Streamlining Aviation Software Development with Frontend Expertise

The Client

A renowned Europe-based aviation software provider is a trusted partner for airlines globally, offering integrated solutions that streamline and optimize various aspects of airline management. Their comprehensive suite of products includes tools for creating and managing flight schedules, handling crew assignments, real-time flight monitoring, and post-flight accounting.

The company also provides extensive training, coaching, and optimization consultancy services to support airlines in navigating the complex and ever-evolving aviation landscape.

From day one, the Binary Studio team has seamlessly integrated with our own, feeling more like an extension of our company than an external partner.

What really sets Binary Studio apart is their proactive and communicative approach. They don't just execute tasks; they actively contribute ideas and solutions, driving innovation in our projects.

Aviation Software Solutions Provider

Head of Engineering

Streamlining Aviation Software Development with Frontend Expertise-1 Switzerland

Objectives

For over a decade, our client has been offering a comprehensive and customizable suite of products in a desktop version. However, with the growing popularity of cloud-based services and the need to provide more flexibility to airline crews, they began offering some functionality through a browser in 2018. In 2022, they initiated the migration of their desktop products to the cloud.

Despite a large in-house development team, the growing backlog of web development tasks led them to seek a partner to expand their frontend capabilities. Binary Studio was chosen for our proven track record, development expertise, excellent communication skills, and strong product ownership, making us the ideal collaborator for this critical migration and expansion project.

The client pursued the following objectives:

01

Add frontend expertise to streamline development of web products

One of the primary objectives was to expand frontend expertise to streamline the development of web products, reduce the growing backlog of tasks, and ensure the use of the latest technologies and best practices in frontend development.
02

Support migration from desktop version to web apps

The second key objective was to support the client in migrating their desktop products to a web-based platform. This migration was essential to meet the increasing demand for cloud-based services and provide airline crews with greater flexibility and accessibility.

Solution and Outcome

Our collaboration started with a single frontend engineer integrating into the client’s web development team. We worked closely with other developers, QA specialists, and the business team to discuss requirements, implementation details, and necessary bug fixes.
As the project progressed and the need for additional frontend expertise grew, particularly in the context of migrating desktop products to a web-based platform, another frontend engineer from Binary Studio joined the team. This expansion of our involvement demonstrates the trust and confidence the client has in our capacity to support their critical migration and development efforts.
In addition to the web products, Binary Studio's team is also working on developing mobile applications. You can read more about this project in our dedicated case study.

React

JavaScript

TypeScript

CSS

MobX

Stage 1
From the beginning, we were focusing on two core software modules that offer a comprehensive set of features designed to streamline and optimize airline scheduling and slot management processes. They enable efficient schedule planning, monitoring, and provide real-time decision-making tools for flightwatch operations.
Throughout this stage, our team diligently worked on refining the existing functionality and resolving any bugs to ensure a flawless user experience.
To further enhance the security of the system, we implemented multifactor authentication. Our team provided user-friendly design options for the authentication process, striking a balance between security and usability.
One of the key challenges when working with such a comprehensive suite of software products is ensuring seamless connectivity and data flow between the various modules. While enhancing the functionality of each individual module, it's crucial to maintain a holistic view of the entire software ecosystem to guarantee smooth operations and a unified user experience.
Stage 2
As we further integrated with the client’s processes, our involvement expanded to cover all software modules, providing frontend development support and bug fixing for the entire suite of products.
Our team worked on several key enhancements across the whole suite of apps:
- Login page design update. We modernized the login page design to align with current user interface standards and enhance its visual appeal. As part of this update, we developed a user activity tracker that dynamically changes the page appearance when a user remains inactive for a specified period.
- Crew training visualization. To facilitate easy tracking and monitoring of crew training progress, we created a graphical representation of training activities across various environments. This visual approach provides a clear and intuitive overview of each crew member's training status, enabling managers to quickly identify areas where additional training may be required.
We have also optimized the performance of a key page within the flight crew management app by identifying and addressing a bottleneck that slowed down its loading time. This page contained numerous dropdowns, each with a large amount of information and options. Through thorough research using React tools and Chrome extensions, we discovered that the calculation of dropdown parameters was a major performance issue, requiring resource-intensive operations.
To resolve this, we implemented a smart solution by saving the dropdown parameters to a constant instead of calculating them each time the page loaded. This seemingly small optimization resulted in a remarkable 2x improvement in the loading speed of the targeted page. Consequently, this optimization also led to performance improvements on other pages containing multiple dropdowns
This example showcases the importance of paying attention to minor details when optimizing web app performance. Our team's meticulous approach and expertise in React and web performance best practices allowed us to deliver substantial enhancements.
Stage 3
The current focus is on migrating the software suite from the desktop version to the cloud, enabling users to access the main functionality through a web browser.
One of the challenges in this migration is ensuring that the web-based version supports the customization options available in the desktop version, as some customers have specific requirements. Our team is working closely with the client to create a user interface that accommodates these customization needs in the cloud environment.
Security is a top priority during the migration process. We are implementing frontend security measures and adhering to international standards to protect sensitive data and maintain compliance.
Throughout the development process, we collaborate with the client’s technical and business teams. We actively offer solutions and propose ways to implement various features and enhancements. Our team pays special attention to every detail to ensure we deliver the best possible solution, which we thoroughly discuss with the client. Working in weekly sprints, we maintain a dynamic pace while ensuring high-quality deliverables.

Meeting High Demands in Aviation Software Development

The client is a well-established player in the competitive aviation software market, which is expected to grow steadily in the coming years. To stay ahead of the curve and meet the evolving needs of airlines worldwide, they have partnered with Binary Studio to enhance their web-based offerings and migrate desktop applications to the cloud.
Key highlights of our collaboration are:
- Seamless integration of Binary Studio's team into the client’s established processes
- Proactive approach in anticipating challenges and proposing innovative solutions
- Consistent delivery of high-quality code and adaptability to evolving project requirements
- Clear and effective communication fostering a collaborative environment

About Binary Studio

Binary Studio is a boutique software development company, regularly praised for its unique blend of engineering excellence and product ownership that enables its clients to build robust and scalable software products.
With our development team made up of top 0.5% international tech talent, we build web and mobile platforms using Node.js, .NET, React Native, Flutter, and integrating AI and ML. We also offer full-cycle QA and project management services to ensure the efficient delivery.
Our clients see us as a trusted partner dedicated to turning visions into great products. This is proven by 200+ delivered projects, more than two decades of business excellence, and stellar customer reviews.

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