Airport Movement Area Closure Planner

MACP is relevant to NASA's AORG that supports R&D airline focused work, including the airline operations center (AOC) & flight deck. AORG seeks to integrate industry ideas with NASA solutions to develop innovative and automated solutions for increasing airline operations efficiency and safety. The AORG is gaining a better understanding of the effects of winter storms on NAS operations (especially airports) and developing knowledge and tools needed to improve efficiency (reduce cancelations and delays). AORG developed a tool called FACT. FACT is a web-based application that would improve winter weather operations within the AOC and at airports. Accessing the MACP would represent a significant shift in airport runway closure decision making processes. The ability to create a reliable data driven CDM process automates the decision process during irregular (non-emergency) operational situations, namely prediction. By having predictive data at hand when multiple decision making processes are active, airport staff have a greater flexibility to focus on safety related aspects - thereby enhancing safety. A quick and easy tool that can provide efficiency and safety benefits, reduce staff workload, and drive data into the multiple management decision making layers would be highly desirable for commercial application. Deploying this tool across a wide variety of airport sizes and types could have a significant positive efficiency impact on the NAS.

What-if scenario analysis decision support tool supports runway closure decision making at the FAA ATCSCC, FAA ARTCCs and AOCs supporting NAS-wide what-if analyses while planning and negotiating potential TMI actions under a CDM operational paradigm. MACP input portals can also be installed at busy TRACONs and Towers so controllers or Traffic Management Coordinators (TMCs) at those facilities can provide real-time inputs on current or forecast local conditions. Airport operations staff is the most reliable local runway closure forecast source and MACP portals provide an expedient approach for generating the most reliable forecasts. Deploying MACP as a web based tool enables airlines and ATCT to share data with central airport tools to improve CDM. Airlines providing expected gate pushback times, high-value flight preferences, ATCT can share data on the expected arrival landing rates, airspace configuration (e.g., what departure-fixes are open for use), expected runway configuration changes, etc. Enhanced non-NASA application includes predicting and managing the closure of any movement area during any selected airfield irregular operational condition. Movement areas may include any surface between the gate and the departure runway surface or may be limited to portions between those points. Movement area closures can be more disruptive to airlines than a runway closure due to extended taxi times, fuel burn, and overall delay. More »