Safety Oversight Management Software for Aviation Regulators in the Digital World

EMPIC® is THE world leader in software designed specifically for aviation regulators managing safety and security oversight.

What makes EMPIC-EAP® a superior product?

  • Field-proven solution with many reference customers
  • User meetings to discuss future requirements, share best-practice approaches and experiences
  • Easy access to information and data
  • Live data in a fully integrated database approach (“single source of truth”) gives you the basis for making the right decisions
  • Standardized data in configurable hierarchical structures (taxonomy) avoids the input of free text and ensures advanced statistics and reports
  • Use of taxonomy on regulations, surveillance planning, surveillance outcomes, organizations, certificate types etc.
  • Traceability, transparency and detailed logging of data changes
  • Increased efficiency and process / compliance control of your workforce due to workflows, automation, document management, case management
  • Rich set of functionalities
  • “Rules Inside“ and checks during work
  • Flexible and highly configurable solution for your national regulations and needs
  • Delivery of updates (including new features) via maintenance contract
  • Synergies between our customers (data exchange)
  • Secure and sustainable investment
  • Solution with seamlessly integrated modules and automated cross-checks between application areas
  • Robust technology
  • Supports the “paperless office” / “fully digital” approach for your staff and clients
  • Mobile and offline devices for surveillance activities

System Overview

EMPIC-EAP® is a software system created by regulators for regulators to address the safety and security oversight responsibilities conferred by ICAO and the Chicago Convention. The result is a versatile modular structure that is highly configurable and provides total flexibility. Whether you need a fully featured system covering all types of organisation, licences, approvals, certifications & permissions, or if you only need a simple solution to cover just one area of responsibility (e.g. the Aircraft Register or Personnel Licensing) – you name it and EMPIC-EAP® has it covered. With multiple integrations to legacy systems as well as leading edge Web services to connect you with your stakeholders, EMPIC-EAP® can deliver exactly what you and your industry require. And because the system is modular, it is possible to tailor the system to meet your immediate priorities and budget, then add further functionality as circumstances require.

State-of-the-Art Software

At practitioner level, EMPIC-EAP® delivers slick, state of the art software, making your day to day life easier and more productive. You spend more time regulating, less time on administration; information is at your fingertips, anywhere in the system. Data need only be entered once and it becomes available everywhere so there are no duplicate or out of date records lurking in hidden corners of the system, just a single source of the truth!
 
Reference documentation, checklists and workflows are there to help guide you and keep you on track. All of this is configurable to meet your needs; built by regulators for regulators, so you can be confident all bases will be covered.

A Game Changer

For regulators already using EMPIC-EAP®, the system has been a game changer, allowing them to deploy state of the art technologies confident that the software is fully tested and sufficiently robust enough to be trusted with a pivotal role in their national infrastructure.
 
 

EMPIC® Solutions


Personnel Licensing

Flight Crew Licensing
(EMPIC® FCL)
Our module for flight crew licensing manages the requirements to acquire the different types of licenses and to print them. The very distinctive feature of our system is to check the requirements in the background and to guide the user through the process of issuing a license. Our module takes care of the complete life cycle of the candidates and stores all relevant information (courses, practical experience, medical fitness, licences etc.). Of course, we store all details of changes (who, when, what …).

  • Reference to personal data stored in the customer management module (EMPIC® CM)
  • Extensive definition of background data (master data) like all possible theoretical and flight examinations, language proficiency checks, flight experience, endorsement, licences, ratings and their respective detailed data
  • Definition of condition trees for different type of licenses and permissions and the ratings. Various acquisition types (initial, conversion, renewal, etc.) may have their own condition trees.
  • Possibility to define cross-checks to the module Aircraft Register (EMPIC® AR) and to the module of approval of flight schools (EMPIC® OAS)
  • Possibility to define internal cross-checks for flight instructor and examiner
  • Entry of relevant data like all accomplished theoretical and practical examinations, flight experience, medicals, check points, ratings, approvals, and license printouts per pilot
  • Automatic collection of billing relevant information in the background
  • Detailed history of all data base changes
  • Bookmarks for quickly accessing important objects
  • Interface to EMPIC® MEDICAL
  • Interface to EMPIC® EXS
Flight Crew Licensing – Medical
(EMPIC® MED)
We offer a typical e-Government solution joining geographically distributed Aeromedical Examiners (AMEs) and Centres (AeMCs) with the Authority (AMS) via the Internet. This substantially enhances efficiency in executing medical fitness checks for flight crew and/or air traffic controllers.

  • Full integration of AMEs, AeMCs and the AMS work, all within a single system
  • High speed and efficiency of performing examinations
  • Multi-License approach per person
  • Support of AMEs at calculations of extent of examinations
  • Help in filling in the electronic forms
  • Completeness check of the electronic forms
  • Re-use of data, access to history of previous examinations
  • Fully calculated print of medical certificate at AME, AeMC
  • Authority receives all incoming examinations pre-sorted (automatic screening)
  • Quick check of incoming cases and easy way of inquiries or electronic forwarding
  • Workflows for: expert consultation, temporarily unfit, unfit, granting data permission rights to other AMEs
  • Handling of consultations and referrals
  • Traceability and documentation of all details of an examination
  • Even logging of view activities of all users
  • High level of confidentiality via encryption during transport and storage
  • Multi-user system (sharing work within one AME/AeMC office)
Air Traffic Controller Licensing
(EMPIC® ANS)
Our module for air traffic controller licensing manages the requirements to acquire the different types of licenses and to print them. The very distinctive feature of our system is to check the requirements in the background and to guide the user through the process of issuing a license. Our module takes care of the complete life cycle of the licence holders and stores all relevant information. Of course, we store all details of changes (who, when, what …).

