It may surprise you to know that many key aviation businesses still rely on a ‘pen & paper’ approach to data processing. But why is that a potential mistake? Fuel suppliers, airlines, airports, and into-plane service providers all rely on data to improve everything from aircraft turnaround time to fuel efficiency per flight.
Historically, many of the intricate and often complex processes involved in these operations - such as fueling or quality control - have been recorded by employees using written forms and manual data entry. Unfortunately, this leaves capturing that data open to human error, with the probability during manual data entry believed to be between 18% and 40% (UH, 2008).
Errors in data capture or communication between the refueler and the pilot can result in flight delays. With delays costing airlines an average of $74.20 per minute, and the average delay taking around 12.4 minutes (ATOT, 2020), those numbers soon add up.
When it comes to turnarounds, it can mean over-fueling due to last-minute changes, communication problems and fueling errors. Overfueling can result in significant weight increases and fuel costs for affected flights. In turn, this leads to increased CO2 being generated for each affected flight, preventing the aviation industry from achieving its net-zero goals.
Luckily, relying on paper-based processes and data capture is soon becoming a thing of the past thanks to digitalization. Paper fuel tickets are being replaced by handheld tablets which communicate without the need to visit the flight deck. Those tablets then send accurate data directly to allocators, allowing them to plan their resources as effectively as possible. An example of this solution proving to be effective can be seen at London Heathrow Airport, where British Airways were able to significantly optimize fueling, saving thousands of tonnes of fuel and CO2.
However, removing paper-based data capture is only the beginning. The key to ensuring you get the most from digitalizing your operations is two-fold.
First, you need to ensure your data is being sent and received in real time. Secondly, that data needs to be captured and available across the entire fuel supply chain, end-to-end from fuel farm to take-off. For example, fuel suppliers can use airline data when allocating stock to eliminate unnecessary manual data input. Airlines can reduce delays and save on fuel costs by having instant communication with refuelers, while into-plane providers can more effectively plan and allocate resources by having access to airline flight data and real-time order details.
Once in place across the entire fuel supply chain, digitalization can truly be a game changer in allowing the aviation industry to reach and exceed its targets.
Michael Tanser
Communications Specialist, i6 Group
i6 Group is the world's fastest-growing fuel management technology provider for airlines, fuel service providers, and suppliers. Innovative technology digitizes the entire airport fuel supply chain, driving operational efficiency, transparency and sustainability. i6 technology is in use at more than 150 airports and has optimized over 30 million tonnes of fuel globally, helping to reduce costs and carbon emissions.
