Reducing fuel burn through air traffic flow optimisation incorporating wind models

The aim of this project is to develop a four dimensional wind optimal trajectory system for air traffic flow over a large area of airspace targeting minimum fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. Minimum safety separation standards, time dependant weather data, wind information and aircraft performance limits are incorporated into the overall optimisation model in order to achieve a realistic and practical solution. Utilising high speed winds allows pilots to achieve a higher ground speed, thereby reducing flight duration and overall fuel consumption. Due to the stochastic nature of wind behaviour, the model will be optimised to allow for limited deviations from the original trajectory during flight to capture prevailing tailwinds, subject to unfavourable weather conditions and satisfying minimum separation requirements.