Are you certain that you utilize your crew in the best possible way? Augmented operations, using a third and sometimes also a fourth pilot on the flights, is determined in part by regulation but also airline-internal agreements. Typical constructs for deciding the augmentation level are anticipated acclimatisation, departure time and the duration of a flight. Just like with other rules, it is difficult to mimic human physiology using just binary thresholds why such constructs always becomes over-simplifications. The end result is that extra pilots are assigned where they make a very minor difference in reducing fatigue risk, while they are notassigned for other flights where they would have made a much more important contribution.
Up until recently, it was impossible to let a prediction from a bio-mathematical fatigue model, in real-time during pairing optimization, dynamically 'decide' on the augmentation level in full balance with other objectives. You can think of it as a Catch-22 type of decision for the optimiser: 'If the pilots are predicted to be fatigued, another pilot should be assigned - but then they will be able to sleep more during the flight, becoming more alert - and then that extra pilot is no longer needed. But then...'
A recent Jeppesen breakthrough in modelling and optimisation technology now enables a smooth assignment of more pilots to flights as a function of the predicted fatigue levels. Just like a pilot hitting the right approach angle at the final, airlines can now use the pairing optimiser to hit just the right amount of crew on each flight, guided by a bio-mathematical model. The functionality has been babtized Jeppesen PAPI, for Pilot Augmentation Precision Improvement, and is right now delivered as a service offering by the Scheduling Safety team for airlines interested in developing alternative staffing scenarios with potential of improving flight safety in the most efficient way. Welcome to contact us here for a more detailed discussion.
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