BACKGROUND
Air Cargo Companies and passenger airlines throughout the world use Uinit Load Devices (ULDs) to efficiently transport cargo on aircraft. These containers are preloaded with packages, baggage, mail, etc. to significantly reduce the amount of time required to load an airplane and to insure that all available space is fully utilized. ULDs also protect the cargo from rain and snow during the aircraft loading process. A typycal air cargo ULD is 88" wide X 125" long X 82" high. They are usually constructed with fiberglass reinforced plastic, aluminum, or aluminum with polycarbonate panels. In order to solve many of these problems experienced by the air cargo industry with traditional ULDs like LD3 AKE Containers, LD11 ALP (Igloo Containers) & PAJ Pallets.
INDUSTRY PROBLEMS
IMBALANCES
ULD imbalances are a problem throughout the industry. Imbalances occur when there are too many ULDs in one airport and not enough in another. In order to correct these imbalances:
(a) ULDs have to be shipped empty to their desired location. This solution can be very costly especially when an entire aircraft filled with empty containers needs to move from one continent to another.
MAINTENANCE
ULD Maintenance is an other major problem in the air cargo industry. ULDs are regulated by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). therefr, when they are damaged, which is quite often, they must be taken out of service and repaired. The major air cargo companies spend millions of dollars each year in transporting and repairing damaged ULDs.
WEIGHT
Equipment weight is a major concern for all airlines. Any weight savings on commercial aircraft can be directly translated into fuel cost savings and/or increased revenue by taking on additional cargo.
PEAK SEASON
Another problem frequently sighted by air cargo ULD Control Managers is the increased demand for ULDs during their peak seasom: MAY-JUN-JUL-AUG-SEP (manago Season) OCT-NOV- DEC (Hajj Season). There is a significant cost associated with purchasing and storing containers for use during the peak season.
MRS JIAP- MRO H.O
As per IATA's instruction during bilateral ULD agreement (DEC 1977) a Corporated Managerial Possition of (PG IX), MRO (Manager Ramp Operation) was created to coordinate stations directely to balance the airports with required ULDs. For his assistance an other position of AMRO (PG-VII/VIII) (Assistant Manager Ramp Handling) was created, to help & support MRO seeking data from ULD Central Control, which is also IATA requirement. If MRO/AMRO do not perform their IATA given assignments to support ULD CC & enforce stations to balance theitr ULDs the industry became in problems. Since Year 2000, MRO is doing assignments related to Manager Station Cordination (MSC) or Manager Passenger Handling (MPH) in PHS & not doing, as assigned by IATA. The Professional qualifications of MRO is, he must be Ramp Expert & had been working as DSM Ramp/ Manager ULD Central Control/ & / MRS Manager Ramp services respectively, at any Pakbase Station. Contrarary ULD or Ramp related problems could not be resolved by any mean as PHS's 80% work related to ramp area & 15% relates to Terminal area, while 5% relates to Office & Secretrial area, if some one realy want to understand & want to resolve these issues, yet it is time. Calling PHS professional, some one must spent 80% duty on ramp initially.
LESS MANPWER /EQUIMENT / SUPPORT
Earlier due lack in qualification, particularly in office cader , PIA has been facing lot of problems to get right decesions & right planning but now due huge merging of MBA's in PHS we have oppurtunity to effectively utlize these new enterants MBA's in the fields & ramp to improve our working for correct planning & timely decesions. Curently it is more important as our experts & experience peoples has left PIA , detached or retired & now its need of the day, these MBA's should takeover too seek experitise from remaining team experts & experieced team yet availble & will retire in near futre; if not, I forsee darkness in PIA, particularly in PHS, we are only seeing wondering a group of young and beutiful, full groomed upper class generation in offices & calidoors but regret with no skills, experience, except knowing script writing, which is a secretrial function rather than a professional for which we have HR & secretrial work is easy today with MS Word,Xcell , powerpoint & other softwares, which is just a kid's & secondary level work in this scientific & Technology age. I also predict, they will not stuck with PIA, will flown away soon, using all PIA resources at their desk, unless a long term agreement is not made, when a slight change in salary is offered. To stuck them with PIA being our future, We have to create oppurtunities & transfer technology/ experience to these generations, & to build interests in field, so they happly merge themselves & continue the processess, we are leaving for them to bring more betterments, so PIA may survive long & long I pray GOD, & we will seePIA , from our final & death beds & to tell our kids, Its my PIA (The Great people to Fly) for which we had sacrafied our youth, family, energy & shaded blood till last & will sleep silently in the graves if in luck. GOD BLESS PIA.
NO ULD VISION YET
As per IATA, each airline subscriber must setup a head office unit known as ULD CENTRAL CONTROL or ULD C.C & with IT versant automation team headed by Manager ULD Central Control. The aim & object of these automation team was ULD inventory control through SITA - ULD Management System. The SITA ULD Management System is located at the SITA London Data Processing Centre in Isleworth, near London Heathrow Airport. The Centre has been allocated the pseudo airport code QIF by IATA and is commonly refered to by that code. PIA's pseudo code is QIFFMPK (system) QIFKOPK(printer). It is a "Multi-Hosting" System which means that there is only one computer system accesses by all subscribers & each subscriber can access the data base of another subscriber. The objective of the system is to accurately record the movement of all ULDs to facilitate the most efficent utilization of these expensive pieces of equipment.
STATIONS ROLE:
The system is updated by CRT input or by formated telex message over the SITA type B-Network. Known as UCM's & SCM's , LUK, MUC etc.
ULD OBJECTIVE
The Objective of ULD Central Control is to control, monitor and correct the system inventory. SITA cargo system have the option of accessing the ULD System from their Cargo CRT's & also operating a combined Cargo HDQ & ULD C.C.
ULD CENTRAL CONTROL FUNCTIONS:
it is working like ACSI & ULD Inventory Controllers are Like ACSI Master Ttrainers. ULD C.C. is more advance & Important than ACSI due following functions:.
(a) Creation/deletion / ULD Characteristics record, addition/deletion of new aircraft types, remarks in the system.
(b) Entry /deletion PK/Leased ULDs.
(c) Display/Monitor ULDs cancelled but not purged from system.
(d) Creation/change/cancellation of ULD Relation Table, type Code, Base Size, grouping Numbers, IATA ULD Codes.
(e) Creation/change/addition/deletion of ULD Stock file data, deviation limits, check times & control record.
(f ) Add, lost, foud, on load/offload, transfer/debit of transfer, repair out/repair in, debit for repair, line exchange unblock ULDs from history.
(g) Cancel, Debit,entries, error messages etc.
(h) Create, display, monitor, control over interline transfer control (Automatic MUC preparation) of host and foreign carrier units.
(i ) flight Monitoring for UCM warning Control Record, pending record, campatibility check, flight schedule.
(j ) HDQ change to Mechanized City. ULD Maintenance Log.
(k ) Setup/delete/display broker tables from system.
(l ) Activate Teletype Statistical information, activate/deactivate counting Process, error messages & More. |
