getting to grips with the cost index(2)

9.1 Cost index revisions
9.2 Changing the cost index at departure / on ground
9.3 Changing the cost index in flight

10. CONCLUSION.............................................................................60

APPENDIX 1 -Changing the cost index at departure/on ground 61 APPENDIX 2 -A300-600/A310 Default cost index option 88 APPENDIX 3 -A340-200 AND -300 Cost index conversion 90 APPENDIX 4 -A340-200 AND -300 Climb IAS preselection
procedure for Load 6 pending Load 7 release 95 APPENDIX 5 -A320 / A330 / A340 Families –Optimum Mach Number 99 APPENDIX 6 -A319 / A320 / A321Cost Index for LRC 103

1. PREAMBLE

Today's tough competitive environment forces airlines to consider operational costs in every facet of their business. All ways and means to achieve this goal have to be rationally envisaged, safety being of course the prime factor in any airline operation. A wide spectrum of considerations intervene in this process stemming from airline economics, marketing management, crew scheduling, flight operations, engineering and maintenance management, technical condition of aircraft.
The idea behind this document is to revisit the cost index concept with a view towards balancing both fuel- and time-related costs.
With the surge of fuel prices in the early 1970s both airlines and aircraft manufacturers started concentrating on systems for reducing fuel consumption. In some airlines, fuel cost at one point represented no less than 45%, but gradually decreased to a mere 20% effectively emphasizing the other aspects of the cost equation. The widespread use of flight management systems since the early 1980s enabled airlines to take into account the other cost- and time-related aspects as well.
In addition to navigation functions, the Flight Management Computer (FMC) carries out real-time performance optimization aimed at providing best economics, not necessarily in terms of fuel consumption, but rather in terms of direct operating costs :
- climb, cruise and descent speed as a function of selectable constraints (altitude, arrival time, ...)
- minimum fuel, time or cost.
The purpose of this brochure is to clarify the cost index as a tool aimed at achieving this flexibility with regard to Airbus aircraft performance.
Moreover, some misconceptions need to be cleared up with regard to its utilization and more in-house analysis is required for its determination, always bearing in mind that the primary and essential goal of the cost index is trip cost or mission optimization and not speed control.
The following engineers and managers from Airbus made an important contribution to reviewing and editing this brochure : Michel TREMAUD, Laval CHAN, Guy Di SANTO,Christian MONTEIL, Monique FUERI, Philippe BURCIER (STL dept.), Robert LIGNéE, Jacques ROSAY (EVT dept), Frank REPP (SE-MX), Jean-Pierre DEMORTIER (BTE/EG/PERF).
Many thanks also to Mr Laurent SYLVESTRE and Mr Frederic DUPOUY who brought this brochure to fruition through numerous calculation saga's whilst being on standby waiting for pilot recruitment by the airlines.
　
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