A study of air traffic management : wind optimization in the modern aviation

• Main Author: Lee, Jun Chin
• Other Authors: Zhong Zhaowei
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2018
• Subjects: DRNTU::Engineering
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/75078
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

In the modern aviation industry, fuel efficiency has become one of the most important factors. Even aircraft manufacturers such as Boeing or Airbus, have been striving for designs incorporating materials such as Carbon Fibre Reinforced Plastics (CFRP) to reduce weight and thus fuel efficiency. [1] However, as material improvements come to a standstill and the adoption of newer aircrafts can take substantial time, there is a need to find an alternate way to improve fuel efficiency. Improving air route structures and optimizing them is an example of how fuel efficiency and thus impact on environment can be improved in a shorter term. In this study, wind optimization was used to improve air route structures whereby the most fuel efficient way of cruising was found by incorporating knowledge of wind direction and speeds into the flight path. This thus reduces the amount of flight time, which directly translates to fuel savings and hence efficiency. The route chosen for this study was a flight departing Singapore Changi International airport to Hong Kong International Airport whereby it was chosen due to the high frequency of flight. The higher the frequency of flight, the higher the fuel savings due to the cumulative way in which fuel is saved, even if fuel savings per flight being low. Results achieved in the study showed substantial amount of flight time savings and thereby fuel savings. Therefore, with the aviation industry being an enormous giant flooded with an array of different airlines, minute savings can add up to a substantial amount, resulting in higher fuel efficiencies, thereby reducing emission of greenhouse gases as well.