We are pleased to announce the launch of a new Flight Activity Recording feature, giving airfield operators a centralised way to record the actual outcome and operational details of every inbound flight.
The new feature is designed to help licensed airfields move away from fragmented paper records, spreadsheets and manual logs by providing a structured digital record of what actually happened to each flight.
Airfield teams can record:
- Actual arrival time
- Actual departure time
- Parking location
- Fuel uplift
- Flight status, including Landed, Departed, Diverted and No Show
- Operational notes and other relevant activity associated with the flight
The result is a clear history of aircraft movements that can be accessed and downloaded by authorised airfield personnel when required.
Supporting the operational record-keeping requirements of licensed aerodromes
For licensed UK aerodromes, maintaining effective operational procedures and records is an important part of demonstrating that the aerodrome is being safely managed.
The UK Civil Aviation Authority’s current CAP 168 – Licensing of Aerodromes sets out standards for UK National licensed aerodromes and identifies recording aircraft movements among the operational matters that need to be addressed by an aerodrome’s procedures. CAP 168 also addresses areas including apron control and the availability, storage, handling and quality control of aviation fuel.
Smart PPR’s new Flight Activity Recording feature provides a practical digital mechanism for airfields to capture this information consistently against individual flight records.
Simon Fewkes-Ahearne, director at Smart PPR said:
“Airfield operators need to know not just what was planned to happen, but what actually happened. A PPR may tell an airfield that an aircraft intended to arrive at a particular time, but operationally the important record is whether it landed, when it landed, where it parked, whether it subsequently departed and what fuel was uplifted.
“Our new Flight Activity Recording feature brings those real-world operational events into the same digital environment as the PPR. It gives airfield teams a much clearer audit trail and makes it significantly easier to retrieve historical flight information when they need it.”
From PPR to a complete operational record
Smart PPR already provides airfields with a digital process for managing Prior Permission Required (PPR) applications. The new feature extends that workflow beyond approval and into the actual operation.
A typical flight can now move through a simple digital journey:
PPR requested → flight approved → aircraft arrives → actual arrival recorded → parking and fuel recorded → aircraft departs → actual departure recorded → flight closed
If the expected operation does not take place, the airfield can record the appropriate outcome, such as Diverted or No Show.
This distinction between planned and actual activity can provide valuable operational visibility for airfield managers and staff.
A stronger audit trail for airfield operators
The feature is particularly relevant to licensed aerodromes looking to improve the consistency and accessibility of their operational records.
The CAA states that the aerodrome manual describes how operations at the aerodrome will be safely carried out and should contain the information and instructions necessary for operating staff to perform their duties. The CAA also states that overall responsibility and accountability for safety management at an aerodrome rests with the licence holder.
By recording actual flight activity against individual aircraft movements, SmartPPR can help operators create a more structured source of evidence for their own operational processes, internal reviews and audits.
Importantly, Smart PPR is not presented as a substitute for an aerodrome’s Aerodrome Manual, procedures, records or regulatory responsibilities. Instead, the platform provides a digital tool that can support the processes established by each individual aerodrome.
Built for the realities of airfield operations
The new functionality recognises that planned flight information and actual activity do not always match.
An aircraft may arrive earlier or later than planned, remain on the ground, depart from a different parking position, uplift fuel, divert to another airfield or fail to arrive altogether.
Recording these outcomes gives operators a more accurate picture of airfield activity and creates a historical record that can be searched when information is needed later.
For airfields, this can mean – Less paperwork. More consistent records. Better operational visibility.
Designed with licensed airfields in mind
The feature complements the wider operational framework that licensed aerodromes operate within. CAP 168 is the CAA’s current publication setting out standards for UK National licensed aerodromes, while aerodromes within the scope of the UK Aerodromes Regulation may instead require an aerodrome certificate.
Smart PPR therefore encourages individual aerodromes to configure and use the feature in accordance with their own Aerodrome Manual, operating procedures and applicable regulatory requirements.
Simon Fewkes-Ahearne, director at Smart PPR said:
“We’re focused on making the administrative side of running an airfield simpler and more robust. Recording movements should not mean maintaining another spreadsheet or trying to reconcile handwritten notes with PPR records at the end of the day.
“With Flight Activity Recording, the airfield can build the operational record as the flight happens — creating a single digital history from PPR through to actual movement.”
To find out more or to arrange a no obligation demo of our software platform please contact us.
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