Runway Capacity

Runway Capacity

 Ability to accommodate
 Departures
 Arrivals
 Minimize delays
 Computational models
 Minimum aircraft separation
 FAA Handbook
Basic Concepts

Time

δij A-A δij (mi)

vi

γ
vj δij

vj
vi

Entry Gate
Basic Concepts

Time
tij
δd
δij A-A δij or δji (mi)
vi D-D tij (sec)
γ D-A δd (mi)
vj δji
A-D Clear runway

vj vi

Entry Gate
Example 1 (1/3)

 Entry gate 7 miles;

 D-D 120 sec; D-A 2 miles;
 A-A: J-K 3 miles, J-J K-K 4 miles, K-J 5miles
 Arrival times: J 280 sec, K 245 sec;
 Runway occupancy and lift off roll 40 sec

Runway capacity for pattern K K J K J?

Note: j is slower, but also smaller aircraft than k (5 miles for wake vortex)
Example 1 (2/3)

K 35 sec/mi; J 40 sec/mi

K-K Same speed

7 mi
K-J Opening
J-K Closing
K-J Opening

K K J K J
Note: ignore slopes of lines, first two K’s should be steeper
Example 1 (2/3)

3 K 35 sec/mi; J 40 sec/mi
4

K-K Same speed

7 mi
5 5 K-J Opening
J-K Closing
K-J Opening

K K J K J
Example 1 285+4*35 455+(7*35)+40 (2/3)
245+40 315+(7*40)+40
630+(7*40)+40
285 425 635 740 950

245 910

3 K 35 sec/mi; J 40 sec/mi
4

K-K Same speed

7 mi
5 5 K-J Opening
J-K Closing
K-J Opening

K K J K J Note: pattern
0 140 315 455 630 could repeat
starting at 770s
425-40-(7-5)*35 740-40-(7-5)*35
635-40-(7-3)*35 … why?
 Note: need 120 s between successive departures… can
not have two in a row with this repeating pattern of

Example 1
arrivals
(3/3)

285 425 635 740 950

245 385 910

595 700
2 mi
175 315 515 640 830

7 mi K 35 sec/mi; J 40 sec/mi

K K J K J
 Note: if next K arrives at gate at 770 … then have 5
arrivals in 770s (different than book which would

Example 1
recommend 910). This assumes exact repeat
pattern kkjkj. Book allows for varying pattern but (3/3)
same proportions.

285 425 635 740

245 910
2 mi

Capacities
Avg time of arrivals
7 mi 770/5 = 154 sec
CA = 3600/154 = 23.4 A/hr

Three departures for 5 arrivals (0.60)

CM = (3600/154)(1+.60) = 37.4 Ops/hr

K K J K J
Error Free Operations

 Arrival & departure matrices

 Same rules Closing case

 Inter-arrival time Opening case

 vi≤ vj Tij = δij/vj

 vi>vj Tij = (δij/vi) +γ [(1/vj) –(1/vi)] control in
airspace (separation inside gate)
Tij = (δij/vj) +γ [(1/vj) –(1/vi)] control out of
airspace (separation outside of gate)
 D-A min time δd/vj
Example 2 (1/3)

Entry gate 7 miles;

D-D 120 sec;
D-A 2 miles;
A-A: J-K 3 miles, J-J K-K 4 miles, K-J 5miles;
Arrival times: J 280 sec, K 245 sec; Runway
occupancy and lift off roll 40 sec;
Control in airspace. Speeds: K 103 mph; J 90 mph

Runway capacity for error free operations for K 60%

and J 40%? (note: proportion same as previous
problem, but order not specified here so may have
different pattern, e.g., kkjkj or kkkjj or kjkjk.)
 Faster, bigger plane
Lead

Example 2
Tij
J K
(2/3)
J 160 210

Trail
K 105 140
Speeds K 103 mph; J 90 mph

Tij K-K δij/vj = (4/103) 3600 = 140 sec

J-J δij/vj = (4/90) 3600 = 160 sec
J-K δij/vj = (3/103) 3600 = 105 sec
K-J (δij/vi) +γ [(1/vj) –(1/vi)] =(5/103 +7(1/90 -1/103))3600 = 210 sec

Lead
Pij E(Tij) = ΣPijTij = 16(160)+.24(210)+.24(105)+.36(140)
J K
= 151.6 sec
J .16 .24
Trail

K .24 .36 CA = 3600/151.6 = 23.7 Arr/hr (note slight

difference from example 1)

0.4*0.6 = expected proportion of Ks following Js

Example 2 (3/3)

E(δd/vj) = 0.6 [2(3600)/103] + 0.4 [2(3600)/90] = 74 sec = average time available

until plane touches down from 2 miles out

E(Ri) = 40 sec = time to clear RW E(td) = 120 sec = time between departures

For departures between arrivals, how much time does it take? Note: highlighted
E(Tij) = E(δd/vj) +E(Ri) + (n-1) E(td) area provides
long enough
times to release
For 1 departure E(Tij) = 74 + 40 + (1-1) 120 = 114 one departure.
For 2 departures E(Tij) = 74 + 40 + (2-1) 120 = 234 Never time to
Lead release two.
Lead
Tij J K Pij J K

J 160 210 J .16 .24

Trail

Total Pij 0.76

Trail

K 105 140 K .24 .36

CM = (3600/151.6)(1.76) = 41.8 Ops/hr

Example 2 (3/3)

What if want at least 2 departures 20% of the time?

