Time-Based Arrival Management for Dual Threshold Operation and Continous Descent Approaches

Abstract

The paper deals with the successive application of time-based arrival management and automatic arrival-departure-coordination. DLR’s arrival manager 4D-CARMA supports approach controllers with sequence and advisory information during two time-based human-in-the-loop experiments: First 4D-CARMA was used for dual threshold operation on a parallel runway system operated in mixed mode for arrivals and departures. The dual threshold operation was performed within the context of the OPTIMAL project of the European commission. Particular consideration is given in this paper to the validation exercises performed with three different European controller teams. An increase of the inbound flow of 3 to 4 arrivals per hour without negative impact on the outbound flow and on controller workload is possible if automatic arrival-departure-coordination together with advisory information is provided to the controllers. In an additional human-in-the loop experiment 4D-CARMA supports the controllers to integrate unequipped aircraft into a stream of 4D equipped ones performing a user-preferred CDA approach.