Using data for fuel efficiency at Cebu Pacific - OpenAirlines
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28 | CASE STUDY: CEBU PACIFIC | AIRCRAFT IT OPERATIONS | MARCH-APRIL 2017
Using data for fuel
efficiency at Cebu Pacific
Francesc Torres, Director Flight Operations Technical Support & Dispatch at Cebu
Pacific and Alexandre Feray, CEO of OpenAirlines explain how a fuel preservation
program was implemented at Cebu Pacific
MARCH-APRIL 2017 | AIRCRAFT IT OPERATIONS | CASE STUDY: CEBU PACIFIC | 29
“Fuel represents the largest single expense for any
airline which means that it is very important to work
at managing and, through that, reducing the volume
and cost of fuel used.”
I
N THIS ARTICLE we will cover how Cebu Pacific established its fuel
program and how it’s not necessary to be a large airline in order to set up
a successful fuel management program. Fuel represents the largest single
expense for any airline which means that it is very important to work at
managing and, through that, reducing the volume and cost of fuel used.
Cebu Pacific airline is based in the Philippines and operates long-haul
international flights (including to the Middle East and ETOPS services)
as well as an extensive domestic network. It makes for an often complex
operation. There are currently 60 aircraft in the fleet with another 50 on
order which will take the fleet to about 100 aircraft (mainly Airbus and
ATR types). With some 10,000 flights a month, the airline carries around
20 million passengers a year.
of initiatives?’ They vary from company to company but largely (and this The first challenges in all of this were that Cebu Pacific was starting with
FUEL OPTIMIZATION PROGRAM is our second basic concept) they could be described as the ‘low hanging Big Data. So there was the challenge of data availability. A lot of readers will
THE APPROACH fruits’; those changes that it will be easier to implement and that everybody still operate a lot of manual processes with paper and manual input which,
Cebu Pacific didn’t want to dictate to pilots how they should perform their in the process will understand so that it’s possible to get momentum into when embarking on a fuel management program based on data, poses the
job as far as fuel is concerned; there was no wish to force them to do any of the program. The problem with things that are very complex and need challenge of how to get all of that information into an electronic format and
the procedures required. Rather the airline wanted to change the company years to implement is that, if they’re the first initiatives in the program, how to get it into the system so that it’s possible to analyze what is going
culture to one that is fuel conscious, where everybody understands that they’ll never be completed. on for Operations. There was also the challenge of generating positive
fuel is a limited and costly resource. So, where to start? information feedback; establishing KPIs, measuring them, analyzing them
There was no previous experience of fuel management in Cebu Pacific and, where necessary, biting the bullet and modifying them if they didn’t
prior to this project nor any experience of ‘Big Data’ but Cebu Pacific is Fuel Optimization Program contribute anything useful to the program or if the information they
growing fast and needed something that would be easy to implement and
quick so that it wouldn’t be necessary to spend multiple years achieving the Starting with Big Data delivered was not really needed.
desired company culture. The first step was to define a road to success, how CULTURE AND COMMUNICATION
the airline was going to get to the final objective and the first requirement It’s necessary to look at data objectively: data is not generated to apportion
General Concepts on Initiatives
in that was communication to the operational staff that was continuous, blame, KPIs are not measured to judge people; the objective is to improve
concise and transparent – easy for everybody to understand from pilots We strongly believe: what we do using real information to view outcomes objectively. In some
to ground staff to management; right across the organization. It was also Pareto Principle - 20% of the fuel efficiency policies will airline cultures, people are sensitive about ‘pointing fingers’ but that should
important to define objectives and KPIs (key performance indicators); to produce 80% of the potential savings. never be the way data and KPIs are used. If that is an issue, it will be necessary
measure them and to evaluate their success openly so that if something was to first change the company culture so that people see KPIs as a positive
not working, it could be changed. However, to do all that, data was needed, resource to help them improve the process and perform their job better.
Var CI
phase
“Low-hanging fruits” first
in pursuit of the end point which would be a company culture where RNP AR
RNP AR
An important step along the road to success is to get all the big data and
2019
everybody was conscious about fuel. It’s a limited resource, it’s not feasible Opt FL ? all the KPIs, yes, but, as important is how are they displayed, how are they
?
to simply burn as much fuel as we might want but, within that, safety and measured, how is the database built? This is where Cebu Pacific looked
tool
2nd tier
efficiency cannot be compromised. EFZW for a partner to work with them in developing the program and chose
2018
SOP
Monitoring
Taxi policies
OpenAirlines.
