2278. Real Time Related Dry Operating Weight System

Paper

Abstract

A major concern of airlines is weight saving. Each extra kilogram (pound) on an aircraft Basic Weight costs fuel and may not be used for payload. In the 1970s when fuel prices soared, within KLM it was decided to organize a Weight Saving Committee. The committee was composed of members from the following departments: Technical/Engineering, Flight Operations, Performance, Ground Handling, Catering/Inflight Services, and Cabin Crew. During Weight Saving Committee sessions most of the weight savings were obtained on the aircraft Basic Empty Weight (BEW), in the form of light weight inplane loading systems, removal of permanent technical flight kits, installation of light weight floor panels, tires, etc. KLM is a so-called Dry Operating Weight (DOW) carrier. A DOW can be calculated for a group of aircraft in the same weight range, a so called fleet weight or a DOW for each individual aircraft. Within KLM for each flight a DOW and Dry Operating Index (DOI) was calculated based on maximum weights for Pantry and Potable Drinking Water. It was realized that further weight savings could be made in the DOW by controlling the uplift of potable water and catering to match the number of passengers carried. The weight reduction will result in a fuel saving and would enable us to carry additional payload. Naturally this will require additional fuel to carry the extra payload. It was calculate that this would result in an annual profit of about 6 million Dutch guilders (US $4 million). For this reason in 1992 a working group started to develop a Dry Operating Weight System which would calculate the ?Real Time Related? Dry Operating Weight and Index for each individual flight. As from Spring 1994 the Dry Operating Weight System was gradually introduced in the KLM network for flights operating with Boeing 747-400 and MD-11 aircraft which are equipped with a potable water preselect system. Other aircraft types in the KLM fleet are not equipped with a potable water preselect system (Boeing 747-300, Boeing 737, and Fokker 100). Based on the experience with the B747-400 and MD-11 fleet it will be decided if it is worthwhile to equip all aircraft in the KLM fleet with a potable water preselect system. The Dry Operating Weight and Dry operating Index (DOW/DOI) can be retrieved from the DOW System with a request message. The main purpose of the DOW System is to release the actual calculated DOW/DOI data to the station which made the request based on the actual number of crew and the weight for potable water and pantry based on the actual number of booked passengers.