Ultra-long Flight Scheduling

[Tube]

I just found out about AirwaySim a couple of days ago. Although I don't have the ability to play the game it really looks nice, can't wait to play the game at some point

I looked at the screenshots posted in the forum and have a question for the beta gamers around scheduling aircrafts. How do you schedule an ultra-long flights (over 24 hours return)? Can you service a ultra long route (daily service) with just 2 aircrafts or will a 3rd be required? As the aircraft won't return within 24 hours at the departure airport you will need a second aircraft. Now when you want to make your destination a daily schedule can you schedule your aircrafts to get the following rotation (2 weeks):

Aircraft 1 -> Mon, Wed, Fri, Sun, Tue, Thur, Sat
Aircraft 2 -> Tue, Thu, Sat, Mon, Wed, Fri, Sun

If the system can't schedule per 2 weeks you will end up scheduling a 3rd aircraft:

Aircraft 1 -> Mon, Wed, Fri
Aircraft 2 -> Tue, Thu, Sat
Aircraft 3 -> Sun

I'm just curious how this is being handled?

Thanks

[Sami]

3 planes needed in that case as schedules are built on weekly basis.

[Sundaypilot]

If you want to have same departure time every day, then it is as Sami said, you would need 3 planes to get daily flights.
But you could also get 8 weekly flights with just two planes (if your route isn't too long).
I've done like this:
LUX612  KJFK - OYSN   0840-0650* OYSN - KJFK   0900-1510
Days: 1--4---  A333
LUX611  KJFK - OYSN   1720-1530* OYSN - KJFK   1740-2350
Days: -2--5--  A333

1st flight departs at monday morning, returns at tuesday afternoon.
2nd takes off at tuesday evening and gets back before wednesday midnight.
3rd one is taking off at thursday morning, returns friday afternoon,
4th goes at friday afternoon, returns at saturday midnight. (And you still have sunday free to fly shorter route.)

[mykalberta]

On thing to consider.

Airlines rarely sked an the same aircraft on the route more than 1 or 2 a week - unless limited by operational flexibility

While not 100% what you mean. An airline might sked an aircraft as follows

1.5 days: ORD->NRT->ORD
1 day: ORD->LHR->ORD
1 day: ORD->FRA->ORD
1.5 days ORD->GRU->ORD
1 day: ORD->CDG->ORD

That type of sked gives you extreme flexibility:

1: would mean to run full daily skeds you would need 7 aircraft to run 6 routes. While that may seem to be wasteful, that gives an airline plenty of wiggle room for wx, mx, etc delays. It also keeps the number hours run on the aircraft similar. As you could see you could also do another 1 day block hour route but that limits flexibility.

Remember, operational flexibility is why airlines rarely have subfleets of few aircraft, and while some would rather abuse aircraft on routes to keep ease of operation, sked, and mx etc. It all really depends what passenger type you seek, are you a more an people move where you want high aircraft utilization or are you more biz/first airline where operation issues are more important.

Once the game matures with hub system, and multiple hubs; you will be able to increase utilization without decreasing operation flexibility.

MYK

[Seattle]

Typically, some longhauls can be flown 6x weekly with 1 day open for b and more importantly, A checks. (this does require a second for the off day)

Some require a dedicated second, doing Mon, Wed, Fri, and Sat, while the second does Tue, Thurs, Sun

Some require three, those typically are the flights that are 24 hours plus in total flight and ground times. So you'd have Mon, Wed, Fri on one
Then Tue, Thur, sun, on the other adn on the last is Sat. however, thats more unusual than the typical 3 and 4 x daily flights.

[Name_Omitted]

You can get 4 daily non-stops with 9 aircraft by having 4 pairs and one aircraft that covers the 7th day for the other pairs.