qtr_03 09 A quarterly publication .com/commercial/ aeromagazine

Special Issue on Operational Efficiency and Environmental Performance:

777 Performance Improvement

Blended Winglets

Efficient Crew Management

Carbon Brakes

Fuel Conservation

Real-Time Airplane Monitoring

Effective Flight Plans AERO Cover photo: Boeing airplane in production. AERO Contents

Special Issue: Operational Efficiency and Environmental Performance 03 Boeing technologies are helping operators be more efficient. Our goal is to Operational Efficiency help you drive reductions in fuel burn while increasing the efficiency of individual and Environmental airplanes and entire fleets. Performance Opportunities to improve operational efficiency can be found in all phases of an airplane’s life cycle.

05 Delivering Fuel and Emissions Savings for the 777

09 Blended Winglets Improve 05 Performance 13 Crew Management Tools Improve Operating Efficiency

17 Operational Advantages of Carbon Brakes

17 19 Fuel Conservation Information on 09 MyBoeingFleet Web Portal 22 Monitoring Real-Time Environmental Performance

27 Effective Flight Plans Can Help Airlines Economize

01 WWW.boeing.com/commercial/aeromagazine Issue 35_Quarter 03 | 2009 AERO

Publisher Design Cover photography Editorial Board Shannon Frew Methodologie Jeff Corwin Gary Bartz, Frank Billand, Richard Breuhaus, Darrell Hokuf, Al John, Doug Lane, Jill Langer, Duke McMillin, Wade Price, Bob Rakestraw, Editorial director Writer Printer Frank Santoni, Jerome Schmelzer, Paul Victor, Constantin Zadorojny Jill Langer Jeff Fraga ColorGraphics Technical Review Committee Editor-in-chief Distribution manager Web site design Gary Bartz, Frank Billand, Richard Breuhaus, David Carbaugh, Jim Lombardo Nanci Moultrie Methodologie Justin Hale, Darrell Hokuf, Al John, Doug Lane, Jill Langer, Duke McMillin, David Palmer, Wade Price, Jerome Schmelzer, William Tsai, Paul Victor, Constantin Zadorojny

AERO Online www.boeing.com/commercial/aeromagazine

AERO magazine is published quarterly by Boeing Commercial Airplanes and is Information published in AERO magazine is intended to be accurate and authoritative. distributed at no cost to operators of Boeing commercial airplanes. AERO provides However, no material should be considered regulatory-approved unless specifically stated. operators with supplemental technical information to promote continuous safety Airline personnel are advised that their company’s policy may differ from or conflict with and efficiency in their daily fleet operations. information in this publication. Customer airlines may republish articles from AERO without permission if for distribution only within their own organizations. They thereby The Boeing Company supports operators during the life of each Boeing commercial assume responsibility for the current accuracy of the republished material. All others airplane. Support includes stationing Field Service representatives in more than must obtain written permission from Boeing before reprinting any AERO article. 60 countries, furnishing spare parts and engineering support, training flight crews and maintenance personnel, and providing operations and maintenance publications. Print copies of AERO are not available by subscription, but the publication may be viewed on the Web at www.boeing.com/commercial/aeromagazine. Boeing continually communicates with operators through such vehicles as technical meetings, service letters, and service bulletins. This assists operators in addressing Please send address changes to [email protected]. Please send all other regulatory requirements and Air Transport Association specifications. communications to AERO Magazine, Boeing Commercial Airplanes, P.O. Box 3707, MC 21-72, Seattle, Washington, 98124‑2207, USA. Copyright © 2009 The Boeing Company E-mail: [email protected]

AERO is printed on Forest Stewardship Council Certified paper.

02 aero quarterly qtr_03 | 09 O perational Efficiency and Environmental Performance

Working closely with airlines to optimize save 1 percent of fuel and reduce carbon- their operational efficiency — while at the dioxide emissions by 1,500 tons annually. same time progressively improving their Boeing is always looking for ways to environmental performance — is a passion help you, our valued customer, improve of mine. Before joining Boeing, I was chief fleet efficiency. In fact, we recently executive officer of Carmen Systems, a announced performance improvements software company providing crew and fleet to the Next-Generation 737 that will reduce management efficiency solutions to airlines fuel burn by 2 percent and maintenance around the world. Carmen Systems is costs by 4 percent by 2011. You can find now an integral part of Boeing subsidiary out more at http://boeing.mediaroom.com/ Jeppesen and The Boeing Company itself. index.php?s=43&item=633. Operational efficiency and environmental At Boeing, we will continue to increase performance are a priority at Boeing, and the rate at which we offer technology I’m proud to introduce this issue of AERO solutions that help you improve your magazine, which is dedicated to these operational efficiency and environmental topics. Opportunities to improve operational performance — and save you money. We Pr e A. Norén efficiency can be found in all phases of an know that each product improvement that Director of Aviation Infrastructure, airplane’s lifecycle. In this issue, you will we make — each new technology that we Boeing Commercial Aviation Services see how Boeing technologies are helping offer — helps you release the full potential (Formerly Director of Environmental operators be more efficient — from fuel of your Boeing airplanes. Strategy and Solutions) conservation to blended winglets to flight planning to monitoring real-time airplane performance. Our goal is to help you drive reductions in fuel burn while increasing the efficiency of individual airplanes and entire fleets. One of our more recent improvements is the 777 Performance Improvement To learn more about Boeing’s Package, which helps operators of 777s environmental commitment, see the fly their airplanes more efficiently.E ach Boeing 2009 Environmental Report at package installed on a 777-200ER can http://www.boeing.com/environment.

03 WWW.boeing.com/commercial/aeromagazine The 777 PIP package lowers operational costs and improves the environmental profile of existing, in-service airplanes. Delivering Fuel and Emissions Savings for the 777

By Ken Thomson, Project Manager, Modification Services, Business Development & Strategy, Commercial Aviation Services; and E. Terry Schulze, Manager, Aerodynamics

Boeing’s new 777 Performance Improvement Package (PIP) provides operators with a cost-effective way to retrofit their existing 777-200, 777‑200 Extended Range (ER), and 777-300 airplanes in order to save fuel and reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions. The 777 PIP provides a typical 777-200ER airplane with an annual savings of 1 million pounds of fuel and an annual reduction of CO2 emissions of more than 3 million pounds (1,360,800 kilograms). Operators can realize tremendous savings when multiplying these benefits across their 777 fleet.

When Boeing was designing the 777‑300ER, This article describes the elements using an optimized modulation schedule several performance enhance­ments were comprising the 777 PIP, the performance for the ram air inlet door and the exit louver made to extend the airplane’s range and improvements the PIP makes possible, positions. The improved system lowers payload capabilities. Boeing engineers and information for operators considering airplane drag by improving thrust recovery realized that many of these enhancements implementing the PIP. at the exit of the system (see fig. 1). could be retrofitted to earlier models of the Drooped . This software-based 777 to improve their performance. Components of the 777 PIP modification reduces drag by creating The result is the 777 PIP, which is avail­able higher aerodynamic loading on the for 777-200, -200ER, and ‑300 air­planes. The 777 PIP has three separate elements: outboard part of the and making the It reduces fuel consumption by 1 percent an improved ram air system, aileron droop, spanwise loading more elliptical. As the or more, depending on range, with corre­ and resized vortex generators. aileron droops, the increased loading also sponding reductions in CO2 and NOx causes a wing twist change that reduces emissions. Since Boeing made the PIP Improved ram air system. The new exhaust the local flow incidence toward the wingtip. available in late 2008, kits for approxi­ housing has exit louvers that provide This reduces the shock strength on the mately 300 airplanes have been sold to exhaust modulation to the environmental outboard wing, thereby reducing drag even 17 customers. control system ram air sys­tem. The ram air further (see fig. 2). flow through the system is con­trolled by

05 WWW.boeing.com/commercial/aeromagazine Figure 1: Ram air system improvement The improved ram air system is designed to increase performance by reducing drag.

