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Flight Performance Optimization Considering Environmental Impact Under Multi-RTA Constraints

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Abstract

To optimize the flight performance under multi-waypoint required time of arrival constraints, characteristics of the vertical flight trajectory during the en route descent process are studied. A multi-constraint segment sequence model including flight distance, flight altitude and arrival time is constructed. To ensure the rationality of constraints, the rationality detection model for multi-constraint is established. The control variables and their variation ranges are determined by analyzing the optimization process. Mathematical models of optimization objectives are studied from three aspects: fuel economy, greenhouse effect and variation of flight speed. Based on the multi-objective genetic algorithm, the optimization solution model is established. Effects of speed on the objectives are analyzed. The results indicate that the optimization model can effectively optimize the flight parameters with multiple RTA constraints. The impact of aviation on the environment can be effectively reduced. And the optimization method has a good trade-off between fuel consumption and temperature rise by changing weighted factors. Optimization results of the flight parameters are mainly affected by the maximum RTA time constraint. The proposed optimization method provides a reference for the optimization of flight parameters and trajectory under multi-RTA constraints in four dimensions.

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Abbreviations

\( {\mathbf{R}}_{{{\mathbf{con}}}} \) :

Constraints matrix of level flight distance

\( {\mathbf{T}}_{{{\mathbf{con}}}} \) :

Constraints matrix of arrival time

\( {\mathbf{H}}_{{{\mathbf{con}}}} \) :

Constraints matrix of final altitude

\( {\mathbf{R}} \) :

Flight distance matrix

\( {\mathbf{T}} \) :

Flight time matrix

\( {\mathbf{H}} \) :

Final flight altitude matrix

\( {\mathbf{T}}_{{\mathbf{L}}} \) :

Speed-limited flight time matrix

\( F \) :

Fuel consumption

\( T \) :

Temperature rise

\( F_{\text{r}} \) :

Reference fuel consumption

\( T_{\text{r}} \) :

Reference temperature rise

\( I \) :

Warming index

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Acknowledgements

This study was co-supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (nos. U1533116 and U1633125) and the State Key Laboratory of Air Traffic Management System and Technology (no. SKLATM201704).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Air Traffic Management, Civil Aviation University of China, Tianjin, China

    Runping Gu, Jie Yuan, Xiaolan Han & Zhiqiang Wei

  2. China Academy of Civil Aviation Science and Technology, Beijing, China

    Na Li

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  1. Runping Gu
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  2. Jie Yuan
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  3. Xiaolan Han
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Correspondence to Jie Yuan.

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Gu, R., Yuan, J., Han, X. et al. Flight Performance Optimization Considering Environmental Impact Under Multi-RTA Constraints. Int. J. Aeronaut. Space Sci. 20, 964–977 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42405-019-00179-0

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