Eastern Region –Mt. Holly Regional Aviation

Conference

Rick CurtisSouthwest Airlines

6/6/06rick.curtis@wnco.com

SWA Facts

• 3000+ daily flights from 61 airports - newest DEN – IAD starts 10/06

• 450+ Boeing 737 aircraft: -300’s -500’s -700’s• Average flight length is 773 miles

– Shortest: 133 miles - RSW-MCO– Longest: 2,510 miles - PHL - OAK

• Southwest purchased 1.3 billion gallons of jet fuel in 2004.

• Southwest offers the most domestic flights of any airline.

SWA Cities

SWA Weather

• Rely solely on NWS TAFs for operational decisions.

• Weather information is routinely used by: Dispatch, Pilots, Maintenance, Operations, Reservations, Crew Scheduling and Executive Office.

• Intranet Weather System available to all SWA employees.

• Integrate both government and private sector weather information sources into our applications.

FAR reserve fuel is required to be carried in addition to enroute and alternate fuel.

Alternate of SAT plus contingency (“just-in-case”) fuel nearly adds up to fuel required to get TO AUS from HOU

Eastern Sub-Region Aviation Meeting

• PHL Operations– Runways 9R-27L, 9L-27R– Best ATOG 9R-27L (10506’)

- 8 Gates – D1-D4, E8, E9, E10, and E12– 58 daily departures – 9 terminating flights– Usually need 600 RVR or 1/4 mile for departures.– Best approach is ILS 9R RVR 700’or ½ SM 50’ DA– Most other approaches require at least ½ SM – 200’

DA.

Eastern Sub-Region Aviation Meeting

• ISP Operations– Runways 6-24, 10-24, 15R-33L– Best ATOG 6-24 (7002’)– Runway 6 preferred for departures due to JFK traffic

conflicts

- 4 Gates – A5, A6, A7 and A8– 32 daily departures – 9 terminating flights– Usually need 1600 RVR or 1/4 mile for take offs– Best approach is 6-24 RVR 2400 or ½ SM 200’ DA

Eastern Sub-Region Aviation Meeting

• BWI Operations– Runways 10-28, 15R-33L, 4-22– Best ATOG 10-28 (10502’)– 21 Gates – A1-A11, B2, B4, B6, B8, B10- B15– 166 daily departures – 23 terminating flights– Usually need 600 RVR for departures– Best approach is ILS Runway 10 – RVR 700 DA 50’– Need at least ½ SM for other approaches– 2500+ SWA Employees around BWI

Eastern Sub-Region Aviation Meeting

• Strategic Impact – Major Snow Storms/Hurricanes– Employees– Passengers - “SODA”– Airport operations planning coordination– Determine station “close” time– After storm evaluate conditions, employee situation,

infrastructure (bridges/tram, roads, NAVAIDs etc.)– Plan Recovery– Restore Operations

Eastern Sub-Region Aviation Meeting

• Routine Impacts – Thunderstorms/Snow/Ice Pellets

– Extra contingency fuel– Required alternates– Flight Delays– Suspended Ramp Operations – “Code Red”– Diversions– Cancelled Operations

Eastern Sub-Region Aviation Meeting

• NWS WFO Specifics– AFDs and Aviation Sections– TAFs– GRIDs– Airport Weather Warnings– Local Weather Statements– Product Consistency– Telephone consults

• Safety versus accuracy - importance• Watch how long you go out - extended periods of

BR, TS etc.• NIL TAFs - we prefer the NO AMD TAFs when

possible • Watch FAR.• TAFs - be specific (mush=bad, fortitude=good)

– Know the airport minimums – Monitor time periods

NWS Not-so Random Thoughts

FM0200Z 2-SN

TEMPO 0204 1/4 +SN

• Area Forecast Discussion - Aviation– Very interested in FROPA, cross-winds and not just

IFR/VFR

• TAF verification - “impact verification” when it comes to operational verifications– Ceiling or vis or wx DID/DID NOT happen– Should they have been forecasted YES/NO– Interested in working w/NWS to compare w/current

TAFVER

• ASOS issues • Web Site Standardization within NWS and regions

NWS Not-so Random Thoughts

From everyone at Southwest Airlines

Thanks for all YOU do – YOU are appreciated!