Single Runway Research Articles

A New Simheuristic Approach for Stochastic Runway Scheduling

We consider a stochastic, dynamic runway scheduling problem involving aircraft landings on a single runway. Sequencing decisions are made with knowledge of the estimated arrival times (ETAs) of all aircraft due to arrive at the airport, and these ETAs vary according to continuous-time stochastic processes. Time separations between consecutive runway landings are modeled via sequence-dependent Erlang distributions and are affected by weather conditions, which also evolve continuously over time. The resulting multistage optimization problem is intractable using exact methods, and we propose a novel simheuristic approach based on the application of methods analogous to variable neighborhood search in a high-dimensional stochastic environment. Our model is calibrated using flight tracking data for over 98,000 arrivals at Heathrow Airport. Results from numerical experiments indicate that our proposed simheuristic algorithm outperforms an alternative based on deterministic forecasts under a wide range of parameter values, with the largest benefits seen when the underlying stochastic processes become more volatile and also when the on-time requirements of individual flights are given greater weight in the objective function. Funding: This work was supported by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council [Grant EP/M020258/1]. Supplemental Material: The online appendix and data files are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/trsc.2022.0400 .

Two-stage stochastic programming models for the extended aircraft arrival management problem with multiple pre-scheduling points

Extended aircraft arrival management under uncertainty has been previously studied in the literature using two-stage stochastic optimization in the case of a single initial approach fix (IAF) and a single runway. In this paper, we propose an extension taking into account: (i) multiple IAFs feeding the landing runway, (ii) aircraft having different initial flight status (at-departure-gate or airborne) when making first-stage decisions, and (iii) a time-deviation cost function to minimize that is based on reference values depending on aircraft type and flight phase. Two problem variants are modeled according to the degree of freedom on IAF assignment to aircraft. In the first variant, IAFs are to be assigned to aircraft, as a first-stage decision. In the second variant, IAF assignment is fixed and considered as a problem input. Numerical results on realistic instances from Paris Charles-de-Gaulle airport confirm the benefit of taking into account uncertainty through two-stage stochastic programming, and through re-assignment of IAFs.

The Influence of the Resident Subsidy on Regional Carrier Economies and the Environment in the Canary Interisland Air Traffic Network

The existence of aviation subsidies can exacerbate congestion in airports that operate near their maximum threshold. One of the main operational issues in airports, that is, aircraft taxiing operations, could become more difficult and, therefore, produce negative effects on airport capacity management. Air carrier economies, touristic mobility (leisure travel), and the environment could also be negatively affected. Greenhouse gas emissions, passenger travel time, and air carriers’ fuel costs, for example, might rise due to aircrafts’ increased taxiing time. This paper seeks to analyse the impact of regional aviation subsidies for regional hub airports in the Canary Island air traffic network; specifically, the effect it has on airports’ capacity in terms of LTO (landing and taking off) cycle delays and its repercussions for passenger travel time, air carrier economics, and the environment. Therefore, to quantify the extent that the increased traffic from subsidies cause airport ground operations to delay flights, the disturbance between aircraft categories in landing and taking off operations must be considered. The disturbance between aircrafts will be evaluated by employing a simple model of landing intervals considering two aircraft categories (i.e., ATRs-72, ATRs-42, and B737/A320 aircraft families). The above-mentioned methodology provides an approximation of the average processing rate for take-off using the ultimate capacity concept for a variety of aircrafts landing on a single runway of the airport. As a result, it must be noted that there is a potential economic and environmental impact associated with the implementation of the subsidy increase for residents’ interisland travel and from the Canary Islands to the mainland. There is also a negative effect on runways for both airports due to the capacity constraints. These impacts, however, have to be balanced with the social and economic benefits that each regional inhabitant derives from the subsidy in terms of improvement of their mobility for any purpose.

ANALISIS PENINGKATAN TEBAL PERKERASAN RUNWAY DI LANUD RADEN SADJAD RANAI KABUPATEN NATUNA

The Riau Islands Province is currently one of the provinces in Indonesia which is experiencing significantdevelopment, especially in the tourism sector. This condition affects the number of use of commercial aviationservices that will enter and leave our area both now and in the future. Raden Sadjad Ranai Lanud, Natuna Regency isthe gateway to Natuna Island and is the main airport which currently serves international standard domestic flights.The airport uses a single runway which is the simplest configuration. Analysis of the flexible pavement thickness ofthe runway at Raden Sadjad Ranai Air Force Base in Natuna Regency aims to determine the thickness of the flexiblepavement layer of the runway at the airport. The planning method used is the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration)method. The first step that needs to be considered is the CBR (California Bearing Ratio) value of the subgrade, thedetermination of the modulus of subgrade value, the selection of the plan plane, the MTOW of the aircraft, the loadof one aircraft wheel (W2), corrected departure (R2), the load of one wheel of the aircraft plan (W1 ) and theequivalent annual deparature of the planned aircraft (R1). This pavement thickness analysis uses the plan C-130Hercules and Boeing 737-500 aircraft. Based on the data obtained, then the plan aircraft MTOW value, thesubgrade classification value according to the FAA is plotted on the FAA flexible pavement thickness evaluationcurve so that the pavement thickness is obtained, the results of this study indicate that for plan aircraft C-130Hercules and Boeing 737-500 required surface coarse thickness 21.59 cm by 41.91 cm coarse subbase layer. Theresults with this comparison COMFAA application required a surface coarse pavement thickness of 20 cm with 30cm of base coarse layer and 12.24 cm of subbase layer