Added exit louvers

Figure 2: Drooped aileron Boeing engineers determined that a 2-degree aileron droop was optimal for flight performance.

Detail of aileron cross section

2º

Figure 3: Improved vortex generators The 777 PIP replaces all 32 vortex generators on the airplane’s with a newly designed version that reduces drag.

Current vortex generator 737-size vortex generator

06 aero quarterly qtr_03 | 09 Figure 4: 777-200/-200ER/-300 block fuel vs. range Boeing typical mission rules with 2,000-ft cruise steps, 210-lb passenger allowance, and standard day temperatures.

777-200 with pip 777-300 with pip 777-200ER with PIP

2.0

1.0 B lock Fuel (% I mprovement)

0.0

0 1,000 2,000 3,000 4,000 5,000 6,000 7,000 8,000

Range (Nautical Miles)

Resized vortex generators. Replacing Operator information In most cases, Boeing anticipates that the original 777 vortex generators with the operators should experience a 12- to smaller 737-type vortex generators reduces The 777 PIP comprises three separate 18-month payback period when implement­ drag while maintaining the effectiveness of service bulletins, one for each of the ing the full complement of PIP elements. the original design (see fig. 3). elements in the PIP. While maximum performance gains are realized by equip- Summary ping an airplane with all three elements, How the 777 PIP improves operators may choose to implement them performance Boeing is committed to improving existing, separately in a way that corresponds to in-service airplanes. The 777 PIP package their maintenance schedule. The 777 PIP makes possible three lowers operational costs and improves the The drooped aileron is a software operational improvements to previously environmental signature of the airplanes. modification that can be accomplished delivered 777 airplanes. These improve­ For more information, please contact within three hours. The vortex generators ments are mutually exclusive — an Ken Thomson at kenneth.a.thomson@ can be replaced overnight. Because the operator can realize one effect per flight. boeing.com or Terry Schulze at ram air system involves modifications to the [email protected]. n For an operation carrying the same airplane’s environmental control system, it payload as a non-PIP airplane, the requires several days. As a result, operators PIP‑equipped airplane will fly farther. may choose to perform this modification n For an operation flying the same range during a heavy maintenance check. The as a non-PIP airplane, the PIP-equipped first two modifications alone will enable airplane will carry more payload. operators to realize about 60 percent of the n For an operation carrying the same total PIP benefit until the ram air payload and flying the same range as modification can be scheduled. a non-PIP airplane, the PIP-equipped airplane will reduce fuel consumption as well as reducing CO2 and NOx emissions commensurately (see fig. 4).

07 WWW.boeing.com/commercial/aeromagazine Blended winglets are a proven way to reduce drag, save fuel, cut CO2 and NOx emissions, and reduce community noise. Blended Winglets Improve Performance

By William Freitag, Winglet Program Manager, Commercial Aviation Services; and E. Terry Schulze, Manager, Aerodynamics

Blended winglets are wingtip devices that improve airplane performance by reducing drag. Boeing and Boeing (APB) began making them available on the Boeing (BBJ) and Next-Generation 737-800 in 2001. Flight test data demonstrate that blended winglets lower block fuel and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by up to 4 percent on the 737 and up to 5 percent on the 757 and 767. Blended winglets also improve takeoff performance on the 737, 757, and 767, allowing deeper takeoff thrust derates that result in lower emissions and lower community noise.

Boeing offers blended winglets as For a 767 airplane, saving half a million The development of blended standard equipment on the BBJ and as U.S. gallons of jet fuel a year per airplane winglets optional equipment on the 737-700, -800, translates into an annual reduction of more and -900 Extended Range (ER). Blended than 4,790 tonnes of CO2 for each airplane. Blended winglets were initially investigated winglets also are available as a retrofit The addition of winglets can also be used by Boeing in the mid-1980s and further installation from Aviation Partners Boeing to increase the payload/range capability developed in the early 1990s by Aviation for the 737-300/-500/-700/-800/-900, of the airplane instead of reducing the Partners, Inc., a Seattle, Wash., corporation 757-200/-300, and 767-300ER (both fuel consumption. Airplanes with blended of aerospace professionals consisting passenger and freighter variants) winglets also show a significant reduction primarily of aeronautical engineers and commercial airplanes. More than 2,850 in takeoff and landing drag. flight test department directors. Boeing airplanes have been equipped This article provides background The blended winglet provides a tran­si­ with blended winglets. about the development of blended tion region between the outboard wing, The carbon-fiber composite winglets winglets, describes the principle behind which is typically designed for a plain tip, allow an airplane to save on fuel and their operation, and outlines the types of and the winglet. Without this transition region, thereby reduce emissions. The fuel burn performance improvements operators the outer wing would require aero­dynamic improvement with blended winglets at the can expect from them. redesign to allow for the interference airplane’s design range is 4 to 5 percent. between the wing and winglet surfaces.

09 WWW.boeing.com/commercial/aeromagazine Figure 1: Blended winglet retrofit certification history Blended winglets are available for retrofit through APB on the 737, 757, and 767 models.

