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Horizontal flight trajectories optimisation for commercial aircraft through a flight management system

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 January 2016

R. S. Félix Patrón ,
A. Kessaci  and
R. M. Botez
R. M. Botez*
Affiliation:
ETS, Laboratory of Research in Active Controls, Avionics and AeroServoElasticity, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
*
ruxandra.botez@etsmtl.ca
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Abstract

To reduce aircraft emissions to the atmosphere, the fuel burn from aircraft has to be reduced. For long flights, the cruise is the phase where the most significant reduction can be obtained. A new horizontal profile optimisation methodology to achieve lower emissions is described in this article. The impact of wind during a flight can reduce the flight time, either by taking advantage of tailwinds or by avoiding headwinds. A set of alternative trajectories are evaluated to determine the quickest flight time, and therefore, the lowest fuel burn. To determine the expected amount of fuel reduction, the performance databases used on actual FMS devices, were used. These databases represent the flight performance of commercial aircraft.

Information

Type
Research Article
Information
The Aeronautical Journal , Volume 118 , Issue 1210 , December 2014 , pp. 1499 - 1518
Copyright
Copyright © Royal Aeronautical Society 2014 

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