Trajectory Management Concepts for Future Small Aircraft Transportation Systems

摘要

Methodology for construction and implementation of in-flight trajectory management systems for vehicles participating in future small aircraft transportation systems is considered. The small aircraft transportation systems concept is a modern regional airspace system exploiting integration of key airborne and ground infrastructure technologies to facilitate efficiency and safety improved operations at noncontrolled public-use airports. An area where new trajectory management guidance systems may provide significant benefit is the transition between en route flight and the terminal airspace boundary, or possibly interior terminal airspace navigation fix points, for both approach and departure. Energy state theory and space-time curve geometry are investigated as tools for tailoring time to interface or time to land with traffic constraints. Results imply the trajectory management concepts offer significant design freedom to tailor flight paths and vehicle states for optimum performance and safety in real time. This strategy will also tend to provide practical trajectory profiles while avoiding heavy computational burdens.