Airplane Blended Winglet Model Retrofit Certification Date

737-300 May 2003

757-200 May 2005

737-500 May 2007

737-900 October 2007

767-300ER March 2009

757-300 July 2009

The first blended winglets were installed the wing flies in a downdraft of its own Blended winglet performance on Gulfstream II airplanes. The resulting making. The lift vector is thereby tilted improvements improvements in range and fuel efficiency slightly backward (see fig. 3). It is this interested Boeing, and in 1999, Boeing backward component of lift that is felt as The drag reduction provided by blended formed the joint venture company APB with induced drag. winglets improves fuel efficiency and Aviation Partners, Inc., to develop blended The magnitude of the induced drag is thereby reduces emissions (see fig. 5). winglets for Boeing airplanes. Boeing determined by the spanwise lift distribution Depending on the airplane, its cargo, the adopted the blended winglet technology as and the resulting distribution of vortices airline’s routes, and other factors, blended standard equipment for the BBJ in 2000 (see fig. 4). The vortex cores that form are winglets can: and APB certified the winglets for the 737- often referred to as “wingtip vortices,” but n lower operating costs by reducing block 700 and 737-800 airplanes in 2001. Since as is shown, the entire wing span feeds the fuel burn by 4 to 5 percent on missions then, APB has certified blended winglets cores. Any significant reduction in induced near the airplane’s design range. for retrofit installation on other Boeing drag requires a change in this global flow n increase the payload/range capability of airplane models (see fig. 1). Blended field to reduce the total kinetic energy. This the airplane instead of reducing the fuel winglets are also installed in production on can be accomplished by increasing the consumption. Next-Generation 737-700/-800/-900ER horizontal span of the lifting system or by n reduce engine maintenance costs. models. introducing a nonplanar element that has a n improve takeoff performance and similar effect. (More information about the obstacle clearance, allowing airlines aerodynamic principles of blended winglets How blended winglets to derate engine thrust. can be found in AERO 17, January 2002.) reduce drag n increase optimum cruise altitude Blended winglets are upward-swept capability. extensions to airplane wings. They feature The motivation behind all wingtip devices a large radius and a smooth chord variation is to reduce induced drag. Induced drag is in the transition section. This feature sacri­ Reduction in emissions and the part of the airplane drag due to global fices some of the potential induced drag community noise effects of generating lift. In general, wings reduction in return for less viscous drag and will produce air motion, called circulation, less need for tailoring the sections locally. Operators of blended winglets are able to as a result of generating lift. This motion is Although winglets installed by retrofit gain the additional environmentally friendly characterized by downward flow between can require significant changes to the benefit of reducing engine emissions and the wingtips and upward flow outboard wing structure, they are a viable solution community noise. CO2 emissions are of the wingtips (see fig. 2). As a result, when gate limitations make it impractical reduced in direct proportion to fuel burn, so to add to wingspan with a device such as a 5 percent reduction in fuel burn will result a raked wingtip. in a 5 percent reduction in CO2. Nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions are reduced in percentages that are a function of the

10 aero quarterly qtr_03 | 09 Figure 2: Motion of the air behind a lifting wing Without winglet

Figure 3: Blended winglets affect induced drag Figure 4: The vortex wake behind a lifting wing

Induced drag component

Lift Lift force component vector Induced angle

Direction of flight

11 WWW.boeing.com/commercial/aeromagazine Figure 5: Estimated fuel savings on airplanes equipped with blended winglets Estimate will vary depending on the mission parameters.

Model Load Mission Fuel Use Without Fuel Use With Estimated (passengers) (nautical miles) Winglets (lbs) Winglets (lbs) Fuel Savings

500 7,499 7,316 2.5% 737-800 162 1,000 13,386 12,911 3.5%

757-200 200 1,000 16,975 16,432 3.2%

767-300ER 218 3,000 65,288 62,419 4.4%

airplane, engine, and combustor Benefits from operators using n An airline that recently began flying configuration. blended winglets 767-300ERs with blended winglets At airports that charge landing fees anticipates that each airplane equipped based on an airplane’s noise profile, Airlines have been gathering operational with the winglets will save up to blended winglets can save airlines money data on blended winglets since they first 500,000 U.S. gallons of fuel annually, every time they land. The noise affected began flying airplanes equipped with depending on miles flown. The airline area on takeoff can be reduced by up to the modification in 2001. These benefits plans to install winglets on its entire 6.5 percent. With requirements pending in include: 58-airplane fleet of 767-300ERs, which many European airports for airplanes to could result in a total savings of up n one operator flying 737-700s had three meet Stage 4/Chapter 4 noise limits, the to 29 million U.S. gallons of fuel per year years of data showing a fuel savings of addition of blended winglets may result in and a reduction of up to 277,000 tonnes 3 percent. lower landing fees if the winglet noise of CO2 emissions annually. n Another operator flying 737s also reports reduction drops the airplane into a lower- that blended winglets are helping reduce charging noise category. The noise fuel consumption by 3 percent, or about Summary reduction offered by blended winglets can 100,000 U.S. gallons of fuel a year, also help prevent airport fines for violating per airplane. Blended winglets are a proven way to monitored noise limits. reduce drag, save fuel, cut CO2 and NOx Other airlines are projecting results emissions, and reduce community noise. based on historical flight data about They can also extend an airplane’s range airplane models recently equipped with and enable additional payload capability blended winglets: depending on the operator’s needs. n An operator with a fleet of 767-300ER Depending on the airplane model, blended airplanes estimates that installing winglets are available either as standard or blended winglets will save 300,000 optional equipment through Boeing or for U.S. gallons of fuel per airplane per retrofit through Aviation Partners Boeing. year, reducing CO2 emissions by For more information on blended more than 3,000 tonnes annually. winglets and Stage 4/Chapter 4 noise certification, please contact Bill Freitag at [email protected] or Terry Schulze at [email protected].

12 aero quarterly qtr_03 | 09 Crew Management Tools Improve Operating Efficiency

By Tomas Larsson, Product Manager, Fleet & Recovery, Jeppesen

Frequent changes in airlines’ market situations make it challenging to maintain efficient operations. This can lead to an underutilized fleet and crew, or even worse, a shortage of resources. Boeing subsidiary Jeppesen helps airlines overcome these challenges by enabling them to optimize crew utilization in terms of cost, robustness, and crew quality of life.

Airline operations have three major cost The crew management challenge Additional complications include drivers: airplanes, fuel, and crew. Advanced implementation of a new crew agreement mathematical models to optimize crew utili­ Airlines want their crews to work as or an entire new fleet of airplanes. The za­tion were introduced in the early 1990s efficiently as possible within regulatory and result is that crew planners need to consi­ and have evolved continually since then. Key contractual requirements. But an efficient der a wide array of information (see fig. 1). to the long-term success of such models is plan also needs to be flexible enough Jeppesen has developed a suite of their adaptability to changes in plan­ning to work under changes in real-world software applications that streamlines conditions and their ability to absorb conditions. For example, it needs to easily crew management and automates the advancements in technology. Because of the accommodate the unexpected, such as sched­ul­ing process (i.e., Carmen Crew large numbers of crew employed by major sick crews or delayed flights. Management). These tools help airlines airlines, even small changes in productivity What’s more, airline crews quite naturally manage dynamic flight schedules, crew can have a significant impact on an airline’s want to influence their work content.T here­ member requirements, and complex logis­ profits: a single percent improvement can fore, crew preferences are important inputs in tical and contractual requirements. As a translate into several million dollars. the crew planning process. The crew planner result, they deliver substantial savings in This article provides an overview of the also needs to monitor such items as crew what usually is a major cost center for air­ crew management challenge that airlines fatigue, hotel costs, and standby require­ lines. The following examples illustrate how face and illustrates the benefits of Jeppesen ments and deliver a crew plan that meets airlines are using Jeppesen software tools. crew management software tools. the airline’s objectives month after month. 13 WWW.boeing.com/commercial/aeromagazine Figure 1: Crew planning challenges This crew management software computer screen shows the variety of often conflicting information crew planners must consider when assigning crews. 1 3 5

