Introducing more efficient departure operations can help to increase throughput at capacity-constrained airports. SESAR is looking at ways to define a reduction in wake separations for a following aircraft between consecutive departures using dynamic real-time data.

The research addresses two main threads. The first thread considers a departure procedure where the follower aircraft employs an earlier differentiated rotation position and a steeper climb profile over the straight-out initial departure path than preceding heavier aircraft, avoiding a potential wake turbulence encounter. The second thread makes use of big data and machine learning techniques combined with real-time measurements of wake risk using a ground-based lidar, MET data and aircraft data to predict wake risk.

In both cases the dynamic pairwise wake separations per aircraft pair are relayed to the tower controllers via a separation delivery tool.

These dynamic pairwise wake separations lead to a benefit in terms of increased runway throughput capacity due to the reduced, optimised separations between departing aircraft, and safety is maintained. 

BENEFITS

Increased runway throughput