  • Reference to stored data in the customer management module (EMPIC® CM)
  • Extensive definition of background data (master data) like all possible, units/sectors and their respective detailed data
  • Definition of condition trees
  • Multi-License approach per person
  • Entry of relevant data like all accomplished theoretical and practical examinations, medicals, ratings, unit-endorsements, state- and license endorsements, check points and license printouts per air traffic controller
  • Detailed history of all data base changes
  • Interface to EMPIC® MEDICAL
Air Traffic Controller Licensing – Medical
(EMPIC® MED)
We offer a typical e-Government solution joining geographically distributed Aeromedical Examiners (AMEs) and Centres (AeMCs) with the Authority (AMS) via the Internet. This substantially enhances efficiency in executing medical fitness checks for flight crew and/or air traffic controllers.

  • Full integration of AMEs, AeMCs and the AMS work, all within a single system
  • High speed and efficiency of performing examinations
  • Multi-License approach per person
  • Support of AMEs at calculations of extent of examinations
  • Help in filling in the electronic forms
  • Completeness check of the electronic forms
  • Re-use of data, access to history of previous examinations
  • Fully calculated print of medical certificate at AME, AeMC
  • Authority receives all incoming examinations pre-sorted (automatic screening)
  • Quick check of incoming cases and easy way of inquiries or electronic forwarding
  • Workflows for: expert consultation, temporarily unfit, unfit, granting data permission rights to other AMEs
  • Handling of consultations and referrals
  • Traceability and documentation of all details of an examination
  • Even logging of view activities of all users
  • High level of confidentiality via encryption during transport and storage
  • Multi-user system (sharing work within one AME/AeMC office)
Maintenance Engineer Licensing
(EMPIC® MPL)
Our module for licensing of maintenance personnel manages the requirements to acquire the different types of licenses and to print them. The very distinctive feature of our system is to check the requirements in the background and to guide the user through the process of issuing a license. Our module takes care of the complete life cycle of the licence holders and stores all relevant information (categories, ratings, limitations, licenses etc.). Of course, we store all details of changes (who, when, what, …).

  • Reference to personal data stored in the customer management module (EMPIC® CM)
  • Extensive definition of background data (master data) like all possible theoretical examinations, categories, ratings, limitations and their respective detailed data
  • Multi-License approach per person
  • Entry of relevant data like all accomplished theoretical examinations, categories, ratings, limitations, and license printouts per person Definition of condition trees
  • Automatic collection of billing relevant information in the background
  • Detailed history of all data base changes
  • Interface to EMPIC® EXS
Examinations System
(EMPIC® EXS)
Our cooperation partner LPLUS provides LTS PEXO, which has been specifically developed for aviation regulators and aviation training companies. EMPIC sells LTS PEXO for secure and flexible on-line examinations as part of the EMPIC system.
 
The intuitive and user-friendly system covers the whole examination process from the generation of tasks and candidate administration to examination monitoring and archiving.
 
LTS PEXO is one of the world’s leading software solutions for administrating aviation theory examinations and incorporates regulations and requirements stipulated by ICAO and EASA. Thus, you can design license examinations compliant with current regulation. The highly flexible system allows adapting the examinations to suit different versions and processes.
 
EMPIC-EAP® uses a web service interface to connect to the LPLUS system. Applicant data and examination results are transferred between LPLUS and the appropriate modules in
EMPIC-EAP®.
 
Features include:

  • question management
  • question design
  • results management
  • reporting
  • statistical analysis
  • registration (see Examination Booking System)
  • examination procedure, generation and management
  • multi-Lingual UI
  • offline Examinations

More details at www.lplus.de

Examination Booking System
(EMPIC® EXS Booking)
This add-on module for EMPIC® EXS allows the external candidate to request an examination on-line (book a seat) via a WEB browser. The candidate’s eligibility is checked within the EMPIC licensing modules.
Access to Security Controlled Areas
(EMPIC® ASCA)
Within the aviation area exist different needs to restrict and provide access to sensitive areas. To handle these security issues several security levels have been defined to handle access of certain person groups to defined areas within an airport. Each person working at an airport needs security access.
These security levels usually are applied by the organization, the person is working for. The aircraft aviation staff checks the application (especially a proof of good reputation is required by the police). In case the application is approved the user gets the certificate of security level.
These security levels are handled differently in each country regarding dependencies within the several security levels, the process (e.g. pre-paid versus invoicing) and security detail levels (e.g. validation date versus infinite validity).
This module handles the whole life cycle of a security level application. An interface can receive applications from external sources.
Question Bank Subscription Service
(EMPIC® EXS QDB)
Flight Crew
FCL database incl. the following licenses:
ATPL(A), ATPL(H), CPL(A), CPL(H), IR, EIR, CB-IR, PPL(A), PPL(H)

Subjects:
Air Law (ICAO & EASA), Airframe Systems Power Plant, Instruments, Performance, Mass & Balance, Flight Planning, Human Performance, Meteorology, General Navigation, Radio Navigation, Operational Procedures, Principles of Flight, Communications (VFR+IFR)

Aircraft Engineer
Part-66 / AME database incl. the following licenses:
A1, A2, A3, A4, B1.1, B1.2, B1.3, B1.4, B2, B3

Modules:
Mathematics, Physics, Electrical Fundamentals, Electronic Fundamentals, Digital Techniques, Materials and Hardware, Maintenance Practices, Basic Aerodynamics, Human Factors, Aviation Legislation, Aeroplane Aerodynamics, Structures and Systems, Helicopters Aerodynamics, Structures and Systems, Aircraft Aerodynamics, Structures and Systems, Propulsion, Gas Turbine Engine, Piston Engine, Propeller

Technical Areas

Type Certificates incl. Airworthiness Directives, Environmental Certificates
(EMPIC® TC)
The TC module forms the foundation for the aircraft register (EMPIC®AR) and for approvals of organisations (EMPIC®OAS). It is fully integrated into the AR and OAS modules and manages all relevant types (airframes, engines, and propellers) including their data (Crew, PAX, MTOM, MLM, CS, Airworthiness categories, BRS, National Type Acceptance No, type certificates, documents, …).
 
