DOCSLIB.ORG

Luke L. Jensen and R. John Hansman

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Luke L. Jensen and R. John Hansman FUEL EFFICIENCY BENEFITS AND IMPLEMENTATION CONSIDERATIONS FOR CRUISE ALTITUDE AND SPEED OPTIMIZATION IN THE NATIONAL AIRSPACE SYSTEM Luke L. Jensen and R. John Hansman This report is based on the Masters Thesis of Luke L. Jensen submitted to the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Report No. ICAT-2014-04 May 2014 MIT International Center for Air Transportation (ICAT) Department of Aeronautics & Astronautics Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, MA 02139 USA Page Intentionally Left Blank - 2 - FUEL EFFICIENCY BENEFITS AND IMPLEMENTATION CONSIDERATIONS FOR CRUISE ALTITUDE AND SPEED OPTIMIZATION IN THE NATIONAL AIRSPACE SYSTEM by Luke L. Jensen Submitted to the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics on May 22, 2014, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Aeronautics and Astronautics ABSTRACT This study examines the potential fuel burn benefits of altitude and speed optimization in the cruise phase of flight for domestic airlines in the United States. Airlines can achieve cost reductions and reduce environmental impact by making small modifications to the cruise phase operating condition. The efficiency of the National Airspace System can be improved with coordination between air traffic controllers, pilots, and airline dispatchers. This study builds off of prior work in this area to establish best-case benefits assuming full implementation of fuel- optimal cruise altitudes and speeds. In order to achieve these objectives, a cruise-phase fuel burn estimator was developed using publicly-available radar tracks and weather data. This estimator was used to examine 217,000 flights from 2012. Maximum benefits from altitude optimization (holding speed constant) were found to be on the order 1.96%. The majority of potential altitude benefits can be achieved using step climb optimization, with only marginal gain from cruise climb implementation. The maximum benefits for speed optimization (holding altitude constant) were found to be 1.94% with an average flight time increase of 3.5 minutes per flight. Simultaneous altitude and speed optimization yielded a potential cruise fuel burn reduction of 3.71%. In practice, operational considerations and barriers to implementation limit likely system fuel reduction to lower levels. High-benefit operations within the NAS are identified and potential implementation considerations are discussed. Thesis Supervisor: Dr. R. John Hansman Title: T. Wilson Professor of Aeronautics and Astronautics - 3 - Page Intentionally Left Blank - 4 - ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First, I wish to thank Professor Hansman for his practical and academic guidance rooted in years of experience in aviation and engineering. Such perspective is immensely valuable for a graduate researcher and a student of aviation. Second, I am thankful for the support of my collaborators at MIT Lincoln Laboratory (including Tom Reynolds, Joe Venuti, Alan Midkiff, and Yari Rodriguez) and project managers at the FAA AEE (including Pat Moran and Chris Dorbian). Collectively, their weekly feedback kept my research and analysis ideas on track. I wish to acknowledge the long chain of teachers and mentors who have helped me grow academically and personally to meet the present challenge. Each new experience builds on the foundation of what comes before. I especially thank my teachers at the Bainbridge Island Public Schools, my mentors at the Port Townsend Aero Museum, and my professors at the University of Washington. I am grateful for my year of travel between 2011 and 2012 and the impact it had on my present outlook toward academics and life. To all of the people I met on the road in all corners of the world, I pass along a heartfelt thanks. What goes around comes around. Last, but certainly not least, I wish to thank my parents and my brother for being supportive throughout the journey that brought me here. Blue skies! DISCLAIMER This work was sponsored by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) under Air Force Contract FA8721-05-C-0002. Opinions, interpretations, conclusions, and recommendations are those of the author and are not necessarily endorsed by the United States Government. - 5 - Page Intentionally Left Blank - 6 - TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter 1 Introduction ............................................................................................................... 15 1.1 Motivation................................................................................................................................................. 15 1.2 Research Objective ................................................................................................................................ 17 1.3 Study Scope .............................................................................................................................................. 18 1.4 Thesis Outline ......................................................................................................................................... 18 Chapter 2 Background ................................................................................................................ 21 2.1 Altitude Planning and Assignment in Practice .......................................................................... 21 2.2 Speed Planning and Assignment in Practice .............................................................................. 23 2.2.1 Methods for Cruise Speed Control .................................................................................. 