Simulation-Based Analysis of Wake Turbulence Encounters in Current Flight Operations

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dc.contributor.authorSwol, Christopher Douglasen
dc.contributor.committeechairTrani, Antoino A.en
dc.contributor.committeememberKikuchi, Shinyaen
dc.contributor.committeememberMurray-Tuite, Pamelaen
dc.contributor.departmentCivil Engineeringen
dc.date.accessioned2014-03-14T20:44:20Zen
dc.date.adate2009-09-04en
dc.date.available2014-03-14T20:44:20Zen
dc.date.issued2009-08-24en
dc.date.rdate2013-05-20en
dc.date.sdate2009-08-27en
dc.description.abstractOne way to address the need for increased airspace system capacity is to reduce the separation requirements between aircraft in-flight. A key limiting factor to any reduction in separation is wake turbulence. The potential for aircraft to encounter wake turbulence poses a threat to both safety as well as increased efficiency. This research effort seeks to develop a model that can be used to evaluate the potential for wake encounters in today's flight operations, as well as serve as a tool for evaluating future reduced separation scenarios. The wake encounter model (WEM) achieves this goal by integrating results from NASA's TDAWP wake turbulence prediction model with a flight operations model based on radar flight track data. Unique in this model's design, is the ability to evaluate the potential for wake encounters throughout the terminal area versus previous research which has largely been restricted to areas near the runway. Expanding the model's reach provides not only for a more thorough analysis of potential wake encounters, but also creates an effective tool for evaluating future reduced separation scenarios. The WEM model was used to evaluate operations at three metropolitan airspaces in the United States: Atlanta, Los Angeles and New York. The results from these model runs indicated that potential wake encounters in today's operations were few. More importantly, the results from the WEM create a baseline for wake turbulence exposure in today's system, by which future scenarios can be compared against as part of any comprehensive reduced separation safety analysis.en
dc.description.degreeMaster of Scienceen
dc.identifier.otheretd-08272009-230249en
dc.identifier.sourceurlhttp://scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/available/etd-08272009-230249/en
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10919/34809en
dc.publisherVirginia Techen
dc.relation.haspartSwol_CD_T_2009.pdfen
dc.rightsIn Copyrighten
dc.rights.urihttp://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/en
dc.subjectPDARSen
dc.subjectWake Turbulenceen
dc.subjectNextGenen
dc.subjectAir Traffic Controlen
dc.titleSimulation-Based Analysis of Wake Turbulence Encounters in Current Flight Operationsen
dc.typeThesisen
thesis.degree.disciplineCivil Engineeringen
thesis.degree.grantorVirginia Polytechnic Institute and State Universityen
thesis.degree.levelmastersen
thesis.degree.nameMaster of Scienceen

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