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Blog, Aviation Industry

The Challenge of Embracing Innovation in Business Aviation: A Conversation with Industry Experts

Posted on by Ivanna Nikolskaya

The business aviation industry is no stranger to challenges. From constantly battling fluctuating fuel costs to navigating a crowded marketplace, staying ahead of the curve is a constant challenge. Enter the digital revolution – a wave of innovation promising a simpler, more efficient future. For business aviation operators, efficiency is the name of the game. Every minute an aircraft sits on the ground is money lost. Yet, despite facing similar pressures, business aviation falls behind its commercial airline counterparts in embracing digital tools. Even though there is a plenitude of existing solutions, operators seem hesitant to fully commit to the digital revolution.

Inertia and Outdated Systems: A Hurdle to Progress

In an attempt to understand why this disconnect between the need for digitalization and the industry’s slow adoption exists, we spoke to the CEOs of two companies at the forefront of innovation in the business aviation market – VOO and Skylegs. These software providers constantly push boundaries and keep developing cutting-edge solutions to address industry challenges.

In this feature, Robert Plhak, CEO of VOO, a booking platform for business aviation, and Maxim Schelfhout, CEO of Skylegs, a flight scheduling system provider, discuss some of the biggest hurdles aircraft operators face under the impact of legacy systems and the importance of adopting new technologies.

“Operators are fed up with B2B solutions that haven’t been able to compete in a monopoly market. Now they’re bombarded with single-solution B2C platforms that don’t solve the bigger problems for most clients.”

One major obstacle for operators is the sheer number of existing solutions – more than 150 to be specific – particularly B2C platforms, that don’t necessarily address the core needs of operators. Here Robert emphasizes, “Operators are fed up with B2B solutions that haven’t been able to compete in a monopoly market. Now they’re bombarded with single-solution B2C platforms that don’t solve the bigger problems for most clients.” This sentiment aligns with Maxim’s experience in the flight management system (ERP) space.

Maxim adds that “Operators can be hesitant to switch from legacy systems, even if they’re outdated. It’s a painful process for both parties – the operator and the technology provider.” This highlights the inertia that can exist within the industry, where familiarity with outdated systems can act as a barrier to adopting more advanced solutions.

“Operators can be hesitant to switch from legacy systems, even if they’re outdated. It’s a painful process for both parties – the operator and the technology provider.”

Overcoming Challenges and Embracing a Digital Future

There is a need for a multi-pronged approach to address the challenges facing business aviation operators. Educating them about the value proposition of innovative solutions, combined with streamlined onboarding processes, can be key to overcoming the inertia of legacy systems. And while adapting to new technologies can be challenging, the potential benefits for operators are significant. VOO and Skylegs, along with other innovative players in the industry, are working to overcome these hurdles and empower operators to embrace a more efficient and data-driven future.

Educating Operators for Change

By embracing innovation, embracing the importance of educating operators about the benefits of new technologies and overcoming the inertia of the past, industry can move forward and unlock new opportunities for efficiency and growth. The CEO of VOO stresses, “We need to educate operators on how VOO operates differently from traditional marketplaces. We’re not a second Avinode; we’re a revolutionary booking platform.” Similarly, CEO of Skylegs emphasizes the need for operators to understand the potential of modern flight scheduling solutions. He states, “Operators often postpone the transition because they don’t fully grasp how a new system can improve their operations.”

“We need to educate operators on how VOO operates differently from traditional marketplaces.”

“Operators often postpone the transition because they don’t fully grasp how a new system can improve their operations.”

Modern Solutions vs. Legacy Systems: A Clear Advantage

While legacy systems are a significant hurdle, other factors come into play such as the surprising prevalence of manual processes and the challenges posed by in-house solutions. Following up on the challenges of operator inertia, it’s also interesting to determine specific differences between old-fashion ERP systems and modern solutions like Skylegs, which is a cloud-based solution with the benefits that come with it.

The core distinction is therefore that legacy systems are located on-premises, requiring operators to manage their own servers and complex virtual environments. This approach is not only cumbersome but also increasingly insecure in today’s evolving threat landscape. In any circumstances, this is an indicator of the potential wake-up call of a security breach, forcing operators to confront the limitations of outdated systems.

This resonates with an earlier point about the need for a paradigm shift among operators. Professionals behind the software such as Skylegs and VOO recognize that legacy systems are not future-proof. In the end, when more and more operators realize this and start to actively embrace the needed modernization, this will openly highlight what is supposed be everyone’s “common goal” of fostering innovation and a sense of collective progress within the industry.

The business aviation industry, like aviation in general, tends to be conservative in its approach to new technologies. Emerging technologies like AI, blockchain, and crypto are still on the fringes of adoption. However, their potential and benefits are undeniable, it takes time for these advancements to become mainstream.

By embracing innovative technologies like those offered by VOO and Skylegs, operators can streamline workflows, improve efficiency, and gain a competitive edge. As legacy systems become obsolete and new entrants disrupt the market, the industry is poised for a significant shift towards a more digital future. By overcoming the resistance to change, embracing the connectivity and capitalizing on these opportunities, business aviation can unlock a new era of growth and efficiency.

Adopted and published text – Foxtrot Delta Magazine, page 68 – 73; and in Business Air News.