This also covers:

  • automated determination of all relevant EASA categories (complex motor-powered aircraft, ELA1, ELA2, Part-ML)
  • additional data structures and values according to customer’s specification
  • hierarchical structure for airframe, engine, and propeller types
  • management of related TCDSes, SASes, their TC holders, and orphans
  • management of past and current manufacturers
  • synonyms (marketing designations, popular and historical names, …)
  • environment (noise) certificates (all ICAO chapters, levels, …)
  • variable management for noise certificates including calculation of deducted values with a formula interpreter
  • management and approval of modifications (STCs, major, minor, repairs, …) and their design holders including invoicing
  • parts and appliances and their manufacturers
  • airworthiness directives (ADs), their relationships (revision, correction, cancellation, merge, split, …) and their documents
  • mapping functionality for all aircraft types to other EMPIC-EAP®
  • incoming and outgoing notifications about relevant changes from and to customer management (EMPIC®®
  • powerful search function with filters, user-specific preferences, …
  • Bookmarks for quickly accessing important objects
  • history management “Who did what and when in the database?”
  • XML import/export interface for all relevant data
  • Excel import interface for noise data published by EASA
Aircraft Registration
(EMPIC® AR)
This module facilitates the administration of registered aircraft covering their life cycle for an aviation authority. It takes care of organisational matters such as registration and deregistration of aircraft including the corresponding board documents (CofR, CofD,…), owners and operators, insurances, ICAO 83bis contracts, IDERAs, exemptions, accidents and invoices, as well as airworthiness issues. The latter includes the management of the airworthiness inspections, corrective active handling, the corresponding and board documents (e.g., CofA, ARCs, PtF and tempPtF, Export CofA), suspension, AMP’s and maintenance.
 
Recorded data and available features include:

  • temporary or permanent registration of national and foreign aircraft including and management of registration data (mark changes, home base, data on aircraft import, custom data and assignment of mode S codes) which follows a life cycle that ends with deregistration
  • reservation of registration marks
  • management of owners / operators/representatives/… including applicants
  • link to TC types (airframe, engines, propellers) and all corresponding technical data (names, categories, MTOM, MLM, PAX, Crew, TCDS or SAS with their TC holders, current and historic manufacturers, certification specification and airworthiness categories, noise certificates including ICAO chapter and noise levels, assigned parts & appliances and modifications (STCs, major and minor changes, repairs, …))
  • actual manufacturer, serial number, year of construction, and recording of flight hours (TSN, TSO, …) for all TC types (airframe, engines, propellers) individually
  • management of ELT 406 codes and the corresponding contacts
  • insurance policies covering aircraft and/or passengers
  • ICAO 83bis contracts or other type of contracts between countries
  • management of IDERAs (based on Capetown Convention)
  • management of suspensions (grounding)
  • deviations, i.e., exemptions from regulations
  • management of AMPs (e.g., maintenance programs, declarations)
  • maintenance (e.g., CAMOs, CAOs, MOs / AMO’s, Self-maintenance (POM, …)
  • references to all OAS certificates concerning the aircraft / the fleet
  • integrated surveillance layer (EMPIC® SL) to enable a powerful management of aircraft inspections using templates, checklists, findings, observations, reports, and their corrective action handling (closing action, corrective action plan, root cause analysis, immediate action, intermediate action, preventative action)
  • integrated mobile solution (EMPIC® mobileSL) to enable offline execution of aircraft inspections at aerodromes, airfields, hangars, private areas, …
  • since 2020, EMPIC® AR includes case management to handle more complex procedures in highly configurable worksheets. The user is guided through all steps of a worksheet, can link various objects (documents, inspections, …) to a case, start workflows, send e-mails, and much more.
  • management of inspectors, delegates, certifying staff, and independent certifying staff
  • management of accidents including related pilots, damage and injuries, and subsequent inspections
  • issue of board documents with a powerful configuration system including own life cycle (draft, active, suspended, revoked, inactive, …), management of duplicates, and full history
  • linking of Parts & Appliances, e.g., in regard to hardware used for communication or radio signals as well as removed / added components which need to be printed on the CofR to the AR specific flight vehicle.
  • print outs like letters, reports, overviews, …
  • management of assigned documents (by the system resp. by the user), sent e-mails and invoices, file notes and alerts
  • de-registration and non-registration notifications
  • Bookmarks for quickly accessing important objects
  • additional data structures and values according to customer’s specification
  • incoming and outgoing notifications about relevant changes from and to customer management (EMPIC® CM) or type certificates (EMPIC® TC)
  • powerful search function with filters, user-specific preferences, …
  • history management “Who did what and when in the database?”
  • XML import/export interface of relevant data
Aircraft Ownership
(EMPIC® AO)
The AO component within AR module manages aircraft mortgages in a simple life cycle.

