Atlantic Southeast Airlines (ASA) has about 35 active Six Sigma projects currently under way. Since the program began about 30 months ago, the carrier has completed 19 projects, primarily on the technical side of its operations. The program has saved the company about $7.2 million to date.

The average project takes six to eight months from the start of the fact-gathering until a solution is found.

The carrier's Six Sigma team has expanded the program to include airport operations, in-flight services and human resources. About 10 percent of the current projects are not technical in nature.

A sampling of its projects:

• The first project was under taken to determine why the integrated drive generator on the GE jet turbine was not operating reliably. A detailed analysis determined that the fuel level gauge on the right engine required a mirror to view. Reading the gauge was difficult and as a result the engine was not getting enough oil. Savings: $400,000.
• Scheduling deferred maintenance items grew increasingly complex as the carrier added more aircraft. Prior to the Six Sigma analysis, the carrier had a minimum equipment list (MEL) rate of 0.6 per plane. The team set a goal of reducing the deferred items to 0.35 per plane. In the end, the project reduced the rate to 0.3 per plane. The data analysis also pointed out additional problems that are being researched further. Savings: $900,000 annually in avoided delays.
• A team is in the research stage to improve the baggage transfer process. Savings: Estimated to be $600,000 with fewer lost bags.
• A human resources team is examining the company's recruiting programs to determine which technique yields the best new employee in the fastest time. Savings: undetermined.
• Flight attendant supervisors are using Six Sigma to design a better inspection process. One early discovery during the data analysis was that there was no consistency in maintaining the on-the-plane reference manuals for the flight attendants. Savings: undetermined.