Modeling the global fleet assignment to assess operating scenarios of future climate-friendly aircraft designs

Abstract

We present a mixed-integer optimization approach to model the fleet assignment in the global air transportation system. Within the objective function of the optimization, cost and revenue aspects are covered by modeling the direct operating costs and the perceived attractiveness of transport offerings from a passenger’s point of view. The optimization constraints consider, among others, airport capacities, aircraft payload–range performances, and available take-off and landing field lengths. We calibrate the global fleet assignment model with historic fleet and flight schedule data of the period 2010-2019. Finally, we apply the model to analyze the attractiveness and potential operating scenarios of future narrow-body aircraft designs with different climate-friendly propulsion architectures (power-to-liquid, liquid hydrogen and hybrid-electric).