Simulation of Expedite Departure Path at Potomac Tracon

Abstract

NASA is developing the Expedite Departure Path (EDP) decision support tool to assist terminal area departure controllers in expediting conflict-free trajectories of aircraft. The main EDP functions are to provide climb advisories, merge advisories, and accurate time-to-fly estimates. This paper discusses the fast-time simulations of EDP for the Potomac Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) airspace. The baseline and EDP function models were implemented in the Total Airspace and Airport Modeller (TAAM) for an engineered 2005 single-day air traffic scenario. To assess EDP benefits under the best case scenario, this paper assumes that all aircraft are equipped with automatic, four-dimensional tracking capability (data-linked Flight Management System).The simulation results show benefits for EDP's different functions. The climb advisories resulted in a reduction in airborne flight times. With merge advisories and accurate time-to-fly estimates, the results showed a reduction in ground departure times. Surprisingly, TAAM simulation of EDP's merge advisories did not provide the expected airborne savings even with a higher than normal loading of departure fixes. Simulation of EDP merge advisories has been identified as an area for further refinement and research. In general, the EDP savings were additive as demonstrated by a combined simulation of all EDP functions.

An Airfield Area Layout Efficiency Analysis Method Based on Queuing Network and Machine Learning

“…A prominent example is the Total Airspace and Airport Modeller (TAAM), a four-dimensional flight-path simulator designed for modeling extensive air traffic systems. It is widely used for research related to airport capacity estimation, airport planning, adverse weather impacts, and the effects of air traffic-control rules [15]. Another notable software, SIMMOD (Version 1.0), developed by the FAA, structures airspace, simulates airport layout components as nodes, and models the processes connecting these components as links [16].…”

“…Weight coefficients play a crucial role in amplifying or attenuating the neural signals received by each neuron, allowing for the adjustment of a neuron's output by modifying these weight coefficients. For each individual neuron, the interneuronal connection relationship can be expressed as shown in Equation (15).…”