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Delta Air Lines periodically trains its cockpit crew members to maintain their flight qualifications. The negotiation of the new pilot working agreement (PWA) in June 2001 introduced a short and stringent planning cycle and a new training-pay structure that affects operating costs. The downturn in airline business after September 11, 2001 forced Delta to reduce its workforce and to modify its requirements for scheduling pilot training. To mitigate Delta's exposure to costs and to automate the scheduling process under a rigid planning time line, we developed and deployed an automated optimization system, CQOPT, that builds and assigns training schedules based on individual pilot's requirements. The primary objectives of CQOPT are to minimize overall operating costs and maximize training assignments. Shortly after CQOPT's deployment in May 2002, the planning cycle dropped from several days to a few hours. Delta expects to save $7.5 million in annual operating costs by using CQOPT to schedule continuing qualification (CQ) training for its pilots.
(Programming: integer. Transportation: scheduling, personnel.)
Delta Air Lines' cockpit crew members participate in continuing qualification (CQ) training to maintain their qualifications to fly. CQ training sessions are conducted in classrooms (ground-school sessions) and flight simulators. A flight simulator is a flight training device used to simulate the cockpit environment of an aircraft. These simulators not only simulate the instrumentation and ambiance of the cockpit but also simulate the actual experience of flying; for example, training programs installed on these simulators are capable of simulating a pilot's view of an airport, the thrust felt during take-off and landing, and the physical vibrations during the flight. Delta has more than 20 flight simulators at four different locations for all aircraft types in its fleet. Typically, crew members train in pairs (captain and a first officer) and are instructed by a flight instructor. We pair crew members to use simulators and flight instructors efficiently; however, it does not imply that the same pair flies together during daily operations. CQ training may be conducted over several days, and pilots must travel to the city where ground-school sessions are conducted and flight simulators are located. Scheduling CQ training is complex because of the myriad Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) rules, work rules, fleet mix, and the availability of flight simulators and...