IMPACTS OF THE DECEMBER 22, 2004 WINTER STORM ON FEDEX’S MEMPHIS OPERATION Erik A. Proseus and Trevor K. Hansen FedEx Weather Services

AMS-Memphis E. Proseus and T. Hansen 2 May Slide 2 Outline Introduction –Overview of FedEx Air Operations –Overview of Weather Services Department Environmental Conditions Impact on Air Operations –Overview –Cancellations and Delays –Package Volume Conclusions

AMS-Memphis E. Proseus and T. Hansen 2 May Slide 3 FedEx’s Memphis, TN “SuperHub”

AMS-Memphis E. Proseus and T. Hansen 2 May Slide 4 Night Operations

AMS-Memphis E. Proseus and T. Hansen 2 May Slide 5 When things don’t go well in the summer… Aircraft lined up for runway 36L following a passing thunderstorm

AMS-Memphis E. Proseus and T. Hansen 2 May Slide 6 …and in the winter.

AMS-Memphis E. Proseus and T. Hansen 2 May Slide 7 Weather Services, aka “Meteorology” Operates 24/7 year-round Located within Global Operations Control, which is the department’s primary customer Staff of 15 Issue terminal forecasts twice daily for nearly 150 domestic and a few international locations with valid times of hours Approved by FAA as primary source of forecasts for all domestic trunk flights and some international flights

AMS-Memphis E. Proseus and T. Hansen 2 May Slide 8 Outline Introduction –Overview of FedEx Air Operations –Overview of Weather Services Department Environmental Conditions Impact on Air Operations –Overview –Cancellations and Delays –Package Volume Conclusions

AMS-Memphis E. Proseus and T. Hansen 2 May Slide 9 Surface Observations – 22 Dec 2004

AMS-Memphis E. Proseus and T. Hansen 2 May Slide 10

AMS-Memphis E. Proseus and T. Hansen 2 May Slide 11 NEXRAD Loop – UTC

AMS-Memphis E. Proseus and T. Hansen 2 May Slide 12 ETA Analysis – 22 Dec 2004 – 12Z

AMS-Memphis E. Proseus and T. Hansen 2 May Slide 13 ETA Analysis – 23 Dec 2004 – 00Z

AMS-Memphis E. Proseus and T. Hansen 2 May Slide 14 ETA Analysis – 23 Dec 2004 – 12Z

AMS-Memphis E. Proseus and T. Hansen 2 May Slide 15

AMS-Memphis E. Proseus and T. Hansen 2 May Slide 16

AMS-Memphis E. Proseus and T. Hansen 2 May Slide 17

AMS-Memphis E. Proseus and T. Hansen 2 May Slide 18 Outline Introduction –Overview of FedEx Air Operations –Overview of Weather Services Department Environmental Conditions Impact on Air Operations –Overview –Cancellations and Delays –Package Volume Conclusions

AMS-Memphis E. Proseus and T. Hansen 2 May Slide 19 Timeline of Weather Events

AMS-Memphis E. Proseus and T. Hansen 2 May Slide 20 Memphis-Based Flight Cancellations

AMS-Memphis E. Proseus and T. Hansen 2 May Slide 21 Memphis-Based Flight Delays

AMS-Memphis E. Proseus and T. Hansen 2 May Slide 22 Memphis Departure Rate 12/22/04 Afternoon 12/23/04 Early Morning

AMS-Memphis E. Proseus and T. Hansen 2 May Slide 23 Memphis Package Volume

AMS-Memphis E. Proseus and T. Hansen 2 May Slide 24 Conclusions Significant number of impacts nationwide caused by a winter storm at a key location “The Butterfly Effect” – a small event can lead to much larger effects downstream Large-scale impacts are further magnified in a hub-and- spoke system Public perception and understanding – “I am shipping from Orlando to Seattle, why does the weather in Memphis matter?” Contingency planning refined