tasked to develop for the OC-ALC a software tool that provides map-based, real-time visibility of MRO assets on site: i.e., a "ramp map." This kind of visibility is critical to reducing the wasted movement of aircraft and to improve collaborative planning, resource allocation, dispatching and statusing of MRO assets and work. The RampMap™ software was intended for users of the Aircraft Maintenance Operations Control Center (AMOCC) at Tinker AFB, and as a remplacement for the manual process of maintenance asset tracking using a magnetic white board.

RampMap™ directly reduced the phone time and man-hours required by AMOCC to monitor and plan for MRO asset movements and at the same time improved the accuracy and speed of the information and decisions made by the AMOCC in support of their day-to-day decisions regarding resource allocations to workload accomplishment. Capturing the information in an electronic environment enabled not only the quick, accurate dissemination of this information in the form of reports to management, but also automated the propagation of this information to other decision support tools (e.g., simulation modeling tools) to increase the analytical accuracy and speed of management decisions.

The OC-ALC began to notice numerous benefits with the advent of RampMap™. AMOCC controllers are now able to identify, at a glance, the status of aircraft on the ramps as well as see projected aircraft moves. Non-essential aircraft moves are reduced, providing controlors with a more streamlined movement schedule. This application is also being considered for a sensor and terrorist attack monitoring and training tool.

Phase III Implementations

As part of of a two-phase ongoing project at Tinker AFB, RampMap™ is currently operational in the Tinker control room for the purpose of visualizing and managing aircraft and GSE locations and moves at TAFB. This type of visualization allows the performance of WHAT-IF move scenarios before a decision is made, thus avoiding costly mistakes. Subsequently, RampMap™ is currently being installed at OO-ALC/LAP at Hill AFB, AMARC at Davis-Monthan AFB, and WR-ALC/MAB at Warner Robins AFB.

RampMap™ provides the following benefits:

	Increase the operational availability of production assets.
	Increase labor effectiveness.
	Minimize moves and downtime.
	Improved threat response.
	An estimated return on investment of three months.