Study of Naval Air Station operations to reduce fuel consumption

Abstract

Naval aviation accounts for 54% of all naval fuel usage. With such a large footprint, even small reductions in fuel consumption can have a significant impact on the bottom line. Recognizing this fact, the Chief of Naval Operations has targeted naval aviation to achieve a 4% reduction in non-mission fuel burn without adversely affecting mission execution or safety. In this thesis, we model ground operations at Naval Air Station (NAS) Oceana and NAS Lemoore to identify and reduce the time an aircraft spends with engines online during post-flight operations. Specifically, by reducing the processes performed while conducting hot brake checks and reducing resources required at the hot skids, we are able to save over $8 million at NAS Oceana and Lemoore alone. In addition, we have identified zero-cost coordination efforts that increase synchronization of fuel truck delivery to their consumers, such as noting refueling intentions on schedules to allow fuel truck managers to allocate trucks more efficiently, leading to additional savings. We provide recommendations specific to each base and recommendations that can be adopted fleet-wide. Finally, we identify that the current allocation of aircraft among bases is suboptimal and provide policy recommendations that would improve overall readiness.