Airline pilot perceptions and implementation of fuel saving actions

Abstract

With the introduction of the carbon emission cost system initiated by the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation(CORSIA), the improvement of fuel efficiency in flight operations will have higher impact on airline profitability than before. In-flight fuel consumption is somewhat influenced by pilots’ technical actions when maneuvering aircraft during flight. This study investigated pilots’ recognition and implementation of fuel efficient aircraft controls. The required data were collected using a survey on a sample of pilots from multiple airlines. This survey examined their awareness of fuel saving measures and the implementation of those measures during flight operations. The data were analyzed via Analytical Hierarchy Process(AHP) and Importance-Performance Analysis(IPA). It was determined that pilots recognized the cruise phase to have the highest potential fuel savings with shortcut route selections. Power idle descents were considered second in terms of fuel saving potential. On the other hand, the pilots did not significantly recognize or implement factors related to operations on the ground.