Development of an Algorithm for Determining the Aircraft Pushback Sequence

Abstract

The air transport crisis, caused by the Covid Pandemic, not only forced the limiting of air traffic operations, but also, the verification existing air traffic forecasts. This time can be used for an in-depth look at the existing procedures at the airport, namely the procedures for performing aircraft take-off operations. After the renewed increase in air traffic, the problem of proper positioning of aircraft for take-off will reappear. The capacity problem at airports will return as air traffic increases. Capacity is a parameter that determines the traffic capacity of an airport, expressed as the theoretical maximum number of air operations that the airport is able to handle per unit of time. This parameter may also result from the seasonality of air traffic both throughout the year and changes over single days or even hours. Achieving a certain capacity may require the expansion of airport infrastructure or more efficient management of airport operations. An undesirable effect of increasing air traffic are delays related to airport capacity. The existing queue of aircraft waiting for take-off operations at the runway threshold, could be due to poor management and queuing of aircraft or insufficient airport infrastructure. It is possible to eliminate the queue phenomenon, at the runway threshold, through better sequencing of aircraft push-outs. This makes it possible to determine the order of the take-off of aircraft, already at the stage of push-out. The aim of the article is to present the possibility of a more effective use of the aircraft pushback sequence, increasing the capacity of the airport maneuvering area. The proposed algorithm sequencing of aircraft to taxi in order to minimize delays associated with deviations from the flight plan, the taxiway of the stand to the runway threshold, thereby reducing emissions into the atmosphere. The algorithm is based on the A-CDM project, which unites airports to exchange information necessary to better use the capacity of these airports.