An optimization approach to aircraft dispatching strategy with maintenance cost – A case study

•Optimization models for aircraft dispatching at a flight school.•Optimum strategy leading to aircraft dispatch with total minimum maintenance cost.•Optimum strategy leading to minimum number of maintenance procedures.•Various strategies examined to compare solutions.

This paper presents an optimization approach to identify aircraft dispatching strategy at a flight training school. The strategy adopted by the school was to dispatch the aircraft which is closest to its scheduled maintenance. This strategy was examined and compared with other potential dispatching strategies. The paper presents a mixed integer linear programming model to identify the strategy that minimizes the total cost of scheduled maintenance. The analysis shows that the optimization approach can save 2%–5% on annual maintenance cost compared with other strategies. The model can equally be applied to rental cars or trucking companies.