Queuing Network Models of the National Airspace System

摘要

Understanding the relationships between trajectory uncertainties due to aviation operations, precision of navigation and control, and the traffic flow efficiency are central to the design of next generation Air Transportation Systems. Monte-Carlo simulations using air traffic simulation software packages can be used to quantify these effects. However, they are generally time consuming, and do not provide explicit relationships for comparing various technology options. On the other hand, queuing models of the air traffic system can rapidly demonstrate the influence of trajectory uncertainties on traffic flow efficiency, facilitating tradeoff studies in an effective and time-efficient manner. A methodology for incorporating the trajectory uncertainty models into queuing network models of the air traffic at national, regional and local scales is discussed. Usefulness of these models in assessing the impact of uncertainties on traffic flow efficiency is illustrated.