1 Classroom training 2 Day-off bid 2 4 3 Medical check 4 Minimum rest after duty 5 Simulator training

Use case No. 1: Use case No. 2: Use case No. 3: Optimizing preferential bidding Coping with rapid growth Streamlining a union agreement A major U.S. airline found its previous One of the world’s fastest-growing airlines A planning system that is not visible to all of preferential bidding system inadequate found its in-house solution for crew the parties involved is often perceived with because it left a large share of the flights planning insufficient as it increased its skepticism by planners, management, and unassigned and failed to meet contractual revenue passenger kilometers (RPK) by crew. In contrast, when all parties feel that obligations with the pilot union. The airline’s about 20 percent per year for two they can control the system — rather than new Jeppesen-based system offers a consecutive years. The airline chose a more be controlled by it — the analytical power number of improvements: efficient Jeppesen solution to help it cope of the system can be leveraged effectively. with its rapid growth. This was the case at an airline in a crisis n it enables full compliance with the In order to be operational with the when union agreement negotiations contractual agreements by providing the system as quickly as possible, the airline started. It was clear from the beginning that ability to guarantee a crew group a and Jeppesen decided that Jeppesen crew productivity needed to be improved; minimum level of assignment, which would provide crew planning as a service the question was how to achieve this corresponds to pay. while the software was being implemented. improvement. The main obstacle to n it reduces the amount of open time By using this approach, the airline could negotiations was an agreement that had (unassigned production) by nearly begin realizing savings within six weeks. grown to more than 200 pages through 30 percent. Because any open time left The realized improvement in crew years of additions and modifications. after crew roster publication must be productivity was 12 percent. Because the changes that had been covered by reserves, this provides real After six months, the airline was run­ made over time resulted in an unnecessarily productivity improvements. In addition, ning the system on its own. It also began complicated agreement, the parties decided the system levels the distribution of using the new system’s scenario capability. to take a fresh start, retaining only some open time, reducing the biggest peak A scenario may be a new schedule, new fundamental rules and those related to in open time by 50 percent. This also rules for how to schedule crew, revised regulatory issues. Then, in a brainstorming­ has a positive impact on productivity as costs, revised resource availability, or session, all ideas that were presented — a single reserve can take on only one any combination. One of the most good as well as bad — were implemented duty at a time. promising scenarios was to allow cabin in the crew planning system and tested. n it awards crews more of their bids than crew to mix fleets in their rosters. This Because the system was trusted by both the previous system. It was most resulted in nearly 5 percent of additional parties, there was no dispute on whether important to the airline that this was efficiency improvements. the key performance indicators generated achieved for the more senior crew by the system were correct. members, but the new system also resulted in an overall improvement in the bid award ratio of 14 percent.

14 aero quarterly qtr_03 | 09 Definitions

Pairing: A crew pairing is a sequence of flight legs from home base to home base. A pairing may cover one or many days. This is how a two-day pairing from Santiago to Rio de Janeiro via São Paulo and back is represented by Jeppesen crew management software.

The result was a new union agreement Roster: A crew roster is a sequence of personal activities assigned to a crewmember. that reduced crew costs by 15 to 20 per­ A roster contains not only pairings but also training, reserve duties, and other activities. cent. Such savings would not have been Crew management typically provides rosters to crews monthly. Below is a depiction possible within the previous agreement of a crewmember roster. The crewmember comes back from a sequence of ground without severely affecting crew pay. At activities. Those activities are followed by the crewmember traveling as a passenger the same time, the new union agreement from Dublin to Chicago, staying overnight, and flying back as an active duty. This is went from 200 pages down to 15 pages. followed by three mandatory days off. Thereafter, the crewmember operates a round- The agreement is seen as joint property trip from Dublin with a layover in Boston. by management and unions and is fully com­prehensible by both parties. The system’s ability to allow for advanced simulations, combined with both parties’ trust in the system, facilitated a successful negotiation process. Preferential bidding system: With this system, the crewmember bids for specific assignments. How this is done varies by airline. The crewmember may bid for pairings Summary or for pairing properties, such as layover station, length of pairing, or check-in time. In almost all cases, the crewmember can bid for days off. In North America, bids are Jeppesen Carmen Crew Management awarded based on seniority. In the rest of the world, some type of adjustment criteria optimization software provides fast, is usually used. In this example, the crewmember is about to enter a request to get high-quality solutions for large crew a pairing flying through a particular airport. The crewmember may also specify the populations, including complex problems length and dates of the stay. with a high number of conflicting objec­ tives. By improving the efficiency of assigning and managing airline crews, this software can help enhance overall airline operational efficiency. For more information, please contact Tomas Larsson at tomas.larsson@ jeppesen.com.

15 WWW.boeing.com/commercial/aeromagazine The lower weight of carbon brakes results in slightly lower fuel consumption, which can reduce CO2 emissions. Operational Advantages of Carbon Brakes

By Tim Allen, Program Integration Manager, Airplane Integration, 737 Programs; Trent Miller, Lead Engineer, Wheels/Tires/Brakes Production Programs; and Evan Preston, Engineer, Wheels/Tires/Brakes Production Programs

Carbon brakes offer a significant weight savings compared to steel brakes. This translates into a lighter airplane, which directly contributes to decreased fuel consumption and associated reductions in engine emissions.

Carbon brakes are a practical alternative Carbon brake history to steel brakes. Advances in engineering and manufacturing mean that retrofitting Carbon brakes were originally used in high- carbon brakes onto existing airplanes performance military applications. The can decrease fuel costs for certain models. lower weight and higher energy absorp­tion This article provides historical back­ capability of carbon brakes justified their cost, ground about carbon brakes and outlines which historically was higher than the cost their operational advantages, including their of steel brakes. These cost consider­ations positive environmental impact. It is important often resulted in the use of steel brakes on to note that this article does not address smaller, short-haul commercial airplanes total cost of ownership topics such as and carbon brakes on larger, long-haul Figure 1: Carbon brakes offer usage and overhaul costs. Operators commercial airplanes. In the past, the high performance should weigh the decisions on brake type higher cost of carbon brakes could more A Next-Generation 737-900 Extended Range (ER) based on sev­eral considerations, including easily be justified for larger airplanes airplane performs a high-speed rejected takeoff specific model usage, route utilization, and because of the cost savings associated test to verify that an airplane at maximum weight with greatly worn carbon brakes can stop safely cost structure. with reduced weight and longer service life. after a refused takeoff decision. However, recent improvements in carbon brake manufacturing and overhaul 17 WWW.boeing.com/commercial/aeromagazine Figure 2: Carbon brake weight savings Weight comparison: steel vs. carbon brakes

Airplane Model Weight Savings in lbs (kilograms) 737-600/-700 550 (250)* Taxi braking 737-600/-700/-700IGW/-800/-900/-900ER 700 (320)** recommendations 757 550 (249) 767 800 (363) for carbon and MD-10 Freighter 976 (443) steel brakes * carbon brakes weigh 550 lbs (250 kg) less than standard-capacity steel brakes for 737-600 and -700 models. ** carbon brakes weigh 700 lbs (320 kg) less than high-capacity steel brakes on 737-600/-700/-700 Increased Gross Weight/-800/-900/ and -900ER models.

