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Flight Planning A discussion of fuel cost containment relevant to fuel planning

What has changed is the ability to uplift greater amounts of payload Just over one hundred years ago, man’s due to improved power plants that dream of flying was achieved. From that produce greater thrust and speed, and first-flight event to today’s complex manned the reduction of the force of drag due

flights into space, several constants to sleeker aircraft design modifications.

continue to control flight. The second constant — the purpose of flight — is the desire to success- Although man has been able to fully maneuver or navigate from one effectively conquer the laws of point to another. Navigation is the art physics and escape the bounds of and science of moving from the point gravity, flight aerodynamics have of origin or departure to the point of remained constant over the years. destination without losing your way. The flight planning process can have a dramatic • Airworthiness of the aircraft, economic impact on an ’s bottom line. • Weight limitations (amount of weight the specific aircraft can carry), • Route and altitude requirements. • Required fuel (fuel to get from point A to In the early days of aviation, navigation was point B and to any alternate airport if mostly an art. The simplest instruments of problems arise). flight had not been invented, so pilots used In addition to the safety aspect, flight planning ‘dead reckoning’ or flew ‘by the seat of their can impact the economics of the flight utilizing pants.’ Over the course of the last one hun- the following techniques: dred years, navigation has become a science, and this is where our discussion begins. • Selecting the most economical route and altitude considering weather and constraints, The • Controlling the flying time as it relates to the In order to navigate, a pilot needs a plan — a flight schedule and its impact on the overall flight plan — which is constructed based on airline schedule, several relevant pieces of information: • Managing fuel load to account for fuel • Starting point (point of departure), allocations, availability and price differential • Ending point (final destination), between airports, • Direction of travel, • Controlling the departure time based on • Distance to travel, destination weather to avoid unnecessary diversions, • Aircraft speed, • Maximizing payload capabilities. • Aircraft fuel capacity, Virtually all operating jet equipment • Aircraft weight and balance limits. have a flight planning or dispatch office. Flight The flight plan captures aircraft performance dispatchers and flight planners are required data from the aircraft manufacturers, current to have very comprehensive knowledge of weather to include current and forecasted various aviation disciplines such as weight temperature, and wind direction, and balance, the air-traffic control system, number of passengers, passenger bags and meteorology, government regulations that other cargo information. control aviation within a country, and communications to name a few. The A flight plan provides the pilot with direction timely coordination and application of these on the route of flight from departure city to disciplines by the dispatcher or flight planner destination city, altitude to fly, speed to fly, fuel are designed to produce a safe, reliable and to carry and aircraft performance factors such economical flight operations system. as power and flap settings. The flight plan is supported by a briefing package that Monitoring every flight requires the dispatcher includes local, enroute and destination weather to employ state-of-the-art technology such as information, navigational data for the route of air-ground radio communications, weather radars, flight and appropriate airport data. Airport data aircraft tracking systems, satellite telecommuni- is augmented by , a notice which cations and powerful computer systems. From provides the pilot with critical operational issuing severe weather avoidance information information such as runway closures, runway to assisting flight crews with airborne emergen- shortenings or out-of-service navigation aids. cies, the flight dispatchers are the eyes and ears for every airline’s flight operations. The flight plan is the technical plan for the execution of each flight that meets the legal While the first priority in flight planning is to and safety requirements pertaining to: meet all safety and regulatory requirements,

2 Every extra pound of weight burns approximately 3 percent extra fuel per hour. • Remove primary and outer paint to reduce the weight of the aircraft. This method was used by airlines during the 1970s’ fuel crisis when fuel prices soared. • Introduce the electronic flight bag. One of the many positive aspects of the electronic flight bag is the reduction of paper in the cockpit. This would include the many the flight planning process can have a dramatic manuals (and weight) needed for airport and economic impact through optimization of aircraft performance data. route, altitude, speed, payload and fuel. The But the greatest amount of weight that can flight planning system plays an important be reduced on the aircraft is the additional or role in determining the dispatcher’s and contingency fuel that is not required for legality flight planner’s productivity and efficiency in of flight. The amount of fuel required is based completing their duties. on several calculations. First, the amount of An advanced flight planning system enhances fuel needed to fly from origin to destination the individual’s skills and provides a more is calculated based on fuel burn rate for the efficient operation. Gathering routine type of aircraft, the weight of the aircraft and information such as weather, NOTAMs and the winds. Second, an airline’s dispatcher aircraft restrictions can be labor intensive, calculates an additional amount of reserve fuel thereby eroding efficiency and productivity for at the flight’s intended destination and inducing a greater potential for errors. and diversion to a planned alternate. Added Enhancing the level of systems integration together, the result is the fuel load required to or interface enables dispatchers and flight legally operate the flight. planners to focus on the most critical tasks When additional fuel is carried above the and problems at hand, permitting legal amount required for a flight, more fuel is ‘management by exception.’ The use of an burned due to the extra weight of this additional effective flight planning system also provides fuel. As a rule of thumb, every extra pound of greater standardization in procedures and weight burns approximately 3 percent extra policies that are designed to save time, fuel fuel per hour. and crew costs. In some cases, the opposite process is more cost effective — add more fuel than is needed Reducing Fuel Consumption to fly to the next destination, known as fuel ferrying or tankering. Tankering is the term Through Enhanced Flight Planning for loading fuel used for subsequent flight Three major factors that affect aircraft fuel segments. Airlines analyze fuel costs at each consumption include the weight of the aircraft, airport to which they fly, and then calculate speed of the aircraft and wind resistance. the costs of flying (tankering) additional fuel Reducing the weight of an aircraft will reduce from one airport to another versus the cost fuel consumption because the engines will of buying fuel at the destination airport. The work less to maintain flight for a lighter aircraft. additional cost of carrying additional fuel can There are several methods used today to be lower than the price of purchasing reduce the weight of the aircraft: additional fuel at the destination airport. • Remove unused or non-essential items such In addition to reducing aircraft weight, there as pillows, blankets, magazines, magazine are several ground procedures that can be racks and certain galley equipment that were modified that will also reduce fuel usage, such as: onboard to enhance passenger services, • Using only one engine when taxiing,

3 to enable greater access to fuel-efficient routes that are now available due to the increased altitude separation requirements, • Lowering cruise speed when possible to • Shutting down engines during ground delays reduce in-flight fuel consumption and avoid as appropriate, early arrivals and extended ground holds waiting on a gate, • Using ground tugs for aircraft movement on ground, • Utilizing more precise navigation tools such as global positioning satellites and • Using electric ground power units instead better wind forecasting methods to reduce of the onboard auxiliary power units excess fuel on international flights. powered by jet engines and jet fuel to provide electricity and ground-conditioned air when on the ground. Conclusion Introduction to new technologies continue Improved Flight Planning to make significant improvements in the Procedures art of flying. To take advantage of these new technologies today, airlines need more Automating dispatch and flight planning functions advanced automated flight planning systems has changed flight operations around the world. that will provide the optimum flight plan based Today’s automated flight planning systems on the flight environment at time of departure help reduce fuel costs through new flight or even during the flight. Considering all factors planning techniques working in concert with that effect a flight, the automated flight plan new navigational technology, including: aligns with the new technologies of aircraft • Using cost index-based flight planning and navigational systems to produce the flight used in conjunction with the onboard plans that minimize flight time, improve aircraft flight-management computer to optimally productivity and minimize maintenance time calculate flying speed based on winds while reducing operational costs such as fuel. and aircraft weight, Aerodynamics have not changed. • Utilizing reduced vertical separation minimal Aircraft operations has.

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