Australasia’s Jetstar Airways has drastically cut the time required to check on-board safety equipment by using a new Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) solution.
“We have a range of on-board safety equipment that must be regularly checked and tested by our engineers and our previous manual inspections could take up to 10 man-hours,” says David Lau, Jetstar Australia and New Zealand head of engineering.
“With RFID technology the inspections can now take fewer than five minutes.”
EAM RFID Solutions, which specialises in RFID equipment for airlines, aircraft operators and MRO facilities, provided the hardware.
“We’re now using RFID to track and trace life vests as well as other safety equipment items that need to be replaced from time to time such as life rafts, oxygen generators…fire extinguishers and oxygen bottles,” said Lau.
“The use of RFID for the inspection of cabin equipment expiry dates significantly reduces regulatory non-compliance risk.”
RFID-enabled safety equipment was installed on Jetstar’s first Boeing 787 and Airbus A320 in late 2014. Jetstar Australia and New Zealand will equip all its aircraft with RFID this year.
Source: Flight Daily News
