SATS solves straying GSE with Airport Visualiser
Posted Date: 05/03/2010
Issue: Airside International March 2010
Publication: Airside International
Singapore Airport Terminal Services (SATS) has streamlined its ground operations at Changi Airport with Zebra Enterprise Solutions’ (ZES) Airport Visualiser. Karmjit Singh, Consultant to SATS and former Chief Operating Officer, explains how the project to optimise the use of the handler’s GSE at Changi Airport proceeded
With the first phase complete, SATS is deploying a telematics system at the Singapore Changi Airport to optimise vehicle planning, reduce maintenance and fuel costs, and enhance driver safety. SATS worked with ZES on a three-month pilot programme to deploy the Airport Visualiser to meet a stipulated set of key performance indicators (KPIs) and installed Infoman hardware in more than 300 GSE.
Singh explains that the pilot was successfully completed in early 2007 with good results. “This eventually led us to implement the new system for approximately 350 units in the Apron and Baggage Divisions. The system went live progressively but was virtually completed in mid 2008 or so,” says Singh.
“The key drivers were improved safety, improved efficiency, reduced fuel, maintenance and repair costs, and optimisation of the GSE fleet assets,” says Singh. “SATS had set high KPI standards upfront and only when the pilot project proved promising did we proceed to implement the system in various divisions. The over-riding justification was financial, that is cost savings.”
ZES also implemented driver identification to meet SATS´ request for better safety and security. Maintenance cycles were changed from fixed to engine hour-based intervals, not only helping to increase the availability of vehicles, but also reducing maintenance costs. By monitoring the run time of vehicle engines, SATS is now able to identify engine idling time and eliminate unnecessary engine hours, in-turn having a major impact on fuel consumption.
“Prior to the Visualiser, we tracked the actual engine hours of each GSE manually. This was time-consuming and not ideal from a productivity point of view,” comments Singh. “But with the real time capture of engine hours using the Visualiser, there is flexibility and better control by the Maintenance Department in that GSE is now increasingly maintained based on actual run time rather than a fixed, calendar-based, preventive maintenance schedule. The improved preventative maintenance invariably helps save costs.”
So what was involved in terms of hardware installation? Singh responds: “The installation was done by SATS Maintenance after receiving training by ZES engineers. There was close co-ordination between the Apron and Maintenance Units because the former could only release GSE progressively for the new units to be installed. The installation was not complicated; there were initial teething problems but these were easily resolved. We are now able to track the actual driver by name and by each GSE or vehicle driven. This helps us in rating individual driver’s performance, enforcing discipline in the usage of GSE and monitoring safety.”
Singh goes on to explain that the control centre has better visibility of GSEs at more remote locations at the airport. The Airport Visualiser also supports SATS in its day-to-day decision making with graphical analysis of equipment data.
“There are big screens at both apron control centres (ACCs) where the Airport Visualiser PCs are located. The Duty Controllers know precisely where each GSE is located at the start of the day and are better able to track dynamically every single GSE or vehicle's movement to ensure supply matches demand on a timely basis to ensure integrity of on-time flight departures/arrivals handling,” says Singh. “Now Duty Controllers are better able to deploy GSEs swiftly, timely and where most urgently required,” he says.
Singh says that from a management information point of view, the web reporting system is user friendly and it helps SATS in tactical/operational planning on a daily basis with regard to: the planning and timing of refuelling; the analysis of safety statistics and safety incidents; balancing supply and demand of GSE for daily operations; and deciding which GSE should be sent to the maintenance unit for checks. “More importantly total GSE demand planning is more accurate with cost optimisation and asset productivity achieved,” comments Singh.
How does Singh expect to see a return on SATS’ investment? “The financial KPIs, that is cost savings and asset productivity, were met,” he responds. “We are handling many more flights with the same number of GSE and have postponed the purchase of new GSE which we would have had to buy otherwise had we not used the new system. Maintenance costs have also improved through the real-time scheduling of preventive maintenance. Likewise operator discipline and safety has improved – there are less GSE accidents and hence less downtime and repair costs.”
Finally, ZES installed a Geofencing Feature to address SATS’ concerns regarding the assignment of vehicles to defined areas. The feature helps optimise operations and increase safety on the airport apron by preventing GSE from entering the runway or operating in restricted areas, ensuring equipment is only operated within specified zones.
