FO-02 · Operational Flight Plan Management

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Process Flow Diagram (BPMN)

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L4 Process Steps

Step	Step Name	Role / Swim Lane	System	Input	Output	KPI	Dec?	Exc?
Phase 1 1.1	Receive OFP computation trigger from schedule	Flight Dispatcher	Amadeus Altéa PSS	Confirmed flight schedule event (STD, flight number, aircraft registration) published by network scheduling system	OFP computation job queued in flight planning system with flight parameters loaded	OFP computation initiated ≥3 hrs before STD; 100% of flights have confirmed OFP before T-90 min	N	N
1.2	Extract aircraft type, reg, and ZFW estimate	Load Control Analyst	Amadeus Altéa PSS	Flight number, STD, aircraft registration, confirmed bookings, preliminary cargo manifest	Aircraft type/registration confirmed, preliminary PAX count, planned Zero Fuel Weight (ZFW) estimate	Preliminary ZFW within ±2% of final ZFW to ensure accurate early fuel computation	N	N
1.3	Pull upper-wind, weather, and SIGMET data	Flight Dispatcher	Honeywell GoDirect Weather	Route waypoints, planned flight levels, estimated departure time	Upper-wind grid data (GRIB2), active SIGMETs/AIRMETs, convective forecast and icing outlook along planned route	Weather data refresh cycle ≤1 hr before STD; SIGMET coverage 100% of planned route corridor	N	N
Phase 2 2.1	Compute CI-optimised route — NAVBLUE	Flight Dispatcher	NAVBLUE	O&D city pair, aircraft performance model, upper-wind GRIB2 data, airline cost index (CI) policy	Optimised ICAO route string, estimated time en route (ETE), planned FL step-climb profile, preliminary trip fuel	Fuel saving vs. fixed routing ≥1.2% per flight; cost index adherence to fleet policy (CI 20–35 narrow-body); computation time ≤90 sec	N	N
2.2	Calculate trip, contingency, alternate, and reserve fuel	Flight Dispatcher	NAVBLUE	NAVBLUE trip fuel output, alternate aerodrome distance and forecast, contingency policy (5% or fixed-minute rule), company extra fuel policy	Full fuel breakdown: trip fuel, contingency fuel, alternate fuel, final reserve (30-min FAR 121 / ICAO Annex 6), additional company fuel, total fuel order (kg)	Actual vs. planned fuel burn variance ≤±3%; zero-fuel-on-arrival (ZFOA) rate <0.1% of flights	N	N
2.3	Validate fuel order within MTOW and structural limits	Flight Dispatcher	NAVBLUE + Amadeus Altéa PSS	Total fuel order (kg), ZFW estimate from Altéa, aircraft MTOW for registration and airport elevation/temperature	Go/no-go decision for current routing; if MTOW exceeded, payload reduction request issued to Load Control or route adjusted to reduce trip fuel	MTOW exceedance rate 0% (hard regulatory limit); fuel reduction iteration cycles ≤2 per flight before escalation	Y	Y
Phase 3 3.1	Filter and review NOTAMs for route and aerodromes	Flight Dispatcher	Jeppesen FliteDeck	Route waypoints, departure/destination/alternate ICAO codes, ETD	Filtered NOTAM briefing package with operationally significant NOTAMs highlighted; ILS/approach procedure NOTAMs and runway closure NOTAMs flagged for captain attention	Dispatcher NOTAM review time ≤8 min per flight; Type I/II NOTAM inclusion rate 100%	N	N
3.2	Check ATFM flow programmes and special use airspace	Flight Dispatcher	FAA TFMS (Traffic Flow Management System) / EUROCONTROL CFMU NM	Filed route string, ETD, altitude profile, departure airport capacity programme status	Active Ground Delay Programmes (GDPs), Ground Stops (GS), Airspace Flow Programmes (AFP) applicable to flight identified; special use airspace (SUA/TFR) conflicts on route assessed	ATFM programme impact assessment completed ≥2 hr before STD; SUA conflict detection rate 100%	N	N
3.3	Validate route is clear of restrictions and ATFM conflicts	Flight Dispatcher	FAA TFMS + NAVBLUE	NOTAM flags, SUA/TFR overlap results, applicable GDP/AFP programme constraints	Route approved or rerouted alternative generated; if rerouted, OFP recomputed from step 2.1	Reroute rate due to late SUA/flow conflicts <2% of flights; reroute cycle time (detection to new FPL) ≤12 min	Y	Y
