Vancouver International Airport (YVR) is deploying Deep Turnaround in partnership with Aviation Solutions, a subsidiary of Schiphol Group. YVR and Schiphol Group are both Corporate Partners of the FTE Digital, Innovation & Startup Hub.
Deep Turnaround is an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered technology platform designed to enhance the efficiency of aircraft turnaround operations and to make operations more predictable. Integrated with the airport’s Digital Twin, the platform will enable YVR to track operations in real time and use the data to drive smarter decisions and long-term improvements that support on-time performance.
Aircraft operate on tight schedules within a complex global route network, where punctuality is of critical importance for the overall movement of people and goods. An aircraft turnaround is the coordinated sequence of ground activities at the gate that prepares an aircraft for its next departure, from cargo loading, baggage handling, cleaning, and catering to technical checks, and boarding.
“Investing in digital technologies is a key part of YVR’s innovation strategy, enabling us to deliver reliable and resilient service to passengers and our airline customers,” said Andy Margolis, Vice President, Operations and Chief Operations Officer, Vancouver International Airport. “Deep Turnaround and digitising our gating process data will provide invaluable insights to help minimise delays for passengers and the movement of goods and ultimately support more predictable and efficient operational service.”
Caroline Massart, Head of Aviation Solutions, commented: “With Deep Turnaround, YVR joins a global community of airports transforming airside operations, collaboratively setting new standards for efficiency, reliability, and sustainability. We’re proud to work side-by-side with our partners to solve real challenges and deliver results, quickly, for the airport, the airline and ground handlers.”
Using cameras at the gates, Deep Turnaround analyses CCTV footage to automatically detect, log, and sequence turnaround events. This data will be fed into YVR’s Digital Twin, allowing for analysis and optimisation of the end-to-end process.
“The Air Canada YVR Team is laser-focused on continually optimising our ground operations to increase our process efficiencies which drives our operational performance,” said Anna McMurdo, Manager – Global On-Time Performance Solutions, Air Canada. “We are excited to turn on the Deep Turnaround software capabilities to give us better insights on turnaround activity. Data analytic tools such as this will enable us to better predict and calculate estimated departure times with improved precision and accuracy.”
Deep Turnaround will be in place at select gates at the airport and will be expanded over multiple phases. As passenger and cargo volumes grow, YVR is committed to delivering measurable improvements in on-time performance while advancing its digital transformation to support sustainable growth and create a smarter and more efficient airport experience.
