SubscribeKLM Royal Dutch Airlines took the visual load control (VLC) system into operation around six years ago.
VLC is a program that makes weight & balance calculations on the basis of information contained in various databases. It creates a graphic representation of the load plan for an aircraft, along with the necessary flight handling documents. The program can carry out all the load control activities necessary for a given flight. You can create an entire plan within five hours of departure. The final VLC output consists of the load sheet, a legally required document containing all weight & balance information, which corresponds with the actual load.
VLC in a nutshell
Wouter explains: “VLC, or visual load control, is a Windows application that provides weight & balance plans for aircraft through a user-friendly, drag & drop graphic interface. Before being cleared for takeoff, aircraft must comply with a large number of load requirements. VLC enables the authorized employee or load controller to interactively create a safe, economic and optimal load plan for an aircraft. In so doing, a check is carried out to determine whether the load plan complies with the requirements set, making sure that aircraft weight limits are not exceeded and that the load is spread evenly and efficiently across the entire aircraft. In other words, ensuring that everything on board, including cargo, mail, baggage and passengers, is perfectly balanced. The system takes account of all the weight & balance limits provided by the aircraft manufacturer, all the legal requirements and all the requirements set by specific airlines with respect to their load planning operations.”
How does VLC work?
Siu Ling: “VLC is a tool used during the load planning process. Preparations include looking at the basic flight information and other necessary information such as the estimate zero fuel weight calculation, telexes related to the flight and the overall planning of passengers and baggage, cargo and mail. Based on this data, you create a load plan to divide the load across the hold areas. This makes it possible to check if weight and volume are sufficient at an early stage. After this, it’s mainly a question of progress monitoring. VLC continually compares updated data from the computerized departure control system (CODECO). A warning appears on the control screen if particular parameters are exceeded. Based on the actual planning, a load sheet and a notification to captain (NOTOC) are created prior to departure containing information about passenger numbers, weight & balance data and information about special cargo. After the aircraft has departed, the system generates the necessary post departure documents.
What makes VLC so special in comparison with other systems?
VLC works with information from a variety of other systems. A schematic illustration on your computer allows you to see what you are doing at any given moment. This offers a great advantage. Wouter: “Before we started working with VLC, everything was entered manually based on all sorts of codes you had to learn off by heart. VLC is based on Windows technology, which means you can use a mouse. Creating a load plan is now a matter of a few mouse clicks. VLC delivers benefits in the form of visualization, greater safety and speed, limited training costs and automatic reporting. Taken together, this means massive cost savings.”
Visualization
Wouter: “The big advantage is that VLC offers a graphic user interface. You can see everything at an eye’s glance since you have an image showing all the cargo areas. You can keep track of things as you go along. You enter a code and VLC calculates the consequences; you use your mouse to shift a pallet from one place to another and VLC gives you insight into the consequences of your actions. The program runs under Windows and therefore operates using Windows technology.” Siu Ling adds: “In other words, VLC provides you with a visualization of the aircraft layout. On screen, you can see a schematic illustration of the different areas and the position of cargo in the aircraft. It makes it possible to see all load items quickly and clearly. In the load planning area you can see the cargo holds, cabin, standby and return locations. During planning you can easily reposition the various load items from here. You can shift the loading blocks around until you achieve the optimal plan.”
Siu Ling continues: “The Windows environment makes it so easy to use. You’ve got a menu bar and a toolbar with icons. If you select an icon, submenus are displayed where you can in turn click on any of the different options. The status bar is displayed at the bottom of your screen. It provides you with information about the different aspects of the flight. Once an aspect appears in bold, it means that an action has been completed. If, for example, you send the load sheet to the cockpit, the abbreviation begins to flash once it’s on its way. Once received and accepted by the captain, the abbreviation is bolded. You then know that this aspect is ready. VLC provides ongoing information about the progress of your actions.” What’s more, the system generates error warnings. Wouter: “VLC displays error warnings in the control screen. If you exceed a limit or if VLC identifies a discrepancy with CODECO, this is displayed in the control window. If you double click on the warning, details are displayed and various solutions to the problem are presented.”
Safer
Wouter: “VLC minimizes potential errors and is therefore far safer. You are seldom confronted with surprises. After all, you can continually see what you are doing on screen as you go along, and the calculations are more reliable. Having to make all sorts of calculations yourself shortly before departure increases the likelihood of errors. VLC means you can avoid such scenarios; the system makes the calculations. And if an error is nonetheless made, the system generates a warning.”
Siu Ling: “VLC prevents puppies from arriving frozen. The system warns you if live animals are being transported as cargo. It won’t allow you to place a puppy where the temperature would be too low. VLC gives you insight into where hazardous substances are stowed and monitors the temperature of the goods. The system also prevents two types of hazardous substances from being placed next to one another. It updates you continually about unusual situations.”
Wouter: “And you can anticipate problems. For example, you can create a trial load to gauge the effects of certain actions. You can elaborate a number of options based on test scenarios. How many passengers are seated in a particular area? And if the passengers were to be seated elsewhere in the aircraft, what effect would this have on its balance? And what happens in the case of several no?shows? Clearly illustrated answers to questions like this and many more are just a mouse click away. As such, you always know if changes could lead to potential problems. This means you can prevent unnecessary delays.”
