Log-In to VESSA™ for Cost-Efficient Engineering

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Optimizing productivity and controlling cost is important in any economy. Machines—and the people who operate, maintain, and keep them current—must be engaged in productive effort most of the time. Make work need not apply.

In aviation, some efforts are periodic or unpredictable, and staffing for them is contrary to efficiency’s goals. To satisfy an operator’s needs when they arise, enterprising companies have developed cost- efficient solutions that go by many names, power-by-the-hour, NetJets—and VESSA™, aka ASIG’s Virtual Engineering Services Subscription Agreement.

With almost every aspect of certification and airworthiness hinging on approved data, engineers are essential members of the aviation team, says Luke Ribich, ASIG’s Managing Director. When an unexpected workload or large project stretches the limits of the subscriber’s staff, VESSA™ provides immediate relief by allowing the subscriber to tap into ASIG’s full service engineering and certification expertise for as long as is necessary to eliminate the engineering overload and return to business as normal.

Launched in 2007, VESSA™ has served nearly 30 subscribers to date, each with a dedicated portal available from any computer with Internet access. ASIG maintains the servers—and security—which meets the requirements of an especially picky subscriber, the Department of Defense.

RolloverMom A typical subscription runs three years, and companies can adjust their engineering requirements up or down annually. ASIG also offers “an AT&T provision,” Ribich says, referring to the TV commercial where the mother admonishes her son for discarding his rollover minutes. “In other words, the engineering effort unused in any given month carries forward…so if you have a month that runs over, you’re not losing anything.”

Cash flow forecasting is another VESSA™ strong suit. If subscribers have an upcoming “program, like the CNS/ATM requirements coming down from NextGen, they can amortize the cost over the year,” Ribich says. “Likewise, if their fleet changes or they need to reduce costs for some reason, they can make those adjustments at the end of each 12 months.”

Engineering is document intensive, so VESSA™ is an online library that enables subscribers to quickly find and use them, printing hardcopies as needed. Subscriber-provided documents, from tech orders and diagrams to illustrated catalogs and ICA, are determined when setting up the subscription or project, and ASIG can digitize anything not already in electronic form.

Subscribers initiate projects by uploading the scope of work, and the system captures all online collaboration with ASIG’s engineers. Other pages present the project’s Gantt charts, milestones, any required photos and video, contact information for everyone on the project, links to viewers needed to examine data files and drawings, invoicing, a weekly status report, the engineering help desk, and many more features.

VESSA™ also works well with first-article and proof-of-concept manufacturing, Ribich says. And it’s all on-call, 24/7/365. Being online, its on-demand operation enhances efficiency. If a last-minute schedule change prevents a subscriber from reviewing a document for approval or changes, the task—not a roomful of people—waits for him without complaint—or loss of productivity.

Until next time, stay 5x5, mission ready, and Wired!