Air traffic management

• Main Author: Derek, Shia Hui Tong
• Other Authors: Zhong Zhaowei
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2018
• Subjects: DRNTU::Engineering; DRNTU::Engineering::Aeronautical engineering::Air navigation
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/75629
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

This research aims to resolve one of the five challenges suggested by Eurocontrol in the event of long term air traffic growth. The challenge of focus would be climate change. It was stated that jet stream and winds are prohibiting aircrafts from taking the optimal trajectory during cruise operations due to changes in the tropopause. Firstly, this report would examine Singapore Flight Information region (FIR) environment and development. Prior to the study of the latter environment, it was discovered that not only winds of the South China sea are the concern. Prohibited and restricted areas are also factors that could prevent the aircraft from taking an optimal trajectory. Therefore, various proposed efficient flight plans which could generate an optimal trajectory are being explored. Thereafter, the author will decide upon the most suitable proposal that would resolve the two factors stated above. The decided proposal for this research would be Free Route Airspace (FRA) concept. Researcher by the name of Yoichi deemed that FRA can reduce significant amount of fuel consumption under adverse weather conditions. Furthermore, FRA is claimed to be beneficial for aRea NAVigation (RNAV) flights. This is in accordance to the direction that Singapore’s aviation industry is heading towards; a 100% RNAV flight route environment. This paper will then develop an algorithm based on FRA concept. The wind model and restricted area model will be created base on real data taken from reputable websites. Subsequently, the developed algorithm will be simulated with the two models to achieve an optimal trajectory. Results achieved through the simulation will be discussed and compared upon with current on- going flight trajectories. Finally, the conclusion will demonstrate the advantages that FRA can deliver if coupled with RNAV flight technologies.