Innovations in Aviation Flow Management

With passenger volumes rising steadily, the global aviation system is facing a challenge: How to accommodate more air traffic when politics and economics make it difficult to expand airports on the ground.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) predicts that we can expect to see passenger rates grow from around 3.2 billion in 2016 to more than six billion by 2036, representing nearly a 100 percent increase in traffic load. Not surprisingly, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) projects that, with steady traffic growth, delays will continue to grow through 2030. The FAA predicts that 12 airports in the United States alone will have ‘significant’ congestion, with 11 of those reaching severe levels.

Under the FAA’s model, significant congestion means a delay of seven minutes per flight or greater with delays affecting more than 30 percent of hours at the airport between 0700 and 2259. Severe congestion means delays of 15 minutes affecting 50 percent of hours in that time window.

Technological innovations are no longer nice-to-have but a necessity. New software solutions are enabling airports and airlines to manage the fl ow of air traffic from takeoff to landing, dynamically adjusting journeys in the air to minimize delays.

Innovations in aviation flow management are key to making air traffic flow faster, smoother, and more environmentally friendly.