24 2.2.2 Tactical Speed Control ......................................................................................................... 25 2.3 Fuel Efficiency Metric Selection ....................................................................................................... 25 2.4 Aircraft Performance for Fuel-Optimal Cruise .......................................................................... 26 Chapter 3 Methodology .............................................................................................................. 29 3.1 High-Level Approach............................................................................................................................ 29 3.2 Data Sources ............................................................................................................................................ 31 3.2.1 Weather Data ........................................................................................................................... 31 3.2.2 Radar Data ............................................................................................................................... 32 3.2.3 Pre-Processing Trajectory Data ....................................................................................... 32 3.3 Sample Set Definition ........................................................................................................................... 34 3.3.1 Selecting Case Days ............................................................................................................... 35 3.3.2 Selecting Flights Within Case Days ................................................................................. 36 3.4 Weather Correction .............................................................................................................................. 37 3.5 Weight Estimation ................................................................................................................................. 39 3.6 Cruise Trajectory Fuel Estimation .................................................................................................. 42 3.6.1 Aircraft Performance Model .............................................................................................. 43 3.6.2 Climb & Descent Correction .............................................................................................. 45 3.7 Trajectory Optimization: Altitude .................................................................................................. 46 3.7.1 Cruise Climb ............................................................................................................................. 48 3.7.2 Step Climb ................................................................................................................................. 49 3.7.3 Flexible VNAV .......................................................................................................................... 50 - 7 - 3.8 Trajectory Optimization: Speed ....................................................................................................... 52 3.9 Trajectory Optimization: Joint Altitude & Speed ...................................................................... 53 Chapter 4 Results .......................................................................................................................... 55 4.1 Altitude Optimization Results .......................................................................................................... 55 4.1.1 Individual Flight Altitude Results ................................................................................... 55 4.1.2 Aggregate Altitude Results................................................................................................. 59 4.1.3 Differences between Airlines and Aircraft Types ..................................................... 63
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Aircraft Engine Performance Study Using Flight Data Recorder Archives
    Aircraft Engine Performance Study Using Flight Data Recorder Archives Yashovardhan S. Chati∗ and Hamsa Balakrishnan y Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 02139, USA Aircraft emissions are a significant source of pollution and are closely related to engine fuel burn. The onboard Flight Data Recorder (FDR) is an accurate source of information as it logs operational aircraft data in situ. The main objective of this paper is the visualization and exploration of data from the FDR. The Airbus A330 - 223 is used to study the variation of normalized engine performance parameters with the altitude profile in all the phases of flight. A turbofan performance analysis model is employed to calculate the theoretical thrust and it is shown to be a good qualitative match to the FDR reported thrust. The operational thrust settings and the times in mode are found to differ significantly from the ICAO standard values in the LTO cycle. This difference can lead to errors in the calculation of aircraft emission inventories. This paper is the first step towards the accurate estimation of engine performance and emissions for different aircraft and engine types, given the trajectory of an aircraft. I. Introduction Aircraft emissions depend on engine characteristics, particularly on the fuel flow rate and the thrust. It is therefore, important to accurately assess engine performance and operational fuel burn. Traditionally, the estimation of fuel burn and emissions has been done using the ICAO Aircraft Engine Emissions Databank1. However, this method is approximate and the results have been shown to deviate from the measured values of emissions from aircraft in operation2,3.