Phase 4 4.1	File ICAO FPL with ATC via SITA AFTN datalink	Flight Dispatcher	SITA ACARS / NAVBLUE FPL Filing	Completed OFP route string, ETD, ICAO equipment suffix, SELCAL code, aircraft registration, crew identifiers	ICAO FPL (format per ICAO Doc 4444 PANS-ATM) transmitted to ATC; ACK or CHG response received and logged	FPL filed ≥60 min before STD (FAR 91.169 / ICAO Annex 2 requirement); FPL acceptance rate (ACK without CHG) ≥94%	N	N
4.2	Assess EDCT/CTOT slot assignment from ATFM authority	Flight Dispatcher	FAA TFMS / EUROCONTROL CFMU NM Portal	Filed FPL, active GDP/AFP programme data, departure airport acceptance rate	EDCT (Expect Departure Clearance Time) or CTOT issued and recorded; or no-restriction confirmation logged	EDCT compliance rate ≥98%; average ATFM delay per affected flight <8 min	Y	Y
4.3	Negotiate slot relief or reroute via AOC coordination	Flight Dispatcher / AOC Representative	FAA TFMS Flight Schedule Monitor (FSM) + EUROCONTROL CFMU NM Portal	Assigned EDCT/CTOT, crew duty time remaining, downstream connection passenger count, slot swap availability	Slot swap approval or alternate routing clearance granted; updated ETD recorded on OFP; crew notified via ACARS	Slot relief request success rate ≥30% of attempts; crew duty limit infringement due to ATFM delay <0.5% of flights	N	Y
Phase 5 5.1	Generate and transmit OFP package to crew EFB	Flight Dispatcher	NAVBLUE + Jeppesen FliteDeck (EFB)	Finalised OFP, fuel order, NOTAM briefing package, weather package, current ATIS	Complete OFP briefing packet transmitted to crew EFB via ACARS datalink; delivery acknowledgement logged	OFP delivery to EFB ≥T-60 min before STD; datalink transmission success rate ≥99.5%	N	N
5.2	Captain reviews OFP fuel, route, and alternates on EFB	Captain (Pilot-in-Command)	Jeppesen FliteDeck (EFB)	OFP package including fuel breakdown, route, alternates, NOTAM briefing, weather charts	Captain review complete; fuel acceptance confirmed or additional fuel request raised with dispatcher	Captain OFP review time ≤15 min; OFP acceptance without fuel change ≥82% of flights	N	N
5.3	Resolve captain commander's discretion fuel request	Captain / Flight Dispatcher	Jeppesen FliteDeck (EFB) + NAVBLUE	Captain's discretionary fuel request (kg), current planned fuel breakdown, MTOW headroom, ramp fuel availability	Agreed final fuel quantity; revised fuel order transmitted to ramp fuelling team; updated TOW confirmed within MTOW	Commander's discretion fuel (CDF) additions >200 kg rate <18% of flights; MTOW exceedance from CDF uplift 0%	Y	Y
Phase 6 6.1	Monitor en-route fuel burn via ACARS position reports	Flight Dispatcher	SITA ACARS + NAVBLUE	ACARS ADS-C/ADS-B position reports with fuel on board (FOB) transmission, OFP fuel plan profile	Real-time fuel burn comparison vs. OFP plan; trend line for fuel state at destination and alternate	Fuel monitoring update interval ≤15 min oceanic / ≤5 min domestic; fuel deviation alert threshold ±5% of plan	N	N
6.2	Assess fuel deviation and issue diversion recommendation	Flight Dispatcher	NAVBLUE + SITA ACARS	ACARS FOB report, computed fuel remaining from OFP, alternate fuel requirement, destination weather update	Continue-as-planned confirmation or fuel advisory message to crew; diversion recommendation issued if destination fuel falls below alternate + final reserve requirement	Fuel emergency declaration rate (MAYDAY FUEL / PAN PAN FUEL) <0.01% of flights; diversion for fuel exhaustion <0.05% of flights	Y	Y
6.3	Close flight plan and record actuals in data lake	Flight Dispatcher	NAVBLUE + Amadeus Altéa PSS + AWS Redshift	ACARS actual time of arrival (ATA), final fuel on board at blocks-on, en-route amendment log, uplift confirmation	Flight plan closed with ATC; actual fuel burn, block time, and route deviations recorded in airline data lake for performance analytics	Flight plan closure within 30 min of ATA (ICAO Doc 4444 requirement); fuel burn data capture rate 100% for post-flight analytics	N	N

