Dynamic Airspace Configuration Modeling

Future airspace needs to be flexible, dynamic and adaptable based on traffic demand. Dynamic Airspace Configuration(DAC) is a new paradigm for airspace. The goal of airspace design is to provide flexibility where possible and provide structure where necessary. Unlike today's system, DAC does not only rely on fixed geographic features such as fixes, airways, and sectors but rather allocates airspace as a resource to meet user demand while also addressing weather, safety, security and environmental constraints. Initial concepts of DAC focus on three core areas: generic airspace, adaptable airspace, and restructuring airspace.This paper analyzes the concept of American airspace dynamic configuration,compared with the content of the flexible use of airspace in Europe, discerning the differences between them. In the framework of dynamic airspace configuration, three different forms of airspace will be studied, the main results are as follows.Firstly, In generic airspace, the complex airspace system has been analyzed and the concepts and elements of the air traffic characteristic have been summarized, a statistical relationship between air traffic characteristic and workload will be builded,and analyze the date of air traffic flow in different time,and build an evaluation model based on the features of flight activities, introduce the coordination factors and transitional workload, utilizing this base model in order to accomplish the dynamic adjustment of air traffic control sectors. A case study in certain area control center has verified the validity of the theory and obtained the optimal solution for adjustment of air traffic control sectors.Secondly, In adaptable airspace, a dynamic adjusting proposal of terminal airspace has been established during danger weather, sectoring the terminal airspace.Weather conditions are combined with NCWF, and introduce the concept of dynamic wedge airspace blocks. This model recommends small changes to airspace structure about the fixes and boundry that alleviate airspace congestion, while limiting disruptions to air traffic control procedures. Then considering the sector capacity and control workload, optimizing the new sector structure, balancing the sector capacity and air traffic flow in the danger weather. The model is tested against actual weather scenarios, and shows promising benefits to operations.Finally, In restructuring airspace, an dynamic route network operating model has been established which based on the minimum operating costs and maximum security costs, acceded to the opening fee and usage cost of dynamic air route, introduced the shortest occupancy time constraint, the biggest control load constraint and the complexity of air route and security constraint. Genetic algorithm is used to settle the model. Numerical examples verify the feasibility of the model effectively, making full use of the airspace resources and reducing the loss of the delay.