  • Mortgages can be assigned to an individual aircraft or to groups of aircraft.
  • Managed data include a unique reference number, status, registration date, local and foreign mortgagor, mortgagee, mortgaged sum, and currency.
  • A mortgage starts out in “Draft” status until all necessary data is completed.
  • When the responsible officer has set the mortgage status to “Active”, data may not be changed any more.
  • The current mortgagee may be substituted by another (so-called cession).
  • Sessions are historized.
  • The mortgage life cycle ends when the status “Discharged” is set.
Occurrence Reporting (EMPIC® OR)
EMPIC® OR provides the possibility to report/retrieve occurrences via a self developed Frontend for non EASA countries or an interface to EASA E2. The authorities using the solution can review, save, process and follow up these occurrences.
 
Regulators have the possibility to assess occurrence risks and link the affected aircraft and organisation within the EMPIC system to the occurrence. This data could be further used in EMPIC’s Risk and Performance Based Oversight Module to be able to make even better decision and predictions for future risks in relation to stakeholder or service providers. Using the new occurrence dashboard, regulators can get an overview of all the occurrences and filter them based on sector, class, severity etc.
 
The module offers following functionalities:

  • Web application/API interface to report / retrieve occurances
  • An inbox function allows the users to view and analyse the incoming original reports and create an occurrence object or set them as duplicates
  • users can set up the mandated reporting timeframe in the module and follow up the occurrences accordingly
  • users can link the aircraft and/or organisation to the occurrence
  • risk assessment and safety recommendations for occurrences
  • All activities on the occurrences will be logged.
Flight Simulation Training Devices
(EMPIC® FSTD)
An extremely detailed module, integrated in OAS, providing everything required for the registration, certification approval and oversight of Flight Simulators, their Operators, Sites, variants etc. This module also uses the full functionality of EMPIC’s Surveillance Layer (module EMPIC® SL) to support audit preparation, completion and follow-up.

Central Modules

Customer Management
(EMPIC® CM)
Customer Management with contacts, addresses and groups in a hierarchical tree approach.
 
This module offers the following highlights:

  • hierarchical tree for holdings, companies, locations, divisions etc.
  • any number of contact persons per hierarchy level
  • any number of different addresses per hierarchy level
  • flexible groups management
  • easy overview on organisations or persons via manual or automated “tagging” of classification information
  • custom (free definable) attributes assigned to a person or organisation
  • “Single source” principle of persons and organisations
  • overview, where information is used within EMPIC modules (GDPR relevant)
  • integrated document management or external DMS-Interface
  • detailed historical record keeping
  • bookmarks for quickly accessing important objects
  • “announcement” to allow users to request changes of addresses, names etc. to a central organisation unit
  • master data definition for many areas like city lookup tables and catalogues
Security & Permissions Management
(EMPIC® SEC)
Administration of user and permission rights for all modules.
 
This module offers the following highlights:

  • any number of registered users
  • establishment of decentralised group administrators
  • structure of users into groups and/or roles
  • role based rights and permission management
  • collection of roles in groups
  • rights for various use-cases and classes (detailed objects of the EMPIC application) in all modules
  • rights for: reading, writing, viewing, creating, deleting, administrator
  • statistics about login activities
  • search in the history log of user activities with various criteria
  • definition of password rules and validities
  • management of failed login trials
  • permission of external WEB users (in case of EMPIC® WEB)
Case Management
(EMPIC® CASE)
A case reflects a sequence of activities required to achieve an objective (e.g., a certificate acquisition). Cases can be linked to organizations, persons, or certificates. Depending on the complexity of the case worksheet, the required steps can be arranged as a tree structure or as a flat list.
 
A separate feature enables privileged users to pre-define worksheet and case templates which outline the steps required in different scenarios. You can always create a case from scratch. Or, with the template feature activated, you can also create a case from a case template (including worksheet, required team member functions, predefined workflows, etc.) or use one or more individual worksheet templates to design a case worksheet.
 
Case Management is used to support ICAO 5 phases (gates) and have a checklist to follow, for example. The case also shows the progress made and notifies users when due dates are passed. The case data is query able in the Query Synthesizer module to generate statistics, internal / external e-mail notifications etc.
 
Our Case component is quite flexible. It can be used as a project management tool or as a “container” to collect all relevant steps and their official clearance. Documents (see Document Folders), file notes, audits etc. that occur in a lengthy certification process are well organized to guarantee traceability and transparency. In combination with “Workflow”, the workflow can generate a case and the case can start workflows at specific case steps.
Document Folders
(EMPIC® DOC)
EMPIC-EAP® comes with an integrated, lightweight document management solution. Any document which is related to an organization, person, aircraft, license, etc. can be managed in various document folders. The document folder is enabled only if the user has the appropriate permissions. At some objects, more than one document folder is available.
For example:

  • an OAS organization has an additional document folder for each exposition revision assigned.
  • a surveillance activity in OAS has an additional document folder per finding.
  • an OAS certificate has additional document folders for enforcements and deviations.

 
In many cases, the documents created at child objects are displayed in the document folder of the parent object, too, for example:

  • documents of visits are displayed in the parent organization’s document folder.
  • documents of findings are displayed in the surveillance activity’s document folder.
  • printouts of certificates or surveillance activity reports are displayed in the parent organization’s document folder.
  • printouts of deviations and enforcements are displayed in the parent certificate’s document folder.

