Title: Aircraft selection with DEA's triple index: an approach for sustainability

Authors: Enzo Barberio Mariano; Rafael Iglesias Reinas; Vinicius Amorim Sobreiro; Daisy Aparecida do Nascimento Rebelatto

Addresses: Production Engineering Department, São Paulo State University, Av. Eng. Luiz Edmundo C. Coube 14-01, Bauru, São Paulo, 17033-360, Brazil ' Production Engineering Department, School of Engineering of São Carlos, University of São Paulo – USP, Av. Trabalhador São Carlense 400, São Carlos, São Paulo, 13566-590, Brazil ' Department of Management, Faculty of Economics, Management and Accounting – FACE, University of Brasília – UnB, Campus Darcy Ribeiro, Brasília, Federal District 70910-900, Brazil ' Production Engineering Department, School of Engineering of São Carlos, University of São Paulo – USP, Av. Trabalhador São Carlense 400, São Carlos, São Paulo, 13566-590, Brazil

Abstract: The objective of this paper is to present a benefit-cost ranking of 127 civil transport aircraft; this ranking was determined considering a new data envelopment analysis (DEA) approach, called triple index, which combines three assessment methods: 1) standard frontier, 2) inverted index; 3) cross-multiplicative index. The analysis used the following inputs: a) market price; b) direct operating costs; and as outputs: a) payload, b) cruise speed; c) maximum rate of climb with a single engine. To ensure the homogeneity of the units, the aircrafts were divided according to the propulsion system (jet and turboprop) and size (regional, narrow-body and wide-body); they were also evaluated according to different ranges in order to identify the aircraft with the best cost-benefit relationship for each option.

Keywords: data envelopment analysis; DEA; cost-benefit analysis; aircraft selection; triple index; sustainability; civil transport aircraft; aircraft ranking; market price; operating costs; payload; cruise speed; rate of climb; propulsion systems; aircraft size; sustainability; sustainable development.

DOI: 10.1504/LAJMSD.2014.065473

Latin American Journal of Management for Sustainable Development, 2014 Vol.1 No.2/3, pp.164 - 193

Received: 30 Nov 2013
Accepted: 13 Feb 2014
Published online: 12 Nov 2014 *

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