Analysis and Mitigation of Increased Traffic Impacts on the Environment (AMITIE), Phase I

Metron Aviation designs and develops an integrated methodology and supporting algorithms for estimating environmental impacts of increased traffic on the surface and in the terminal airspace, and extends beyond estimation to identify key causes and develop mitigation options. From previous work, we provide multi-dimensional impact calculation in terms of noise, emissions, and fuel usage, as well as measurement of these impacts with respect to both baseline and alternative future scenarios. In AMITIE we add the following capabilities critically important to design of the next-generation system within environmental constraints: Automated identification of scenario elements causing the principal environmental impacts; Automated generation of mitigation options; and Quantification of the benefits of the mitigation options. The specific technical objectives are: Integrated estimation/mitigation methodology that provides the basis for closing the feedback loop from environmental impacts to system design and development. Develop supporting algorithms that calculate the appropriate metrics, analyze them to identify major causes of impacts, and generate mitigation options that reduce the impacts. Develop a software prototype that implements the estimation, analysis, and mitigation algorithms. Exercise the prototype against test cases to demonstrate the feasibility and value of the approach More »