Documents can either be added by the user or created by the system or a print action. The documents are listed in a separate table. Each document may include several files, for example one file which contains data and an attached cover letter.
 
If the Web Service Interface to DMS is configured, the files are physically stored in an external DMS system, and they are still available within EMPIC-EAP®.

Surveillance Layer
(EMPIC® SL)
This module is integrated into AR, FSTD and OAS. It is relevant for all audit and inspection activities. Any kind of laws or regulation can be uploaded and handled with the system. EMPIC® SL includes complete Audit Management capability (laws, handbooks, questionnaires, resource management and planning, audit schedules, split audits, distributed company locations, etc.).
 
Elements of SL:

  • hierarchical regulation trees, exposition structures
  • definition of pre-defined surveillance outcomes linked to regulations
  • linking configurable taxonomy (hierarchical ratings/classification system) to regulations
  • creation of question catalogues linked to regulations
  • configuration of finding level, due dates, functions, phases, finding data, taxonomy etc. for different certificate types / aircraft / flight simulators
  • surveillance periods
  • wizard for audits / inspections / follow-ups (surveillance activities)
  • templates for re-using surveillance checklists
  • agenda management
  • handling of internal and external participants (function and location oriented)
  • handling of resource conflicts
  • planning based on combinations of regulations, topics, taxonomy, previous surveillance activities and their outcomes and content scopes (comparative approach) is possible
  • combined surveillance activity with compliance based (CBO) and performance- based oversight (PBO) elements
  • checklist generation (can be synchronized to EMPIC® mobileSL)
  • supports time zones, location information, planned/carried out dates
  • finding documentation with responsibility, level, dates, risk classification, root cause analysis, corrective action, corrective action plan, preventive action plan and classification – like key risk elements (configurable amount of entry areas and content).
  • adding of “Ad-hoc” questions
  • configurable rating and classification system (taxonomy) for findings
  • multiple findings per article; One finding per multiple articles
  • configurable finding levels
  • configurable risk classification / categorization system (taxonomy)
  • configurable printing engine
  • warning for due dates
  • EMPIC® WEB supports the external stakeholder in uploading and release process of Corrective Action Plan (CAP) and closing of findings
  • handling of observations
  • synchronisation of planned dates to calendar applications

There is also a separate on-line/offline application (EMPIC® mobileSL) available. This helps authority members performing audits and inspections with checklists and allows documenting of the findings. Later the user can synchronize the data to the main system.

On-line/Offline surveillance client, optimized for Windows laptops & tablets
(EMPIC® mobileSL)
On-line/Offline Surveillance Client optimized for Windows Laptops &Tablets that supports auditors/inspectors while conducting surveillances activities.

  • Synchronizes planned audits / inspections to the device
  • Checklists and regulations offline available
  • Used with finger or mouse / keyboard
  • Evidence documentation (compliant / findings)
  • Predefined finding texts
  • Using integrated camera and making annotations on the picture
  • Each finding with own document folder
  • Signing of audit report with pen or mouse (also storing of uploaded signatures)
  • Offline printing of preliminary audit report (using a specific template synchronised from server) incl. pictures and signatures
  • Synchronizing all findings/documents etc. back to the central server
  • Support of team audits on several devices / consolidation on the EMPIC server
  • Supports CBO (compliance based) and PBO (performance-based oversight)
  • Support of RAMP inspections
  • Flat, Hierarchical (grouping) or Agenda Items checklists
  • Search and download of closed audits/inspections for historical views
  • Encryption between device and EMPIC server, based on Web Service interface
Query Synthesizer
(EMPIC® QS)
A tool for database queries across modules, fully integrated into EMPIC-EAP®.
 
QS enhances the functionality of all modules because:

  • it provides a graphical user interface to browse through the complete database structure
  • an administrator can configure queries (reports) for end users and share them in other EMPIC modules
  • power users can run complex ad-hoc queries
  • query results are only displayed to users who have appropriate permissions (link to EMPIC® SEC module)
  • queries can be run in the background via timer job
  • query results can be mailed automatically to internal/external e-mail recipients determined in the result list (individualised serial e-mails based on query results!)
  • QS can use print templates (such as MS-Excel, Jaspersoft) to beautify the output in graphs
  • QS can export the results in various formats
  • Web Service QS lets 3rd party systems access queries and delivers results back
  • the tool supports aggregation functions (sum, max, etc.) and also dynamic expressions (today, + 6 months, etc.), allowing end users to create powerful statistics / reports
  • users are supported during query design by hints to possible data combination

Multi-Language
(EMPIC® Language)
Supports different languages as well as different character sets (some in parallel), e.g., to issue bi-lingual licenses. Address data and the licence holder’s name may be shown in Latin and Thai characters, for example.
Workflow incl. Graphical Editor
(EMPIC® WF)
Our workflow tool set consists of a graphical workflow editor to design templates for business processes assigned to users or teams and the workflow engine to execute dedicated workflow jobs.
The graphical interface allows even casual users to design complex workflow templates – no specialist knowledge or programming skills required. Workflow templates are directly executable, no additional implementations by EMPIC needed.
EMPIC® WF is completely integrated throughout EMPIC-EAP® and may also be configured to integrate with EMPIC® WEB. Workflows can also interface with external systems using a web service. Workflow jobs can be triggered by users, by a system event, or by an incoming form. With EMPIC® Workflow installed, rest assured that documents don’t go astray, progress can be tracked, processes and procedures are respected and that eventual outcomes follow suit to whatever conditions the Authority has configured.
 
