PHX Perspective

Sky Harbor Invents New Technology

Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport’s Technology Division has developed a new innovation for creating and processing work orders. In the past, Airport staff conducted inspections of the airfield and then went back to their desktop computer to submit a work order. This new technology allows staff to submit a work order while they are out in the field conducting inspections allowing for real time submission of these requests and providing precise location information through the use of GIS (geographic information system) maps.

The new application is appropriately called Fieldport.

The Fieldport application is available to the Airport’s Facilities and Services staff as well as Operations staff through the use of portable touch screen tablets. These tablets are used to both submit requests and respond to work orders on the airfield and elsewhere at Sky Harbor. In many cases, both the requestor and the respondent have these tablets.

The new technology was developed by Sky Harbor’s Technology division over the past year with a team of approximately ten employees working on the project. So far, 22 touch screen tablets are in use and 60 staff members are trained to use the Fieldport application.

Information Technology Project Manager Mike Youngs oversaw the design of the technology and its implementation. He says, “We were able to develop an application that brought together the best of two technologies to meet an important business need. I am very proud of our efforts.”

The new Fieldport technology makes the work order request process flow seamlessly. As the Deputy Aviation Director over the Facilities and Services division, Becky Gawin is pleased that the technology has been able to help her staff pinpoint locations more accurately. “When a work order is submitted through Fieldport, our staff receives a map which indicates exactly where maintenance needs to be performed. This technology helps streamline our response time.”

The innovation is also helpful from an operational perspective. Chad Makovsky is the Deputy Aviation Director for Operations. He says the Fieldport application eliminates duplication of work. “In the past, staff would sometimes file a work order without knowing that a staff member on a previous shift had already submitted a request. Fieldport ensures that this sort of duplication doesn’t happen.”

Above and right, Keith Rowe and Todd Potter, both aviation supervisors II, use the Fieldport application during airfield inspections.

First posted: 10/20/10