procedures have reduced the per-landing Environmental impact Because the wear mechanisms are cost of carbon brakes to the point that they different between carbon and steel are cost competitive with steel brakes. Car­ One of the primary benefits of carbon brakes, different taxi braking techniques bon brake manufacturing has become more brakes is the amount of weight they are recommended for carbon brakes efficient and overhaul procedures now allow remove from an airplane (see fig. 2). The in order to maximize brake life. for optimal use of refurbished carbon material. lower weight of carbon brakes results in Steel brake wear is directly propor­ These improved operating economics — slightly lower fuel consumption, which tional to the kinetic energy absorbed by along with the weight savings and perfor- reduces carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. the brakes. Maximum steel brake life can ­mance improvements offered by carbon be achieved during taxi by using a large brakes — have led to increased application number of small, light brake applications, Carbon brake availability of carbon brakes on commercial airplanes. allowing some time for brake cooling between applications. High airplane Carbon brakes became widely available for gross weights and high brake application Operational advantages commercial airplanes in the 1980s. They speeds tend to reduce steel brake life are or were basic equipment on the Boeing because they require the brakes to Carbon brakes are well-suited to the high- 747-400 and -400ER, 757-300, 767, and absorb a large amount of kinetic energy. performance braking demands of commer­cial 777 and the MD-11 and MD-90. They are Carbon brake wear is primarily dependent airplanes (see fig. 1). Carbon brake material basic equipment on the 787 Dreamliner on the total number of brake applications — is characterized by high temperature stability, and 747-8. one firm brake application causes less wear high thermal conductivity, and high specific Carbon brakes are optional and will be than several light appli­cations. Maximum heat. Carbon brakes have a number of oper­ available for retrofit for the Next-Generation carbon brake life can be achieved during ational advantages relative to steel brakes: 737 via no-charge service bulletins. They taxi by using a small number of long, are also available for retrofit via master n Longer life: Carbon brakes offer up to moderately firm brake applications instead change service bulletins on the 757-200, twice as many landings per overhaul as of numerous light brake applications. This 767-200, and 767-300 and MD-10 models. steel brakes. can be achieved by allowing taxi speed to n Cost effectiveness: For most operations, increase from below target speed to above the life-cycle costs of carbon brakes are Summary target speed, then using a single firm brake now similar to those of steel brakes. application to reduce speed below the n High performance: Carbon brakes have In addition to offering a number of target and repeating if required, rather than greater energy absorption capability operational advantages relative to steel maintain­ing a constant taxi speed using than steel brakes. brakes — including longer life and higher numerous brake applica­tions. Carbon brake n Lightweight: Carbon brakes are performance — carbon brakes save wear is much less sensitive to airplane significantly lighter than steel brakes. weight, which lowers fuel consumption weight and speed than steel brake wear. and can reduce CO2 emissions. These recommendations are intended For more information, please contact as general taxi guidelines only. Safety and Tim Allen at [email protected]. passenger comfort should remain the primary considerations.

18 aero quarterly qtr_03 | 09 Fuel Conservation Information on MyBoeingFleet

By James A. Johns and Masud U. Khan, Flight Operations Engineers, Commercial Aviation Services

MyBoeingFleet.com is a Web portal to a large repository of Boeing aviation information. The business-to-business site offers customers direct access to information on Boeing airplanes and enhances airlines’ ability to work collaboratively with Boeing, suppliers, and each other. Boeing has added a section about fuel conservation to the portal. This new section allows customers to browse for general knowledge or query for specific information that can help them reduce fuel consumption and save money.

For more than 50 years, Boeing and and data within Boeing and McDonnell- authorized by Boeing to provide a user ID. McDonnell-Douglas have published articles Douglas since the 1960s. Airlines that do not have a focal should and made technical presentations on fuel This article guides users through the new contact Boeing Digital Data Customer conservation. Because these articles and Fuel Conservation Web site, describes how Support by e-mailing [email protected].) presentations were authored by different to locate information, and outlines Boeing’s Logging on to MyBoeingFleet takes the departments — such as marketing, mainte­ plans for future additions to the site. user to a Welcome page that contains nance, engineering, and flight operations — information specific to that user. Fuel they were maintained and stored in conservation information is accessed Accessing the Flight Operations numerous areas within the company. Fuel Conservation web site from this page by clicking on the Flight In mid-2008, fuel prices increased Operations link, which is located in the My approximately 91 percent, and customers Products section. At the Flight Operations To access the Fuel Conservation Web site, were urgently in need of fuel conservation home page, the Fuel Conservation link log on to the MyBoeingFleet customer Web information. In response, Boeing consoli­ provides access to the main page of the portal by going to www.MyBoeingFleet. dated fuel conservation information from Fuel Conservation site. com. (Those who do not have a across the company on a single Web site. MyBoeingFleet user ID may contact their The site includes all of the fuel conservation airline’s MyBoeingFleet focal, who is letters, documents, technical presentations,

19 WWW.boeing.com/commercial/aeromagazine Figure 1: Fuel Conservation Web site main page

Figure 2: Fuel Conservation Web site Maintenance & Repair Documents page

20 aero quarterly qtr_03 | 09 Information on the Flight and reduced climb thrust on trip fuel. These documents provide information Operations Fuel Conservation Operators can use the information as a for the identification and detection of drag Web site guide in determining how to reduce fuel conditions that can be rectified through burn and operational cost for 747 fleets. maintenance actions, thereby improving The Fuel Conservation Web site has three fuel economy. Although some of these major sections: Articles and Newsletters, documents were published many years Presentations and Courses, and Presentations and Courses ago, the aerodynamic data, concepts, Maintenance Documents. A Related Links and methods are still valid. section provides access to Web sites both The second section of the Fuel The Boeing documents contain fuel within and external to Boeing that have fuel Conservation Web site includes conservation information pertinent only conservation information (see fig. 1). presentations delivered by Boeing and to aerodynamics and maintenance of the airline experts on strategies, methods, and airplane, while the McDonnell-Douglas technologies to reduce fuel consumption. Articles and newsletters documents include information on The material typically provides more aerodynamics, flight operations, systems, in-depth information on fuel conservation Boeing has published articles on fuel and performance analysis. than the Articles and Newsletters section. efficiency for many years in technical publi­ Training course topics include cost cations for airline customers. These articles index, cruise performance analysis, and the Future plans cover all aspects of fuel conservation, includ­ Boeing performance software Airplane ing flight operations, ground operations, Performance Monitoring (APM). The site Boeing plans to continue to add infor­ maintenance, and technological advances. includes detailed information on how mation and data to the Fuel Conservation This section of the Web site contains operators can use the APM program for site. The information will be a function the following: cruise performance analysis, especially for of phase of flight, specific to the various n relevant articles from AERO magazine fuel consumption. Boeing airplane models, starting with since January 1999. In addition to training materials, this the Next-Generation 737. The goal is n boeing Fuel Conservation & Operations section comprises presentations and white to eventually provide model-specific fuel Newsletters that were published from papers from Boeing Flight Operations conservation information for the 717, 727, 1981 to 1997 (some of the data within conferences and symposia held since 757, 737 Classic, 747, 767, 777, DC-9, these newsletters dates back to 1974 2003. Topics range from continuous DC-10, MD-11, and future models. and earlier). descent final approach to fuel efficiency Information will cover all phases of flight: n relevant articles from AERO magazine’s gap analysis, wingtip devices, weight taxi out, takeoff, climb, cruise, descent, predecessor, , from 1961 to 1992. control, and cruise performance approach, and taxi in. monitoring. For example, the Fuel Conservation & Operations Newsletter from April–June Summary 1990 addresses fuel conservation for the Maintenance Documents 747-400. The issue includes a table that Boeing has developed a Flight Operations shows the effect of cost indices, climb Maintenance Documents is the most Fuel Conservation Web site to help reduce speed, optimum altitude, cruise speed, comprehensive section of the Fuel the time and effort spent by customers descent speed, takeoff flaps selection, Conservation Web site. It contains all searching for and retrieving information and the fuel conservation maintenance data that can help them reduce overall documents that have been published to operational costs. date by Boeing and McDonnell-Douglas For more information, please contact (see fig. 2). James A. Johns at james.a.johns@boeing. com or Masud U. Khan at masud.u.khan@ boeing.com.

