SIMULATION TECHNIQUES FOR ARRIVAL PROCEDURE DESIGN IN CONTINUOUS DESCENT OPERATION

Continuous descent operation (CDO) is fuel-saving noise-abating arrival procedures that are used at the Kansai International Airport (KIX). However, CDO can only be performed at night so as not to disturb airflow during heavy daytime traffic. Altitude window has been proposed as a solution to expand the CDO operations. The operational conditions surrounding the arrival route, such as the percentages of aircraft types and the wind conditions, should be adequately considered while designing the altitude window. This study describes the simulation techniques that are used to formulate this design. A fast-time simulation (FTS) is exhibited to calculate the maximum possible range of the vertical-CDO trajectory. A performance-review method for the altitude window is also depicted using an FTS. Exemplary simulations are conducted using the actual KIX data. Finally, the application of a review method for the altitude window is discussed to develop the total design process.