HELP!!! teaching student needs you!!! stanstead to amsterdam 737-300

[markbusby]

I am a 3rd year teaching student and currently have a maths assignment which involves investigating a "real world" problem mathematically. I have chosen to investigate changes in passenger load (with a 737-300,stansted to amsterdam) so as to see how less or more passengers affects cost efficiency with reference to variables such as luggage weight, fuel used, turn around times etc. I'm sure the investigation will show a larger passenger load will be most cost efficient, but less weight may mean faster travel, less fuel, less luggage, less passengers and so quicker turn around time and so more flights. Maybe then there would be more aircraft servicing and so more cost. There is a lot for me to 'get my head around' as I have little or no knowledge of this area.

I would really appreciate as much information as possible in regard to the variables mentioned above and any others that require thought. Do you use nautical miles? if so what is the distance to amsterdam from stansted? How much fuel is used per trip and what affects the consumption? How much slower is the plane with a heavy load compared to a light one?

I really, really would appreciate any help you could give me with this problem. I aim to be teaching primary age children in two years time and this would go a long way in helping me to get there!!!

Thank you very much (in anticipation of your help),

Mark.

[FlyingIrishman]

The first advice I'm going to give you is to spell STANSTED correctly!

[avoman]

Primary school maths has moved up a gear since my day!
Distance; look it up on the net.
The entire aviation industry uses nautical miles for distance and knots for speed.
STN-AMS takes about forty minutes from start to stop in a normal operation with a B737-300.
Short haul typical fuel consumption with these engines is about 1.5 tonnes per hour per engine, and indeed STN-AMS typically uses about two tonnes.
There are many variables for the fuel used per trip, several of which you have already thought of.
The total aircraft weight is different for every departure.
The weather is a factor, particularly wind speeds and direction at different altitudes.
The routing may vary. The fuel costs at different airports may vary.
For all these reasons the fuel requirement is of course calculated before every departure.
Maximum passenger load will naturally be most cost efficient because the human load is a small part of the total aircraft weight.
Aircraft maintenance is predicated on calendar time, flight hours and flight cycles. Different loads will make a negligible difference.

[SOPS]

:O I would give up. Many of us, with many many years in this industry still ponder all the variables, and still dont understand it !!

[ramsrc]

Don't give up! Personally I think it is an excellent project idea.

avoman gives sound advice. Plus, a couple of places worth checking are this site (http://www.b737.org.uk) for specific information on the 737 and the section on fuel in this page (http://virtualskies.arc.nasa.gov/navigation/tutorial/tutorial6.html).

The second link does relate primarily to private flying, but the principles are similar, it is just scaled up somewhat. :D

One thing I would bear in mind, check the requirements of your assignment carefully before you go into too much detail. Your examiner/tutor is probably going to be more interested in the principles and methods than the minutae of precicely how many kilos of fuel are burnt per passenger.

Above all, good luck. :ok: