New system could end airport delays

≥Late arrivals Nearly one in three holiday flights, and one in five other flights, at Britain’s busiest airports arrive more than 15 minutes late. Air passengers could enjoy more timely flights thanks to new planning technology developed by researchers at Strathclyde University and funded by EPSRC. The system, which uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology in an automated planner, should help airports make the best use of their capacity through efficient scheduling of landings. It could also benefit the environment by reducing fuel usage. IMPACT ON AIR TRAVEL AND THE ENVIRONMENT > Passengers should benefit from more punctual flights. > Airport managers should benefit from increased efficiencies and cost savings. > Fuel usage should decrease as there should be fewer early flights and fewer late flights that have to circle overhead waiting for other slots. Busy, busy, busy At a busy airport schedulers must try to keep planes landing as close to their landing times as possible. Early, as well as late, landings incur penalties for airlines. They must also allow enough time for planes to clear the runway between landings and for ground staff, such as baggage handlers, to be on standby. “This means that efficient scheduling is vital for the best use of airport capacity as well as ensuring landing times are met as much as possible,” says research fellow Dr Andrew Coles. “Reducing the number of late landings also reduces fuel usage, as planes waiting to land burn up more fuel while they’re in stacking.” A balancing act Based on arrivals data from UK airports, the system uses a formula that strikes a balance between target landing times and ‘cost trade-off data’, such as the amount of fuel used and the impact on ground support staff. For example, an early landing saves fuel but could disrupt ground support staff. The system then directs when each plane should land while ensuring enough time is left between landings, explains Dr Coles. It can also help to clear backlogs if bad weather prevents planes from landing for some time. In the real world “For the solutions to be useful in the real world, the important thing is the cost trade-off data,” explains Dr Coles. To this end, the team is now developing a ‘user interface’ that specifies cost trade-off data in terms of factors such as plane type or passenger load. Planners using this information should be able to schedule landings more efficiently because they will be taking into account a wide range of factors. The novelty of this planning system is that a single problem-solving kernel can be used for a wide range of applications, explains Dr Coles, such as controlling electricity substation voltages or cost- effective investment in computer system infrastructure. For more information about EPSRC and the impact it is making visit www.epsrc.ac.uk Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council I Case study 24 NEW SYSTEM COULD END AIRPORT DELAYS

Upload
epsrc
Category

Documents
view
212
download
0

Embed Size (px):

description

Air passengers could enjoy more timely flights thanks to new planning technology developed by researchers at Strathclyde University and funded by EPSRC.

Transcript of New system could end airport delays

Page 1: New system could end airport delays

≥Late arrivalsNearly one in three holidayflights, and one in five otherflights, at Britain’s busiestairports arrive more than15 minutes late.

Air passengers could enjoy more timely flights thanks to new planningtechnology developed by researchers at Strathclyde University andfunded by EPSRC.

The system, which uses ArtificialIntelligence (AI) technology in anautomated planner, should help airportsmake the best use of their capacitythrough efficient scheduling of landings.It could also benefit the environmentby reducing fuel usage.

IMPACT ON AIR TRAVEL ANDTHE ENVIRONMENT> Passengers should benefit from more

punctual flights.> Airport managers should benefit from

increased efficiencies and cost savings.> Fuel usage should decrease as there

should be fewer early flights and fewerlate flights that have to circle overheadwaiting for other slots.

Busy, busy, busyAt a busy airport schedulers must try tokeep planes landing as close to theirlanding times as possible. Early, as well aslate, landings incur penalties for airlines.They must also allow enough time forplanes to clear the runway betweenlandings and for ground staff, such asbaggage handlers, to be on standby.

“This means that efficient scheduling isvital for the best use of airport capacityas well as ensuring landing times aremet as much as possible,” says researchfellow Dr Andrew Coles. “Reducing thenumber of late landings also reduces fuelusage, as planes waiting to land burn upmore fuel while they’re in stacking.”

A balancing actBased on arrivals data from UK airports,the system uses a formula that strikes abalance between target landing times and‘cost trade-off data’, such as the amountof fuel used and the impact on groundsupport staff. For example, an early landingsaves fuel but could disrupt ground supportstaff. The system then directs when eachplane should land while ensuring enoughtime is left between landings, explains DrColes. It can also help to clear backlogs ifbad weather prevents planes from landingfor some time.

In the real world“For the solutions to be useful in the realworld, the important thing is the costtrade-off data,” explains Dr Coles. To thisend, the team is now developing a ‘userinterface’ that specifies cost trade-offdata in terms of factors such as planetype or passenger load. Planners usingthis information should be able to schedulelandings more efficiently because theywill be taking into account a wide rangeof factors.

The novelty of this planning system isthat a single problem-solving kernel canbe used for a wide range of applications,explains Dr Coles, such as controllingelectricity substation voltages or cost-effective investment in computer systeminfrastructure.

For more information aboutEPSRC and the impact it is makingvisit www.epsrc.ac.uk

Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council I Case study 24

NEW SYSTEMCOULD ENDAIRPORT DELAYS