Forest Protection Limited (FPL) is a private New Brunswick company that operates a fleet of aircraft to protect forests with services such as fire management, pest management and aerial surveys. Gerry Cormier, Information Services Manager, is responsible for providing and supporting all the information systems in aircraft and on the ground, as well as implementation of new technologies, and helping users to become familiar with them.
During the summer flying season, FPL typically employs 50 to 60 employees and contractors, including pilots. FPL wanted a better way to track all of its aircraft, exactly where they are, and what they are doing. Gerry wanted a cost-effective aircraft tracking system that would be simple to use, and could track airplanes anywhere in North America where its mobile employees might be working. He wanted a web-based system to support this, so that his small IS shop would not have to manage any new computer hardware or software.
FPL purchased asset tracking devices from a Waypoint partner, Guardian Mobility Corporation, and a web-based tracking system developed by Waypoint Information Technology Inc. “The Waypoint software runs very well -- even though it is actually running over the Internet, it appears as if the software is running locally on your own computer”, said Cormier.
Once the system was installed, Gerry realized that FPL could gain additional value by taking advantage of the information in the system for billing purposes. FPL charges its fire-fighting customers partly based on the flying time accumulated on the aircraft. Historically, flight time recording has often been a tedious and slow process; for example, paper forms needed to be completed wherever the planes were flying, and mailed to head office every few days.
Waypoint has delivered a powerful solution to FPL that logs the time flown by FPL planes anywhere in North America, and instantly makes this information available for billing purposes. This has resulted in an improved data collection system that provides the accurate information to FPL in a more timely and efficient fashion, significantly improving the billing process. FPL now has a valuable historical archive of flight records and times, linked to a display of detailed flight path maps.
Cormier is full of praise for the Waypoint organization and the services it has provided for FPL, stating, “It is great to deal with a supplier that really listens to us, understands and cares about our business needs, and delivers timely solutions that solve our problems. Waypoint is very proactive in initiating communications and presenting new ideas and solutions. I have found Waypoint to be an excellent and professional organization to deal with in every respect. FPL will definitely continue to use Waypoint services in the future.”
Gerry Cormier Information Services Manager Forest Protection Limited
