A row of aircraft lined up ready to depart might deliver maximum runway efficiency, but contributes little to efficient fuel use and reducing noise and emissions. While all departures are carefully planned, SESAR is looking at ways to enhance the process and introduce efficiencies right from push-back.

Pre-departure management delivers optimal traffic flow to the runway by factoring in accurate taxi time forecasts and route planning derived from static data. This can help to reduce waiting time at runway holding points, and improve take-off time predictability. Accuracy can be improved if the departure manager (DMAN) takes into consideration data provided by the advanced surface movement guidance and control system (A-SMGCS). This can account for where the aircraft is parked, taxi route length and tactical adjustments such as temporary restrictions. Just how much current operations - which rely on collaborative decision making to estimate taxi times - can be enhanced by access to dynamic data depends upon the individual airport and the quality of data available.

SJU references: #53/Release4

Benefits

• Reduced waiting time at the runway holding point, which saves fuel and allows air navigation service efficiency
• Increased accuracy of taxi time-out predication and hence take-off time predictability, which in turn allows the aircraft to adhere to their target take-off time (TTOT)
• Provision of a more stable pre-departure sequence