21 WWW.boeing.com/commercial/aeromagazine Monitoring Real-Time Environmental Performance

By John B. Maggiore, Senior Manager, Airplane Health Management, Aviation Information Services; and David S. Kinney, Associate Technical Fellow, Airplane Health Management, Aviation Information Services

Through timely and streamlined identification and diagnosis of issues, Airplane Health Management (AHM) provides significant overall fuel and emission performance measures for individual airplanes, enabling operators to improve overall average fleet performance.

AHM is an information tool designed by AHM background An airline’s engineering and maintenance Boeing and airline users that collects staff can use this data to make timely, in-flight airplane information and relays it in AHM is a maintenance decision support economical, and repeatable maintenance real time to the ground. The Performance capability provided through the decisions that can help improve overall fleet Monitoring module within AHM provides MyBoeingFleet.com Web portal. AHM operation. (More information about AHM automated monitoring of fuel consumption uses real-time airplane data to provide can be found in AERO third-quarter 2007, and calculation of carbon dioxide (CO2) enhanced fault forwarding, troubleshooting, which outlines how AHM works, aircraft emissions. Airlines can use this information and historical fix success rates to reduce data used, and benefits to airlines.) to optimize the operation of individual schedule interruptions and increase AHM is designed to be easy to imple­ airplanes as well as entire fleets. maintenance efficiency. It delivers relevant ment and operate. The fee-based service This article provides background on the information whenever and wherever it’s requires no incremental cost for aircraft overall AHM tool, explains the goals of the needed — data received directly from communications addressing and reporting Performance Monitoring module, and airplanes is delivered by Boeing within system (ACARS) if the airline is already shows how automated monitoring of key the MyBoeingFleet.com Web portal. down-linking the related reports. indicators — such as fuel consumption and AHM integrates the remote monitoring, The Performance Monitoring module is CO2 emissions — can help airlines have a collection, and analysis of airplane data to one of three types of decision support avail­ direct impact on the environment and determine the status of an airplane’s cur­ able through AHM. (The others are Real-Time improve their operational efficiency. rent or future serviceability or performance. Fault Management and Service Monitoring.) 22 aero quarterly qtr_03 | 09 Figure 1: AHM provides performance information for a single airplane or an entire fleet Through timely identification and diagnosis of in-service issues, Performance Monitoring provides significant overall fuel and emission performance measures for individual airplanes and, thus, improves overall average fleet performance.

Performance Monitoring module Specific data provided by the module The module can provide operators includes: with timely alerts of difficult-to-detect The AHM Performance Monitoring module performance degradation by clearly n performance comparisons across airline uses Boeing airplane performance moni­ showing specific deviations within the and the larger monitored Boeing fleet. toring (APM) and health management fleet (see fig. 4). n Flight planning factors. technology to provide automated n per-flight and fleet CO2 emissions monitoring of fuel consumption and CO2 (e.g., emissions per seat-kilometer) Performance monitoring emissions. The module enhances viewing, (see figs. 2 and 3). process managing and researching of, and acting n exception-based alerting. on, airplane performance data to optimize n integration with engine original Much as airplane condition monitoring airplane operation and support mainte­ equipment manufacturer condition- systems (ACMS) have facilitated more nance decision-making (see fig. 1). The monitoring alerts. consistent, complete, and convenient module also provides a linkage between collection of higher-quality data on board the performance and mainte­nance the airplane, AHM automates the time- domains, allowing for a common toolset consuming and tedious ground processing that addresses system’s condition and fuel of the performance data. Many airlines performance. have implemented a formal performance

23 WWW.boeing.com/commercial/aeromagazine Figure 2: AHM collects fuel usage data and automatically calculates CO2 emissions Performance Monitoring automates remote monitoring of airplane CO2 emissions via automatic calculation of fuel-used information. AHM uses an industry-accepted multiplier to then calculate resulting CO2 emissions. Summary of emissions in metric tonnes for the flight and kilograms of CO2 per seat- kilometer provide airline visibility to support environmental initiatives.

Figure 3: CO2 emissions for individual flights and across the fleet Summary reports provide airlines with total emissions for fleet or sectors, providing a complete picture of environmental performance relating to flights.

monitoring process. The typical perfor­ airline, airplane, and flight within minutes 3. Analyze data with Boeing APM software. mance monitoring process involves of receiving it from the airplane. APM applies off-nominal data adjust­ five steps: ments to ensure the data and database 2. Convert data to a format that can be are consistent, compares results for 1. Record cruise data. read by Boeing APM software. each data point to chosen baseline Once tight atmospheric and airplane The wide range of ACMS capabilities levels for the same flight conditions, and criteria for stable cruise have been and summary report formats require averages the results for all data points achieved, the ACMS records air data, translation of the data into the digital into selected time periods, observing engine, and airplane performance standard interface record format. deviation trends as functions of time. parameters over a period of several Similarly, manually collected data must AHM presents the resulting minutes. The resulting data can be sent be converted to manual standard performance deviation computations to the ground via the ACARS in a sum­ interface record format. These format and trends in a banner across the top of mary report. Some airlines choose to standards are required for correct and the ACMS summary report (see fig. 4). store the summary reports on board the complete computations. airplane (such as on the quick access AHM ensures that the data inter­ 4. Interpret results. recorder) for later retrieval and analysis. pretation and translation are complete Once the deviations in fuel mileage, AHM receives and processes the and consistent across a wide range fuel flow, and thrust required have been ACARS data for each airplane model, of ACMS reports. computed, the airline’s performance

24 aero quarterly qtr_03 | 09 Figure 4: The Performance Monitoring module Performance Monitoring automates remote monitoring of airplane fuel mileage and associated parameters through alerting of sudden changes as well as gradual degradation. This provides operators with information that can be used to adjust airplane performance factors, analyze performance issues, and make comparisons with other airplanes within the fleet.

