The PASSUR OPSnet Report 
Informing the Airport Operations Community
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"The PASSUR OPSnet eNOTAM integration gives us a single source of data that provides a real time snapshot of current airport criteria used for responsible decision making."
Brad Dalton
Denver Int'l Airport | |
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| November 2009 |
Welcome to the November edition of The PASSUR® OPSnet™ Report, developed for the national community of PASSUR OPSnet users.
Winter is on its way, but for those in the Mountain West,  severe winter weather has already hit in two large doses. We spoke with Brad Dalton, Acting Assistant Deputy Manager of Aviation, Denver International Airport, to hear how the recent integration of eNOTAMs into the DIA PASSUR OPSnet platform produced big returns, as DIA issued 260 eNOTAMs during two early winter storms. We also take a look at how PASSUR OPSnet is used to reduce secondary deicings, and the financial savings that result. As always, please let us know how we can improve this newsletter by contacting Ron Dunsky, Executive Editor, at rondunsky@passur.com. Happy Thanksgiving! |
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Denver Speaks on the Benefits of PASSUR OPSnet eNOTAMs During Recent Storms
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Winter has come early to the Mountain West this year. We are only in November, yet Denver has experienced two substantial storms that have produced more than 25 inches of snow. We sat down with Brad Dalton, Acting Assistant Deputy Manager of Aviation - Operations for Denver International Airport, to discuss their first big road-test of the PASSUR OPSnet eNOTAMs integration.
PASSUR: Describe the experience of having NOTAMs integrated with PASSUR OPSnet and how that integration worked in the first big storms of this winter season at DIA.
Brad: It worked very well. We gained a lot of efficiency with PASSUR eNOTAMs because previously we had to issue the NOTAM not only in OPSnet for our user community, but also to Lockheed's eNOTAM program.
PASSUR: How many NOTAMs were issued during the storms?
Brad: We issued more than 260 NOTAMs, with 185 during the first storm alone. We've had plenty of opportunity to test the process.
PASSUR: What are some of the differences you and your team noted in now having the NOTAMs integrated electronically into PASSUR OPSnet?
Brad: The biggest benefit has been that we need one less person to handle these tasks. This was one of our goals with the system. We now only need 2 instead of 3 people to handle the whole PASSUR OPSnet process.
PASSUR: Was there a noticeable difference in the timeliness with which users received NOTAMs and other field condition updates?
Brad: Yes. The FAA publishes information, on a good day, somewhere around 8 minutes after we enter it. On a snow day it's somewhere around 30 minutes. With eNOTAMs, they're getting it within a couple minutes -- however long it takes us to type it in.
Background
Denver International Airport has been using OPSnet since 2007 to provide a more efficient and cost effective operation to its carriers, and improve communication and collaboration between the airport and its tenants. PASSUR OPSnet is now integrated with Flight Services - the single entry of NOTAMs information into the program is electronically transmitted to all registered PASSUR OPSnet users, by email or by logging into the program, and to Flight Services. There are more than 1,500 users registered for DIA PASSUR OPSnet -- in Denver, across the US and abroad.
In addition, the eNOTAM capability allows users to see the airport's intent as well -- since they can see both the submitted NOTAM as well as the final, official NOTAM.
Finally, the eNOTAMs on PASSUR OPSnet are timely -- as soon as the airport submits to to Flight Services, it is updated on PASSUR OPSnet and on users' emails. To learn more about integrating eNOTAMs, contact Frederick Roe at 203-887-4940 or froe@passur.com. |
| Reduce Secondary Deicings, Save Hundreds of Thousands of Dollars |
Winter is coming quickly, and that means it's time for deicing to take front and center stage. While deicing is  necessary during the winter, secondary deicings are not -- if managed correctly. The more you can do to reduce secondary deicings, the more you can save. PASSUR OPSnet can help. Secondary deicing, as you know, is required when an aircraft waits for departure beyond the amount of time permitted for the deicing fluid to be effective (called exceeding its "holdover time"). A recent study released by PASSUR uses an average of 0.1 percent (one-tenth of one percent) of flights requiring secondary deicing. Even at that low rate, the costs per deicing add up quickly:
- Near $4,000 per widebody aircraft
- About $2,000 per narrowbody aircraft
- Around $550 per regional jet
The above rates are based on the following assumptions for glycol costs (which can vary from airport to airport):
- Type 1: $4.42/gallon
- Type 4: $6.25/gallon
PASSUR OPSnet allows airports to communicate runway capacity and availability to all airport users. That helps airlines hold their aircraft at the gate until departure can be completed without exceeding the "holdover time." In our experience, PASSUR OPSnet has reduced secondary deicings by upwards of 90 percent. For a medium-size airport, even with the low rate of 0.1 percent secondary deicing, that adds up to at least $200,000 for the season; at a large airport, this could add up to more than $250,000 a year.
Of course secondary deicing has other important related costs: schedule delays, crew overtime/swap-outs, and fuel burn -- none of which are included as part of the straight glycol cost. To learn more about how PASSUR OPSnet can save you money during winter weather operations, contact Frederick Roe at 203-887-4940 or froe@passur.com. To receive a copy of the PASSUR Field Condition Report Financial Impact Study, please click here or email sales@passur.com. |
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