A Dynamic Method of Air Traffic Flow Management.

Air traffic management is a complex hierarchical system. Hierarchy levels can be defined according to decision making time horizon or to analysis area volume. For medium time horizon and wide analysis area, the air traffic flow management (ATFM) services were established. Their main task is to properly co-ordinate air traffic in airspace, so as to minimize delays arising in congested sectors. Those services have to assure high safety level in the same time. Thus it is very complex task, with many goals, many decision variables and many constraints. In the paper a short review of selected methods developed for aiding air traffic flow management services is presented. More detailed description of an original dynamic method is given. This method is based on stochastic capacity and scenario analysis. The discrete multi-criterion programming problem was formulated on the assumption that expected values of airport capacity in discrete future moments in time are known. It leads to determination of the proper moment of passing the information of airport capacity change to ATFM services. Some problems in utilization of presented methods are also pointed out, so are the next research possibilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]