Capacity analysis for a flow corridor with dynamic wake separation

ABSTRACTThis paper gives a simulation framework to investigate the capacity benefits of employing a dynamic wake separation policy in a single lane flow corridor. The flow corridor concept is a proposed route structure in en-route airspace to increase capacity in response to growing demand. Aircraft flying in a flow corridor must be safely separated to avoid collisions as well as wake vortex encounters. Wake vortices are circular patterns of rotating air left behind a wing as it generates lift and can impose a hazard to other aircraft. This research considers a dynamic wake separation concept that uses information about weight and airspeed of aircraft and meteorological conditions to determine the minimum required wake separation between aircraft in a flow corridor. This is in contrast to a static policy that uses a fixed separation minimum based on conservative assumptions. The simulation results demonstrate capacity benefits compared to static separation standards.