South Africa’s Dac Systems Takes Solenta Aviation To New Heights Of Operation

Dac Systems, a national specialist services provider focused on turnkey implementations of leading edge industry solutions, has implemented a Microsoft system for its client, Solenta Aviation – the result has been improved control of capex due to intricate, precise stock control.

Global air charter company Solenta Aviation, together with its services operation, Solenta Workshops, is based in South Africa and meets the aviation requirements of both domestic and international markets – including Africa and the Middle East.

The commercial aviation company was established in 2000 and provides flexible, value-added aircraft leasing solutions across a selected spectrum of turbo-prop aircraft.

The vision is to provide first-class aviation service to these key markets. One of the key challenges in realizing this vision is to maintain control over resources, regulate the impact on capital expenditure and sustain the highest quality of service levels.

Solenta has relied on its Microsoft Dynamic AX with maintenance reporting functionality to help control stock, to account for services and manage the respective finances.

Dac Systems has been the company’s trusted service provider and installed the Microsoft Dynamic AX.

Today, with Solenta’s extensive growth and requirement to proactively log and manage flight time and maintenance schedules of the entire aircraft and relevant parts. There is more pressure on the system to cover these key requirements.

Tracking the dynamic

Following consultation with Dac Systems, Solenta agreed that Microsoft’s Dynamics AX would be the solution to meet these requirements.

This solution and Dac Systems’ proven track record in AX service delivery to its client represented a winning combination. It was the right combination to address challenges that had been identified.

As Gary Carter, Director at Dac Systems, explains, the ability to track ‘rotable’ items (located either in a hanger, the store or supplier) was an issue that hovered over the project and was always a primary consideration.

“Our client wanted to ensure the process of tracking resources – including aircraft parts – and what are known as ‘rotable’ items that are sourced from stock for repairs and parts replacement. This counts as capital expenditure because these resources are owned by Solenta. The challenge is to know exactly where the part is at all times. Such a tracking function also has to include the details of the rotable item (such as serial numbers) throughout the entire maintenance workflow,” says Carter.

Dac Systems skillfully customized Dynamics AX so that Solenta’s rotable items are professionally tracked at all times, and ensures that pro-forma Goods Received Vouchers are automatically generated to remind the Solenta store-man to collect the part from the mechanic once the maintenance is complete.

“We are proud of our installation and contribution to our client. We delivered on time, within budget, to client requirement on the initial implementation and continue to do so in our ongoing support to Solenta” Carter adds.

Leon van de Moortele, Financial Director at Solenta, said, ““The system has already paid for itself when compared to the value of rotable items that would potentially have gone missing in this year alone.”