Some highlights:

  • workflows support decision-making based on user’s input or data constellation
  • exclusive, inclusive and parallel gateways can be defined to mirror OR and AND conditions
  • workflows can use underlying EMPIC-EAP® data
  • sub-workflows allow for nested structures
  • easy modelling of e-mail notifications to internal/external users
  • supports data definitions and automatic generation of on-line forms used in the EMPIC® WEB client
  • users can easily skip from a workflow task to the objects referenced therein (such as licence holder ratings, customer data, documents etc.)
  • permits automated storage of data and documents as well as transactions in the backend system (i.e. the workflow engine renews a license in the backend system as the user confirms the renewal in the workflow process)
  • uploading a PDF form may trigger the start of one or more workflow jobs, bringing along the data submitted in the form
  • supports due dates and escalation
  • users can search, sort, filter, etc. pending and completed workflows
  • users may actively pull tasks or be assigned
  • tasks can be postponed, re-assigned, or prioritized
  • workflows are fully historized, with a possibility to generate KPIs (key performance indicators)
  • the workflow template editor features a validation tool
Alerts
(EMPIC® Alerts)
The Alert functionality allows you to add critical alerts regarding an object in EAP. This may be a person or an organisation, a registration, or a licence holder. An alert may contain information regarding credit management, or critical information to be saved at the current object.
 
An active alert entered at a person or organisation is available in EMPIC-EAP® wherever this object’s data is available, for example at the person’s data in a licence module, or at an organisation in OAS.
Competency Management
(EMPIC® COMP)
Competency Management tracks skills, educational attainment, experience, etc. Identify and manage training needs.
 
The roles of many staff working within the regulatory sector are extremely complex and demand high levels of competency within their designated fields. The Competency Management Module provides the tool that tracks skills, qualifications, attainment, training, outcomes, currency etc. from the moment and officer is recruited and throughout their subsequent career. The module (integrated into CM) will demonstrate to ICAO/EASA how the authority oversees the competencies of its staff.
Enforcement Register
(EMPIC® ENF)
Within the EMPIC modules for Personnel Licensing, Organisation Approvals and Aircraft Register there is the basic function to make a “suspension”. The addition of the Enforcement Register will make specific types of enforcement prominently visible throughout the EMPIC system without exposing sensitive data.
 
For those with suitable authorisation, the module will allow the management of enforcement action against an actor in the system, (individual or company) and may eventually lead to revocation (rather than suspension) of a permission that the Authority had granted.
 
The module captures information about a trigger event (inspection report, citizen concern, accident/incident investigation) and then manages the full case life cycle of investigation, collection of evidence, response, appeal etc. leading to various possible outcomes such as:

  • suspension (also partial, limitation)
  • revocation
  • grounding
  • prosecution
  • penalty
Risk and Performance Based Oversight
(EMPIC® RPBO)
Today, risk-based and performance-based analysis has a huge impact on areas where minimizing risk and maximizing performance is needed to get results that are safe, top-quality and most efficient regarding the use of resources.
 
This module helps NAAs with their task of measuring the performance and risk potential of service providers. To be as flexible as possible, EMPIC has created a framework that can be configured to meet current requirements but is adaptable to future requirements as well.
 
The system’s task is helping the inspectors to gather various information from service providers. Usually, this information is collected during audits, but data can be added manually, therefore any source is possible.
 
Using these sources, performance-based as well as risk-based information is collected and made available to the system, so various analyses can be conducted. Based on these analyses, NAAs can make their decisions regarding service providers, such as the frequency of audits, the depth of audits, or which areas might have the highest risk reduction potential for a service provider.
As a conclusion, the software will help to speed up audits and ensure the inspector invests his time in the most efficient way so that those service providers with the highest risk potential and lowest performance are handled as a top priority. The system is flexible, so other goals could be considered by changing the focus of the analysis.
 
Our surveillance layer (EMPIC® SL) allows the combination of compliance-based oversight (CBO) and PBO (performance-based oversight) in one combined checklist (also available on EMPIC® mobileSL).

Business Intelligence/Configurable Dashboards
(EMPIC® BI)
EMPIC provides Jaspersoft Software as server-based print engine for EMIC-EAP®.
 
Jaspersoft BI (business intelligence) for dashboards are available in various EAP modules. Clients can also use this tool for their own BI requirements by connecting various data sources to EMPIC data and displaying the dashboards within EMPIC or in a WEB browser.
 
We even embedded some Jaspersoft dashboards into our application modules. The end user can easily skip from a particular area in the dashboard (showing a surveillance, certificate, organization, etc. context) right to the content screens in the EMPIC-EAP® module.
 
Please see www.jaspersoft.com for more details.

Organisation Approval and Surveillance (EMPIC® OAS)

Overview
OAS is our fully comprehensive module for approvals of organisations with integrated surveillance layer for audit and inspection management (EMPIC® SL) and Case Management (EMPIC® CASE).
 
Different types of audits and certificates/certification processes can be configured to cover use cases for air operators, maintenance companies, training organisations, flight schools, production organisations, design organisations, aerodromes, air navigation service providers, EASA Part-M (subpart F&G), aeromedical examiners & centres etc.
 
Other types of organisations can easily be configured by the user to reflect local requirements. Examples for organisations created by our customers include ground handlers, airside cargo, dangerous goods, providers of security personnel etc. This module is so flexible that several customers use EMPIC® OAS to manage their business-related audits such as ISO 9001 and internal safety audits.
 
OAS supports the management of “hidden regulations”. This allows the audit of airport security (airport security check) as another field of application.
 
