Overview
The process of the aircraft traffic service at the airport constitutes one of the most vital aspects of air traffic management at the airport. Due to the fact that it seems extremely difficult, if not impossible, to examine all phenomena taking place in this system, considering a real object, it was proposed to create a mathematical model.
Based on this model, a simulation model was built, which, in the end, served as a tool for research and evaluation of the phenomena occurring on this complex system.
The project's objective was to provide a mathematical model, simulation model and demonstration results of simulating the process of services which take place at the airport relating to aircrafts.
A model of air traffic within the area of the airport contains the process of aircraft traffic occurring at:
- points of entrance to the control area of the airport (entry points),
- holding,
- runways,
- aircraft ground services,
- start and final approach points of the landing and take-off.
The disturbances have been modelled as random incidents, which influence the change of the established flight plan parameters. The simulation model has been built, identified and later used for simulation research as well as for analytical evaluation of aircraft traffic at the airport, taking into account real disturbances.
An assumption was made that the passenger traffic is included in the aircrafts’ traffic model through specific characteristics of disturbance.
The research was achieved by means of analysis of functional structure of aircraft operations in airport area and on it's aprons, affecting decisively on loss of time during service operations - that is on declared capacity of airport area (DCA). Steps were:
- Analysis of elementary aircraft operations in an airport area
- Analysis of passenger traffic in an airport
- Modelling of respective operations of aircraft and passenger traffic with ground service in an airport and its surrounding area.
- Computer implementation with verification.
- Estimate of air traffic processes.
- Numerical experiments on a database.
Funding
Results
Examinations which were undertaken concerned movements and service of aircraft in a controlled airport area and in the airport itself. Phases and stages of airport traffic were analysed and modelled, taking into account on-ground service of aircraft and passengers. The air traffic model in airport area consists of simulations of movements and service of aircraft processes in conditions of periodically occurring disturbances.
The developed model of air traffic is mass service type for identified consequence of events in aircraft traffic in airport area as well as on manoeuvre and parking aprons.
A formal traffic model was used for:
- computer implementation,
- process of traffic estimate,
- carrying out numerical experiments based on taken data.
Technical Implications
The method developed for estimating air traffic service processes in an airport area can be used, among others, for:
- verification of schemes concerning constructing and enlargement of airports,
- establishing existing capacity reserves,
- designating effective investments and organisational ventures in specific areas,
- establishing threshold conditions of slot policy,
- studies concerning meeting of international aviation organisations requirements (e.g. ICAO, ACI Europe, ECAC, Eurocontrol – for instance LCIP Programme).