    [Show full text]
  • Design and Analysis of Advanced Flight: Planning Concepts
    NASA Contractor Report 4063 Design and Analysis of Advanced Flight: Planning Concepts Johri A. Sorerisen CONrRACT NAS1- 17345 MARCH 1987 NASA Contractor Report 4063 Design and Analysis of Advanced Flight Planning Concepts John .A. Sorensen Analytical Mechanics Associates, Inc. Moantain View, California Prepared for Langley Research Center under Contract NAS 1- 17345 National Aeronautics and Space Administration Scientific and Technical Information Branch 1987 F'OREWORD This continuing effort for development of concepts for generating near-optimum flight profiles that minimize fuel or direct operating costs was supported under NASA Contract No. NAS1-17345, by Langley Research Center, Hampton VA. The project Technical Monitor at Langley Research Center was Dan D. Vicroy. Technical discussion with and suggestions from Mr. Vicroy, David H. Williams, and Charles E. Knox of Langley Research Center are gratefully acknowledged. The technical information concerning the Chicago-Phoenix flight plan used as an example throughout this study was provided by courtesy of United Airlines. The weather information used to exercise the experimental flight planning program EF'PLAN developed in this study was provided by courtesy of Pacific Southwest Airlines. At AMA, Inc., the project manager was John A. Sorensen. Engineering support was provided by Tsuyoshi Goka, Kioumars Najmabadi, and Mark H, Waters. Project programming support was provided by Susan Dorsky, Ann Blake, and Casimer Lesiak. iii DESIGN AND ANALYSIS OF ADVANCED FLIGHT PLANNING CONCEPTS John A. Sorensen Analytical Mechanics Associates, Inc. SUMMARY The Objectives of this continuing effort are to develop and evaluate new algorithms and advanced concepts for flight management and flight planning. This includes the minimization of fuel or direct operating costs, the integration of the airborne flight management and ground-based flight planning processes, and the enhancement of future traffic management systems design.
    [Show full text]
  • CRUISE FLIGHT OPTIMIZATION of a COMMERCIAL AIRCRAFT with WINDS a Thesis Presented To
    CRUISE FLIGHT OPTIMIZATION OF A COMMERCIAL AIRCRAFT WITH WINDS _______________________________________ A Thesis presented to the Faculty of the Graduate School at the University of Missouri-Columbia _______________________________________________________ In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Science _____________________________________________________ by STEPHEN ANSBERRY Dr. Craig Kluever, Thesis Supervisor MAY 2015 The undersigned, appointed by the dean of the Graduate School, have examined the thesis entitled CRUISE FLIGHT OPTMIZATION OF A COMMERCIAL AIRCRAFT WITH WINDS presented by Stephen Ansberry, a candidate for the degree of Master of Science, and hereby certify that, in their opinion, it is worthy of acceptance. Professor Craig Kluever Professor Roger Fales Professor Carmen Chicone ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank Dr. Kluever for his help and guidance through this thesis. I would like to thank my other panel professors, Dr. Chicone and Dr. Fales for their support. I would also like to thank Steve Nagel for his assistance with the engine theory and Tyler Shinn for his assistance with the computer program. ii TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS………………………………...………………………………………………ii LIST OF FIGURES………………………………………………………………………………………..iv LIST OF TABLES…………………………………………………………………………………….……v SYMBOLS....................................................................................................................................................vi ABSTRACT……………………………………………………………………………………………...viii 1. INTRODUCTION.....................................................................................................................................1
    [Show full text]
  • May 31, 2004 5 - 1
    Airports Authority of India Manual of Air Traffic Services – Part 1 CHAPTER 5 SEPARATION METHODS AND MINIMA 5.1 Provision for the separation of Whenever, as a result of failure or controlled traffic degradation of navigation, communications, altimetry, flight control or other systems, 5.1.1 Vertical or horizontal separation shall aircraft performance is degraded below the be provided: level required for the airspace in which it is a) between IFR flights in Class D and E operating, the flight crew shall advise the airspaces except when VMC climb or ATC unit concerned without delay. Where the descent is involved under the failure or degradation affects the separation conditions specified in para 5.5.6; minimum currently being employed, the b) between IFR flights and special VFR controller shall take action to establish flights; [and another appropriate type of separation or c) between special VFR flights separation minimum. 5.1.2 No clearance shall be given to execute any manoeuvre that would reduce 5.2 Reduction in separation minima the spacing between two aircraft to less than the separation minimum applicable in the 5.2.1 In the vicinity of aerodromes circumstances. In the vicinity of aerodromes, the separation 5.1.3 Larger separations than the specified minima may be reduced if: minima should be applied whenever a) adequate separation can be provided exceptional circumstances such as unlawful by the aerodrome controller when each interference or navigational difficulties call for aircraft is continuously visible to this extra precautions. This should be done with controller; or due regard to all relevant factors so as to b) each aircraft is continuously visible to avoid impeding the flow of air traffic by the flight crews of the other aircraft application of excessive separations.