The omnidirectional runway with infinite heading as a futuristic runway concept for future free route airspace operations

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to create and analyze the effectiveness of a new runway system, which is totally created for the future free route operations.Design/methodology/approachThis paper researches and analyses the new generated runway concept with the fast time simulation method. Fuel consumption and environmental effect of the new runway system are calculated based on simulation results.FindingsAccording to different traffic density analyses the Omnidirectional Runway with Infinite Heading (ORIH) reduced fuel consumption and CO2 emissions up to 46.97%. Also the total emissions of the ORIH concept, for the hydro carbon (HC), carbon monoxide (CO) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) pollutants were lower than the total emissions with the conventional runway up to 83.13, 74.36 and 51.49%, respectively.Practical implicationsFree route airspaces bring many advantages to air traffic management and airline operations. Direct routes become available from airport to airport thanks to free route airspace concept. However, conventional single runway structure does not allow aircraft operations for every direction. The landing and take-off operations of a conventional airport with a single runway must be executed with only two heading direction. This limitation brings a bottleneck direct approach and departure route usage as convenient with free route airspace concept. This paper suggests and analyzes the omnidirectional runway with infinite heading (ORIH) as a solution for free route airspace.Originality/valueThis paper suggests a new and futuristic runway design and operation for the free route operations. This paper has its originality from the suggested and newly created runway system.

Modeling Aircraft Departure at a Runway Using a Time-Varying Fluid Queue

Reducing the length of departure queues at runway entry points is one of the most important requirements for reducing aircraft traffic congestion and fuel consumption at airports. This study designs an aircraft departure model at a runway using a time-varying fluid queue. The proposed model enables us to determine the aircraft waiting time in the departure queue and to evaluate effective control approaches for assigning suitable holds at gates rather than runway entry points. As a case study, this study modeled the departure queue at runway 05 of Tokyo International Airport for an entire day of operations. Using actual traffic data of departures at the airport, the model estimates that aircraft spend a total of 2.5 h departure waiting time in a day at runway 05. Considering the stochastic nature of actual departure traffic, the relevance of the proposed model is discussed using validation criteria. The model estimation shows a reasonable, expected order of magnitude compared with the departure queue recorded in the actual traffic data. Furthermore, ecological and economic benefits are quantitatively evaluated assuming a reduction in the departure queue length. Our results show that about one kiloton of fuel oil per year is wasted due to aircraft waiting to depart from a single departure runway.

An optimal data-splitting algorithm for aircraft sequencing on a single runway

An optimal data-splitting algorithm for aircraft sequencing on a single runway

An optimal data-splitting algorithm for aircraft sequencing on two runways

We study the static aircraft sequencing and scheduling problem (during peak hour) on a two independent runway system both under arrivals only and mixed mode of operations. This problem is formulated as a 0–1 mixed-integer program with the objective of maximizing the total throughput of both runways, taking into account several realistic constraints including safety separation standards, wide time-windows, and constrained position shifting. This NP-hard problem is computationally harder than its single runway counterpart due to the additional runway allocation decisions. Recognising the intractability of peak-traffic instances of this problem by direct application of the MIP formulation, a novel application of data-splitting algorithm (DS-ASP) is proposed to the case of two runways scenario. DS-ASP divides the given set of flights into several disjoint subsets, and then optimises each of them using 0–1 MIP while ensuring the optimality of the entire set. Computational results show a significant reduction in average solution time (by more than 92% in some scenarios) compared to direct use of a commercial solver while achieving optimality in all of the instances. Capable of producing real-time solutions for various peak-traffic instances even with sequential implementation, pleasingly parallel structure further enhances its efficiency and scalability.

