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National Aeronautics and Space Administration

www.nasa.gov

Dynamic Weather Routes

A Weather Avoidance Concept for Trajectory-Based Operations

Dave McNally and John Love

Airspace Systems Program 2011 Technical Interchange MeetingMarch 28 31 2011San Diego, CA

https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=20110023242 2020-07-21T07:17:15+00:00Z

Background

No real-time automation to find better weather routes

Integrated operation of wind-route analysis, trial planning, and weather modeling triggers analysis

Closed trajectories desirable for trajectory-based ops

routes

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Objective

Trajectory automation and metrics for real-time identification and evaluation of time and

fuel saving convective weather reroutes

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Nominal Weather Route

4

Direct-To Triggers Analysis

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Resolve Weather Conflicts

6

Snap to Named Fixes

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Detect Traffic Conflicts

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Resolve Traffic Conflicts

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Setup for Example Cases

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UAL975 IAD/SFO

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Flight Plan Route

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UAL975 IAD/SFO

Direct-To Route

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UAL975 IAD/SFO

11 min savings

RSK

Best Aux Waypoint Route

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UAL975 IAD/SFO

9.8 min savings

RSK

Snap to Fix Route

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UAL975 IAD/SFO

9.1 min savings

RSK SWO

Actual Track

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UAL975 IAD/SFO

Flight Plan Route

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CPZ5663 DFW/MSP

Direct-To Route

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13 min savingsCPZ5663 DFW/MSP

SGF

Weather Resolved Route

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11 min savingsCPZ5663 DFW/MSP

SGF

Weather & Traffic Resolved Route

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9.1 min savingsCPZ5663 DFW/MSP

SGF

Snap to Fix Route

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8.4 min savingsCPZ5663 DFW/MSP

ORTRO

SGF

Actual Track

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CPZ5663 DFW/MSP

Flight Plan Route

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SWA418 JAX/LAS

Direct-To Route

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SWA418 JAX/LAS12 min savings

GUP

Best Aux Waypoint Route

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SWA418 JAX/LAS7.5 min savings

GUP

Snap to Fix Route

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SWA418 JAX/LAS7.1 min savings

GUP

ATS

UBC

Another LAS Flight, Same Route

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AAL1821 MIA/LAS7.1 min savings

ATS

UBC

GUP

Actual Tracks, 4 LAS Arrivals

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Metrics

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SWA418JAX/LAS

Weather Conflicts (min to LOS)

Traffic Conflicts (min to LOS)

Number aux way-

points

Time savings (min)

Flight plan route

Direct-To route

Best aux waypoint route

Snap to fix route

Best aux waypoint route, traffic conflict-free

Metrics

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SWA418JAX/LAS

Weather Conflicts (min to LOS)

Traffic Conflicts (min to LOS)

Number aux way-

points

Time savings (min)

Flight plan route 24 0 --- ---

Direct-To route

Best aux waypoint route

Snap to fix route

Best aux waypoint route, traffic conflict-free

Metrics

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SWA418JAX/LAS

Weather Conflicts (min to LOS)

Traffic Conflicts (min to LOS)

Number aux way-

points

Time savings (min)

Flight plan route 24 0 --- ---

Direct-To route 14 0 0 10

Best aux waypoint route

Snap to fix route

Best aux waypoint route, traffic conflict-free

Metrics

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SWA418JAX/LAS

Weather Conflicts (min to LOS)

Traffic Conflicts (min to LOS)

Number aux way-

points

Time savings (min)

Flight plan route 24 0 --- ---

Direct-To route 14 0 0 10

Best aux waypoint route 0 0 2 7.0

Snap to fix route

Best aux waypoint route, traffic conflict-free

Metrics

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SWA418JAX/LAS

Weather Conflicts (min to LOS)

Traffic Conflicts (min to LOS)

Number aux way-

points

Time savings (min)

Flight plan route 24 0 --- ---

Direct-To route 14 0 0 10

Best aux waypoint route 0 0 2 7.0

Snap to fix route 0 0 2 (UBC, ATS) 6.7

Best aux waypoint route, traffic conflict-free

Metrics

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SWA418JAX/LAS

Weather Conflicts (min to LOS)

Traffic Conflicts (min to LOS)

Number aux way-

points

Time savings (min)

Flight plan route 24 0 --- ---

Direct-To route 14 0 0 10

Best aux waypoint route 0 0 2 7.0

Snap to fix route 0 0 2 (UBC, ATS) 6.7

Best aux waypoint route, traffic conflict-free

N/A --- --- ---

Potential Flying Time Savings5 hours Fort Worth Center traffic over 2 weather days

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0102030405060

1+ 2+ 3+ 4+ 5+ 6+ 7+ 8+ 9+ 10+ 11+ 12+Potential flying time savings (min)

Number of flights

0.050.0

100.0150.0200.0250.0300.0350.0400.0

1+ 2+ 3+ 4+ 5+ 6+ 7+ 8+ 9+ 10+ 11+ 12+Potential flying time savings (min)

Total potential savings (min)

Challenges

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Objective criteria for consideration

Common stakeholder (FAA, airspace users) understanding of

Controller workload, Playbook non-conformance (cost)

Airspace user savings (benefit)

Who initiates? AOC requests when potential savings greater than parameter (8 min?)

Operational trials to validate concept

Concluding Remarks

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Large potential for time and fuel savings

Simple route changes enabled by trajectory automation, weather modeling, and air/ground data comm - no new aircraft equipage

Common objective stakeholder consideration criteria a key requirement

Next Steps:Expand benefits analysis using more actual traffic samplesCollaborate with FAA and airspace users on operating conceptSimulations, field trials

Extra Slides

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Potential Flying Time Savings5 hours Fort Worth Center traffic over 2 weather days

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Potential flying time savings (min)

Number of flights

0

4

8

12

16

20

0-2 2-4 4-6 6-8 8-10 10-12 12-14

Concluding RemarksLarge potential benefits: 354 min flying time savings in 5 hours of weather-impacted ZFW traffic

Enabled by integrated trajectory automation: wind-favorable routes, weather modeling, rapid feedback trial planning, autoresolver for weather and traffic

comm (FANS-1/A) -- no new aircraft equipage

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Next StepsAutomate real-time weather reroutes (AAC autoresolver)Expand lab analysis of benefit potentialStudy operating concept options (who initiates, TFM metrics)Stakeholder feedback

Potential Flying Time Savings5 hours Fort Worth Center traffic over 2 weather days

41

0102030405060

1+ 2+ 3+ 4+ 5+ 6+ 7+ 8+ 9+ 10+ 11+ 12+Potential flying time savings (min)

Number of flights

0.0

100.0

200.0

300.0

400.0

1+ 2+ 3+ 4+ 5+ 6+ 7+ 8+ 9+ 10+11+12+Potential flying time savings (min)

Total potential savings (min)