Computed APM Deviation Data 1 2 3 % Thrust Dev N1/EPR Dev %FF Dev Eng 1 %FF Dev Eng 2 %FF Dev Tot %FM Dev FF Dev Due ToN1 Error Code 0.6 0.00.30 2.2 4.2 3.2 –3.6 0.5 4 LT Mvg Avg % Thrust Dev N1/EPR Dev %FF Dev Eng1 %FF Dev Eng2 %FF Dev %FM Dev FF Dev Due ToN1 # Data Points LT Mvg Avg LT Mvg Avg LT Mvg Avg LT Mvg Avg LT Mvg Avg LT Mvg Avg Lt Mvg Avg 223 1.649 0.0090 1.226 0.802 1.02 –2.442 1.481 1 % Thrust Required Deviation

<01> B777 APM REPORT 105 2 % Fuel Flow Deviation — All Airplane Per Engine ACID FLT DPT DST DATE FLCT FM GWT ZGCA095 GC868 SIN HKG 02-Nov-2008 : 12:51 56 ER 384880 3 % Fuel Mileage Deviation

PALT CAS MACH TAT LAT LONG THDG SWID SEQ SFC 4 Long-Term (90-Day) Moving 109.753 33.6 –812–00 2 13198 39999 254.6 0.84 -25.0 11.47 Average Statistics

engineers can interpret the data. They 5. Take appropriate action. performance. AHM enables an airline’s per­ assess the data for reasonableness and With fully interpreted and updated formance professionals to initiate necessary examine whether changes are required performance information, airline per­ actions within hours — rather than the in flight planning and flight management formance engineers can update flight weeks required by traditional analysis computer (FMC) factors. These factors planning and FMC factors for improved methods — saving time, fuel, resources, are key to ensuring that the proper reserve and total fuel loading. The and, as a result, money. amount of fuel is loaded for each flight performance information may also AHM may also help automate operators’ and are fundamental in order to save indicate a requirement for planning compliance with CO2 requirements, such fuel and reduce emissions. maintenance actions, such as engine as the European Union Emission Trading AHM automatically assesses the data compressor washes or flight control System monitoring, reporting, and verifica­ and reports any trends that exceed rigging checks. tion of tonne-kilometer data. airline-defined thresholds. AHM also For more information on AHM, monitors the data for abrupt changes please contact John Maggiore at Summary and isolates the cause so it can be [email protected] or Dave corrected quickly. This advanced Kinney at [email protected]. The AHM Performance Monitoring module processing can identify problems long enhances and automates the management before traditional analysis methods. of issues that affect fuel mileage and CO2

25 WWW.boeing.com/commercial/aeromagazine While flight plan calculations are necessary for safety and regulatory compliance, they also provide airlines with an opportunity for cost optimization. Effective Flight Plans Can Help Airlines Economize

By Steve Altus, Ph.D., Senior Scientist, Airline Operations Product Development, Jeppesen

Every commercial airline flight begins with a flight plan. Over time, small adjustments to each flight plan can add up to substantial savings across a fleet. Optimal overall performance is influenced by many factors, including dynamic route optimization, accurate flight plans, optimal use of redispatch, and dynamic airborne replanning. While all airlines use computerized flight planning systems, investing in a higher-end system — and in the effort to use it to its full capability — has significant impact on both profitability and the environment.

An operational flight plan is required to This article provides a brief overview of and lost revenue from payload that can’t ensure an airplane meets all of the flight planning and discusses ways that flight be carried. These variations are subject to operational regulations for a specific flight, planning systems can be used to reduce airplane performance, weather, allowed to give the flight crew information to help operational costs and help the environment. route and altitude structure, schedule them conduct the flight safely, and to constraints, and operational constraints. coordinate with air traffic control (ATC). Flight planning fundamentals Computerized systems for calculating Optimizing flight plans flight plans have been widely used for A flight plan includes the route the crew will decades, but not all systems are the fly and specifies altitudes and speeds.I t also While flight plan calculations are necessary same. There are advantages to selecting provides calculations for how much fuel the for safety and regulatory compliance, they a more capable system and using all of airplane will use and the additional fuel it also provide airlines with an opportunity for its analytical and optimization capabilities. will need to carry to meet various require­ cost optimization by enabling them to deter­ Using the flight planning process to reduce ments for safety (see fig. 1). mine the optimal route, altitudes, speeds, fuel not only saves money but also helps By varying the route (i.e., ground track), and amount of fuel to load on an airplane. the environment: carbon dioxide (CO2) altitudes, speeds, and amount of departure Optimization can be challenging emissions are directly proportional to fuel fuel, an effective flight plan can reduce fuel because it involves a number of different burn, with more than 20 pounds of CO2 costs, time-based costs, overflight costs, elements. An optimized flight plan must not emitted per U.S. gallon of fuel burned. 27 WWW.boeing.com/commercial/aeromagazine Figure 1: Minimum information on an operational flight plan By varying the parameters in a flight plan, flight planning systems can improve the efficiency of an airline’s operations.

COMPUTER FLIGHT PLAN SPEED SKD CLB-250/340/.84 CRZ-CI40 1 DSC-.84/320/250

FUEL TIME POA ZBAA 2 224000 10/31 ALT ZBTJ 006100 00/15 1 What speed to fly (possibly varying along RESV 008500 00/30 the route) CONT 011200 00/40 2 How much fuel the airplane will burn REQ 249800 11/56 (“trip fuel”) XTR 000000 00/00 TOT 3 249800 11/56 3 Total departure fuel, and how it is allocated – fuel to alternate, contingency fuel, and other KSEA..YVR J528 TRENA J488 UAB..YYD NCA34 YXY J515 FAI J502 OTZ B244 allocations that vary between airlines and FRENK G902 ASBAT B337 URABI G212 DABMA W74 SABEM G332 GITUM GIT01A ZBAA 4 regulatory rules 4 What route (ground track) to fly FL 300/YVR 320/YYD 340/FRENK 348/BUMAT 381 5 5 What profile (altitudes along the route) to fly

only take into account the correct physics Route Optimization that used fixed company routes in its (i.e., airplane performance and weather) computer flight planning system. This but also route restrictions from ATC and The best route to fly depends on the actual airline, which had 60 single-aisle airplanes, all relevant regulatory restrictions. The conditions for each flight. These include the used fixed routes developed with historical mathematical nature of these constraints forecast upper air winds and temperatures, winds and experience about ATC require­ and the overall size of the calculation the amount of payload, and the time-based ments. The study determined that using combine to make it a challenging problem, costs that day. The time-based costs are routes optimized with the most recent even by modern optimization standards. especially dynamic, driven by the value forecast winds, with numerical constraints Some of the equations that describe the of the payload and the schedule and modeling ATC requirements, would save behavior are nonlinear and noncontinuous, operational constraints for the crew and about 1 million U.S. gallons of fuel per year. and the airplane state is dynamic (i.e., it the airplane. Winds can have a significant This, in turn, would reduce annual CO2 depends on how the airplane has gotten impact on the optimal route: it can be very emissions by about 20 million pounds. to a specific point, not just where it is). As far from the great circle “direct” route (see a result, tens to hundreds of thousands of fig. 3). Flight planning systems use wind The importance of accuracy individual calculations are required for a forecasts from the U.S. National Weather single flight. Service and U.K. Meteorological Office, Airlines can reduce fuel consumption and An optimal flight planning scenario for updated every one to six hours, to include costs by improving the accuracy of their saving fuel and emissions involves calculat­ the winds in every flight plan calculation. flight plans. The flight crew and dispatcher ing multiple routes or operating approaches While nearly all computer flight planning can elect to add fuel they think might be for each flight, ranking these scenarios by systems can optimize routes, many airlines needed to complete the flight as planned. total cost, choosing the scenario that best still use fixed “company routes” most of the But the heavier the airplane, the more fuel it accomplishes the airline’s cost objectives, time. One reason adoption of dynamic will burn, so adding extra fuel — which and providing summaries of the other route optimization has been limited is that adds weight — burns more fuel, increasing scenarios for operational flexibility (see ATC organizations, overflight permissions, both operating costs and emissions. fig. 2). While the scenario chosen by the and company policies place restrictions on Accurate flight plan calculations can system might be used most of the time, routing­ in certain areas. An effective flight minimize the additional fuel the flight crew dispatchers and operations managers at an planning system contains models of all adds. Accurate calculations are the result airline’s control center may choose another these restric­tions, which are then applied of several factors that combine engineering scenario to meet the airline’s operational as constraints in the numerical optimization and information management. Some of the goals, such as routing of airplanes, crews, process. This allows the flight plan to be relevant factors require integration with and passengers. Because they are often optimized with the dynamic data on winds, other systems and data sources, both making these decisions shortly before temperatures, and costs while still within and outside an airline. departure time, a user-friendly presentation complying with all restrictions. For example, the basic airplane perfor­ of the relevant information is vital. One recent study by Boeing subsidiary mance characteristics come directly from Jeppesen considered the benefit of manufacturer data, but must be modified dynamic route optimization on an airline 28 aero quarterly qtr_03 | 09 Figure 2: Optimal flight planning using multiple routes for each flight A user interface allows management of multiple possible scenarios for a single flight.

