Optimal model for the aircraft arrival and departure scheduling problem with fuzzy runway incursion time

Area of Science:

• Operations Research
• Aviation Management
• Artificial Intelligence

Background:

• Runway incursions pose significant safety risks and disrupt air traffic operations.
• Optimizing flight schedules while accounting for uncertainties like incursions is a complex challenge.
• Air traffic controllers prioritize minimizing both arrival and departure delays.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an optimization model for assigning flights to runways and determining their timings.
• To incorporate fuzzy logic for uncertain incursion times and controller priorities.
• To minimize both arrival and departure flight delays simultaneously.

Main Methods:

• Developed an optimization model for runway assignment and flight timing.
• Utilized fuzzy logic to represent uncertain incursion times based on expert experience.
• Employed a novel polynomial algorithm derived from queuing theory to solve the NP-hard problem.
• Validated the model using a real-world case study.

Main Results:

• The model effectively assigns flights and determines optimal times considering incursions and controller priorities.
• Fuzzy logic successfully handled the uncertainty associated with incursion times.
• The proposed polynomial algorithm provided efficient and acceptable solutions.
• Analysis demonstrated that increased runway incursion times directly correlate with longer flight queues and greater delays.

Conclusions:

• The developed optimization model is effective for complex air traffic scheduling under uncertain conditions.
• Runway incursions are a critical factor significantly impacting flight delays and operational efficiency.
• The study provides a valuable tool for air traffic management to mitigate delays and enhance safety.