Strategic airspace constraint analysis and environmental impact of Dynamic Weather Routes

This paper presents analyses of the strategic airspace constraints and the environmental impact of Dynamic Weather Routes automation. The Dynamic Weather Routes are flight plans along which an aircraft can save a user-specified amount of wind-corrected flying time compared to the currently active flight plan. The strategic airspace constraints address sector congestion and Special Activity Area traversal along the two flight plans. The environmental impact considers fuel burn and emissions (e.g., hydrocarbons, carbon dioxide, etc.) along the two flight plans. A comparison of airspace constraints and emission values between the as-flown tracks of the aircraft and the suggested Dynamic Weather Route is presented. The results are for August 1 through October 31, 2012, when NASA's Dynamic Weather Routes software was running continuously at the American Airlines System Operations Center in Ft. Worth, TX. The results indicate that Dynamic Weather Routes not only save flying time and fuel, but help reduce traffic congestion and harmful emissions as well.