Evaluating Surface Optimization Techniques Using a Fast-time Airport Surface Simulation

Abstract

The application of NASA's Airspace Concept Evaluation System (ACES) Terminal Model Enhancement (TME), a fast-time airport surface simulation, to evaluate surface optimization techniques is discussed in this paper. This work supports a research effort to develop a better understanding of surface operation constraints and develop surface optimization techniques to increase capacity and reduce delay. There were five strategic optimization components integrated with ACES-TME: Taxiway Planner, Runway Planner, Gate Assigner, Runway Assigner, and Configuration Planner. The optimization components were evaluated using a Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County (DTW) Airport surface model and a 2006 traffic demand set. The collective impact of the Taxiway Planner and Runway Assigner provided the most benefit in terms of reducing taxi time and taxi delay.

Runway Operations Optimization in the Presence of Uncertainties

“…Based on computational experiments it turns out that for this specific problem the aggregated Benders cut outperforms the traditional approach where one cut is added for each subproblem. To the first stage model, also referred to as the master problem, the unrestricted variable z is added together with the set of constraints forming the cuts (13). In the equation, λ ω is the probability associated with scenario ω.…”

“…Of the five components the TP had the greatest impact in terms of reducing the evaluation metrics defined in the study. 13 During the course of the study the weather conditions used in the simulation were changed from IFR to Visual Flight Rules (VFR), which had negative impact on the benefit gains obtained from the RP. As concluded in earlier research 10 and mentioned in the Introduction, the potential benefits from runway planning tools are greater when the demand is high relative to runway capacity or the combined capacity of multiple runways.…”

Challenges in Aerospace Decision and Control: Air Transportation Systems

“…These tools model the layout of an airport, the operating rules for every aircraft type, and the dynamics of every gate, taxiway and runway with high fidelity. As would be expected, there are tradeoffs among the level of modeling fidelity, effort, and computational times [18,34,53].…”