Mission+ is a software solution developed by Navblue (an Airbus subsidiary) and used by some of the world’s largest airlines. This project gave me my first real professional experience, rich in technical and organizational learning, in a critical environment where robustness, performance, and user experience are paramount.
I discovered large-scale teamwork, particularly the rapid growth of a team from 8 to over 50 developers, with the adoption of agile methods such as Scrum and SAFe tailored to this context. This 3-year experience allowed me to actively participate in a complete redesign of the software architecture, inspired by component-oriented programming, thus facilitating collaboration between dozens of developers spread across multiple teams and countries.
Table of Contents
A revolutionary architecture for commercial aviation
Mission+ is much more than a simple flight management application: it is a complex software ecosystem designed to meet the critical requirements of commercial aviation. My main contribution was to design and develop a new architecture that transformed the project from a simple POC into a robust commercial solution adopted by major airlines.
The genesis of a component-oriented architecture
Faced with the limitations of the initial architecture, 3 people (the Navblue architect, a colleague, and myself) completely rethought the project over the course of about 1 month, while the rest of the team continued working on the old version.
- Initial challenge: Transform a POC into a commercial solution capable of supporting massive scaling
- Collaborative approach: Worked as a trio to imagine a revolutionary architecture based on component-oriented programming
- Modular vision: Each component responsible for a specific part of Mission+ with its own business logic and user interface
Technical architecture: modularity and robustness
The architecture we designed was inspired by the principles of component-oriented programming, offering an innovative approach to software development in aerospace.
- Autonomous components: Each component (C++ sub-project) encapsulated both business logic and user interface (C++ and QML)
- Service-based communication: Components communicated exclusively through well-defined services, ensuring low coupling
- Service declaration: Elegant system for declaring required and provided services for each component
- Dynamic loading: Each component was a DLL hot-loaded at startup
- Automatic linking: The “linker” automatically handled linking between components according to their service dependencies
Mission+ modular architecture
This approach enabled 7 development teams to work simultaneously on the same project without interference, demonstrating the robustness and efficiency of this architecture.
Technologies and tools: a modern technical ecosystem
Mission+ was built on a robust technology stack, adapted to the constraints of commercial aviation:
- C++ and Qt 5: Solid foundations for performance and portability
- QML: Modern, fluid UI language essential for pilot experience
- OSG Earth: Advanced 3D mapping for flight path and airport visualization worldwide
- CMake: Modern build system simplifying project complexity management
- Git and GitLab: Version control and collaboration for distributed teams
- Conan: Dependency management in a multi-team environment
- GitLab CI/CD: Continuous integration adapted to aeronautical constraints
Complete pilot experience: an immersive journey
Mission+ provides a complete experience for airline pilots before, during, and after the flight:
- Global mapping: 3D maps of virtually all airports worldwide
- Route visualization: 3D representation of flight paths with full operational details
- Performance calculations: Computing the parameters required for safe takeoff
- Weather: Real-time weather display across the globe and along the flight path
- Intuitive interface: User experience optimized for cockpit constraints
Multidisciplinary collaboration: at the heart of innovation
My role went far beyond technical development, positioning me as a bridge between technical and design worlds.
Technical-design focal point
- Key interface: Primary contact between the design team (UX, UI, Human Factors, OPS) and development teams
- Needs translation: Converting design specifications into feasible technical solutions
- Multidisciplinary vision: Integrating technical, ergonomic, operational, and user experience aspects
- Constraint anticipation: Early identification of technical challenges related to design requirements
Scaling and agile methods
- Organizational evolution: Involvement in scaling the team from 8 to over 50 developers
- Scrum adoption: Temporary experience as Scrum Master during the methodology transition
- Agile facilitation: Hosting ceremonies and supporting continuous process improvement
Technical contributions: at the core of the system
My technical contributions touched on Mission+’s most critical aspects:
Core application development
- Component architecture: Designed and developed the component system forming the foundation of Mission+
- System services: Implemented inter-component communication services
- Lifecycle management: Developed component loading and linking mechanisms
Graphical component library
- Design system ancestor: Created an initial library of reusable components
- Visual consistency: Developed the application’s main graphical components
- UX innovation: Contributed to user experience tailored to aviation context
DevOps and CI/CD support
- Build processes: Contributed to DevOps and continuous integration workflows
- Technical support: Collaborated with dedicated teams to optimize deployments
- Software quality: Contributed to testing and validation practices
Impact and recognition: a proven commercial success
Mission+ is now deployed with several major airline operators, showcasing the success of the architecture and technical approach adopted.
Tangible results
- Commercial adoption: Used by major airlines worldwide
- Proven scalability: Architecture supporting a scale-up from 8 to 50+ developers
- Operational robustness: Critical solution used daily in commercial aviation
- Technical innovation: Component-oriented architecture became a reference for subsequent Navblue projects
Technical legacy
The architecture developed for Mission+ served as a technical foundation for my later projects, including the Kite Design System, demonstrating the durability and quality of the chosen approach.
Product demonstration
Discover Mission+ in action in this official presentation:
For more information about Mission+: https://www.navblue.aero/product/mission/