Flight Efficiency: Addressing current Limitations.and taking more ownership? AO perspective Rory Sergison, Aer Lingus Air Traffic Services Manager 1
Setting the Scene: Aer Lingus Perspective Coming off the back of the global economic downturn and shrinkage in our traditional domestic market Aer lingus recorded an operating loss of 93million in the first half 2009. A strategic review of the business model and the market conditions were conducted and the management team concluded that significant changes were required to ensure the viability of the company. Cost saving programmes were tasked with saving the company 97million in both staff and non staff costs from 2010-2013. The same can be said for most of the AO community We all needed to work smarter and more efficiently to manage our DOC`s especially Fuel and Overflight charges As headcount began to be reduced it was aligned with significant investments in upgrading our sophisticated systems to maximise operational efficiency through automation and optimisation In 2014 Aer Lingus recorded a record 11 million passengers in a single year. 2 Flight efficiency: addressing current limitations... and taking more ownership?
Flight efficiency: System Efficiency- Automated Flight Planning The system is automatically populated with : Schedule information Dep/Dest Flight Couplings Payload MEL Requirements/restrictions Fuel and Overflight Charges 3
Flight efficiency: addressing current limitations... and taking more ownership?...we do! The system runs the flight plan based on the aircraft data file for the acft type looking at the following: Cost of operating the particular acft type/ per minute Fuel cost at the particular airport ( has an effect on tankering and route selection) Mel restrictions ie; HF inop RAD AUUP NOTAMS Overflight Costs SID /STAR restrictions i.e.flight levels, acft equipment Alternate airport availability Standing Level Agreements Weather Operational requirements Rwy in use /taxi times Plannable directs The system will automatically run, file and crew brief based on the most cost efficient route. The selected route maybe changed by operations to meet schedules,reduce delays etc Plannable directs Overflight Costs 4
Flight efficiency: What cannot be managed through automation? Flight are monitored in CHMI /NOP portal for any predicted slot delays/flight suspensions and if required will be re routed to avoid cost Issues With any changes to the AUUP it is difficult to identify airspace that becomes available. Scenarios / Cherry picking is a manual process Staffing issues Airport issues Incorrect Notams /Canx of Notams Rwy in use / Point merge Predictability of filed route and level MDI Scenarios Slots Holding Cherry Picking Level capping 5
Flight efficiency: the biggest challenges in 2014? Increase in mandatory scenarios- AO`s prefer flexibility Social unrest / strikes- high costs for fuel and enroute charges Structural staffing issues in some ACCs Political crises resulting in dramatic changes in traffic patterns (War in Palestine, Ukrainian crisis/downing of MH17 ) ATS System failures Natural hazards / weather events including floods, volcanoes and a large increase in Thunderstorm activity New ATS systems and procedures including Point Merge, increase costs and reduce predictability 6
Flight efficiency: The way forward? Predictability is key Smart data- SWIM CFSP`s also have a role to play UDPP??? Next steps The TMA environment will be the biggest challenge in the coming years EC691- evolution is influencing operator behaviour Are the performance schemes fit for purpose- do they drive the correct behaviour? 7
8 Thank you, any questions?