This module also acts as a repository for background information such as regulation texts, handbooks, and questionnaires, organized in reusable requirement sets.
 
OAS provides easy planning and conducting of audits and inspections including the assignment of required participants, checklist planning based on different criteria, documentation of findings and observations, including the tracking of finding due dates and corrective action plans.
 
The integrated audit calendar shows the consolidated annual plan covering all inspectors in all departments at a glance.
 
Since 2019, OAS includes case management to handle complex certification processes in highly configurable worksheets. The user is guided through all steps of a worksheet, can link various objects (documents, audits, certificates, ….) to a case, start workflows, send e-mails, and much more.
Some highlights of OAS
  • management of different approvals and certificates, including status management for certificate revisions and minor changes.
  • configurable hierarchical rating systems to manage all relevant technical data of service providers (ATM with ANS, AIS, CNS, MET services), courses of flight schools, kinds of dangerous goods, technical data of aerodromes, flight simulators, aircraft ratings on certificates etc.
  • assessment process of a rating at certificate revisions
  • inspector is able to set the progress of its assessment and therefore indicate checklist items which have missing results or decisions to be made.
  • filter possibility on checklists to reduce the result list by matches only or highlight the results in their current context of the checklist
  • full text of regulation articles and paragraphs, manual chapters, expositions or topic-based classifications are available during an assessment of the checklist without leaving the assessment view.
  • handling of related certificates (like mandatory underlying certificates)
  • handling of persons and their functions at a specific organisation / certificate type
  • management of legal regulations
  • traceability of the life cycle of operating manuals (expositions) in an organisation
  • administration of all aircraft types in a central type rating repository according to CICTT
  • management of flight school types and courses
  • interface to EMPIC® FCL (flight crew licensing)
  • interface to EMPIC® TC (type certificates)
  • interface to EMPIC® AR (aircraft registration)
  • configurable actions, for example to be called in a context menu (e.g. execution of queries, sending e-mails, starting workflows, opening BI reports)
  • tree structure for organisation units, related approvals, audits and cases
  • special data screens for aerodromes and air operators (OPS spec with link to EMPIC Aircraft Register to cross-check special authorisations/limitations etc.)
  • use of configurable taxonomies (hierarchical ratings/categorisation) at various places: service provider, regulations and questions, surveillance activities (e.g. in the checklist planning), findings, etc.
  • certificates with surveillance periods, deviations, registered facilities, required customer personnel, etc.
  • dashboards: organisation datasheet, regulation/finding overview, inspector control centre, Case Worksheet Item List
  • finding register for an overview on findings reported for the current organisation or person, irrespective of certificates (highly configurable, different search criteria, several entry points)
  • notification system for critical system status, e.g. overdue finding
  • criticality matrix for the whole industry, grouped by aviation sectors (including links to directly access underlying data), showing the status of certificates and summarizing the surveillance status for each certificate
  • optional RPBO Evaluation
  • combination of two assessment methods (Compliance- and Risk based) in a single surveillance activity
  • surveillance overview on activities performed in context of regulation articles and their coverage during a certain time range
  • complex configurable print actions, like EASA recommendation Form 6 in context of Part-145, Form3-CAO etc., OPS Spec, and many others
  • download of audit checklists to the mobileSL client and re-synchronisation to the system when the surveillance activity is completed
  • automated transfer of planned appointments via a sync-mechanism to the user’s MS Outlook calendar (or others)
  • planning calendar for resources/audit appointments
  • invoice management (connecting via optional Web Service interface to 3rd party application)
  • bookmarks for quickly accessing important objects
  • configuration of certificates comprising a wealth of related data, e.g. authority functions, authority personnel, key positions, ratings, registered facilities, deviations, enforcements, related certificates, aircraft types, audit/inspection definitions, findings, observations, agenda templates, requirement sets, categorisation systems, classification, rules, reporting sets, case templates, print actions, WEB settings and notifications
  • optional corrective action handling for findings in the EMPIC® WEB client
We offer the following use cases
  • air operators (AOC and OPS Spec).
  • maintenance companies (approval certificate and approval schedule)
  • flight schools (ATO certificate and courses approval)
  • maintenance training organisations (certificate and schedule)
  • production organisations
  • design organisations
  • aerodromes
  • air navigation service provider (ANSP)
  • EASA Part-M, Subpart F
  • EASA Part-CAMO
  • EASA Part-CAO
  • aeromedical examiners and centres
  • foreign approvals
  • RPAS (UAV/drone)

… and you can create many more, for example:

  • airport security check
  • ground handling organisations
  • airside cargo organisations
  • dangerous goods
  • approved training organisation
  • declared training organisation

Extended Connections

EMPIC-EAP® Web Client
(EMPIC® WEB)
The web client enables stakeholders to view/change data (subject to authorisation) or to submit information and requests via forms or so called “web use cases” (see below). The Authority manages the registration of users who have access to a secure, separate web server via a secure login. The potential use cases for this functionality are limited only by your imagination. EMPIC® WEB paves the way to full stakeholder engagement and a paper-free office. Some common use cases created by EMPIC are available as add-ons.
 
