Dynamic Flight Path Offset for Noise Reduction and Spacing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing RNP flight procedures result in concentrated noise footprints and reduced air traffic spacing flexibility, leading to noise issues for communities and increased risk of loss of separation between aircraft, as they require precise and repeatable flight paths that do not allow for sufficient variation.
Innovation Solution
A system onboard the aircraft calculates modifications to the flight path to maintain containment within RNP boundaries while reducing noise impact and meeting spacing requirements, using real-time positioning and actual navigation performance data to introduce variability and spread noise distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If aircraft fly precise and repeatable RNP-defined flight paths, then navigation accuracy and predictability are improved, but noise concentration in specific communities increases and air traffic spacing flexibility is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the flight path centerline by applying a time-varying offset that changes continuously during flight. This dynamic modification allows the aircraft to depart from the fixed RNP centerline in a controlled manner, spreading noise exposure over different geographic areas while maintaining acceptable navigation precision through continuous monitoring and adjustment within the containment boundary.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the spatial parameter of the flight path by applying an offset to the centerline coordinates. This parameter modification shifts the aircraft's trajectory laterally, redistributing the noise footprint across different communities while ensuring the modified path remains within the RNP containment boundary defined by the original procedure.
2Measurement precision
If aircraft fly precise and repeatable RNP-defined flight paths, then navigation accuracy is improved, but air traffic controller spacing flexibility is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The dynamic offset application enables real-time adjustment of aircraft spacing by modifying the flight path centerline position. Air traffic controllers can request specific spacing adjustments, and the system responds by dynamically shifting the centerline offset, providing flexible spacing control while maintaining navigation accuracy through continuous containment boundary monitoring.
3Reliability
If fixed RNP containment boundaries are used, then navigation reliability is improved, but the ability to address noise concerns and manage spacing is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system maintains the fixed RNP containment boundary for reliability while introducing dynamic flexibility through time-varying centerline offsets. The containment boundary remains static to ensure navigation reliability and safety, but the aircraft's actual flight path dynamically adjusts within this boundary to address noise concerns and spacing requirements, achieving both reliability and adaptability.
Data Source
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AI summary
An example method for modifying a flight path of an aircraft includes receiving real time positioning estimates for an aircraft, receiving an actual navigation performance (ANP) of the aircraft informative of uncertainty in the position estimate, receiving a required navigation performance (RNP) instrument flight procedure for the aircraft, receiving spacing input from an air traffic controller that indicates spacing requirements between the aircraft and one or more other aircraft, receiving information relating to communities underneath the flight path, calculating, by a system onboard the aircraft, a modification to the flight path to be flown by the aircraft that causes the aircraft to remain within the containment boundaries of the RNP instrument flight procedure while reducing noise impact to the communities underneath the flight path and meeting the spacing requirements of the air traffic controller, and displaying a visual representation of a modified flight path for the aircraft.