1 2 3 4

1 Multiple routing scenarios displayed simultaneously 2 Scenario sort by fuel 3 Scenario sort by payload 4 Scenario sort by any computed field

by active master minimum equipment­ list/ defined by a percentage of flight time or An advanced flight planning system can configuration deviation list data (available in planned fuel burn (varying by different reoptimize the flight plan while the airplane an operator’s maintenance tracking sys­tem) regulators), can be reduced by splitting a is in flight. The airline’s operations center and by measured devia­tions from base­line flight plan into two different calculations: has more information about weather and data, available from Boeing Airplane Perfor­ one from the departure airport to an airport traffic far ahead of the airplane, as well as mance Monitoring software. Up-to-the-minute that is closer than the intended destination, the dynamic costs associated with other payload predictions require integration with and another from a decision point on the flights (related to crew, airplane, and the reservation system, and time-based route of flight to the planned destination. passenger connections), so the flight cost prediction is most accurate when it is Each calculation requires contingency fuel planning system can find better solutions integrated with operational control and crew over its entire distance, but each is less than the flight crew working with the flight tracking systems. Integration with convec­ than the total that would be required for the management computer (FMC) alone. The tive weather and air traffic delay pre­dictions entire flight to the planned destination. The new route and latest forecast winds can be helps to accurately predict possible air­borne actual flight must carry the greater of the uplinked directly to the FMC, minimizing delays or deviations, rather than using rough contingency fuels for the two scenarios. crew workload. guesses. Because an inte­grated, properly The optimal flight plan places the tuned flight planning system increases the decision point in a location where the Trends in flight planning accuracy of calculations used to develop contingency fuels for the two scenarios are flight plans, flight crews and dispatchers will exactly equal; moving it in either direction Airspace design and regulations are chang­ feel confident reducing the amount of extra increases the fuel required for one scenario ing all the time, sometimes quite rapidly. fuel they request. or the other. While some general guidelines Some recent innovations include continuous Further study of the airline described in exist for a good location of the decision descent approaches, high-altitude redesign the “Route Optimization” section found that point, a flight planning system can calculate in the western United States, and new U.S. it carried an average of 300 U.S. gallons of the optimal location automatically — and it Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) extra fuel per flight. Analysis showed that can vary dramatically based on the relative extended-range twin-engine operational the airline could save an additional million locations of all the airports (see fig. 4). performance standards (ETOPS) rules. U.S. gallons of fuel per year by cutting that (Boeing can help operators make sure amount in half. Dynamic Airborne Replanning they’re defining all of theirETOP S parame­ ters and fuel analyses correctly.) These are in Optimal Redispatch Decision Point Winds, temperature, convective weather, addition to less recent changes, such as the and ATC congestion have a sizeable introduction of a reduced vertical separation Another way to decrease total fuel carried impact on the optimal 4D path for an minimum in different parts of the world. is to reduce international contingency fuel airplane. Over the course of a long flight, However, not all operators can take required by using a redispatch technique. this information can change significantly, advantage of the improvements right away Contingency fuel (called “international and the predeparture flight plan may no because their flight planning software can­ reserve fuel” in the United States), which is longer be optimal. not be updated quickly enough. Those whose

29 WWW.boeing.com/commercial/aeromagazine Figure 4: Determining the optimal redispatch decision point On this flight from Denver to Tokyo, the optimal decision point to redispatch changes based on the relative location of all the airports. In this first instance, the decision to turn back to Anchorage is made after the airplane is over Russia. In the Anchorage second instance, the redispatch decision point occurs as the airplane approaches the coast of Japan. The diversion city is Sapporo. Optimum decision point for Anchorage Diversion Path

Diversion Cities

Sapporo Optimum decision point for Sapporo

Denver Tokyo

Figure 3: Forecast winds must be software is ready could take full advantage cost, however, is not independent for a considered to find the optimal route of the innovations, immediately reducing single flight, but related to the decisions This flight from Jakarta to Honolulu illustrates their fuel consumption and operating costs. made for all an airline’s flights because the that a wind-optimal flight path may be far Further route, altitude, and speed cost for passengers, crew, and the airplane from the great circle. This route is 11 percent optimi­za­tion will be made possible by 4D itself to arrive at a specific time depends on longer than a great circle route, but is 2 percent faster and uses 3 percent less fuel. trajectory-based approaches, such as the when their next flights will depart — which, Next Generation Air Transportation System, in turn, depends on when all other flights which is the FAA’s plan to modernize the arrive. By combining the different operational national airspace system through 2025, decisions and optimizing them together, and the Single European Sky Air Traffic better solutions that factor in all of the dif­ Manage­ment Research Programme fer­ent costs and constraints can be attained. (SESAR). Ongoing research goes beyond compliance with new approaches, Summary identifying oppor­tunities for improved optimization that build on the changes to Accurate, optimized flight plans can save Honolulu the global traffic management system. airlines millions of gallons of fuel every Companies such as Jeppesen are also year — without forcing the airlines to com­ working on improved optimization scenar­ promise their schedules or service. Airlines Jakarta ios designed to minimize fuel consumption, can realize their benefits by investing in operational cost, and emissions. For a higher-end flight planning system with instance, Jeppesen is developing a new advanced optimization capabilities and optimization objective function for its then ensuring accuracy by comparing flight flight planning system that is based on an plan values to actual flight data, identifying atmospheric impact metric developed by the cause of discrepancies, and using this airplane design researchers at Stanford Optimized Route information to update the parameters used Great Circle University, taking many emission products in the flight plan calculation. into account, rather than just minimizing Current research in flight planning fuel as a means to minimize CO2. system development ensures that flight Another future trend in flight planning planning systems take full advantage optimization is a close integration with of airspace and air traffic management other airplane operations efforts, such as liberalization and work together with other disruption recovery, integrated operations airline operations systems to produce the control, and collaborative air traffic man­ best overall solutions. agement. Current systems can already pick For more information, please contact optimal cost index speeds if the cost of Steve Altus at [email protected]. arriving at different times is available. This 30 aero quarterly qtr_03 | 09 AERO Readership Survey

Welcome to AERO’s 2009 reader survey. Please help us deliver the best content possible by sharing your opinions, insights, and ideas for AERO. Your participation is anonymous, and no information will be shared outside the given purpose of this survey. It should take less than five minutes to complete.

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