Minimal-Fuel Route Computation for Aircrafts with Pre-specified Flight Time

摘要

This paper proposes a method for the computation of a minimal-fuel route for an aircraft with a pre-specified flight time. The method distinguishes itself from earlier methods which have been applied to reduce the fuel consumption over the flight and to reach the destination at a required time, in the way the optimal-route computation is done. The latter methods are usually concerned with adjusting the speed along a minimal-fuel variable flight time trajectory utilizing an aircraft control system, so that the destination is attained within an acceptable tolerance at the required time. In the method presented here the minimal-fuel route computation is carried out by varying a parameter, which modifies the speed as well as the route of the aircraft until a parameter value is found, which makes the computed minimal-fuel route compatible with the specified flight time and consequently with the required time of arrival. On the other hand for flights under direction of air traffic control, the method can be used for optimization of the speed along a given trajectory for a desired flight time as a part of real-time en route air traffic control optimization.