Operational Efficiency in an Airline Industry
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Added on 2020-03-16
Operational Efficiency in an Airline Industry
Added on 2020-03-16
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Running head: OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY IN AN AIRLINE INDUSTRY1OPERATING AN AVIATION INDUSTRYNameInstitutionDate of submission
OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY IN AN AIRLINE2IntroductionThe aviation industry has grown recently over the years. The aviation industry is of greatimportance as it brings people together by encouraging easy and fast transport. It also promoteseconomic growth in various countries by supporting international business and tourism.Competition in the aviation industry has always been stiff. It, therefore, calls for betteroperations of the aircraft for a company to achieve a competitive edge over its rivals. Aircraftpilots plays a vital role in operation efficiency of the aircrafts. It becomes important for them toidentify critical drivers and variables that affect the operations of the aircraft and hence optimizethem for an advanced performance (Sarkis, 2000). This paper, thus, discusses jet aircraftefficiency requirements (altitude selection, the cruise speed, angle of attack, maximum payloadcarried from a runway, and center of gravity when loading) that are vital in ensuring operationalefficiency in an airline with special focus on the aircraft pilot.Significance of the cruise speed selectionDetermining the cruise speed of an aircraft plays a great deal in optimizing the operationefficiency of an aircraft. The pilot has however to understand the difference between theindicated speed and the true speed. The altitude one is cruising as well as the power and mixturesettings have a significant influence on the aircraft operations. It is crucial for a pilot to adjust thecalibrated airspeed in relation to the temperature and altitude so as to maintain a smooth flow ofthe flight. As the aircraft gains altitude and temperature increases, the air becomes less dense. Ata higher altitude and temperature, the true airspeed becomes lower and therefore, the pilot needsto adjust accordingly. It is difficult to display the true airspeed of an aircraft accurately due toother variables such as temperature, air pressure, aircraft weight, altitude, and instrument error(Aktürk et al., 2014). The weight and wheel fairings go hand in hand with the cruise speed of the
OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY IN AN AIRLINE3aircraft. For instance, aircraft flow at a heavier weight travels slower than the normal speed. It,therefore, becomes crucial for an aircraft pilot to understand all these variables and coordinatethem for an efficient aircraft operation (Dancila et al., 2013). Since altitude plays a significantrole in fuel consumption of an aircraft, for an experienced pilot, he/she need to lean as they flythrough a higher altitude. Therefore, the higher the aircraft goes, the more the pilot needs to learnto optimize the fuel and air mixture (Jensen et al., 2013).Cruise speed optimization of aircrafts significantly saves on fuel. The air traffic controlhas set up some regulations that require the aircraft to hold on to a specific altitude and therefore,optimization of the cruise speed at a constant altitude becomes of great importance in operationsperformance (Antoine & Kroo, 2004). In the optimization of this variable, one has to considerthe aircraft thrust, minimum fuel consumption required, operating costs, and the maximum andminimum range.How angle of attack affects the operations of an aircraftThe angle between a wing chord line of an aircraft and the direction of the relative windis known as the angle of attack. When there is an increase in the angle of attack, impact pressurebelow the wing will also increase and consequently increasing the lift and drag hence the centerof pressure moves forward (Swatton, 2008). When the pilot changes the angle of attack, he canthereby control the airplane’s drag, airspeed, and lift. Whenever a pilot is in a straight and levelflight or descending and ascending in a constant rate, he should take note of the lift so as toensure an efficient flight. In order for a pilot to generate a sufficient lift especially in highaltitude, he needs to adjust the airspeed to the corresponding values for proper angle of attack. Italso important to put into consideration factors that increase the stalling speed of the aircraft.These variables include; weight added, load factor increase, bank angle increase, decreased
OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY IN AN AIRLINE4power, and variations in loading. The pilots as well as to understand the impact the center ofgravity can have on the aircraft if it’s too far rearward. At such instances, the normal spin andstall recovery becomes difficult thereby making the aircraft become uncontrollable.Altitude selection and air densityHigh humidity, high temperatures, high elevations, and low atmospheric pressurenormally results in lower air density which in turn decreases the aircraft performance. An aircraftexpresses a high groundspeed at touch line. The ground effect usually cushions the airunderneath the wing thereby decreasing the drag and also increasing the lift. It becomes crucialfor the pilot therefore, to understand that when the plane is leaving the ground effect, it willrequire more thrust, experience an increase in induced drag, and a greater angle of attack. Thisbecomes essential since many accidents occur during take offs and landing periods. Therefore,putting these two variables; air density and pressure altitude into consideration is essential inpreventing occurrence of accidents. Air density normally affects the engine’s power output inrelation to the altitude. Air pressure/altitude, humidity, and temperature influence the air densitywhich in turn influences the engine performance of the aircraft (Dole et al., 2016). Due to thesefactors, then the pilot has to calculate the density altitude and compare with the relatedperformance charts before attempting to either land or start a flight.Centre of gravity loadingCentre of gravity plays a critical role in operations of an aircraft. Normally, aircraftbalances on its center of gravity and the downward force act on that particular location. Anaircraft maintains the center of gravity and the aircraft weight through the lift amount (Yang etal., 2016). Contrary to various pilots, the unaccelerated flight, weight, and lift do not equal each
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