We offer solutions in the following areas:
Core
  • users to manage their profile and basic data
  • users to participate in workflows and to retrieve process status
  • on-Line Forms based on Workflow
  • PDF Forms starting Workflows
Licensing
  • examiners to notify flight tests
  • clients to apply for a flight crew licence
  • licence holders to review personal their data kept at the authority
  • licence holders to apply for a type/class rating
  • licence holders to renew or revalidate their type/class ratings
  • licence holders to renew or revalidate their maintenance licence
  • pilots or air traffic controllers to fill in the medical application form
Organisations
  • exposition revision upload
  • corrective action handling (plans submitted/approved; actions reported & approved)
  • search for past audits
Technical
  • reservation of aircraft registration mark
  • lodging an IDERA for a registered aircraft
  • upload of airworthiness review certificates (ARCs)
  • corrective action handling for aircraft (plans submitted/approved; actions reported & approved)
  • search for past inspections
 
and more to come …
EMPIC-EAP® Web Service Interfaces
These interfaces provide connectivity to 3rd party systems, wherever they are located.
 
Currently available:
Enterprise Resource Planning & Billing
(EMPIC® ERP)
Our application modules collect billing-relevant data automatically. This module contains the complete management of all data and functionality necessary to integrate invoices within EMPIC-EAP® and to manage the data communication with the background ERP system. EMPIC® ERP transmits the data to an external billing system, such as Great Plains, SAP, Agresso or similar. It provides a bi-lateral interface that also receives data such as the status of the invoice and informs the modules about the progress of invoice payment.
Document Management / Archive
(Web Service EMPIC® DOC)
EMPIC® DOC stores documents in the EMPIC database. As the volume of the database can grow rapidly, this interface allows to move stored documents to a 3rd party system and keep just a link in the database. The feature is fully transparent, the documents are readily available to the user.

  • Sends and queries documents and meta data to/from a 3rd party archiving or document management system.
  • Provides a configurable set of meta data per document type.
  • Allows searching by meta data in the 3rd party system (independent of EMPIC- EAP®).
Online Booking for Examinations
(Web Service EMPIC® E-EXAM)
Allows the communication of licensing modules (FCL, MPL) and customer management (CM) to the e-Examination System. Applicant data and desired
examinations are transferred to the e-Examination system. After examinations have taken place, the e-Examination system reports the examination results and EMPIC licensing modules store the details of the examinations in the appropriate license information tab.
Customer Management System
(Web Service EMPIC® CM)
Allows a 3rd party system to push information into the customer management module.
ECCAIRS Incident Reporting Database
(EMPIC® AIM)
Interface to ECCAIRS: European Coordination Centre for Accident and Incident Reporting Systems
 
The project is being managed by the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission (DG JRC) on request of the Directorate General for Mobility and Transport (DG MOVE) and in close co-operation with the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).
 
For more details: www.eccairsportal.jrc.ec.europa.eu
3rd Party Workflows
(Web Service EMPIC® WF)
The EMPIC workflow web service interface allows the integration of 3rd party systems into EMPIC workflows. It is a bidirectional service to exchange data with external systems which is then processed by the EMPIC workflow. This allows for processes that span several systems in your environment.
Requests to Query Synthesizer
(Web Service EMPIC® QS)
Allows the execution of queries, designed in QS module, from 3rd party systems.
E-Payment Systems
(EMPIC® E-Payment)
Allows the connection of external e-Payment providers to execute and track payments.
Single-Sign-On
(Web Service EMPIC® IAM)
Integrate EMPIC into existing Identity and Access Management (IAM) solutions to enable centralized user and rights management. Single-sign-on solutions (SSO) can also be supported. The module is available for the Java client as well as the EMPIC® WEB client.
RPAS (UAV/Drone) API; various modules: CM, FCL, OAS, TC, AR
RPAS (Remotely Piloted Aircraft System) / UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) / Drone, their operators and pilots are handled in EMPIC-EAP® across different modules using API functionality.
 
RPAS operators are stored in the CM module in form of persons and organizations, since a drone operator can be either a private person or a company. The tab “RPAS Operator” at CM person and CM organization objects carries the related registration number. Compliant with EASA regulation, such registration numbers can be generated in EMPIC-EAP® in the required format. This includes the RPAS Operator Registration Number, plus a suffix and the checksum generated using the Luhn mod- 36 algorithm, according to EASA guidelines effective as of July 2020.
 
Drone pilots are managed in the FCL module. Every drone pilot is registered as an FCL license holder with the related drone components and ratings. Prior to using this functionality, the FCL master data have to be configured accordingly, i.e. rating- component relations for drone ratings and components must be created.
 
Storage and management of drone operators and pilots is available with Version 2019R2, using the newly developed flexible API functions based on GraphQL technology. EMPIC-EAP® serves as the backend solution which can process API calls sent by customer’s frontend (e.g. web portal). This approach allows NAAs to have a highly customizable frontend solution with their corporate identity that is able to handle the large number of requests by drone operators and drone pilots expected in the RPAS domain.
 
Speaking in EASA terms, the existing CM and FCL API functionality allows to tackle the UAS operations in the Open category. While the drone operators are managed in CM, and the simple drone operations in the Open category – in both CM and FCL modules, any drone operations in the Specific and Certified categories are addressed by the OAS module. Starting with version 2020R2, a new OAS API functionality becomes available that likewise allows sending API requests to create, query, and update OAS certificates of different types from the customer’s frontend.
 
The use of OAS functionality and future OAS API will enable NAAs to automatically create and store Operational Declarations for flying the Standard Scenarios (STS) and Operational Authorizations for drone operators in the Specific category. In addition, applications for the Light UAS Operator Certificate (LUC, comparable to ReOC in some non-EASA countries) can be administrated and these certificates can be issued manually.
 
Big and complex drones that fall into EASA’s Certified category (from 150 kg) can already be managed in EMPIC-EAP® with appropriate configuration in AR (Aircraft Registration) and TC (Type Certification), like any regular aircraft.