This paper presents an algorithm for determining the optimal cruise altitude for an aircraft flying at a constant speed and level flight on a given flight route segment. The optimization criteria correspond to the minimization of the total costs associated with flying a cruise segment, including the costs related to fuel consumption (when possible). The algorithm makes use of a new method for computing fuel burn for level-flight cruise segments, based on an aircraft's performance data. The new fuel burn method was developed for aircraft models that use the center of gravity position as well as for models that do not consider the center of gravity position. This algorithm was developed for normal flight conditions and does not consider the costs associated with the initial and final changes of altitude required to reaching the optimal altitude, nor those needed at the end of a segment to return to the initial cruise altitude. Algorithm performances were evaluated for two aircraft models: one for models that use an aircraft's center of gravity position — a more complex and computing intensive method, and one for those that do not use the center of gravity position. The validation data were generated based on the information produced on a CMC Electronics - Esterline FMS platform that used identical aircraft models and performance data for identical flight conditions.
展开▼
