Leveraging Aircraft Avionics
1
Slot 4 Slot 6 Slot 8 Slot 5 Slot 7 Slot 9 Slot 10 Slot 11 Slot 12 0 0.25 0.5 0.75 1 Fall semester, last seen Spring semester, last seen Fall semester, first seen Spring semester, first seen Leveraging Aircraft Avionics for Fleet and Airport Management Purdue University Margaret McNamara, John Mott, Darcy Bullock ADS-B Penetration Abstract Airport operations count data are used for a variety of purposes ranging from allocation of Airport Improvement Program (AIP) funding to environmental assessments and budget justification. Operations counts are hard to obtain at small, non-towered airports, which constitute the majority of airports in the United States, and are frequently estimated unscientifically by airport managers. Current acoustic and video counting technology is limited, but with the FAA NextGen mandate for installation of ADS-B Out transponders by Jan. 1, 2020, transponder data is rapidly emerging as a viable data source beyond traditional NextGen applications. To date, the NextGen literature has focused on the use of this technology for navigation, safety, and airspace management. This paper introduces a method of applying ADS-B data to fleet management and airport operations. With a 1090 MHz receiver and appropriate signal processing hardware and software, Mode S and Mode S Extended data can be used to track runway operations and fleet usage in an accurate and cost-effective manner. Cirrus Fleet Utilization at Purdue University Airport (KLAF) Airport Operations Data Collection Data for this analysis were collected with a Raspberry Pi, a small computer that runs Linux, using a USB software- defined radio with a vertically- polarized, half-wave dipole antenna. The assembly can be battery powered and portable (left) or permanently installed (below). The data received is dependent on antenna size as well as attenuation due to buildings. KIND site KLAF site Coverage is a function of antenna strength and attenuation. The KIND site has a larger antenna placed outside, whereas the KLAF antenna is attenuated by the building and gets most positions from the southwest. antenna antenna Indianapolis International Airport (KIND) Purdue University Airport (KLAF) 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 5L 23R 5R 23L 14 32 Unknown Operation Count Runway Takeoff Landing Takeoffs: 1057 Landings: 1018 N586PU, takeoff and touch-and-go on Runway 28, Sept. 3 Takeoff 18:08:20 Takeoff 18:02:49 Landing 18:07:54 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 Dispatch Hours N595PU N594PU N593PU N592PU N591PU N590PU N589PU N588PU N587PU N586PU N585PU N584PU N583PU N582PU N581PU N580PU 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 Planes Used 0 3 6 9 12 15 18 21 24 Hour of Day Dispatch Hours, Apr. 19 – Jun. 30 2015 Aircraft Dispatched, Apr. 19 – Jun. 30 2015 Low visibility (< 3 mi) by hour of day, Apr. 19 – Jun. 30 2015 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 Dispatch Hours N595PU N594PU N593PU N592PU N591PU N590PU N589PU N588PU N587PU N586PU N585PU N584PU N583PU N582PU N581PU N580PU Fall semester increase in usage, Aug. 23 – Nov. 4 2015 Purdue increased enrollment in the incoming class from 55 to 71 students, and aircraft dispatch hours have increased in the fall semester as compared to the spring semester. The cumulative frequency distributions below show aircraft operations are generally beginning earlier and ending later in the day: Operations by runway, KLAF, Apr. 27 – May 3 Operations by hour of day, KLAF, Apr. 27 – May 3 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 5 10 23 28 Unknown Operations Runway Takeoffs Touch-and-go Landings 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 Operations Hour of day Takeoffs Touch-and-go Landings Operations by runway, KIND, Apr. 27 – May 3 Transponder data can be used to count takeoffs and landings, an important airport performance metric. Latitude and longitude can be used with heading to match those to runways. Runways are numbered by heading, as shown in the two airport diagrams. Purdue University maintains a fleet of 16 Cirrus aircraft to support its flight training program, including a bachelor’s degree program in professional flight. Performance metrics include: • Dispatch hours for each plane • Planes used in a day • Flight slots being used • Flight time using Visual vs. Instrumented Flight Rules (VFR/IFR) • Days an aircraft isn’t used • Number of turns • Unutilized turn time • Ground departure/arrival time Comparison of low- and high-use days with dispatch hours by two- hour flight blocks The analysis that can be done with aircraft transponder data is greatly augmented by ADS-B (Mode S Extended) data. The graphs below compare ADS-B to Mode S transmissions for three airports • LAF – Purdue University Airport • IND – Indianapolis International Airport • CDG – Charles du Gaulle International Airport, Paris, France ADS-B Mode S 0% 25% 50% 75% 100% LAF IND CDG 0% 25% 50% 75% 100% LAF IND CDG Takeoffs Landings 50% of first dispatch in Fall by 0800
Transcript of Leveraging Aircraft Avionics
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0.5
0.75
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Fall semester, last seen Spring semester, last seen
Fall semester, first seen Spring semester, first seen
Leveraging Aircraft Avionics for Fleet and Airport
Management
Purdue University
Margaret McNamara, John Mott, Darcy Bullock
ADS-B Penetration
Abstract
Airport operations count data are used for a variety of purposes ranging
from allocation of Airport Improvement Program (AIP) funding to
environmental assessments and budget justification. Operations counts are
hard to obtain at small, non-towered airports, which constitute the majority
of airports in the United States, and are frequently estimated unscientifically
by airport managers. Current acoustic and video counting technology is
limited, but with the FAA NextGen mandate for installation of ADS-B Out
transponders by Jan. 1, 2020, transponder data is rapidly emerging as a
viable data source beyond traditional NextGen applications. To date, the
NextGen literature has focused on the use of this technology for navigation,
safety, and airspace management. This paper introduces a method of
applying ADS-B data to fleet management and airport operations. With a
1090 MHz receiver and appropriate signal processing hardware and
software, Mode S and Mode S Extended data can be used to track runway
operations and fleet usage in an accurate and cost-effective manner.
