An optimization framework for route design and allocation of aircraft to multiple departure routes

TL;DR

This paper introduces a two-step optimization framework for designing aircraft departure routes and allocating flights to minimize noise annoyance and fuel burn, validated through a case study at Schiphol Airport.

Contribution

The paper develops a novel two-step optimization framework combining multi-objective trajectory optimization with route allocation, outperforming integrated approaches in certain metrics.

Findings

Up to 31% reduction in noise annoyance.

Fuel consumption reduced by 7.3%.

Framework validated with a real-world case study.

Abstract

In this article, we present the development of a two-step optimization framework to deal with the design and selection of aircraft departure routes and the allocation of flights among these routes. The aim of the framework is to minimize cumulative noise annoyance and fuel burn. In the first step of the framework, multi-objective trajectory optimization is used to compute and store a set of routes that will serve as inputs in the second step. In the second step, the selection of routes from the set of pre-computed optimal routes and the optimal allocation of flights among these routes are conducted simultaneously. To validate the proposed framework, we also conduct an analysis involving an integrated (one-step) approach, in which both trajectory optimization and route allocation are formulated as a single optimization problem. A comparison of both approaches is then performed, and their advantages and disadvantages are identified. The performance and capabilities of the present framework are demonstrated using a case study at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol in The Netherlands. The numerical results show that the proposed framework can generate solutions which can achieve a reduction in the number of people annoyed of up to 31% and a reduction in fuel consumption of 7.3% relative to the reference case solution.