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Process Attributes

Identification

Process IDFO-02

L1 DomainFlight Operations

L2 ProcessFlight Dispatch & Control

L3 NameOperational Flight Plan Management

L4 Steps18 across 6 phases

Decision Gates5 (all with iteration loops)

Exceptions6 documented

Swim Lanes (Roles)

Flight Dispatcher

Load Control Analyst

Flight Dispatcher / AOC Representative

Captain (Pilot-in-Command)

Captain / Flight Dispatcher

Systems & Tools

Amadeus Altéa PSSHoneywell GoDirect WeatherNAVBLUENAVBLUE + Amadeus Altéa PSSJeppesen FliteDeckFAA TFMS (Traffic Flow Management System) / EUROCONTROL CFMU NMFAA TFMS + NAVBLUESITA ACARS / NAVBLUE FPL FilingFAA TFMS / EUROCONTROL CFMU NM PortalFAA TFMS Flight Schedule Monitor (FSM) + EUROCONTROL CFMU NM PortalNAVBLUE + Jeppesen FliteDeck (EFB)Jeppesen FliteDeck (EFB)Jeppesen FliteDeck (EFB) + NAVBLUESITA ACARS + NAVBLUENAVBLUE + SITA ACARSNAVBLUE + Amadeus Altéa PSS + AWS Redshift

Key Performance Indicators

Receive OFP computation trigger from scheduleOFP computation initiated ≥3 hrs before STD; 100% of flights have confirmed OFP before T-90 min

Extract aircraft type, reg, and ZFW estimatePreliminary ZFW within ±2% of final ZFW to ensure accurate early fuel computation

Pull upper-wind, weather, and SIGMET dataWeather data refresh cycle ≤1 hr before STD; SIGMET coverage 100% of planned route corridor

Compute CI-optimised route — NAVBLUEFuel saving vs. fixed routing ≥1.2% per flight; cost index adherence to fleet policy (CI 20–35 narrow-body); computation time ≤90 sec

Calculate trip, contingency, alternate, and reserve fuelActual vs. planned fuel burn variance ≤±3%; zero-fuel-on-arrival (ZFOA) rate <0.1% of flights

Validate fuel order within MTOW and structural limitsMTOW exceedance rate 0% (hard regulatory limit); fuel reduction iteration cycles ≤2 per flight before escalation

Filter and review NOTAMs for route and aerodromesDispatcher NOTAM review time ≤8 min per flight; Type I/II NOTAM inclusion rate 100%

Check ATFM flow programmes and special use airspaceATFM programme impact assessment completed ≥2 hr before STD; SUA conflict detection rate 100%

Airline-Specific Risks & Pain Points

Late aircraft swaps or gate changes in Altéa trigger cascading OFP recomputations; absence of real-time webhook integration between Altéa and NAVBLUE forces manual re-triggers, creating a 10–20 min dispatcher workload spike per swap event

Early-trigger OFPs (T-12 hr) carry highly uncertain load estimates; late check-in surges force ZFW and fuel recomputation within the T-1 hr window, causing ramp delays and re-fuelling events that average 18 min delay per occurrence

GoDirect data ingestion latency vs. real-time MWO (Meteorological Watch Office) SIGMET issuance can leave a 30–45 min gap for fast-moving convective systems; legacy dispatch integrations without automated SIGMET push alerts rely on dispatcher manual polling

Aircraft performance model currency is a persistent risk — NAVBLUE performance database must be synced with aircraft modification records from AMOS; unrecorded winglet upgrades or engine modifications cause model accuracy drift of up to 0.8% fuel burn, skewing fleet-wide efficiency analytics

FAR Part 91/121 domestic alternate fuel rules differ from ICAO Annex 6 international rules; carriers operating trans-border routes must maintain dual rule-sets in NAVBLUE configuration — version drift during software updates causes compliance risk and has triggered FAA Letter of Investigation (LOI) actions at US carriers

High summer temperatures (ISA+15°C or above) at hot/high airports (PHX, DEN, LAS) significantly reduce MTOW-limited payload; NAVBLUE does not provide automated MTOW-constrained route re-optimisation — dispatchers perform manual iteration, averaging 4 additional minutes per constrained flight

Inputs / Outputs

Primary InputConfirmed flight schedule event (STD, flight number, aircraft registration) published by network scheduling system

Primary OutputFlight plan closed with ATC; actual fuel burn, block time, and route deviations recorded in airline data lake for performance analytics

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