Experimental Approach for Efficient Arrival Procedures with Fixed-Flight Path Angle Descent

Increasing the throughput at major airports with efficient air traffic flow management is a daunting challenge and efficient arrival procedures with increased predictability are key to address these demands. In a preceding study, authors proposed a conceptual framework on an integrated system of Fixed-flight Path Angle (FPA) and GBAS Landing System (GLS) as an augmentation to Continuous Descent Operation (CDO), which is considered to be a potential mitigation strategy for both fuel consumption and environmental impact. This paper provides an experimental approach to review key aspects for implementing FPA descent procedures in real operational environment and to explore the possibility of integrating such a procedure with next-generation approach systems. Design methodology for FPA descent is explained by referring to FPA descent trajectories simulated from a trajectory generator developed by the authors. Results from a series of full-flight simulator trials are investigated for the procedure's feasibility, pilot workload and potential benefits compared to conventional descent procedures. A case study conducted as a part of the Jeppesen's digital airline / 59+1 technical demonstration under the Boeing's ecoDemonstrator 2018 Program is also reviewed. Results show that the ground-based trajectory prediction could be achieved with significant accuracy by integrating two deceleration segments to the FPA procedure design.