Assessing continuous descent arrivals and instrument procedures towards increased runway landing capacity

ased on an average yearly 5.0% growth, total airline (passenger, cargo, and international) traffic will double by the year 2025 (FAA, 2007 & Skycontrol, 2007). The growing importance and frequency of total air transport throughout the world has made both travelers and the air transport industry much more aware of the need to provide increased runway capacity and consequently attain a higher frequency of weather-independent aircraft landings (Peterson, 2006). At present, the most cost intensive impacts on airlines are fuel prices and delays (Federal Aviation Administration, 2007). The bottleneck found during rush hour traffic to airline hubs is best measured in delays (Federal Aviation Administration, 2007). Air traffic delays greatly influence the economy, both direct and indirect. The Air Transport Association of America, Inc. (2007) stated, "In 2006, 116.5 million system delay minutes (up five percent from 2005) drove an estimated...