    [Show full text]
  • Ec-130 Employment ______Compliance with This Instruction Is Mandatory
    BY ORDER OF THE COMMANDER AFSOC INSTRUCTION 11-202, VOLUME 17 AIR FORCE SPECIAL OPERATIONS COMMAND 1 JUNE 1997 Flying Operations EC-130 EMPLOYMENT ____________________________________________________________________________________ COMPLIANCE WITH THIS INSTRUCTION IS MANDATORY. This instruction implements AFPD 11-2, Flight Rules and Procedures. It establishes employment procedures for AFSOC EC-130 aircraft and aircrew. It applies to all AFSOC EC-130 aircrews. It applies to the Air National Guard (ANG) when published in the ANGIND 2. OPR: HQ AFSOC/DOVF (Capt Wallace), 193 SOW/OGV (Maj McCarthy) Certified by: HQ AFSOC/DOV (Col Garlington) Pages: 33 Distribution: F; X Chapter 1 -- E-130E Employment Procedures Paragraph Section A -- Employment Concept General .........................................................................................................................1.1 Mission .........................................................................................................................1.2 Communications and Operations Security (COMSEC and OPSEC) ...............................1.3 Crew Rest .....................................................................................................................1.4 Checklists/Inflight Guides..............................................................................................1.5 Definitions ....................................................................................................................1.6 Section B -- Mission Planning and Employment Procedures
    [Show full text]
  • Chapter: 2. En Route Operations
    Chapter 2 En Route Operations Introduction The en route phase of flight is defined as that segment of flight from the termination point of a departure procedure to the origination point of an arrival procedure. The procedures employed in the en route phase of flight are governed by a set of specific flight standards established by 14 CFR [Figure 2-1], FAA Order 8260.3, and related publications. These standards establish courses to be flown, obstacle clearance criteria, minimum altitudes, navigation performance, and communications requirements. 2-1 fly along the centerline when on a Federal airway or, on routes other than Federal airways, along the direct course between NAVAIDs or fixes defining the route. The regulation allows maneuvering to pass well clear of other air traffic or, if in visual meteorogical conditions (VMC), to clear the flightpath both before and during climb or descent. Airways Airway routing occurs along pre-defined pathways called airways. [Figure 2-2] Airways can be thought of as three- dimensional highways for aircraft. In most land areas of the world, aircraft are required to fly airways between the departure and destination airports. The rules governing airway routing, Standard Instrument Departures (SID) and Standard Terminal Arrival (STAR), are published flight procedures that cover altitude, airspeed, and requirements for entering and leaving the airway. Most airways are eight nautical miles (14 kilometers) wide, and the airway Figure 2-1. Code of Federal Regulations, Title 14 Aeronautics and Space. flight levels keep aircraft separated by at least 500 vertical En Route Navigation feet from aircraft on the flight level above and below when operating under VFR.