Faster
Nowadays, load planning is around two to four times as fast as before depending on the flight. Siu Ling says: “Each person now handles far more than a single flight per shift. And you can work on three flights simultaneously. Whereas previously you had to calculate the average baggage weight, VLC does this now. This saves an incredible amount of time and is also far more accurate. This is because the VLC computing modules are highly sophisticated. Previously after everything had actually been loaded onto the aircraft and registered as such, the stress levels reached their peak ten minutes prior to departure.
Only at this point, when closing the flight, was it possible to see the actual concrete plan. And everything still had to be calculated completely, increasing the potential for errors. VLC now provides ongoing insight into load planning. It’s practically impossible for errors to occur and you can work much faster as a result. With around ten minutes available to complete the calculations, the full amount of time was often needed before; now it’s more likely a question of two minutes and you have the load sheet at your immediate disposal. It really is amazingly fast. This places us in a position to be a lot more flexible. If registration is too late it doesn’t necessarily mean the load sheet will also be too late.”
Easy training
Wouter: “VLC’s strength stems from its high level of user friendliness. It takes around five days to teach someone the ins and outs of the system. Of course, they do require prior knowledge of weight & balance. For example, we taught a group of KLM pilots how to use the system within five days. After handling about twenty flights in close cooperation with an experienced load controller, the person can work independently. This makes it possible for many more people other than the load controllers to operate the system. In our case, the person loading the aircraft can also operate the system.
In addition to being easy, training is also much faster. Of course, real load controllers will always be needed who have completed extensive basic training. Should the system ever fail, the load controller must be capable of calculating the load plan manually. What’s more, load controllers understand what they’re doing. Nonetheless, because VLC is so user friendly, less qualified personnel can get the job done properly too. In most cases, this also means considerable savings on staff costs.”
Automatic reporting
Load-related information can be sent automatically to the cockpit thanks to its connection with the aircraft communication addressing & reporting system (ACARS). At the press of a button, a summarized load sheet can be printed in the cockpit of the aircraft. Siu Ling explains: “Before, the load sheet was sent to the gate agent, the gate agent had to tear off the printout and take it to the cockpit, the pilot had to sign it and the gate agent then had to take it back for final registration. You can just imagine how much time the system saves!” VLC automatically generates an overview of everything that has been loaded and automatically forwards this to the outstation. Wouter: “Actually, all manner of reports can be sent on. The system contains everything. We also use it to notify the KLM administration of what has been transported on each flight. This information is used to calculate the load factor and the volume of passengers, mail and cargo.”
Fewer delays, lower fuel costs
Wouter: “As mentioned, using VLC serves to significantly reduce staff and training costs. Faster load planning also delivers cost cuts. And as a consequence of being able to accurately anticipate changes, load planning no longer constitutes a factor leading to aircraft delays. Expressed as a factor leading to delays, load planning is practically negligible at 0.2%. Of the 9,500 flights departing from Schiphol for which KLM takes care of load planning, only around twenty are delayed due to load planning. Fuel costs are another important element. Fuels costs are reduced based on optimal weight distribution and a correctly balanced aircraft.”
VLC: load control at a distance
“VLC also functions at a distance,” explains Wouter. “Using centralized load control (CLC), KLM takes care of load planning for outstations from Schiphol. For example, operating from its offices at Schiphol, the Load Planning & Load Control department takes care of container planning, weight planning (estimated zero fuel weight), the load plan, load sheet and all telexes sent after departure. This generates significant financial gains, both in terms of handling contracts and staff training.” Siu Ling: “We began working with CLC last year. The transition to the new system went smoothly. Barring the expected teething problems over the first fortnight, the process went off really well. Communication is the most important factor, because the system performs fantastically either way. At Schiphol or in Miami, it makes no difference. And the great thing about VLC is that it can be used in conjunction with different check-in systems too.”
In summary
Wouter: “Speed is definitely one of the biggest advantages. Pallets can be shifted at the drop of a hat. It was really a big problem to shift a pallet from one place to another before. Now you can see everything at a single glance. For example, you can immediately see the impact of not taking a specific pallet along. You put it to one side for a moment, and VLC calculates the consequences in a flash. This enables you to ascertain if such actions could lead to problems.” Siu Ling adds: “And VLC works for all aircraft types, from Fokker 50s to full freighters.”
Saving time and money
Have Wouter and Siu Ling whet your appetite? In developing VLC, KLM has created a user-friendly system for optimal load planning and load control. A tried and tested solution enthusiastically used by KLM’s staff throughout the organization. KLM systems services will be launching VLC on the market. By opting for VLC, you will be taking home a robust system, without any nasty surprises or unexpected glitches. Taking on the task of developing a hardware system and software is a time-consuming and expensive venture. Choose for VLC, KLM systems services’ solution for your control process, and take advantage of the benefits. Don’t hesitate to contact us if you should require further information or advice.
KLM systems services (AMS/SW)
PO Box 7700
1117 ZL Schiphol Airport
The Netherlands
Tel: +31(0) 20-6496804
Fax: +31(0) 20-6496848
E-mail: amsswmarketing@klm.com
Or visit: www.systemsservices.klm.com
