CASE STUDY: SunExpress implements a new EFB and a new OS

Author: Orhun Sezgin, EFB Specialist, SunExpress

Subscribe

Orhun Sezgin, EFB Specialist, SunExpress shares the process of a complete change for the better and the benefits it introduced

In this case study about SunExpress’s current EFB ecosystem, I’m going to share our operational experience with readers and, given that experience, why we choose skybook from Bytron Aviation Systems for our EFB and why we are transitioning our operating system from Windows to iOS. But before we go into all, of that, let me introduce readers to the airline whose case we studying, SunExpress.

SUNEXPRESS
Founded in 1989, SunExpress Airlines is a joint venture between Lufthansa Airlines and Turkish Airlines. As shown in figure 1, the fleet includes 76 aircraft, Boeing 737-800 NG and Boeing 737 MAX 8, and we fly to more than 90 destinations.

Figure 1

SunExpress is one of the leading leisure airlines in Europe, Middle East and Africa. As of 2024, the airline had flown more than 152 million passengers in 34 years and was averaging more than 2,500 flights a week which has amounted to more than one million flights in 34 years (figure 2).

Figure 2

With our previous EFB, we were using a number of different comprehensive applications, and SunExpress has had a fully digitalized cockpit and Flight Operations since 2018. This experience meant that our requirement list was really challenging for any new EFB application; but first, a few words about our current ecosystem.

We previously used Lufthansa Passage, EFB Shell and EFF for the flight folder application, Lufthansa Systems’ TOPAS-LAPAS Performance calculation tool for performance calculations and, for charting management, we use Lufthansa Systems eRM (e-Route Manual). Comply 365 Library is part of the ecosystem, as well as AMOS eTLB (e-Technical Log Book) and we have continued with AMOS. The Weight & Balance solution is an in-house development, called iGO (integrated Ground Ops) tool. For e-fueling, we use aFuel. So, as you can see, SunExpress operations are already digitalized.

There is great aircraft connectivity on SunExpress aircraft and, besides software, we have cutting-edge hardware from navAero, we have a UAID (Universal Aircraft Interface Device – from navAero) version 2, and we are connected to CMU (Communications Management Unit), FMC (Flight Management Computer), MMR (Multi-Mode Receivers) and ADIRU (Air Data Inertial Reference Unit) via ARINC 429. Also, via ARINC 717, We are connected to FODA (Flight Operations Data Analysis), and we are using the navAero system as a wireless QAR (Quick Access Recorder). So, every time our aircraft land and the doors are opened, our wireless QAR data is sent directly to FODA and to the safety department.

As you can see, we already had a great system. Our operations were already and still are digital and we have lots of data coming from avionics as well as from Lido 4D and our IOCC (Integrated Operation Control Center). So, you might ask, why we wanted to transition to a new system.

THE REASONS FOR MAKING THE CHANGES
Put plainly, the driving issue, as illustrated in figure 3, was hardware availability.

Figure 3

We were using Microsoft Surface tablets but they are not on sale in Türkiye, nor are devices covered under warranty, so every time a device failed, it was a total loss for us. We needed to procure devices from Europe, import them and pay custom taxes. This meant that one Surface tablet cost us around 1500 euro, whereas one iPad costs only 500 euro. Also, new generation Surface devices have different dimensions from previous generations; so, to continue to operate with Surface, we needed to modify our aircraft with something like Pivot cases which can be modified for different dimensions but, if we were going to incur that cost, we decided, why shouldn’t we go the whole way with a transition to iPad. In the end, it was a straightforward choice and that’s how the project started.

MARKET RESEARCH AND THE DECISION
Since the iPad decision aligns with the market, where the trend is going towards the iOS operating system, it was a no brainer for us, and we started our research project in 2023 (figure 4.1).

Figure 4.1

We decided to continue with the Pivot case, because it’s durable, it protects the tablet and it is interchangeable. Also, Apple often changes the dimensions of their devices. So, for future proofing, we needed that adaptability.

As already stated above, the transition project started in 2023 and it was at an Aircraft Commerce conference, following which, we went to further conferences and, eventually identified twelve different EFB application providers. Before our testing period started, we sent our detailed requirement list to all of these twelve suppliers, and five of them were eliminated immediately because they couldn’t cover our requirements, even for current operational needs. We continued with seven different application providers and chose 20 people from our company – pilots, engineers and EFB personnel – to review the shortlisted seven suppliers from whom we requested application demos. Detailed tests continued for three months using a point scoring system that you can see in figure 4.2.

Figure 4.2

What you can see in the figure are just the headers, and under these headers, we had nearly 300 or more items that were rated separately by those 20 people. Then we took the average of those ratings and, with the final results, Bytron Aviation Systems was the winner. So, why Bytron?

There were many reasons why we decided to go with Bytron and the skybook app as depicted in figure 5.1.

Figure 5.1

The best part is user interface or, at least, this is SunExpress’s opinion. If you have different operational needs, then you might need to do your research accordingly but skybook covers our operational needs perfectly, primarily because of the user interface. It’s intuitive and user friendly, easy to use and easy to read with bigger buttons and bigger text. The second part is Bytron’s openness and willingness to continue developing and tailoring the solution. The skybook team demonstrated exceptional flexibility and commitment to continuous improvements. Even during the demo phase, before the contact signature, they started modifying and developing their demo application for us, for our needs so we could test them better and more easily.

Customer Support is another critical factor. Between seven short-listed suppliers, there were good and bad, but skybook from Bytron was the only one we could reach 24/7 and the team immediately solved every problem. During demos and during testing, of course, we had some problems. It was a demo version of the application and it was a test, so there was no integration, but every time something failed, they fixed it immediately so we could continue our research process. And then there was the map function and the traffic light system, as skybook calls it, which is really a game changer for our pilots (figure 5.2).

