AMC Fuel Efficiency Office shows how 'efficiency promotes effectiveness'

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Scott T. Sturkol
  • Air Mobility Command Public Affairs
SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. (AFNS) --  Officials with Air Mobility Command's Fuel Efficiency Office here are putting forth an initiative called precision loading.

By refining the ability to maximize available space on mobility aircraft, fewer missions are required and fuel and resources are saved, and Air Force officials find another way to reduce the demand on foreign oil.

As one of the pillars of the Air Force's energy plan, it is just one effort that shows how "efficiency promotes effectiveness."

Col. Kevin Trayer, the director of operations for the AMC Fuel Efficiency Office, said "effectiveness in mobility air forces" is the cornerstone of what AMC officials are doing in the fuel-efficiency effort.

"Getting the supplies to the warfighter on the ground is our first priority," he said. "As we accomplish that, we also exercise the responsibility of being good stewards of our nation's resources."

Every day, AMC Fuel Efficiency Office officials reach out to tens of thousands of people across the entire mobility enterprise. It's an effort built into the office's charter. Energy is an operations enabler for the Air Force, and the FEO has a mission to consolidate and lead aviation fuel conservation efforts throughout the mobility air forces while maximizing effectiveness.

"Improved aviation fuel efficiency across the mobility air forces is predicated on effecting change by implementing a strategy which focuses on all aspects of our operations," Colonel Trayer said.

The Air Force is the largest user of energy in the Department of Defense, with Air Force aviation operations accounting for 79 percent of the service's energy usage. Mobility air forces operations make up 60 percent of Air Force aviation fuel used, or approximately 39 percent of all DOD aviation fuel consumption. With that in mind, mobility leaders are finding ways to reduce the Air Force's footprint in fuel consumption.

One of the first initiatives FEO officials started across the mobility air forces was the Web-based fuel tracker. During a mission, aircrew members gather critical bits of information regarding fuel planning and execution that is put into the tracker after a mission.

FEO officials use the data to improve the accuracy of fuel loads in computer flight plans distributed to aircrews. Additionally, commanders are using reports derived from the data to improve fuel efficiency at the unit level.

"We've made it a goal to have a 95 percent participation rate across mobility air forces in the Web-based fuel tracker by the end of this year," Colonel Trayer said.

Another initiative is the Next Generation Cargo Capability. This proof of principle was tested from August through October 2010, with flights out of Dover Air Force Base, Del. The goal is to move more cargo with the same amount of airlift. Preliminary results from August are "very positive."

FEO officials recently completed an auxiliary power unit test examining ways to streamline and create more efficiency in APU and aerospace ground equipment usage. The test, which took place between August and September for 30 days, was held at Joint Base Charleston, S.C., and JB Lewis-McChord, Wash.

In relation to fuel efficiency, Capt. Sarah Good, the AMC project officer for the APU/AGE test, said it is already known that each airframe has different use rates for its APU. It is also known that APUs on different airframes burn fuel at different rates.

"AGE burns a certain percentage more efficiently than the average APU," Captain Good said. "So, if it is possible to reduce the APU usage and increase the AGE usage, we can achieve fuel savings."

FEO officials also launched initiatives including tanker optimization, to better match tanker sorties to receiver requirements. There is potential for further efficiency gains by better managing tanker training sorties to support receiver training.

They are also looking at an initiative called mission index flying, which allows mobility Airmen to optimize flight planning and execution without requiring an onboard flight management computer system. This minimizes overall operating costs via minimum flight time and minimum fuel burn for the flight.

From the DOD's top leaders to the Airmen on the flightline, the culture to inform and involve service members in energy awareness is growing.

Undersecretary of the Air Force Erin C. Conaton highlighted the importance of that culture during a recent visit to AMC and Scott AFB.

"Energy is incredibly important for a number of reasons," Ms. Conaton said. "One reason is because we're increasingly reliant upon it, not only as a service, but also as a joint force. The amount of energy we consume per deployed service member has risen 175 percent since the Vietnam War."

The capacity to better chart the future for fuel efficiency in the command is growing, said Lt. Gen. Vern M. Findley II, the vice commander for AMC, who chartered the FEO in October 2008.

"We are charging forward with this program," he said. "We're the pathfinders of this effort for the Air Force, and fuel efficiency is among our command's top priorities. We have our best people working on it because we know it's simply the right thing to do."