Says Time Savings Could Result In Millions Of Dollars Saved

A new project which could help slash airport delays by reducing snarl-ups in the chain of operations that prepare an aircraft for its next flight is being launched by Cambridge University.

University officials tell ANN the initiative will trial the latest automated identification technology -- including tiny RFID electronic tags, that feed information back to computers -- to examine how it could be used to speed up airport operations by making equipment and processes more visible. Researchers believe it could lead to "dramatic improvements" at airports around the world.

Earlier research carried out by the University’s Institute for Manufacturing shows that the use of Auto-ID Technology and better data-sharing between airlines, ground-handlers, fuelers and caterers could cut delays in aircraft turnaround times by 25%. At the UK’s 10 biggest airports alone, that would generate annual airline savings of £160 million, and perhaps even more importantly reduce pressure on overstretched airport facilities.

"The project will explore how key parties involved in airport operations, such as airport authorities, airlines, ground handlers, maintenance organizations, fuelers and caterers can work together seamlessly and effectively," said Professor Duncan McFarlane, from the Institute for Manufacturing. "The way these parties share information will be examined, allowing them to recognize and share problems quickly and work together to minimize or resolve airport delays as they occur."

The rising volumes of air traffic in recent years, as well as escalating fuel prices and tighter security controls have made airports increasingly vulnerable to system-wide breakdowns. The result can be delayed flights, long queues, lost baggage and wasted time, as well as rising costs for the companies involved.

Many of these delays occur as a result of bottlenecks in the sequence of activities that takes place between consecutive flights, such as baggage handling, refueling, maintenance tasks and passenger transfer. Because the companies carrying out these tasks don’t always share information, a breakdown somewhere along the line can cause a system-wide snarl-up.

Over the last few years, in a range of different initiatives, airports have tested different types of Auto-ID technology which could potentially track different items. Until now, however, the technology has never been used on an airport-wide basis to speed up aircraft turnaround. This will be the focus of the Cambridge project.

The researchers plan to test the use of Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) tags to provide visibility of different assets used in airport operations, such as ground equipment. The tiny electronic chips would be fitted to items like boarding passes, bags, baggage containers and catering trolleys. They would then feed back information to computers used by the different service teams on the ground, alerting them to problems and keeping them up-to-date with the plane preparation progress.

"The need for more efficient airports is at an all-time high," McFarlane added. "While we can’t put an end to flight delays, we could be taking measures to ensure that delays are dealt with effectively and guarantee that planes are ready for their next flight sooner."

FMI: www.cam.ac.uk