A study of airspace structure

• Main Author: Lwin, Thit
• Other Authors: Zhong Zhaowei
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2016
• Subjects: DRNTU::Engineering
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/67539
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

With technological advancement and development in the aviation industry, there has been a significant rise in demand worldwide for air travel leading to increasingly congested air traffic. Air traffic management (ATM) has started in the early 1920’s [3]. And by the late 20th Century, the complexity involved in ATM has increased due to the heavy traffic. Thus, problems such as airports and airspace planning, congestions and exerting excess workload on air traffic control (ATC) systems, arises. Therefore, it is crucial to have an effective management system and current air traffic control systems are facing limitations. More researches have to be done for an enhanced and complete understanding in various aspects of ATM and its limitations. In this final year project, three different review chapters are presented and each is a collective review of journal and non-journal articles on topics of ATC. They serve to provide reader with the fundamental understanding of common issues faced and methodologies applied to resolve. The first review chapter of determining sector capacity in airspaces is on capacity management issue experienced by air traffic controllers. Airspace volume in terminal area is divided into sectors in which each sector is dictated by team of controllers and the primary issue is dealing with capacity issue of balancing the workload so that controllers do not get overworked. The second and third chapter is on methodology for determining optimal routes and air traffic demand forecasting respectively. In the chapter of determining optimal routes, the methodologies for finding the best origin to destination route are introduced. In commercial aviation, finding the best fuel ii | P a g e and cost efficient route is crucial in staying competitive. Fuel efficiency is not the only parameter of concern. Environmental considerations and air traffic regulations abiding are also of concern. The last review chapter presents methodologies and techniques used in air traffic forecasting. Air traffic demand is the main concern and understanding the density of traffic in future is crucial in airline planning and airport planning likewise.