An Improved Immunoglobulin-Based Artificial Immune System for the Aircraft Scheduling Problem With Alternate Aircrafts

This research discusses the sequence of inbound and outbound aircrafts on a mixed operation single runway at an airport. Influenced by the climate, the target airport cannot meet landing conditions. As a result, aircrafts have to land at other nearby airports. Since the sequence for considering both normal and alternate aircrafts arriving in a fixed time window becomes difficult, few studies have considered this situation. Therefore, in this article, we propose a mixed integer programming model for formulating and possibly solving this problem to minimize total delay time. Since the problem is NP-hard, we propose an Improved Immunoglobulin-based Artificial Immune System (IIAIS) to find an optimal or near optimal solution to the considered aircraft scheduling problem. Using the problem instances from the OR library and a real-life practical case, we empirically evaluate the performance of the proposed algorithm. The results show that the proposed algorithm performs better than other existing algorithms.

The enhancement of the prescribed track for unmanned air vehicles

Purpose Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are more affected by adverse wind conditions in especially landing. Therefore, they need to change the runway in use. In case of this change, to eliminate the uncertain maneuvers, there is a need for a special prescribed track. The purpose of this study is the construction of a prescribed track at a single runway to provide a facility to change the runway in use. Design/methodology/approach Two forms of prescribed tracks, as standard and alternate, were constructed for UAVs by taking into consideration the key parameters to design flight procedures. Both tracks were assessed in a real-time simulation method. Moreover, unmanned vehicle simulation was used for a validation process. Findings According to the real-time simulation results, 8.14 NM and 6.64 NM of flight distance and 5.43 min and 4.43 min of flight time for the standard and alternate prescribed tracks were found, respectively. The obtained results were in favor of the alternate prescribed track. Furthermore, the prescribed track was assessed and validated in both air traffic control and UAV simulations. The feedback of pilots and controllers was very positive for a prescribed track, as it provided them with foresight and time to take care in any situations. Practical implications The prescribed track in this paper may be applied by airspace designers and UAV users to perform safe and efficient landing in adverse wind conditions. Originality/value In this study, a prescribed track was constructed for UAVs. Quantitative results were achieved using a real-time simulation method in terms of flight distance and flight time. Additionally, validation of the prescribed track was achieved by unmanned air vehicle simulation.

Extended Aircraft Arrival Management Under Uncertainty: A Computational Study

The arrival manager operational horizon, in Europe, is foreseen to be extended up to 500 n miles around destination airports. In this context, arrivals need to be sequenced and scheduled a few hours before landing, when uncertainty is still significant. A computational study, based on a two-stage stochastic program, is presented and discussed to address the arrival sequencing and scheduling problem under uncertainty. This preliminary study focuses on a single initial approach fix and a single runway. Different problem characteristics, optimization parameters, as well as fast solution methods for real-time implementation are analyzed in order to evaluate the viability of our approach. Paris Charles-De-Gaulle airport is taken as a case study. A simulation-based validation experiment shows that the current approach can decrease the number of expected conflicts near the terminal area by up to 70%. Moreover, in a high-density traffic situation, the total time to lose inside the terminal area can be decreased by more than 71%, whereas the expected landing rate can be increased by 7.7% as compared to the first-come/first-served policy. This computational study demonstrates that sequencing and scheduling arrivals under uncertainty a few hours before landing can successfully diminish the need for holding stacks by relying more on upstream linear holding.

An optimal data-splitting algorithm for aircraft scheduling on a single runway to maximize throughput

In this research, we present a data-splitting algorithm to optimally solve the aircraft sequencing problem (ASP) on a single runway under both segregated and mixed-mode of operation. This problem is formulated as a 0–1 mixed-integer program (MIP), taking into account several realistic constraints, including safety separation standards, wide time-windows, and constrained position shifting, with the objective of maximizing the total throughput. Varied scenarios of large scale realistic instances of this problem, which is NP-hard in general, are computationally difficult to solve with the direct use of commercial solver as well as existing state-of-the-art dynamic programming method. The design of the algorithm is based on a recently introduced data-splitting algorithm which uses the divide-and-conquer paradigm, wherein the given set of flights is divided into several disjoint subsets, each of which is optimized using 0–1 MIP while ensuring the optimality of the entire set. Computational results show that the difficult instances can be solved in real-time and the solution is efficient in comparison to the commercial solver and dynamic programming, using both sequential, as well as parallel, implementation of this pleasingly parallel algorithm.

Detailed Mathematical Programming Formulations for the Aircraft Landing Problem on a Single and Multiple Runway Configurations

We are concerned with supporting the air traffic controller in the management of the inbound traffic. We precisely focus on the careful modeling of the Aircraft Landing Problem (ALP) within an Air Traffic Control (ATC) system for an airport which may include a single or multiple runways. We propose a new detailed Mixed Integer Programming (MIP) formulation in which we break down the main problem into simultaneously three sub problems, the scheduling and sequencing of aircraft approaches and landings on the TMA resources (air segment(s) and runway(s)), their assignment and the control practice. Our achievement is the model solution using CPLEX and Eclipse. Computational results show the efficiency of the proposed approach.

