Benefit optimization and operational requirement of Flow Corridor in Japanese airspace

Abstract

The Flow Corridor is one of the operational concepts in the future air traffic plans. They are planned to be introduced along high demand routes between airport or city pairs. Aircraft capable of self-separation are allowed to fly along it with no instruction by air traffic controllers. All aircraft will be able to fly along each ones’ own optimum trajectory with punctuality in the Flow Corridor by using the self-separation. In this study, the optimum Flow Corridor allocation based on the potential benefit estimation is discussed. The average fuel consumption and flight time of representative aircraft types are analyzed using their actual flight data in Japan. In addition, the fuel optimum flight trajectories of the same type aircraft are analyzed. Through their comparison, it is clarified that the Flow Corridor introduction enables both the flight time and fuel consumption reduction, and that the fuel consumption reduction is remarkably large in both the cruise and descent trajectories. The optimization analyses varying the aircraft weight clarified the height and speed extent among the optimum trajectories of various aircraft types. This determines the cross-sectional shape of the Flow Corridor. The situations of overtaking are also analyzed assuming that all aircraft in the Flow Corridor fly punctually with appropriate landing intervals at the destination airport. It is clarified that the overtaking frequently occurs during both the cruise and descent trajectories. These results provide the requirements for the self-separation during the descent phase.