A row of aircraft lined up ready to depart might deliver maximum runway efficiency, but contributes little to efficient fuel use and reducing noise and emissions. While all departures are carefully planned, SESAR is looking at ways to enhance the process and introduce efficiencies right from push-back.
Pre-departure management delivers optimal traffic flow to the runway by factoring in accurate taxi time forecasts and route planning derived from static data. This can help to reduce waiting time at runway holding points, and improve take-off time predictability. Accuracy can be improved if the departure manager (DMAN) takes into consideration data provided by the advanced surface movement guidance and control system (A-SMGCS). This can account for where the aircraft is parked, taxi route length and tactical adjustments such as temporary restrictions. Just how much current operations - which rely on collaborative decision making to estimate taxi times - can be enhanced by access to dynamic data depends upon the individual airport and the quality of data available.
SESAR trials using this dynamic route planning information resulted in more accurate calculations of the departure sequence, and improved predictability and stability of both target times and actual times. In particular, the sequence assigned to each flight for target start-up time, and for target take-off time, improved with the use of route planning information. For busy single runway airports, predictable operations result in better use of the available capacity. Trials showed that the solution leads to reduced waiting time at the runway holding point, saving fuel and improving efficiency. It also increases the accuracy of estimated taxi time and hence take-off time predictability, which in turn allows the aircraft to adhere to target take-off time. Finally, the more stable departure sequence benefits airport operations overall, and is used in turn by the Network Manager to optimise traffic flow. This solution is available for industrialisation.
DMAN synchronised with pre-departure sequencing is part of synchronised deployment plans. To date, the solution has been implemented at the following airports: Nice Cote d'Azur, Munich International, Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Paris Orly, and Stuttgart.
SJU references: #53/Release4
Benefits
- Reduced waiting time at the runway holding point, which saves fuel and allows air navigation service efficiency
- Increased accuracy of taxi time-out predication and hence take-off time predictability, which in turn allows the aircraft to adhere to their target take-off time (TTOT)
- Provision of a more stable pre-departure sequence
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