1 LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA

2 Matt Davis Assistant Director of Planning Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport Airside Capacity Evaluation Techniques LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA

3 Agenda Define the Problem What’s the Appropriate Tool? What are Your Data Sources? Challenge Your Assumptions Gain Consensus

4 Define the Problem What Is Your Airfield Problem? –What Do Your Stakeholders Think the Problem is? –Is it in the Airspace? Other Airport Conflicts? Obstacles? Noise Abatement Routes? –Is it on the Ground Taxi in/Taxi Out Delay? Runway Crossings? Apron Congestion/Gate Availability? How Do You Define Your Problem? –Demand versus Capacity, Delay, Or Something Else? Air and/or Ground Delay Gate Utilization Payload/Range

5 Sample Problems San Antonio Airspace –San Antonio International Airport Runway 3-21 Vs Randolph Air Force Base –Stinson Municipal ILS on Runway Kelly Air Force Base – Runway Stinson Municipal Airport – Runway San Antonio International Airport Runway 12-30

SAT Airspace Image 6

7 Sample Problems Ground –Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport 6 th Runway? –Air and/or Ground Delay versus Taxi times South Gate Complex? –Gate Utilization/Availability –Air and/or Ground Delay versus Taxi times Extension of Runway 9L-27R –Payload/Range Extension of Runway –Air and/or Ground Delay versus Taxi times vs. 6 th Runway

ATL 2009 Comprehensive Development Plan 8

Gate Metrics 9

10

2008 ATL Gate Analysis 11

2008 ATL Gate Analysis 12

Gate Metrics Airfield Capacity vs Gates 13 Source: Jacobs Consultancy, February 2008

Gate Metrics Airfield Capacity vs Gates 14 Source: Jacobs Consultancy, February 2008

FAA ASV Delay Curve 15

16 What’s the Appropriate Tool? Traditional Airfield Capacity Tools –AC 150/5060-5a Airport Capacity Handbook (ACRP currently studying an update to this 1985 document). –FAA Airfield Delay Model (Another 1980’s cheap solution) –Airfield Simulation Models (Very Complex & Very Expensive) SIMMOD, TAAM, Airport Machine and FAA Technical Center RDSIM. This is not an exhaustive list. Gate Scheduling Models –Numerous commercial and proprietary software packages are available. Airfield Models Are Data Sensitive. The Lack of Quality Data Can Make Your Results Suspect.

Tool Box Handbooks/nomographs –(FAA Airport Capacity and Delay Advisory Circular) “Analytical” models –(time-space diagrams, FAA Runway Capacity and Annual Delay models) Runway queuing models –(L&B’s AirSim, Delays) Microsimulation models –(SIMMOD, ADSIM/RDSIM, TAAM) Real-time simulation methods –(FAA and NASA tower simulators) 17

ATL ASV Calculation 18

VTASIM Range of Results 19

VTASIM Range of Results 20

SIMMOD Sample Simmod Video clip 21

22 What Are Your Data Sources? Analysis is only as good as the data from which it is derived from. –Official Airline Guide (OAG) for Airline Schedule Information Does not include Cargo, Charter, Military or General Aviation Operations –FAA - ASPM, Tower Counts, and ASR-9 records. –RITA BTS Only includes those airlines that provide ACARS data to FAA No International Flight Information –Airport Records Recorded Observations Sensis Aerobahn Passur

VTASIM Range of Results 23 AeroBahn clip

24 Challenge Your Assumptions How Do the Airlines/ATC Respond to These Events at Your Airport –IMC Conditions: What is the split between VMC and IMC? –CAT II and below: how often are you in low visibility conditions? –Snow/Icing Conditions: Throw their hands up in the air and quit? What is the Impact of the Airlines’ Business Plans on Your Analysis? What Are the Little Things You Can Do To Make Valuable Improvements? –End Around Taxiways –Strategically Placed High Speed Exits –New Runway Crossing Locations There Are Several Small Improvements That Can Pay Off In The Long Run.

25 Gain Consensus Get Agreement Up Front on The Metrics You Will Use –How Detailed Do The Results Have To Be? Delay in the Apron Areas, Runway Crossing, or Departure Queue Overall Taxi times. (Delay plus unimpeded taxi time) –What’s Important and to Whom? How Important is Safety When You are Preparing a Benefit/Cost Analysis? How Do You Measure Safety if Your Concern is Efficiency? What if There is No Differential Savings in the Results, but the Outcome is More Predictable? What’s Your Definition of Acceptable Delay?