    [Show full text]
  • (VL for Attrid
    ECCAIRS Aviation 1.3.0.12 Data Definition Standard English Attribute Values ECCAIRS Aviation 1.3.0.12 VL for AttrID: 391 - Event Phases Powered Fixed-wing aircraft. (Powered Fixed-wing aircraft) 10000 This section covers flight phases specifically adopted for the operation of a powered fixed-wing aircraft. Standing. (Standing) 10100 The phase of flight prior to pushback or taxi, or after arrival, at the gate, ramp, or parking area, while the aircraft is stationary. Standing : Engine(s) Not Operating. (Standing : Engine(s) Not Operating) 10101 The phase of flight, while the aircraft is standing and during which no aircraft engine is running. Standing : Engine(s) Start-up. (Standing : Engine(s) Start-up) 10102 The phase of flight, while the aircraft is parked during which the first engine is started. Standing : Engine(s) Run-up. (Standing : Engine(s) Run-up) 990899 The phase of flight after start-up, during which power is applied to engines, for a pre-flight engine performance test. Standing : Engine(s) Operating. (Standing : Engine(s) Operating) 10103 The phase of flight following engine start-up, or after post-flight arrival at the destination. Standing : Engine(s) Shut Down. (Standing : Engine(s) Shut Down) 10104 Engine shutdown is from the start of the shutdown sequence until the engine(s) cease rotation. Standing : Other. (Standing : Other) 10198 An event involving any standing phase of flight other than one of the above. Taxi. (Taxi) 10200 The phase of flight in which movement of an aircraft on the surface of an aerodrome under its own power occurs, excluding take- off and landing.
    [Show full text]
  • B767 FMS Step Climb Predictions
    Page 1 BOEING 767 B767 FMS STEP CLIMB Step climb calculations depend upon prior calculation of the required profile for the current cruise altitude and the active route. This profile is based on scheduled speeds and cost index, beginning with current gross weight. If no wind or temperature forecast is entered, it is based on still air and zero ISA deviation prior to takeoff. In flight, the currently measured ISA deviation is extrapolated to all waypoints in the flight plan through the end of the flight. The actual wind is resolved into a headwind or tailwind component which is washed out to half its value in 200 NM during cruise or in 5000 ft during climb or descent. Beyond these points it continues to wash out exponentially. Entering wind forecasts will make the active flight plan profile prediction more precise. This can be done in two ways; An overall average wind entered on the PERF INIT page will be treated as a forecast of cruise wind. A wind forecast entered opposite a cruise waypoint on the RTE DATA page overrides the overall wind forecast from that waypoint on. In fact, it is retained for the remainder of the cruise segment until the next waypoint with a wind forecast entry. Therefore, wind forecasts can be precisely reflected in the FMC by entering winds opposite the cruise waypoints they take effect. They need not be entered at each waypoint, only those where there is a significant change in the forecast. These entries affect only the active or provisional route fuel/cost predictions.
    [Show full text]
  • ATP IFR Flight Planning Training Supplement
    IFR Flight Planning Training Supplement ATPFlightSchool.com Revised 2018-12-03 Revised 2018-12-03 Copyright © 2018 Airline Transport Professionals. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical or otherwise, without the prior written permission of Airline Transport Professionals. To view recent changes to this supplement, visit: atpflightschool.com/changes/supp-ifr Contents Introduction .................................... 1 Pre- Planning Preparation .............. 2 Overview ..................................................... 2 Weather ....................................................... 3 NOTAMs ...................................................... 5 Preferred Routes ....................................... 5 Departure Segment Planning........ 6 Departure Airport Information ................... 6 Takeoff Minimums ...................................... 6 Departure Procedure ................................. 6 Top of Climb Calculations ........................... 7 Arrival Segment Planning .............. 8 Arrival Procedure ....................................... 8 Descent Planning ....................................... 9 Arrival Airport Information .......................10 Choosing an Alternate ..............................10 Enroute Segment Planning .......... 11 Federal Airway Routing .............................11 Direct Routing Between Navaids or Fixes 12 IFR Altitudes .............................................12 Cruise Performance
    [Show full text]
  • Flight Path Monitoring FINAL REPORT of the ACTIVE PILOT MONITORING WORKING GROUP
