JetBlue to Roll Out i6 Fuel Management Platform to Improve Operational Efficiency, Sustainability
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Digital fuel management platform provider i6 Group, which received an investment from JetBlue Technology Ventures in February 2020, has reached a significant milestone in its North American expansion with the full deployment of its solutions at Boston Logan International Airport.
i6 Group (i6) has deployed its full suite of fuel monitoring and management solutions at Boston Logan International Airport for BOSFUEL, a consortium of airline operators including JetBlue Airways.
The BOSFUEL aviation fuel distribution system already makes use of i6’s Fusion6 product, which connects airline and airport fuel data and includes its eHandshake technology, replacing the need for paper tickets to be printed and delivered to airline crew, cutting several minutes off the fueling process.
However, the full deployment of the i6 portfolio will see the introduction of its IRS-compliant Reconcile6 solution, which provides end-to-end inventory management, reconciliation, loss and gain calculations and real-time tank insights.
By harnessing data collected from flow meter and tank measurement sensors that keep track of the exact volume of fuel loaded into storage tanks and into aircraft, Reconcile6 gives BOSFUEL greater visibility and control over fuel stock levels and movements.
Furthermore, individual carriers now also have access to i6 Group’s Perspective6 product, which offers real-time insights into their own fueling operations and inventory data, supported by a reporting suite.
According to Steve Uhrmacher, i6 Group’s CEO, the company’s solutions means that over-fueling is reduced by up to 50%, which significantly decreases an airline’s cost of operation.
“The digitalization of the refueling process allows an airline to refine its requirements until departure, taking into account no-shows and actual baggage loaded to ensure no more fuel than is required for safe operations is communicated to the operator,” he explained.
The increased accuracy and visibility offered by i6’s technology also improves both operational efficiency and sustainability by ensuring there are no unnecessary movements of fuel by road or by rail.
JetBlue is now planning to roll i6 Group’s products out across its network. Michael Brocker, director assistant, Treasurer & Fuel at JetBlue Airways, said, “We had a chance to see the i6 systems leveraged in our Boston operation, and we were very happy to see how satisfied our frontline teams were with the product. The time saved and reduced touchpoints from the automated processes has made i6 implementation an easy decision for both our operational and commercial stakeholders, and will ultimately aid in our emissions reporting.”