STARTING WITH BIG DATA
HOW OPENAIRLINES’ SKYBREATHE CAME TO HELP
PWI
Cebu Pacific’s program is predicated around two basic concepts (figure 1).
RNP App
2017
Var CI Airports
First is the Pareto principle1 that twenty percent of actions taken will policy
COLLECTING DATA
account for eighty percent of outcomes. In this case, it means that twenty In reality, airlines have, for a long time, been sitting on a mine of data:
2016
EOTI EFZW
percent of fuel efficiency initiatives should account for eighty percent of their problem is that they are data rich but information poor. However, in
fuel savings which leads to the question, ‘what are those twenty percent Figure 1 order to make good decisions and improve processes and performance,
30 | CASE STUDY: CEBU PACIFIC | AIRCRAFT IT OPERATIONS | MARCH-APRIL 2017
companies need information based on data not just opinions based on
experience. The good news is that, with modern technology, advances
in IT technology and so-called big data technology there are now the
means available to exploit all of that data and turn it into information.
OpenAirlines has designed a sophisticated IT system that processes a lot of
data and turns it into information about fuel efficiency. In the case of Cebu
Pacific, the fuel efficiency software had to interface with and integrate data
from seven different sources:
1. QAR (quick access recorder) data was used extensively;
2. OFP (operational flight plan);
3. AOC (airline operation control/center);
4. ACARS (Aircraft Communications, Addressing and Reporting
System);
5. Load sheets;
6. Fuel prices;
7. Active Diretory (authentication infrastructure).
This process (figure 2) includes merging the data, cleansing it (there will
often be mistakes in the sources) and, most importantly, interpreting
that data. At Cebu Pacific, the seven different sources generate some
2 gigabytes of data each day so it’s not a simple task to turn those data
into information. Having done that, it’s then important to have a clear
communication of the data and information in order to ensure that OpenAirlines’ SkyBreathe OpenAirlines’ SkyBreathe
decisions are based on correct and correctly understood information. Quickly identify the savings Detailed metrics to improve
OpenAirlines SkyBreathe
Automated data consolidation Quickly identify the savings Compute detailed metrics to go get the higher hanging fruits
Automatically know where you stand and where you should go 1000+ metrics computed on each flight
Automatically transform data into information
Drill-down by AC type, route, airport, etc. 100+ predefined reports and unlimited custom reports
REDUCED ACCELERATION ALTITUDE
Merge, check and cleanse data from 7 different sources at CEBU IDLE REVERSE THRUST
CONTINUOUS DESCENT APPROACH
QAR, OFP, AOC, Loadsheets, Fuel price, ACARS, AD PILOT EXTRA FUEL
ENGINE OUT TAXI IN
Runs Big Data algorithms to interpret 100’s of records per second of flight
Several gigabytes of data processed everyday
Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4 Figure 5 Figure 6
DELIVERING INFORMATION Of course, not all fruits are ‘low hanging’. There are also ‘higher hanging As can be seen, information can be broken down so that, for instance, data
When users log into the software, the first thing it tells them (figure 3 and fruits’ which are attractive and can deliver real value but which cannot such as Acceleration Altitude can be recorded for different airports in order
figure 4) is where they can save fuel, what are those ‘low hanging fruits’ that so easily be reached. In the matter of fuel efficiency, users will need a to allow the airline to maximize the realizable savings in all situations.
we mentioned earlier. As can be seen, the potential savings are huge. And software solution to exploit these ‘higher hanging fruits’. For Cebu Pacific, Users can drill into the information by many different criteria in order to
having seen these automatically generated global figures, users will wish to the OpenAirlines SkyBreathe solution offers the sophisticated levels find where all the savings can be realized. But, if users want to get to the
drill down to see how they apply to each aircraft type in the fleet, to each of measurement for KPIs and metrics that is required. Figures 5 and 6 ‘higher hanging fruits’, these types of tools are required.
