Improve refuelling efficiency at Singapore Changi Airport with an end-to-end digital solution
When it comes to refuelling, every second and every cent counts, inefficiencies in refuelling operations can cause delays, affecting passenger satisfaction. Research from Air Insight suggests that airlines’ operating margins can be improved by 0.43% with every minute saved on the ground.
Shell Aviation is working with Cathay Pacific to improve refuelling efficiency at Changi Airport with Shell SkyPad Data Exchange, its end-to-end digital refuelling solution. Cathay Pilot, James Toye, believes that the airline, its crew and passengers will see real benefits once this is rolled out across the Cathay network .
Shell SkyPad Data Exchange – A pilot’s view from Cathay Pacific
Read the transcript
Read the transcript
Title: Shell: SkyPad Data Exchange
Duration: 3:59 minutes
Description:
An inside look into how Shell has revolutionized the refuelling process for aircrafts through the use of the Shell SkyPad.
Shell: SkyPad Data Exchange Transcript
[Visuals]
Shot of a Cathay Pacific plane in the sky
[Visuals]
Shell logo is seen on the bottom right of the screen
[Background audio plays]
Audio of pilot speaking into aircraft microphone
[Visuals]
Montage of shots showing the operations in and around the runway
[Narration]
Pilot
James Toye
One of the things I love about flying-- you get challenged on so many different aspects.
It’s one of these careers that has many- multi-faceted, that keeps it very very interesting.
[Visuals]
James Toye fades into screen
[Visuals]
Lower third graphic also fades into screen, reading:
“James Toye
Pilot, Cathay Pacific”
[Interview]
Pilot
James Toye
I’m James Toye, I’m a Captain, flying with Cathay for the last 15 years.
[Visuals]
Montage of shots showing the operations in and around the runway
[Narration]
Pilot
James Toye
During a turnaround, the crew are normally the focal points for all the activities that are going on. Not only are you setting up the aircraft for the entire period of flight, but again, being this focal point with all these activities that are going on, makes the pre-flight period quite busy.
[Visuals]
Montage of shots showing Shell operators engaging in the refuelling process
[Narration]
Pilot
James Toye
Refuelling is obviously one of the critical components and the traditional refuelling process was very very paper-intensive.
[Visuals]
Montage of shots showing the old, paper-intensive refuelling process with a whitewashed grade
[Narration]
Pilot
James Toye
Typically an aircraft will do a standby fuel figure, where the fuel order we put onto a piece of paper, go down to the refueller, they would send it back and forth multiple times to make sure that the fuel level on the aircraft was very very accurate.
Once passengers are checked in and cargo loading is finished, then they’ll make a final fuel decision.
[Visuals]
James Toye fades into screen
[Interview]
Pilot
James Toye
Bringing digital refuelling to Singapore Changi Airport is a huge step forward as far as integration and enhancing technology. There’s efficiency gains and accuracy gains on both Shell and Cathay Pacific.
[Visuals]
Montage of shots showing the new, SkyPad-reliant refuelling process
[Narration]
Pilot
James Toye
If you look at technology in aviation,
[Visuals]
James Toye fades into screen
[Narration]
Pilot
James Toye
--it’s made leaps and bounds. Every new generation of aircraft that comes through is smarter, and one of the biggest things we’ve done recently is through mobile devices, and this connectivity. Within Cathay Pacific we use an internal application called Flight Folder, and this communicates directly through to the Shell SkyPad Data Exchange, where they send messages back and forth.
[Visuals]
Montage of shots showcasing Pilot James Toye and Shell operators using the Flight Folder application
[Visuals]
James Toye fades into screen
[Interview]
Pilot
James Toye
the digital process is more accurate, and you’re eliminating steps with potential error. There’s no doubt that the process has been simplified by using technology.
[Visuals]
Montage of shots showcasing the simplification of the refuelling process now that technology has been introduced
[Narration]
General Manager, Shell Aviation Asia and Middle East
Doris Tan
Since the inception of aviation,
[Visuals]
Doris Tan fades into screen
[Interview]
General Manager, Shell Aviation Asia and Middle East
Doris Tan
Shell has worked with numerous visionaries and pioneers to drive progress for our industry. By working with airlines across the world, we identify areas where we can work with our customers, to improve processes and create shared value.
[Visuals]
Montage of Doris and Mr Neo (Cathay Pacific Engineer) interacting
[Narration]
General Manager, Shell Aviation Asia and Middle East
Doris Tan
So maximising operational efficiency as part of the refuelling process has been on our minds for a while.
[Visuals]
Montage of Shell Engineers engaging in the refuelling process
[Narration]
General Manager, Shell Aviation Asia and Middle East
Doris Tan
At Shell, we want to lead in this transformation,
[Visuals]
Montage of Doris and Mr Neo using the Shell SkyPad, and its features
[Narration]
General Manager, Shell Aviation Asia and Middle East
Doris Tan
--and that’s why we worked with airlines to develop the Shell SkyPad Data Exchange to digitalise our refuelling process. The electronic tracking, update and transfer of data eliminates all manual handoffs, hence reducing waiting time and human errors.
[Visuals]
Montage of Shell Engineers engaging in the refuelling process
[Narration]
General Manager, Shell Aviation Asia and Middle East
Doris Tan
So ultimately this increase in operational efficiency will give the airline more time flying.