Scheduling aircraft landing at single runway

Scheduling aircraft landing at single runway

Stability Analysis of Runway Schedules

By performing stability analysis on an optimal runway schedule, this paper derives a method to determine whether an optimized landing sequence of aircraft remains optimal after an arbitrary number of aircraft in that sequence are delayed by an arbitrary amount of time. We consider the problem of scheduling aircraft landing on a single runway with the objective of maximizing throughput under changing external conditions such as delays caused by weather. Instead of optimizing the schedule every time delays occur, stability criteria allow for fast evaluation of whether schedules remain optimal. This paper develops a method to compute stability regions for a set of schedules. Sensitivity analysis of the linear programming relaxation and a nonlinear relationship between the delay of individual aircraft and the incurred cost change for all landing sequences yield the stability information. Furthermore, the properties of a first-come–first-serve policy are studied by giving sufficient conditions and a heuristic condition for the optimality of first-come–first-serve sequences. The given results are shown to be also applicable to landing sequences obtained through local neighborhood search, sequences that obey a position shift constraint, and subsequences of landing sequences as used in a rolling horizon approach.

Minimizing deviation from scheduled times in a single mixed-operation runway

The dynamic nature of airports demands the development of scheduling algorithms that are computationally efficient and therefore amenable to replanning when new traffic events occur. The main objective of this research is to design an algorithm with very low computational times able to minimize delays in the scheduled times of arrival and departure flights in an airport with a mixed-operation runway, under wake vortex separation and Constrained Position Shifting restrictions. The simulated annealing algorithm obtains a 95% improvement on time delays in less than one second of computation for the test instances generated, which means that it can be used online for high-demand scenarios to reduce delays. It has also been tested in a public testbed as well as in a real environment, showing an improvement of 30% in the time delays of real operations at London Gatwick airport.

Dynamic scheduling of aircraft landings

This paper considers the scheduling of aircraft landings on a single runway. There are time window constraints for each aircraft’s landing time, and minimum separation times between consecutive landings, where the separation times depend on the weight classes of the two landing aircraft. A multi-objective formulation takes account of runway throughput, earliness and lateness, and the cost of fuel arising from aircraft manoeuvres and additional flight time incurred to achieve the landing schedule. The paper investigates both the static/off-line problem where details of the arriving flights are known in advance, and the dynamic/on-line problem where flight arrival information becomes available over time. Under dynamic scheduling, the algorithm makes periodic updates to the previous schedule to take into account the aircraft that are newly available. We investigate dynamic programing and local search implementations for the static and dynamic problem using random test data and real data from London Heathrow airport.

The Application of Fuzzy Clustering Method in the Division of Reservoir Flow Unit

The reservoir of Beierxi-Puyizu in Sabei developed area comes into the special high water-cut stage. The distribution of residual oil at the later stage of polymer flooding is disperse quietly. The contradiction in layer or among layers is complex, the range of measure reduces gradually and routine measure takes effect poorly. According to the parameters such as permeability and formation capacity, the six sedimentary units of the block are divided into four flow units, the result will provides a more credible geological reference for the identification of single runway in complex channel sand and the adjustment of measures at the later stage of polymer flooding. The microfacies of the adjacent flow units are different, they are generally flow unit of margin facies belt. At the same time, the saturation of residual oil at the juncture of different microfacies belt is high. There is little residual oil exists in the channel sand flow unit of good type and more exists in very good type, it is the target of residual oil tapping at the middle and later stage of polymer flooding. The residual saturation of the flow unit in intermediate belt is high, but there are so many difficulties in tapping the residual oil.

Alkali–Silica Reaction Identification and Remediation at Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport

AbstractNorthwest Arkansas Regional Airport (International Air Transport Association Code, XNA) opened in 1998. XNA is a regional airport serving the northwest Arkansas area. Alkali silica reaction (ASR) was detected at XNA’s runway 16/34 in 2002, and in 2012 the runway was closed for replacement. The airport includes a single runway; therefore, runway replacement required the construction of a temporary alternate landing surface (ALS). Consequently, costs related to the premature runway replacement were substantial. XNA is experiencing significant pavement distress caused by ASR. Therefore, in addition to the runway, taxiways and apron areas will require replacement. The article reviews ASR, causes of ASR at XNA, and a preliminary investigation to develop a remediation approach to ASR at XNA. For ASR remediation, the authors are investigating various surface sealants for their effectiveness to retard ASR, to provide XNA operators additional time before future pavement replacement is warranted.

On the Safety of Mixed Operation of RNP AR and ILS Approach Procedures on a Single Runway(Safety and Reliability of Transportation Systems)

On the Safety of Mixed Operation of RNP AR and ILS Approach Procedures on a Single Runway(Safety and Reliability of Transportation Systems)