Initial Analysis of Reduced Vectoring Through Metering at Tokyo International Airport

Abstract

Imbalance between demand and capacity is managed at both strategic and tactical level. Ground delay programs help decrease the number of aircraft in the vicinity of the arrival airport while maintain sufficient runway pressure so that no capacity is lost. Uncertainties in departure and flight times however make it challenging to achieve maximum runway throughput with zero unnecessary airborne delay, so vectoring is often seen in terminal airspaces. Metering through speed control can reduce vectoring, but challenges such as the limited ability to absorb delay remain. This research uses actual track data to evaluate the potential vectoring reduction if metering is introduced at Tokyo International (Haneda) Airport. Arrivals are clustered in 5 metering streams and the respective metering areas were determined. Three deceleration rates of 3%, 5% and 10% are considered and this initial analysis indicates that metering can potentially achieve zero-vectoring in up to 80% for some routes, but a combination of optimized strategic and tactical control is necessary for more carbon-neutral aviation.