[Visuals]
Montage of Cathay Pilot James Toye getting ready pre-flight
[Narration]
General Manager, Shell Aviation Asia and Middle East
Doris Tan
Through the use of IATA Data standards in our digital refuelling process, we hope to expand the collaboration with airlines and enable more customers to enjoy this enhanced operational efficiency. Timeliness and efficiency are crucial to our customers, so we are very happy to be working with Cathay Pacific to demonstrate the efficiency brought about by this end-to-end digital refuelling.
[Visuals]
Montage of Cathay plane taxiing pre-takeoff
[Visuals]
James Toye fades into screen
[Interview]
Pilot
James Toye
Digitisation helps us move forward, helps us become more efficient, helps us provide a better flight experience, helps things be more accurate.
[Visuals]
Cathay plane takes off from runway, into the distance
[Interview]
Pilot
James Toye
There’s no doubt that technology and the integration with these collaboration efforts is a great part of aviation.
[Visuals]
Screen dissolves to white
[Visuals]
Shell logo fades onto screen with the following text:
“Find out more today about Shell SkyPad Data Exchange at:
https://aviation.shell.com/efficient-refuelling
Shell group of companies offers a platform for open and informed discussion on current development opportunities and challenges in Aviation. The opinion expressed and arguments employed are solely individual views of the authors/presenters. They do not necessarily reflect the views of Shell group of companies and should not be reported as representing the official views of Shell. Shell group of companies shall not be held responsible or liable in any manner whatsoever for any possible violations of copyright resulting from the posting of any written material on this website, nor is it responsible for any content or comments made therein.”
Improving refuelling efficiency – A Captain’s View
Pilot, James Toye, has been flying with Cathay Pacific for 15 years. Today he is a Captain, flying Boeing 777s, part of Cathay’s long-haul fleet.
‘One of the things I love about flying is you get challenged on so many different aspects,’ says Toye. ‘It can be anything from motor skills, on how you physically fly the aircraft, to your technical ability and knowledge. From a Captain’s position, one of your big roles is leadership. You are the focal point of a very, very big team. Everyone is involved in this big team effort to make sure the operation goes smoothly.’
And Toye believes that these leadership skills are just as relevant to meeting challenges on the ground as they are in the air.
‘Obviously aircraft make money when they are flying, so we try to reduce ground time as much as we can, and this makes the pre-flight period quite busy. Traditionally when you look at an aircraft on a turnaround on the ground, there is a whole heap of services that need to go on.’
‘During a turnaround, the crew are normally the focal point for all the activities that are going on,’ says Toye. ‘You are setting up the aircraft for the entire flight, with activities like loading cargo, loading passengers, refuelling the aircraft, making sure the aircraft is clean. So certainly, during the pre-flight activities, there is a lot of paperwork, and there are a lot of things that need to get looked at and verified, to make sure the aircraft gets away. Very paper-centric processes certainly do take time.’
‘Refuelling is obviously a very critical one and the traditional process was always paper based. We put the required fuel volume onto a piece of paper, go down to the refueller, they would send it back and forth multiple times to make sure that the fuel level on the aircraft was very accurate and making sure that all the records match.’
Toye believes that the impact of digitalisation on the aviation industry has been growing for some time.
‘If you look at technology in aviation, it has made leaps and bounds. Every new generation of aircraft that comes through is smarter, and one of the biggest things we have done recently is through mobile devices. We use an internally-built application called Flight Folder. And this itself has all the information that a crew need for their particular flight.’
Cathay Pacific has been working with Shell Aviation at Singapore Changi Airport to benefit from digitalisation by integrating its Flight Folder with Shell SkyPad Data Exchange. This is Shell’s end-to-end, digital refuelling solution based on the SkyPad tablet used by Shell Aviation’s apron operators at over 140 locations around the world. The two systems communicate directly with each other, sharing information and creating a real-time link between the pilot and the refueller.
‘The steps involved are certainly simplified,’ says Toye. The first aspect is a digital connection between the pilot application and the refueller on the ground. So, all messages are sent electronically back and forth. You get status updates on what is going on, and it physically saves someone walking back and forth from the two locations to ensure that all the paperwork matches.
‘Refuelling an aircraft happens in a number of stages. Typically, we will do a standby fuel figure, and this is to get the aircraft very close to the fuel figure that it needs, but without going over. Once passengers are checked in, and cargo loading is finished, we get an accurate weight of the aircraft. Then the crew make a final fuel decision, and this is where they will send a digital message through. From there, once the refuelling is finished, the SkyPad will send a digital fuel receipt through to the cockpit crew. They will verify all the data and send acceptance of the fuel receipt back to the SkyPad system. Then refuelling event is over.’
In addition to efficiency gains, digital refuelling, enabled by Shell SkyPad data exchange, means that the whole process is now contactless, giving staff greater protection as the aviation industry looks to recover from the COVID-19.
Doris Tan, General Manager for Shell Aviation in Asia Pacific and Middle East, says Shell is committed to working with airlines, across the world, the drive greater efficiency through digitalisation.
‘Timeliness and efficiency are crucial to our customers who are operating in a very competitive business environment, and we are so proud to be working together with Cathay Pacific to demonstrate the efficiencies brought about by end-to-end digital refuelling.
‘By working closely with airlines across the world, we continue to identify areas where we can work together with our customers to optimise processes and create shared value. Maximising operational efficiency, as part of the refuelling process, has topped our list for a while.
‘Through the use of IATA Data standards in our digital refuelling process, we hope to expand and work with more airlines and enable our customers to enhance their operational efficiency.’
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