route, at different airports, etc. to see where specific changes can be focused illustrate examples of the type of information needed to leverage these
to achieve progress on fuel management. higher level savings potentials. BUILDING AN INCLUSIVE CULTURE; SPREADING THE WORD
Coming back to another earlier point, it is so important to build the
right company culture. If the full value of any fuel management program
“If the full value of any fuel management program is to be realized, there must be a fuel conscious culture throughout the is to be realized, there must be a fuel conscious culture throughout the
company; maintenance, ground support, flights ops… and, for that to
company; maintenance, ground support, flights ops… and, for that to be the case, it is important to communicate.” be the case, it is important to communicate. The software also helps here
because SkyBreathe allows users to build their own custom dashboards
MARCH-APRIL 2017 | AIRCRAFT IT OPERATIONS | CASE STUDY: CEBU PACIFIC | 31
with the KPIs they want. There can be dashboards INTERACTIVE Click here for full product details
for maintenance, for flight ops, for everybody; plus FRANCESC TORRES
the software allows those dashboards to be shared Francesc Torres is Director — Flight
easily (on a public or a restricted basis) on the Operations Technical Support & Dispatch at
Internet. There’s also an iPad app for pilots that, after Cebu Pacific, supporting Flight Operations
each flight, provides a debriefing on each aspect of “we requested of Volartec
in all related technical matters, including
fuel management during that flight so that pilots Fuel, performance, documentation, flight
feel engaged in the process and can apply their own that the implementation
dispatch, delivery flights. His companywide
professional skills to improve fuel efficiency on later
flights. It’s not to check on them but to give them the project should not exceed 30
duties include migrating flight operations
to Data-driven decision making, using Big Data Analysis
information with which they can best do this part of
their job, understand what fuel efficiency is about and
days, in order not to interfere with our
tools. Francesc holds degrees, in Aeronautical Engineering
and in Management and Business Administration.
make progress. operation.”
Currently living in the Philippines, he is a Spanish national
And finally, it’s a good idea to take the culture of fuel and speaks fluently English, Spanish and Catalan.
consciousness beyond the company even by engaging
with the local ATC (air traffic control) authority. ALEXANDRE FERAY
Perhaps their approaches are designed well for safety Alexandre Feray, the CEO of OpenAirlines,
and for noise minimizing but take little or no account has 25 years’ experience in the Software
of fuel efficiency. Again, with the tool, an airline can and Airline Industry. He holds an MSc in
create some analyses based on real data which will Engineering and IT from École Centrale Paris
make it possible to present facts and figures to the ATC and started his career at IBM before joining
authority as the basis for a dialogue; some airlines have Alcatel and Air France, where he was the
already done this. head architect of Air France Operations
Control Center’s reengineering program and became the
CHALLENGES THAT HAVE INFORMED head of Air France Crew Management IT Department.
THE PROGRAM In 2006, he founded OpenAirlines, providing consulting
The challenges encountered during Cebu Pacific’s fuel and software solutions to reduce the costs of airline
efficiency program and from which the airline has operations.
learned have included:
• CREW CULTURE: for each airline it will be different CEBU PACIFIC
but it’s important that the people designing the fuel Cebu Pacific, is a
efficiency initiative understand this in order that Philippine low-cost
they can evaluate the best way to communicate with airline based in
crews and integrate them as active participants into Manila. It offers
the program. scheduled flights to both domestic and international
• ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE: it’s important to be destinations. The fleet is comprised of 48 Airbus (6 A319,
transparent so that users can see for themselves what 36 A320 and 6 A330) and 9 ATR (8 ATR 72-500 and 1 ATR
is happening. 72-600) aircraft. It is one of the most modern aircraft fleets
• COLLECTING DATA: with so much data to put into in the world. Between 2016 and 2021, Cebu Pacific will
the system, so many paper processes to change and take delivery of 32 brand-new Airbus A320, two Airbus
the need to ensure accuracy, it does take time; so A330, and 15 ATR 72-600 aircraft.
people have to be patient when the system is being
established. OPENAIRLINES
• A SPECIAL TEAM FOR THE PROGRAM: don’t just Leveraging a team
tag this on to other jobs; make it a role in its own of airline specialists
right with a team who understand the challenges, the and data scientists,
issues to target, the resources available and how to OpenAirlines offers
get the best from the system. innovative software solutions to save fuel (SkyBreathe®),
In this way, an airline can get to grips with the issue manage crews (CrewIntelligence™ and CrewPad™)
of fuel and can also use that program to support staff and manage the fleet (OptiFleet™). Capitalizing on its
engagement in the good running of the business. participation in the European Research Program, Clean Sky,
from 2009 to 2014, the company developed SkyBreathe®,
FOOTNOTE: 1 The Pareto principle is a principle, named an innovative eco-flying solution to fuel saving and reduce
after economist Vilfredo Pareto, which specifies an unequal CO2 emissions. OpenAirlines devotes more than 25% of its
relationship between inputs and outputs. The principle states turnover to R&D leading to more fuel saving and a better
that 20% of the invested input is responsible for 80% of the ROI (return on investment) for users.
results obtained. (Investopedia.com)
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