New Cloud Solution for flight planning in the Netherlands delivered by ERA subsidiary, R-SYS Ltd.

R-SYS, a subsidiary of ERA a.s., has delivered and put into operation a pilot briefing and flight planning system for the Netherlands’s ANSP (LVNL). The system, HomeBriefing (HBS), is operated as a cloud solution on SaaS contract basis (Software as a Service). Technological environment of the Service is in the full responsibility of the R-SYS Ltd. HBS provides registered users with all pertinent aeronautical information integrated and visualised over a map view via a modern graphical user interface. HBS users can take advantage of tools for flight planning, flight plan (FPL) validation and also to benefit from FPL management features implemented at ARO working positions.

HomeBriefing’s major task is to provide pilots (not limited to those of general aviation) a quickly accessible, intuitive and easy-to-use guide for flight preparation via an online web application that also allows an online FPL submission to LVNL Flight Information Center (FSC) without using phone, fax or e-mail. Further, it ensures an availability of regularly updated aviation information. One month after putting HBS into operation, more than 1900 pilots have already registered into HBS application.

Colin Esch, Project Manager, LVNL, said “Adopting a Cloud-based solution for HomeBriefing into the structure and processes of LVNL presented an innovation challenge. Especially the implementation phase was more complicated than usual due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Nevertheless, thanks to the flexibility and responsibility of our partner, the R-SYS, we were able to succeed. 

“Since the main goal is to bring pilots a SW solution providing the comprehensive set of reliable aeronautical information in a well-arranged graphic form, HBS integration represents a step forward in providing services not only to pilots and ANSP operators, but also to the overall aviation community in the Netherlands.”

About HomeBriefing

HomeBriefing is a web-based application designed for planning flights to be performed by VFR/IFR pilots and flight management carried out by ANSP operators. LVNL believes that HomeBriefing integration will help to improve planning of flight operations and to increase an efficiency of distribution and management of flight plans. This is backed by the R-SYS team’s expertise and its more than 20 years’ experience in Air Traffic Control systems programming.   

HBS itself is represented by the website: www.homebriefing.nl, providing an access to a web application designed for pilots, students of flight schools or operators at airports. Upon a free registration, tools for creating, validating and submitting flight plans via a standard internet connection and a web browser are available to logged-in users. An additional HBS application is intended for ARO operators who are responsible for a processing and management of flight plans. Hence, HBS provides a complete chain of features that enable a processing and distribution of flight plans, starting from their preparation & submission, approval up to a change request (if required).

A quality of HBS output is derived from inputs provided by following data sources:

• AFTN (LVNL node – NOTAMs, METAR, TAF, etc.)
• European AIS Database (SDO service, NOTAMs, AIP, PIB)
• Koninklijk Nederlands Meteologisch Institute (current weather data, SYNOPs)

Marek Náhlik, CEO, R-SYS Ltd, added: “We are very pleased to have been awarded this important project delivering an improved efficiency and comfort of flight planning for the Netherlands‘s aviation community. HomeBriefing application integrates all information that pilots and airline operators may need to plan, manage and perform flights. The application is tailored to LVNL needs while taking into consideration special requirements laid down for flights in Dutch airspace as well as all relevant safety and operational requirements of the European Union and EASA. By putting HomeBriefing into operation, the Netherlands becomes the fifth EU country using the R-SYS solution as the primary flight planning system.”