GAP-JOURNAL 2012/13 - AFA

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Figure 1:
IT system type groups with respect to thetiming ofaflight
Source: Author’s compilation partly based onSterzenbach andConrady(2003: 272)
Execution systems cover all systems that are necessary for the actual flight –inthe aircraft
and on ground. For simplification this includes all non-planning activity shortly
before and after aflight together with the pilot’s preoperational activity –aircraft, crew
and payload are usually already set in this phase. Reporting systems help in the postflight
phase when the actual production process has been carried out.
Summing up, this paper captures the four defined system groups to analyze the impact
IT can have onair transport environmental sustainability based on significant elements
per group. It focuses onall aircraft related activities.
Analysis
Long-term planning and support systems
In the long-term, everything inabusiness can bechanged. Inthe special case of an airline,
the core ofits production system isits network. Today, the network is optimized
using mathematical models for optimal profit (see e.g. Hekmatfar and Pishvaee 2009).
Sophisticated IT implementations allow including amultitude of factors. The underlying
computational tools are usually in aconflict between covering reality and computational
solvability(Goetschalckx and Fleischmann 2005: pp. 126).
Two options can be underlined to improve sustainability inastrategic model ofanair
network. One option istoinclude emission values into the depending function minimized
1 .Hence, the model can be solved either minimizing carbon effects oroptimizing
1 Emission factorsallowfor aconversionofother typesofemissions(e.g. SOx) toCO2 equivalents.