Mar 23, 2026 Dr. Wolfgang Vermöhlen
ShareWhat’s next for aviation planning? This is a question that comes up often. Imagine how helpful it would be if we could simply look into a crystal ball and see how airport operations will evolve in the coming months or even years.
Planning ground resources has changed significantly over time. It used to rely heavily on manual processes and intuition. Today, it has evolved into a data-driven discipline, focused on optimizing resources while balancing efficiency with employee well-being.
With ongoing advancements in AI and automation, this evolution is only accelerating. That makes conversations between planners facing similar challenges more valuable than ever.
That’s exactly what the GroundStar (GS) Planning Product Exchange is about. Bringing the community together to explore how we can continue to advance staff and equipment planning.
A Strong International Community
It feels like just yesterday when we launched this online exchange back in 2023.
On March 10, we held our sixth GS Planning Product Exchange, showing once again the value of sharing experiences, and bringing new ideas to the table.
Since 2023, the community has continued to grow. In our most recent session, GroundStar users joined from around the world. Nearly half of participants dialed in from the Americas (48%), followed by Europe (27%), the Middle East (12%), Oceania (7%), and Asia (6%).
What’s shaping planning right now
Aviation planning teams face a wide range of challenges. Bringing these different perspectives together is what enriches the agenda of our exchanges. The focus is on providing practical advice to our customers so they can fully leverage GroundStar in their daily work.
After a brief interactive icebreaker to set the stage, we moved into a deeper exploration of the session’s key topics.
Intelligent Workload Curve Smoothing
We demonstrated how workload curves can be smoothed to reduce short peaks caused by flight schedules while keeping the overall demand unchanged. This approach helps planners create more balanced demand profiles without altering total workload.
Integrating and Optimizing Areas A & B
Using a live demo scenario, we showed how combining operational areas can unlock staffing synergies and improve resource utilization. This highlighted how cross-area optimization can lead to measurable efficiency gains.
Controlling Shift Diversity in Optimization
We also explored how optimization rules can help control shift start times and limit the number of shift types, creating rosters that are both practical and operationally manageable. This topic resonated strongly, as it connects optimization logic directly with usability in daily operations.
The Value of Open Discussion
Beyond the featured topics, participants raised questions and shared insights from their own planning environments. These discussions help us better understand current needs and shape future sessions around the topics our customers are actively working on.
Save the Date
The conversation does not stop here. The next GS Planning Product Exchange is already scheduled for September 8, 2026.
If you are a GS Planning Staff & Equipment customer and would like to join a future session, feel free to get in touch with us.
Until then!
FAQ
1. Who should join the GS Planning Product Exchange?
This session is for GroundStar Planning Staff & Equipment customers who want to exchange ideas, explore practical use cases, and get more value from their planning processes.
2. What can I expect from the session?
The Product Exchange is an online format focused on real-world planning challenges, live demonstrations, and open discussion. You’ll gain practical insights and have the opportunity to ask questions and share your experience with industry peers.
3. Can I suggest topics for future sessions?
Yes. The agenda is shaped by the community. You can share your ideas during registration or directly during the session.
About our Expert
Dr. Wolfgang Vermöhlen
Product Manager
With over 22 years of experience in planning optimization, Wolfgang is passionate about aviation and helping planners reach the next level of success. His expertise spans analytics, modeling, e-learning, and improving UX/UI. Wolfgang enjoys actively engaging with planning users, sharing his knowledge and experience, and empowering them to unlock the full potential of GroundStar solutions for optimizing staff and equipment.
