Software will save fuel, reduce expenses

Three years after the Brussels airport in Belgium introduced the Airport Collaborative Decision Making (ACDM) system, the total time spent by aircraft taxiing on its airfield came down by 25%.

Three years after the Brussels airport in Belgium introduced the Airport Collaborative Decision Making (ACDM) system, the total time spent by aircraft taxiing on its airfield came down by 25%. This would mean that each aircraft would burn lesser fuel which will cut down on expenditure.

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In the case of Brussles airport, jet fuel worth 16,000 tonnes was saved. With the Airports Authority of India (AAI) developing a system similar to the ACDM, domestic airlines and airport operators in India can also expect such reductions in expenditure.

According to an industry estimate, if time spent circling is reduced by even five minutes for each plane at an airport handling 100 flights a day, the aviation sector could save 4.83 million litres which worth more than Rs. 22 crores.

“Any move that cuts down expenses is good because most domestic airlines are making losses,” said Sudhakar Reddy, national president of the Air Passengers Association of India (APAI). He added that although airlines are unlikely to pass on the benefits to passengers immediately, it could be possible in the future.

Airport sources said lack of co-ordination between the air traffic control and bay managers often results in long taxiing time for aircrafts after touchdown. “Since airlines have varied aircraft fleets, allocation of bays becomes cumbersome. The system would iron out that problem,” said an official with a private airline requesting anonymity.