Starting a fuel efficiency program is a challenging project: from setting up your fuel team to choosing a fuel efficiency tool to better monitor and improve your fuel results; there are many stakeholders to involve and challenges to overcome.
The implementation of a Fuel Efficiency Management System is key to set up an efficient and successful Fuel Efficiency Program. The purpose of this checklist is to highlight the key points such a solution should provide for the airline to achieve its main objectives:
-
A smooth implementation
The implementation project of a Fuel Efficiency Management System can be either long, painful, and time-consuming or, on the contrary, smooth, quick, and under control.
To ensure a successful implementation, we advise you to consider and anticipate the following elements:
- Your data sources must be supported by the software you choose.
- We recommend an implementation duration of 3 to 5 months, supported by a solid and proven methodology to be effective.
- Consider having an assigned Customer Success Manager to help you with the project and coordinate effectively.
- Consider also the possibility to have a local presence at the airline’s facilities for the project.
- Determine clear and identified milestones regarding implementation.
On the airline side, here are three tips to consider:
- Anticipate data availability, especially for FDR data.
- Anticipate resources availability for the airline’s team: project manager, data experts, IT expert in authentication systems.
- Define a steering committee to take decisions and adjust orientations in case of difficulties or delays.
>> Read more: How to prepare for a fuel efficiency solution implementation?
- Improve efficiency with reliable and accurate software
In a domain as demanding as airline operations, true business intelligence requires going beyond coarse statistics alone and relying on more accurate computations.
That’s why we recommend that the KPIs or other metrics you analyze are based on performance models, SOPs and consider external factors, such as weather conditions and ATC procedures.
To ensure to improve your airline fuel efficiency, here are interesting Fuel Efficiency Management System features to consider:
- A large number of predefined analyses so that you can start working out-of-the-box
- Full customization is key since you need to be able to create any type of reports and dashboards quickly and easily
- Above all, it must be easy to share with all stakeholders to facilitate and improve the airline’s decision-making.
- The better you empower your pilots, the most efficient your fuel-saving plan will be
As pilots are the main actors when it comes to fuel conservation initiatives, the better you engage them, the more efficient your fuel-saving plan will be.
Most of all, we advise airlines to empower their pilots with an EFB tool that provides personal feedback for self-assessment: it allows them to review their own results and have a brief about forthcoming flights. Pilots particularly appreciate features such as a 3D flight visualization and a briefing leveraging the experience of their peers with data crowdsourced from the company’s previous flights. These tools can sometimes collect feedbacks from the pilots towards the Fuel Efficiency team to close the communication loop.
>> Read more: How to better engage pilots in your fuel program?
- A guided onboarding and unlimited support
Because the implementation of a solution is not the end but the beginning of the journey, it is important that your fuel team is provided with training, guidance, and support towards a successful mastery of the Fuel Efficiency Management System.
Best-in-class SaaS (Software as a Service) companies propose a full onboarding program for their new customer.
Onboarding programs generally consist in having a dedicated Customer Success Manager. He provides technical assistance to properly configure the software and guidance to launch your Fuel Efficiency project and reach your objectives. Regular meetings should be planned.
This process results in 3 main benefits:
- Reduce the airline’s workload significantly
- Achieve more and faster fuel savings
- Engage the airline’s team more efficiently
In a true Software as a Service (SaaS) model, support should be included in the subscription and be unlimited. It is very difficult to evaluate the exact level of support required by the airline when launching its Fuel Efficiency Program.
A support pricing based on a cost-per-hour approach might lead to substantial yearly support invoices. Or, worse, it could result in restricting support request to control cost; the unfortunate consequence would be to limit the mastery of the solution, which will result in lower savings. That’s why airlines prefer an all-included model that includes support, with no additional hidden costs.
Want to go further on that topic? Download our Fuel Efficiency Management System requirements checklist:
READ MORE
Like what you see? Want to learn more about fuel efficiency?
Discover case studies and stories from airlines that have been there:
