An ideal approach

NASA claims it is saving jet fuel by helping aircraft achieve the ideal glide path as they approach a crowded airport for landing.

NASA Ames Research Center and Boeing, in partnership with the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), United Airlines and the San Francisco International Airport (SFO), have completed trials to study the effectiveness of the Oceanic Tailored Arrivals (OTA) concept for aircraft landing at SFO.

Currently, the ideal landing approach, an even continuous descent, is often interrupted with course changes and altitude level-offs.

These deviations can result in increased fuel use, noise and environmental emissions. The study is investigating the customisation of aircraft descent procedures using the latest in communications and aircraft navigation technology and NASA air traffic management algorithms to maintain the ideal approach.

‘The goal of the Oceanic Tailored Arrivals initiative is to allow aircraft to descend in a manner that is fuel efficient and environmentally friendly,’ said Rich Coppenbarger, lead investigator for the Oceanic Tailored Arrivals Initiative at NASA Ames. ‘We are prototyping automation tools and procedures to help controllers strategically anticipate and solve arrival problems well in advance, allowing for more ideal descent operations, especially during busy traffic periods where potential benefits are greatest.’