VALUATION AND SIMULATION OF REQUIRED NAVIGATION PERFORMANCE

• US 20090112539A1
• Filed: 10/26/2007
• Published: 04/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Halvorson, James O., Syblon, William H.
• Granted Patent: US 8,543,258 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 703/8
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0043 Traffic management of multiple aircrafts from the ground G08G5/003 takes precedence; data processing specially designed for resource management, e.g. scheduling or allocating time, human or machine resources G06Q10/06
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/025 Navigation or guidance aids radar or analogous systems specially adapted for landing purposes G01S13/913

Abstract

A method for illustrating potential benefits resulting from revised navigation procedures to a customer is described. The method includes preparing a model for a revised navigation procedure, determining a landing probability for both an existing minimum separation procedure and a minimum separation determined utilizing the revised navigation procedure, calculating a benefit associated with a difference in the landing probabilities, and validating the revised navigation procedures through demonstration and use of the revised navigation procedure model on a computer-based flight simulation program.

Claims

1. A method for illustrating potential benefits resulting from revised navigation procedures to a customer, said method comprising:

preparing a model for a revised navigation procedure;

determining a landing probability for both an existing approach procedure for the published landing minimum and a proposed approach procedure utilizing the revised navigation procedure model, the procedure model including a revised landing minimum;

calculating a benefit associated with a difference in the landing probabilities; and

validating the revised navigation procedures through demonstration and use of the revised navigation procedure model on a computer-based flight simulation program accessible by multiple users.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein preparing a model for a revised navigation procedure comprises utilizing at least one of published minima, Jeppesen charts, official airline guide (OAG) schedules, navigation databases, and weather data to build an aerospace data set.

3. A method according to claim 1 wherein calculating a benefit comprises:

multiplying the calculated benefit in landing probability by the frequency of scheduled airport landings; and

multiplying a cost of an irregular landing operation with a number of anticipated irregular landing operations avoided for a given time period based on the benefit in landing probability, utilizing the revised navigation procedure.

4. A method according to claim 3 further comprising multiplying the product of the probability improvement and the frequency of scheduled landings by an outage percentage for an instrument landing system.

5. A method according to claim 3 wherein calculating a benefit further comprising generating a report of cost savings by at least one of airport and runway resulting from an implementation of the revised navigation procedure.

6. A method according to claim 3 wherein irregular operations include one or more of delays, cancellations, and diversions.

7. A method according to claim 1 wherein preparing a model for a revised navigation procedure comprises using a terminal area route generation and traffic simulation tool to design at least one revised navigation procedure.

8. A method according to claim 1 further comprising determining at least one of a time and fuel savings associated with the at least one revised navigation procedure.

9. A method according to claim 1 further comprising utilizing the at least one revised navigation procedure in a total airspace and airport modeling program to calculate additional airport capacity improvements that result from the revised navigation procedure.

10. A method according to claim 1 wherein validating the revised navigation procedures comprises utilizing the computer-based flight simulation program to simulate the revised navigation procedures to experience changes in crew workload and airplane capabilities.

11. A method according to claim 1 wherein validating the revised navigation procedures through demonstration and use of the revised navigation procedures comprises utilizing specific airline requirements in the determination.

12. A computer system for valuation and simulation of revised navigation procedures, said computer system comprising:

at least one database comprising data relating to flight operations and customer airline operation;

a modeling program, said modeling program configured to build an aerospace value model from said at least one database data;

a software program configured to utilize the aerospace value model to generate at least one revised navigation procedure, and at least one cost savings item associated with the revised navigation procedure;

a flight simulation program operable to demonstrate the revised navigation procedure for illustration of the at least one cost savings item; and

a user interface configured to display outputs of said flight simulation program.

13. A computer system according to claim 12 wherein said user interface is operable to adjust said software program for specific airline requirements.

14. A computer system according to claim 12 wherein the flight operations include at least one of aircraft takeoff, aircraft landing, and airport throughput.

15. A computer system according to claim 12 wherein said database data comprises at least one of published minima, Jeppesen charts, official airline guide (OAG) schedules, navigation databases, and weather data.

16. A computer system according to claim 12 wherein said modeling program is configured to couple data relating to flight operations with customer airline operation data to calculate a minima value.

17. A computer system according to claim 12 wherein said software program is configured to utilize a terminal area route generation and traffic simulation tool to design the at least one revised navigation procedure.

18. A computer system according to claim 17 wherein to determine the at least one cost savings item associated with the revised navigation procedures, said software program is configured to determine at least one of a time and fuel savings associated with the at least one revised navigation procedure.

19. A computer system according to claim 12 wherein said software program is configured to utilize the at least one revised navigation procedure in a total airspace and airport modeling program to calculate additional airport capacity improvements that result from the at least one revised navigation procedure.

20. A computer system according to claim 19 where the capacity improvements are a function of the existing airport arrival and departure schedule and simulated with before and after approaches to measure time and capacity improvements.

21. A computer system according to claim 12 wherein said flight simulation program is operable by a user, through said user interface, to determine and experience changes in crew workload due to the at least one revised navigation procedure.

22. A computer system according to claim 12 wherein said software program is configured to:

determine a landing probability for both an existing minimum separation procedure and a minimum separation determined utilizing the revised navigation procedure; and

calculate the at least one cost savings based on a probability improvement, the probability improvement being a difference in the landing probabilities.

23. A computer system according to claim 22 wherein said software program is configured to:

multiply the probability improvement by a frequency of scheduled landings; and

multiply the cost of an irregular landing operation with a number of anticipated irregular landing operations for a given time period based on the landing probability utilizing the revised navigation procedure; and

generate a report of cost savings resulting from an implementation of the revised navigation procedure.

24. A computer system according to claim 23 wherein said software program is configured to multiply the product of the probability improvement and frequency of scheduled landings by an outage percentage for an instrument landing system.