Information technology (IT) is crucial to Aeromag’s operations, and to those of the aviation industry as a whole. IT is what propels email management, but also accounting, operations and aircraft control systems.
The main challenge for any IT team is to set up the infrastructure required for the company’s needs, and make sure it runs smoothly. For me, this means keeping up to date and constantly learning. At Aeromag, as elsewhere, IT is crucial to ensuring the security of the software developed in-house and used in our day-to-day operations. One software helps to direct aircraft to the deicing pad where they will be parked while awaiting treatment. Another one displays the amount of glycol applied to the aircraft.
It’s important to secure these tools to block ill-intentioned people from unauthorized access. Although there’s no such thing as zero risk, cybersecurity isn’t something to be neglected or taken lightly, especially in aviation.
As Aeromag is an innovation-driven company, I’ve had the chance to implement a number of things of which I’m very proud. Firstly, I’ve been able to help improve safety management at all our stations by using computer monitoring. Thanks to artificial intelligence, this software is able to study what’s part of the routine and send an alert to the IT team if anything abnormal occurs. Other IT tools allow us to monitor 24/7 for potential cyber-attacks.
I also led the implementation of the messaging software and the virtual private network (VPN), which enabled my colleagues to keep providing services remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic. These advances often represent long-term work that can take several months to complete, but the sense of pride is well worth it when you cross the finish line!
I’ve mentioned this earlier, but it’s important to emphasize that IT is a fast-paced, ever-changing field. The development of new technologies is so fast that there’s no time to rest: we always have to be on the alert to remain agile and know how to adapt to change. It’s not easy, because very often, by the time you’ve mastered one IT system, there’s already another one on the horizon! But that’s one of the amazing things about this job: the never-ending wonder of new technologies.