    A Practical Guide for Improving Flight Path Monitoring FINAL REPORT OF THE ACTIVE PILOT MONITORING WORKING GROUP NOVEMBER, 2014 A Practical Guide for Improving Flight Path Monitoring Table of Contents Foreword .................................................. vi 3. Barriers to Effective Monitoring ...........................12 3.1 Human Factors Limitations ...........................12 Executive Summary .........................................vii 3.2 Time Pressure .....................................13 1. Introduction ............................................1 3.3 Lack of Feedback to Pilots When Monitoring Lapses .......14 1.1 Background ........................................1 3.4 Design of Flight Deck Systems and SOPs ................14 1.2 Defining Monitoring .................................3 3.5 Pilots’ Inadequate Mental Models of Autoflight System Modes ............................14 1.3 Scope .............................................4 3.6 Corporate Climate Does Not Support 1.4 Effective Monitoring Actions ..........................4 Emphasis on Monitoring .............................14 1.5 Working Group Makeup ..............................5 4. Recommendations to Improve Monitoring Performance........15 1.6 Tasking of the Working Group .........................5 5. Concluding Remarks ....................................43 2. Monitoring Data and Research .............................6 Appendix A Monitoring Link to Threat and Error Management 2.1 Aircraft Accident Reports .............................6 Performance, The
    [Show full text]
  • IAS: a Handle on Range Performance Bill Compton
    IAS: A Handle on Range Performance Bill Compton Indicated airspeed (IAS) is a landmark for range performance. At one weight, an airplane will have an IAS for Best range and least drag, VBr, with a Specific Range, SR, nautical air miles/gallon (nam/g). Vbr and SR vary with weight, By the formulas Vbr2 = Vbr1 √W2/W1, and SR2 = SR1 (W1/W2). Vbr and SR are independent of altitude. For the V35TC, estimating Vbr 112KIAS, 14.3 nam/g at 3400#, the numbers can be expanded by the formulas over the aircraft’s operating weight range, as in Table 1. Weight 1.0 VBr 1.0 SR 1.16 VBr .96 SR 3800 119 12.8 137 12.28 3400 112 14.3 130 13.73 3000 105 16.2 122 15.52 2600 98 18.7 114 17.95 Table 1. V35TC. Vbr and nam/g Table 2. V35TC at 1.16 Vbr and .96SR These numbers can be expanded in another way (arrow to TaBle 2). A “Target IAS” flown can Be a percentage above Vbr while accepting a predicted range loss. Range decreases more and more as IAS is increased. 1.07 Vbr still gives .99 SR; 1.11 gives .98; 1.16 gives .96 (TaBle 2); 1.26 gives .90; and 1.316 (Carson speed) gives .86 . A Bonanza has very long legs at 1.16 VBr, if you have the patience. In stable cruise flight, IAS is an index of thrust as well as drag. Thrust is a force, and does no work unless exerted over a distance.
    [Show full text]
  • Business & Commercial Aviation
    JUNE/JULY 2020 $10.00 AviationWeek.com/BCA Business & Commercial Aviation 2020 PURCHASE PLANNING HANDBOOK Production Aircraft Comparison A Look at the Trends and New AND Performance Tables Developments in Avionics ALSO IN THIS ISSUE Bombardier Global 7500 Smoke Signals Under Pressure Mountain Wave Monsters One Too Many Digital Edition Copyright Notice The content contained in this digital edition (“Digital Material”), as well as its selection and arrangement, is owned by Informa. and its affiliated companies, licensors, and suppliers, and is protected by their respective copyright, trademark and other proprietary rights. Upon payment of the subscription price, if applicable, you are hereby authorized to view, download, copy, and print Digital Material solely for your own personal, non-commercial use, provided that by doing any of the foregoing, you acknowledge that (i) you do not and will not acquire any ownership rights of any kind in the Digital Material or any portion thereof, (ii) you must preserve all copyright and other proprietary notices included in any downloaded Digital Material, and (iii) you must comply in all respects with the use restrictions set forth below and in the Informa Privacy Policy and the Informa Terms of Use (the “Use Restrictions”), each of which is hereby incorporated by reference. Any use not in accordance with, and any failure to comply fully with, the Use Restrictions is expressly prohibited by law, and may result in severe civil and criminal penalties. Violators will be prosecuted to the maximum possible extent. You may not modify, publish, license, transmit (including by way of email, facsimile or other electronic means), transfer, sell, reproduce (including by copying or posting on any network computer), create derivative works from, display, store, or in any way exploit, broadcast, disseminate or distribute, in any format or media of any kind, any of the Digital Material, in whole or in part, without the express prior written consent of Informa.
    [Show full text]