Valuation and simulation of required navigation performance

• US 8,774,984 B2
• Filed: 09/11/2013
• Issued: 07/08/2014
• 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.
• Primary Examiner(s): TISSOT, ADAM D
• Application Number:
  US14/024,176
• Publication Number:
  US 20140012555A1
• Time in Patent Office: 300 Days
• Field of Search: 701/120, 701/3, 701/465, 701/301, 701/121, 701/204, 700/213, 702/6, 702/8
• US Class Current: 701/3
• 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 relating to a customer airline operation;

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

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

the benefit including financial savings; 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 the 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 the 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 the 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 the 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.