Aircraft manufacturer Boeing and technology company Microsoft earlier this month announced an agreement to build a cloud-based platform for Boeing’s portfolio of commercial aviation analytics tools.

The agreement is intended to enable the two companies to work together to move many of Boeing’s commercial aviation applications into the Microsoft Azure cloud.

Boeing and its subsidiaries, software company AerData and air navigation company Jeppesen, offer a portfolio of advanced analytical tools, which are currently used by more than 300 airlines to enhance operating efficiency.

Boeing digital aviation VP and president Kevin Crowley says Boeing’s expertise and extensive aviation data resources, coupled with Microsoft’s cloud technology, will accelerate innovation in areas such as predictive maintenance and flight enhancement, thereby allowing airlines to reduce costs and improve operational efficiency.

He adds that, together, two companies that “changed their industries” are teaming up to accelerate the digital transformation of aviation through the use of analytics-based applications, cloud technologies and large-scale integration.

Boeing’s applications provide airlines, airplane leasing companies and maintenance suppliers with real-time information to enhance every phase of their operations – including buying and leasing airplanes and engines, training and scheduling crews, route planning, managing inventory and maintaining fleets.

Microsoft worldwide commercial business executive VP Judson Althoff says Microsoft is focused on empowering organisations across industries to advance their digital transformation. He adds that, by working with Boeing, Microsoft can help businesses across the aviation industry to become more adaptive, innovative and intelligence-driven, thereby positively impacting on airlines, operators, suppliers, support and service providers.

Currently, Boeing applications are used daily to reduce crew scheduling costs by up to 7% and promote fuel savings. Boeing applications also deliver digital navigational information to nearly 13 000 aircraft daily.