March-April 2023 - 18

AIRSIDE REPORT
AUTHOR Rebecca Kanable
MKE describes transitioning to GoApron
was seamless.
MKE
MKE Airport Director Brian
MKE GATE MANAGEMENT
Goes Digital with GoApron
Cloud-based software keeps airport,
airlines and ground handlers in the know.
MILWAUKEE MITCHELL International Airport (MKE)
recently digitized its airside operations using a cloudbased
software called " GoApron. "
Before GoApron was in place at
MKE, Ryan Collins, MKE director of
operations and maintenance, described
the need for automation of gate management
as " painful. " The process of
assigning gates and aircraft parking
spots involved manual scheduling,
primarily through phone calls and
emails. To create a report for billing,
he said, " We had to go between three
and four different places. "
That changed in June 2022, when
MKE deployed GoApron. Collins
said, " We took a laborious process
and turned it into something that is
very streamlined. "
GoApron Inc. CEO Shadrach
Vaughn said, " What we mainly do
is we help airports transition from
manual, paper-based systems, legacy
solutions, phone calls, email and
spreadsheets to a streamlined gate
innovation, aircraft parking and
revenue management solution. "
Real-time data, available through
the software, helps increase situational
awareness by showing where airplanes
are parked and through gate forecasting,
allows advanced planning.
" Another main piece is really providing
the tenants, the airlines and
the ground handlers an effective way
to communicate with airport ops, "
he added.
GoApron helps airports maximize gate and
space usage using real-time data.
GOAPRON
18 \ AIRPORT BUSINESS / MARCH/APRIL 2023
Dranzik said, " GoApron has helped
the MKE team gain better clarity and
tracking of aircraft movement and
parking. This customized technology
gives us real-time business intelligence
and increased accuracy while reducing
staff workload. GoApron has provided
us with a valuable resource that
has improved coordination with our
airline and ground handling partners. "
To understand how MKE operates,
Collins said GoApron worked with the
airport ops team to gather data and
intel, and ensure a successful roll out.
" It's very much a partnership
because every airport can be a little
different in how their apron is situated
and how they want their airlines to
work with the airport, " said Vaughn.
For example, airports often have
unique and complex rate sheets that
need to be factored in for accuracy.
Stakeholder engagement was " fantastic, "
Collins said, " because 'the sell'
to them was you only have to go to
one spot. You get instant (reservation)
approvals (if a gate or spot is available). "
Since using GoApron, Collins
said the difference has been night
and day: " We streaml ined the
process, which means that our workflows
are more efficient. " That, he
noted is especially important when
there's a worker shortage.
Collins said a selling point for
GoApron was preventing " leakage. "
Previously, if an aircraft occupied a gate
and that data was not manually recorded,
revenue could not be collected.
" When we automate this process,
it allows us and affords us the ability
to capture every operation that we
have, " Collins said. Less than a year
in, MKE is working toward a higher
level of automation.
Read more at
www.AviationPros.com/53042428
http://www.AviationPros.com/53042428
March-April 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of March-April 2023
