Analysis of Paired Approach Concepts and Potential Airports for the Implementation of Super Close Runway Operations (SupeRO)

Several aviation organizations are forecasting a strong increase in air traffic demand in the coming decades. This will push some airports to their limits and require measures to increase runway capacity. An increase in runway capacity will essentially be achieved by building additional runways. The runway spacings that currently have to be adhered to mean that a large new area has to be acquired by the airport for this purpose. The DLR Institute of Flight Guidance is developing the Super Close Runway Operations (SupeRO) concept to minimize this area or to use the existing infrastructure of an airport more efficiently.In order to assess the potential of SupeRO, this paper first examines paired approach concepts. The investigation serves as preparation for the development of paired approaches, which are to form a main component of the SupeRO concept. Subsequently, potential airports are analyzed with regard to their suitability for the implementation of SupeRO. In addition to the key technologies identified for paired approaches such as 4D-FMS or interval management, it was shown that paired approaches represent a promising approach for the operation of super close runways. The potential analysis of the airports revealed that there is a large number of airports that are suitable for SupeRO due to their infrastructure and demand.