Decarbonizing aviation: SFCO2 moves to AWS Cloud

The SFCO2 (Smart Fuel Efficiency (CO₂) concept began to take form in 2008, in the midst of the economic crisis, and was rolled out in 2012 as a way of containing surging costs for airlines looking for reliable solutions to cut fuel consumption, which accounts for 30% to 40% of operating costs. Besides helping to keep fuel burn under control, SFCO2 has since become a social marker for efforts to reduce aviation’s carbon emissions.

Max Moutoussamy, New Services Development Manager at Safran Aircraft Engines: “Airlines choose SFCO2 over competing solutions because our experience as an engine-maker means we’re able to advise them on how to achieve fuel savings without impacting other aircraft systems. For example, if the pilot decides to save fuel on landing by using the thrust reversers less to slow the plane, there’s a risk of exposing the braking systems to premature wear. That’s the kind of expertise customers are looking for and that’s what they like about the support Safran provides. We can help them achieve fuel savings of 1% to 6%, depending on where they’re starting from. Today, crews are focused on flight optimization, but what customers lack is the ability to analyze things with hindsight and set reachable savings goals. SFCO2 meets that need by proposing specific studies and analyzing their performance to make tailored recommendations.”

Fréderic Thomas, Innovation and New Services Development Manager, Safran Aircraft Engines: “Initially, SFCO2 was hosted on Safran Electronics & Defense’s legacy Cassiopée platform. The solution’s architecture has been completely revamped and moved to AWS Cloud, which will allow us to combine the application solution with a future-proofed state-of-the-art solution. The new version of SFCO2, planned for early next year, can also be used on pilots’ smartphone or tablet. What’s more, it will provide additional recommendations to further enhance fuel savings. Airlines are showing increasing interest in this type of solution, spurred by the push to decarbonize aviation. We have strong competitors who may be more agile and more specialized than us in data management, but they don’t provide the same insight into the specifics of propulsion. SFCO2 ties in with our goal of offering extra services to retain our customers by highlighting our value proposition as an engine supplier.”

Fréderic Thomas: “The upgraded version calls on the combined expertise of Safran Electronics & Defense in data collection and distribution, Safran Analytics and Corporate IT (Cloud Factory and Digital Factory) in developing digital solutions. Safran Aircraft Engines is the prime contractor and vendor. This new version reflects our firm commitment to developing the service and exploiting synergies between Safran companies. In other words, Safran sells not only engines and aircraft systems, but also services to help customers curb their carbon footprint.”