Mike Potts

Bio: Mike Potts is an academic researcher. The author has contributed to research in topics: Performance-based navigation & Instrument approach. The author has an hindex of 1, co-authored 1 publications receiving 11 citations.

Construction of an aircraft's VNAV flight envelope for in-FMS flight trajectory computation and optimization: Application on the airbus A310

Abstract: This paper presents the results of a new method used for constructing an aircraft’s vertical navigation profile (VNAV) envelope, applied on an aircraft performance model described by linear interpolation tables. The method was developed for use in Flight Management System (FMS) trajectory computations and optimization. The main objective was to speed-up the trajectory generation/update and to reduce the volume of repetitive computations, especially those associated with a trajectory optimization. It considers a free-flight scenario with a vertical profile composed of unrestricted climb, constant-speed level flight, climb-in-cruise (no descentin-cruise) and continuous descent segments, at specified climb, cruise and descent speed schedules and a specified value of the air temperature deviation. It uses the same set of aircraft performance data (PDBs) as the FMS platforms.

A methodology for airport arrival flow analysis using track data — A case study for MDW arrivals

Abstract: Traffic flow in the Terminal Radar Approach Control Facilities (TRACON) is a significant factor in determining airport throughput capacity and airline operational efficiency. In recent years the availability of high fidelity terminal area track data has made it possible to increase the granularity of airport and airspace performance analysis. This paper describes a methodology for airport arrival flow analysis using National Offload Program (NOP) track data. The analysis provides insight into track distances flown and track time for alternate terminal arrival flows (i.e. from the final waypoint in the Standard Terminal Arrival Route (STAR) to the runway threshold via a type of approach). The methodology is applied to 35 days of NOP track data for Chicago TRACON (C90) for arrivals into MDW. Arrivals into MDW landing to the northwest on 31C and to the north-east on 4R exhibit the shortest average track distance (28.42 NM and 29.81 NM.). Arrivals landing to the south-east on 13C exhibit the highest mean track distance of 38.9 NM. Track distance and track time is least for VFR approaches onto all runways. When IMC conditions exist, RNP approaches provide 5–10% savings in track distance and track time over ILS approaches. One unexpected result is that RNP approaches exhibit the same variance in track distance and track time as ILS approaches. The variance in RNP approaches occurs on the downwind and turn-to-base, while the variance on the ILS approach occurs by “tromboning” on the base leg and the turn to final.

Planning Routes with Wiggle Room in En Route Weather- Impacted Airspaces

Abstract: We investigate a form of robust route planning by imbedding path-stretch zones into routes that avoid hazardous weather constraints in en route airspace. Along every path, every so often, we plan for "wiggle room" - a constraint-free triangular area whose purpose is to control the delay of a flight by executing a path-stretch maneuver at these locations. We designed and implemented an algorithm that computes the paths by searching an underlying disk packing in the "bottommost" fashion. Our solution allows the user to specify the constraints for the flights, the size of the path-stretch zones, and the maximum and minimum distance between the consecutive zones along a path. The paths computed by our algorithm fulfill a number of additional requirements, e.g., we take care of never placing the path-stretch zones on top of the sector boundaries. We present theoretical guarantees provided by the algorithm and outputs produced on sample airspaces.

Economic aspects of sustainable mobility

Abstract: The theme "economic aspects of sustainable mobility" deals with the investigation of the ways in which economic efficiency and beneficial development impacts can be pursued as well as of the ways in which they are measured and assessed Policy developments at EU level have traditionally been related to the opening of the markets to competition, the competitiveness of the EU industry and the securing of funds to develop the Trans-European network infrastructure More recently, much of the transport policy debate has centred around the use of pricing as a tool to correct market distortions and combat congestion and pollution The principle has been accepted that the undesired impacts of transport activities should be disconnected from economic growth The second part includes a synthesis of the main findings and policy implications from research projects and is concluded with an overview of the implications for further research

RNAV and RNP AR approach systems: the case for Pico Island airport

Abstract: This paper deals with the viability analysis of the implementation of RNAV and RNP AR approaches to Pico Island airport in the Azorean archipelago. The main objective is to prove that this new type of approach technology can be implemented in the Azorean islands airports in accordance with the ICAO rules providing an increase in safety and lowering approach minima thus reducing the costs associated with the operation and maintenance of the traditional approach systems.