Figure 5.2

It provides easy access to weather and NOTAMs, which increases awareness. The map function also has traffic light icons; the upper part is for weather while the lower part is for NOTAMs. If it is green, it’s good to go; if it is Amber, there is a warning; and if it is red, it is critical. With one easy look, you can even eliminate the weather charts because, in their map function, you can see the upper winds, you can see the Cb (Cumulonimbus) clouds, clear air turbulence and everything; it’s all there, your Range rings, your route buffer, and everything is customizable. The next part is the ground portal. To customize this, the customized application, Bytron gave us their ground portal and admin panel from day one. We could add users, we could change anything between application and ground portal: it was great. The first day they gave us complete rights to their admin panel, and I started playing with it, playing with minimums, changing some values in the application, changing some letters texts; it was the perfect, customizable solution for us.

One other benefit is Flight Phase workstream (figure 5.3).

Figure 5.3

Workstream starts with summary and Bytron made a perfect summary page for us. It continues with briefing, and pilots can do whatever they need to do within briefing. Then the workstream continues to pre-flight, in-flight and post-flight. We appreciate its ability to quickly respond to our operational needs, its user friendly and flexible design and the outstanding performance of the supporting team. It is great for us, and their development is really great. So far, they’ve tailor-made a Summary page for us. As you can see, on the left side, it was their basic layout that they published for all customers. But in SunExpress, we had different needs. This is not just a layout to show the OFP (Operational Flight Plan). There are also lots of different calculations in the back end, and there are lots of formulas.

Figure 6.1

In our system, we can see additional information about flight operations. Also, this summary page in figure 6.1 is a main hub for us while our pilots are programming to MCDU (Multifunction Control and Display Unit), FMC (Flight Management Computer), all the information that needed to be there, and they did it.

Since we use eFueling, Bytron started working with aFuel, our eFueling provider, from day one, and they made a customized fuel order page for us. We needed AMOS integration in order to see our MEL, CDL items. They started working with that from the first day, and within a few weeks, they managed to integrate with our flight plan distribution solution. Everything happened within a few weeks, they were really fast, and they closely monitor, everything.

Figure 6.2 shows our tailor-made fuel order page.

Figure 6.2

This is not just the fuel order page. The left side was the old one, and the right side is the new one. As you can see, with the calculations behind, we can have additional information and ability for pilots change different things. It is working with aFuel; so, it is an eFueling link. Also, we asked Bytron to create a tailor made NavLog and this NavLog, shown in figure 6.3, is completely different from what they had before.

Figure 6.3

It may seem exactly the same, but it is different. We have estimations, we have minimums, we have additional warnings, and every time a pilot enters an actual fuel value, it calculates again and changes the next waypoints.

ROADMAP FOR FUTURE.
In future, navAero and Bytron will work closely together since we have already modified all our aircraft at SunExpress with navAero and we have connected to lots of different other components (figure 7).

Bytron are really keen to work with them, and we will enhance our abilities. We are going to try auto NavLog population and integration. So, system can read figures like fuel on board and times over the waypoint from the FMC and AID. Again, we have a connection to CMU
(Communications Management Unit), so we have connection to ACARS for door close times, engine start times: these kinds of things can be automated by integration with NavAero.

The last part is actually a missing item. In our previous system, we had auto scroll, but skybook doesn’t have auto scroll in NavLog. We will add auto scrolling with the integration so that NavLog waypoints will scroll automatically and pilots don’t need to slide the NavLog if they have 150 plus waypoints.

Also, in our previous system, we had live synchronization, it’s easy to do that in Windows ecosystem. Whenever a pilot entered a value, it automatically went to other tablets; so, they start synchronization during the briefing and continuing operations. Bytron didn’t have it, but we needed it, and they developed it within few weeks, but only in NavLog because NavLog is same for all of their customers. It is easy to map, but other pages have different layouts for different users. As we saw above, we, at SunExpress, customized the summary page and the fuel order page, so every customer has different layout, but Bytron will work on that and I am pretty sure they will manage it. Because I saw it in NavLog.

We want to enhance the map function. As I stated above, the map function has great functionalities, all the weather information and every NOTAM is easily accessible within the map function. If we enhance it, if we make it work faster, if we make it more trustworthy, we can even eliminate the weather charts completely. So, we are keen to use map function more and more.

Another integration point they are currently doing is with Boeing OPT (Onboard performance Tool). Our DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation) authority, Turkish. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation is extremely stringent about performance calculation logs. Maybe your authority doesn’t ask for it, but our authority wants to see every input and every output that pilots made during performance calculations, and if they did a cross check or not. So, in our previous system, we made ourselves an automated back end that checked every input and output of the pilot’s calculation. But in iPads, in Boeing, we don’t have this functionality with the OPT, so we needed to find a way. Again, Bytron is making an integration with the OPT. Every calculation log will be sent to Bytron. Application and calculation logs will be archived with the flight plan and sent to the admin portal so we can check it, we can see it, and we can show it to our DGCA.

We are making other active directory integrations. Currently, they have their own admin portal, and users and flight crews must be there, but it is a fast-changing environment. We have new joiners. We have leavers, and we need active directory integration so user names and adding users won’t be a hassle, and Bytron are doing it.

The last part is iGO, our intelligent ground operations system, our weight and balance system. We want integration with that, and we will do the integration with that so that load sheets will automatically come to the skybook application. Pilots can assign load sheets within skybook application, and our operational control center can see better data with better connection between pilots.

All of this is why we decided on Bytron and why we are moving to iOS operating system. Also, as you can see from presentation, we are going to use OPT, Boeing, OPT. In charts, we are not changing Lido mPilot, because our experience is with Lido and we don’t want to change it, and this will be our project.