Break fuel dependence with energy efficiency

Bob Fulkerson

Marketing Manager, Airport Services Business

Bob Fulkerson is the marketing manager for the JBT AeroTech airport services business. He coordinates a team of maintenance professionals and technical service managers to prepare workable plans to support customer requirements with maintenance and repair services, including management information systems. Fulkerson holds a bachelor’s degree from Arizona State University in Tempe, Ariz., U.S.A., and a master’s degree in business administration from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in New York, N.Y. He is a graduate of the engineering officer course of the U.S. Navy Surface Warfare Officers School in Newport, R.I.

Tempest Aircraft Deicer

The air transportation industry’s dependence on fuel is a never-ending cycle. As airplane ticket prices increase and free in-flight services decrease, air travelers are thinking twice about flying, leaving airlines to play catch-up between the cost of doing business and revenue retention. Add to the mix the various environmental regulations proposed to improve air quality, and many airlines and ground support organizations are rethinking their operations.

Air transportation industry solutions experts and equipment manufacturers have responded to the need to install building blocks for a different, more sustainable future. Here are some ways to become energy efficient while remaining cost-effective and competitive in this aggressive market.

Lower fuel and glycol consumption

The Tempest deicer with AirFirst® forced air deicing system from JBT AeroTech provides low total cost of ownership by using a single engine configuration for lower fuel consumption and a hydrostatic drive for ultimate simplicity and efficiency. In addition, the AirFirst technology uses air instead of expensive fluids to reduce glycol use between 30 percent to 70 percent, depending on conditions. As a result, deicing operations cost less and have a reduced impact on the environment.

Reduced fuel use and GHG emissions

The JBT Commander 15i electric cargo loader can cost-effectively help address the pressure airlines and ground handlers are facing to reduce both their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and the total cost of ownership of their loader fleets. The main difference between the electric loader and the diesel loader is the power module.

“One of the best techniques for determining whether electric-powered ground support equipment is a good candidate to replace traditional, diesel-powered equipment is by evaluating differences in their total cost of ownership,” says Bob Fulkerson, manager of product marketing for JBT AeroTech ground support equipment. “Electric loaders typically have a higher initial purchase price and an additional battery depreciation expense, but offer dramatic reductions in energy costs, require less maintenance and repair, and eliminate the potential of a GHG emissions charge.”


iOPS fully integrates operations management,
saving airlines millions of dollars per year.

Continuous controls

Intelligent Operations Performance System (iOPS™) is an innovative computerized tracking and monitoring system that fully integrates operations management to the point that airlines can take immediate corrective action when operational failures occur.

For instance, merging aircraft systems with gate and terminal information minimizes fuel burn and block time, thereby reducing fuel costs, emissions and aircraft auxiliary power unit (APU) running time.

“Integrating ground support equipment with location, status and capability data provides accountability for planned maintenance, reduces corrective maintenance, and increases equipment uptime,” says {reference2}, manager for the JBT AeroTech airport services business.

While each operation presents unique challenges, an airline operating iOPS at a hub with just 110 daily departure gates could save approximately $1.7 million per year due to reduced APU burn time, more than $13 million in reduced block time, as well as additional savings related to gate equipment. Please see Vol. 1, Issue 1, for more information on iOPS.

JetPower and JetAire gate-mounted power conversion and air conditioning units can save airlines 96 percent compared with the cost of fuel burned while an aircraft is parked at the gate.

Reducing APU usage

Airlines can significantly reduce operational costs and the emissions of parked aircraft by approximately 96 percent (at a typical 23-gate terminal) just by shutting down APUs when aircraft are parked at the gate. JetAire® gate-mounted pre-conditioned air units and JetPower® 400 Hz ground power from JBT Corporation (JBT) improve air quality and reduce operational costs by heating or cooling the interior of the aircraft without using fuel or releasing emissions from the aircraft’s APU.

Use of the APU can be replaced by energy-efficient, electrically powered, gate-mounted equipment while the aircraft is parked at the gate. To learn more about JetAire and JetPower, see the emissions article in this issue.

Planning for the future

Breaking the reliance on fuel will require new technologies that have equal or better power, additional capabilities and total cost of ownership to their fuel-powered counterparts. Manufacturers are making strides to bring these innovative technologies to the market.

Without new technologies that operate in an energy-efficient manner, airlines and airports would continue to face fines for emissions, swallow higher energy costs and struggle to stay profitable.

To learn more about energy-efficient airport solutions, visit the JBT AeroTech Web site or contact a JBT AeroTech Specialist.


JetAire, JetPower and AirFirst® are registered trademarks and
iOPS™ is a trademark of JBT AeroTech.
©2008 JBT AeroTech. All rights reserved.