The UniSA Aviation Academy was the first Australian university to offer a tertiary qualification to pilots. Students at the Academy undergo both theoretical and practical flying training to complete a Bachelor of Applied Science (Civil Aviation). In 2006 the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) announced it was introducing new competency based training (CBT) regulations, requiring all flight schools to keep detailed reports of all student training flight programmes, which led the Academy to review FileMaker Pro 9.

Frank Pellas, Business Manager—Division of IT, Engineering & Environment discovered the database had everything the academy needed to further develop its existing FileMaker system in order to meet CASA’s compliance regulations and would also allow it to upgrade its management of the operational costs of each flight. He commented, “FileMaker Pro was the foundation that allowed us to build FlightFile—an intuitive, staff-compatible, secure and reliable management tool that controls the Academy’s flying training operations.”

The Academy is the only training organisation to have developed its own custom built database application that meets the new CBT requirements. Pellas explained, “The day after we implemented FlightFile we were audited by CASA on our regular training activities and it received CASA’s full tick of approval.”

In addition to providing a solution to the Academy’s compliance challenges, FileMaker Pro 9 allows the Aviation Academy to store all its important data in one central location. This means that the Academy can run reports on correlated data to recoup operational costs. He continued, “FlightFile was completely new for all our instructors. Previously all flight data was entered by the Academy’s Administrator, and there was no requirement for complex competency based training assessments. All instructors picked up this new task very quickly and provided positive feedback to allow some small early stage problems to be fixed. The FlightFile module within FileMaker is now considered to be part of normal operations—drama free and unobtrusive.”

The FileMaker Maintenance Program, available for one low annual price, allows the latest FileMaker upgrades to be emailed direct to your nominated email account. Then all you need to do is simply download the software, deploy the upgrade and away you go!

The FileMaker Maintenance Program ensures your organisation is using the most up-to-date features and functions available, keeps all software licenses on the same version and encourages maximum productivity with the workplace.

If you are a maintenance customer, it is important to ensure your email and other contact details stay up to date so you get all the relevant notifications.

If you need to update your details visit: www.filemaker.com.au/nl/update

Database Management Made Easy for Campsie Public School

Campsie Public School, located in Sydney’s South West, has been using FileMaker Server 9 for the past 12 months to improve its database management system and staff administration efficiency. Prior to upgrading to Server, the school was running a range of individual FileMaker Pro databases for its teaching staff. The upgrade to using FileMaker Server 9 has allowed Campsie Public School to streamline its processes and accommodate both its growth and increasingly complex reporting needs.

For Campsie Public School, the decision to use FileMaker was based on allowing the school to fulfil a variety of recording and reporting needs. Keith Sleeman, School Computer Coordinator, Campsie Public commented, “We use FileMaker for a range of functions like producing student reports and recording assessments results which include social and learning aspects regarding student behaviour and effort in class. With FileMaker Server we’ve reduced doubling up on administrative processes because everything is in a single database, making it easy to maintain and also allowing the teachers to easily share information. With the relational component of FileMaker we have recently been able to link departmental curriculum outcomes with teaching programs and parent reports”

FileMaker Pro databases are also used to record and share Risk Analysis requirements for student excursions and other school events. While another database organises sport options allowing staff to create up to date sport group lists on the fly.

Keith added, “Information for all our databases can be created or updated easily by ‘pulling’ basic student details from the NSW Department of Education and Training database, OASIS. It’s really made life much easier.”