Cirrus Fleet Utilization at Purdue University Airport (KLAF)
Airport Operations
Data Collection
Data for this analysis were collected
with a Raspberry Pi, a small computer
that runs Linux, using a USB software-
defined radio with a vertically-
polarized, half-wave dipole antenna.
The assembly can be battery powered
and portable (left) or permanently
installed (below). The data received is
dependent on antenna size as well as
attenuation due to buildings.
KIND site KLAF site Coverage is a function of
antenna strength and
attenuation. The KIND site
has a larger antenna
placed outside, whereas
the KLAF antenna is
attenuated by the building
and gets most positions
from the southwest.
antenna
antenna
Indianapolis International Airport
(KIND)
Purdue University Airport
(KLAF)
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
5L 23R 5R 23L 14 32 Unknown
Op
erat
ion
Co
un
t
Runway
Takeoff
Landing
Takeoffs: 1057Landings: 1018
N586PU, takeoff and touch-and-go on Runway 28, Sept. 3
Takeoff
18:08:20 Takeoff
18:02:49
Landing
18:07:54
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
Dis
pat
ch H
ou
rs
N595PU N594PU N593PU N592PU
N591PU N590PU N589PU N588PU
N587PU N586PU N585PU N584PU
N583PU N582PU N581PU N580PU
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
Pla
nes
Use
d
0
3
6
9
12
15
18
21
24
Ho
ur
of
Day
Dispatch Hours, Apr. 19 – Jun. 30 2015
Aircraft Dispatched, Apr. 19 – Jun. 30 2015
Low visibility (< 3 mi) by hour of day, Apr. 19 – Jun. 30 2015
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
Dis
pat
ch H
ou
rs
N595PU N594PU N593PU N592PUN591PU N590PU N589PU N588PUN587PU N586PU N585PU N584PUN583PU N582PU N581PU N580PU
Fall semester increase in usage, Aug. 23 – Nov. 4 2015
Purdue increased enrollment in the incoming class
from 55 to 71 students, and aircraft dispatch hours
have increased in the fall semester as compared to the
spring semester. The cumulative frequency
distributions below show aircraft operations are
generally beginning earlier and ending later in the day:
Operations by runway, KLAF, Apr. 27 – May 3
Operations by hour of day, KLAF, Apr. 27 – May 3
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
5 10 23 28 Unknown
Op
erat
ion
s
Runway
Takeoffs
Touch-and-go
Landings
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23
Op
erat
ion
s
Hour of day
Takeoffs
Touch-and-go
Landings
Operations by runway, KIND, Apr. 27 – May 3
Transponder data can be
used to count takeoffs and
landings, an important airport
performance metric. Latitude
and longitude can be used
with heading to match those to
runways. Runways are
numbered by heading, as
shown in the two airport
diagrams.
Purdue University maintains a fleet of 16 Cirrus aircraft to support its
flight training program, including a bachelor’s degree program in
professional flight. Performance metrics include:
• Dispatch hours for each plane
• Planes used in a day
• Flight slots being used
• Flight time using Visual vs. Instrumented Flight Rules (VFR/IFR)
• Days an aircraft isn’t used
• Number of turns
• Unutilized turn time
• Ground departure/arrival time
Comparison of low- and high-use days with dispatch hours by two-
hour flight blocks
The analysis that can be done with aircraft transponder data is
greatly augmented by ADS-B (Mode S Extended) data. The graphs
below compare ADS-B to Mode S transmissions for three airports
• LAF – Purdue University Airport
• IND – Indianapolis International Airport
• CDG – Charles du Gaulle International Airport, Paris, France
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
LAF IND CDG
ADS-B Mode S
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
LAF IND CDG
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
LAF IND CDG
Takeoffs Landings
50% of first dispatch
in Fall by 0800
