News
Navtech software helps fight pilot fatigue
Feb. 1, 2011, Toronto - Navtech is helping its airline customers increase safety and reduce risk by providing an effective method for managing crew fatigue.
February 1, 2011 By Carey Fredericks
The company has configured its Pairing Optimizer, a popular scheduling solution, to automatically identify the ideal balance between airline efficiency and a fully rested crew. The Navtech Pairing Optimizer develops schedules and works in tandem with Navtech’s automated rostering system, one of the industry’s most widely used crew planning products.
“Crew fatigue is an industry-wide concern and we’ve tasked our experts with the development of a solution,” said Mike Hulley, Navtech CEO. “Enabling our Pairing Optimizer to manage rest as part of the scheduling process, gives airlines the control needed to reduce risk, comply with regulations, and maintain their employees’ quality of life.”
The Navtech Pairing Optimizer includes the ability to construct and schedule crews within a number of airline-defined and configurable parameters. The parameters capture three important elements recognized as key fatigue risk mitigation factors:
· Flight, duty, and rest limits as functions of Window of Circadian Low (WOCL)
· Circadian rhythm limitations
· Comprehensive flight duty period and rest rule-sets based on a gradual fatiguing point tracking system
These setting options reflect the latest advances in aviation rest research, and the Navtech Pairing Optimizer goes a step further enabling airlines to construct pairings that accommodate their changing environments and particular demands using sophisticated algorithm techniques. Any or all of these criteria can be applied at every step of the optimization process to produce solutions that minimize overall crew fatigue levels.
