Northwest Airlines publishes 34 flight operations manuals used
by some 6,000 pilots. Read how Document Express with DjVu is
streamlining the entire publication and distribution process—
with dramatic results.
DocumentExpress - Northwest Airlines Case Study
Northwest Airlines, the world’s fourth-largest airline and the nation’s leading trans-Pacific carrier, prides
itself with being on the cutting-edge of airline technology.
As part of its dedication to innovation, Northwest Airlines committed to simplifying a complex
task—publishing and distributing flight operations manuals used by up to 6,000 pilots and 100
instructor pilots and at 200-300 ground-based access points.
With each manual containing between 800 and 1300 pages—including large, complex graphics
illustrating aircraft systems and controls—Northwest needed an efficient way to electronically
distribute flight manuals to pilots and other users. Reliability and speed were crucial. In addition to fast
access, pilots, of course, depended on highly accurate data. Graphics needed to download with critical
details intact. Equally important, file sizes needed to be small enough to ensure fast downloads, over
any kind of network in any location. And once files were opened, pilots and instructors needed an
efficient way to zoom to the precise information needed, without wasting time scrolling through
hundreds of pages.
Only one software solution offered the speed and flexibility to meet all of these challenges—
Document Express with DjVu. Document Express makes all types of content network-ready, for easy
distribution and access.
Northwest Airlines selected Document Express to accelerate the entire cycle of creating, transmitting,
downloading, and accessing mission-critical information.
Northwest Airlines is highly satisfied with Document Express and the role DjVu is
playing in streamlining the entire publication process, while vastly improving airline
pilots’ abilities to access information.
Background
Challenge
Results
with DjVu®
Dramatic File Size Reductions
Using Document Express, large, bulky files were converted to smaller, more efficient DjVu documents.
As a result, file sizes were reduced substantially. One of the most complex manuals, created for
DC10 aircraft, compressed from 370MB to 23MB.
Easy, Efficient Access
Document Express enables easy and efficient access to complex content over any network on any
device. It also creates hyperlinks for increased efficiency. "Manuals that used to take half an hour to
open on the Internet can now be accessed instantaneously. That's the difference DjVu has made for
us," says Neil Cramer, Manager of Instructional Systems.
"Besides tremendous file compression, the most attractive feature for us is the ability to bundle files.
In essence, we are separating each page as a separate document; DjVu then reassembles it for us. By
creating these individual files, we can make sure each file is very small—20k at the most," he explains.
Cramer points out that this solution also enables him to create chapters with an index, making it far
easier to access crucial information—no scrolling, no wading through hundreds of pages searching for
salient data, and no wasted time.
Faster Publishing
Cramer also credits Document Express for dramatically speeding up the writing and editing process of
updating flight manuals. By taking advantage of the hyperlink capabilities and smaller file sizes created
with Document Express, work can be accomplished far more quickly and efficiently than before.
Highest Accuracy
“With DjVu, we can do Optical Character Recognition (OCR) that is highly accurate,” Cramer adds. “We
literally have not found any errors in over two years of using this software.”
Optimal Image Quality
Cramer points out that files converted with DjVu will transmit easily over the web, with no loss of
quality or detail in illustrations and photos. “There is no degradation even at the highest zoom levels.
Obviously, this is very important for pilots.”
“The decision to utilize Document Express has more than met Northwest Airlines’ expectations
for success,” Cramer says.“We had been exploring the idea of creating an ‘electronic flight bag’
for pilots for some time.Bef ore a final decision was made to choose DjVu, I met with the
decision-maker, David Ruddy, Director of Training Development, and showed him the tremendous
difference it would make for us.A fter that, it was an easy decision to make. The overall
experience has been overwhelmingly positive.”
Summary
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