For 2 departures required E(Tij) = 74 + 40 + (2-1) 120 = 234 sec

Increase some Tij to 234 sec

E(Tij) = ΣPijTij = .16(160)+.24(234)+.24(105)+.36(140) = 157.4 sec

Lead Lead
Tij J K Pij J K
J 160 234 J .16 .24
Trail

Trail

K 105 140 K .24 .36

CM = (3600/157.4)(1 + 1 (.16+.36) + 2 (.24)) = 45.7 Ops/hr

Position Error Operations

 Aircraft can be ahead or behind schedule

 Need for buffer to avoid rule violation
 Aircraft position is normally distributed
 Buffer (Bij) Closing case

Opening case (use

 vj > vi zσ zero if negative)
 vj<vi zσ – δ[(1/vj)-(1/vi)]
where σ standard deviation; z standard score for
1-Pv; Pv probability of violation
See p. 318
Aircraft Position

δij

σP Error δij
 Lead
K 103 mph; J 90 mph
Tij J K

Example 3 J 160 210

(1/2)

Trail
K 105 140

For same operations, assume a Pv 10%

and σ= 10 sec and estimate new capacity.

Bij K-K σ z = 10 (1.28) = 12.8 sec

J-J σ z = 10 (1.28) = 12.8 sec
J-K σ z = 10 (1.28) = 12.8 sec
K-J σ z -δij [(1/vj) –(1/vi)] =(12.8 -5(3600/90 -3600/103) = -12.44
… use 0 sec
Lead
T’ij J K E(Tij) = ΣPijTij = .16(172.8)+.24(210)+.24(117.8)+.36(152.8)
J 172.8 210 = 161.3 sec
Trail

K 117.8 152.8
CA = 3600/161.3 = 22.3 Arr/hr
Example 3 (2/2)

E(δd/vj) = 0.6 [2(3600)/103] + 0.4 [2(3600)/90] = 74 sec

E(Ri) = 40 sec E(td) = 120 sec E(Bij) = 12.8(0.76)=9.7 sec

For departures between arrivals

E(Tij) = E(δd/vj) +E(Ri) + (n-1) E(td) + E(Bij)

For 1 departure E(Tij) = 74 + 40 + (1-1) 120 + 9.7 = 123.7

For 2 departures E(Tij) = 74 + 40 + (2-1) 120 +9.7 = 243.7

Lead Lead
Tij J K Pij J K
J 172.8 210 J .16 .24
Trail

Total Pij 0.76

Trail

K 117.8 152.8 K .24 .36

CM = (3600/161.3)(1.76) = 39.3 Ops/hr

Runway Configuration

 Approach works for single runway

 Adequate for small airports
 Charts and software is used for more than
one runways
Runway Configurations
Runway Configuration Selection
 Annual demand
 Acceptable delays
 Mix Index
 C+3D percentages
Delay & Runways
8

Relationship between 6
average aircraft delay in
minutes and ratio of annual
demand to annual service 5
volume

0
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1 1.1
Example 4
For a demand of 310,000 operations, maximum delay of 5 minutes,
and MI 90 VFR, 100 IFR determine possible runway configurations

8
Possible Options
7

C ASV 315000 6

D ASV 315000 5

Delay (min/op)
L ASV 315000 4

3
Demand/Service
310000/315000 = .98 2

1
Delays 1-3.5 min All OK
0
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1 1.1

Demand/Service ratio
Factors for Capacity (see p. 303)
 Aircraft mix
 Class A (single engine, <12,500 lbs)
 Class B (multi-engine, <12,500 lbs)
 Class C (multi-engine, 12,500-300,000 lbs)
 Class D (multi-engine, > 300,000 lbs)
 Operations
 Arrivals
 Departures
 Mixed
 Weather
 IFR
 VFR
 Runway exits
Nomographs, see AC 150/5060-5
Example 5 (1/3)

• Two parallel runways;

• Aircraft classes: A 26%; B 20%; C 50%; D
4%;
• Touch and go 8%;
• 2 exits at 4,700 ft and 6,500 ft from arrival
threshold;
• 60% arrivals in peak hour.

Capacity?
Example 5 (2/3)

C= 92* 1* 1 = 92 ops/hr
Example 5 (3/3)

C= 113* 1.04* 0.90 = 106 ops/hr

Annual Service Volume
 Runway use schemes
 Weighted hourly capacity (Cw)
 Annual service volume
 ASV = Cw D H
where D daily ratio; H hourly ratio

Mix H D
Index
0-20 7-11 280-310
21-50 10-13 300-320
51-180 11-15 310-350
Weighted Capacity
Cw = Σ Ci Wi Pi/ Σ Wi Pi … where Pi percent of time for Ci; Wi weight

Percent of VFR IFR Mix Index

Dominant All
Capacity 0-20 21-50 51-180

>91 1 1 1 1
weights
81-90 5 1 3 5

66-80 15 2 8 15

51-65 20 3 12 20

0-50 25 4 16 25

Dominant Capacity: Greatest percent time use

 Example 6
capacity
(1/3)

VFR IFR
70% - 110 ops 80% - 88 ops
A

20% - 88 ops 0% - 0 ops

B

10% - 40 ops 20% - 55 ops

C

VFR 85%, MI 60; IFR 15% MI 95

Example 6 85% x 70% = 59.5%
88/110
(2/3)

% of Dominant
Weather Runway Percent Capacity Capacity Weight WP CWP

VFR A 60 110 100 1 .60 66.0

B 17 88 80 15 2.55 224.4

C 8 40 36 25 2.00 80.0

IFR A 12 88 80 15 1.80 158.4

B 0 0 0 - 0 0.0

C 3 55 50 25 .75 41.25

Cw = Σ Ci Wi Pi/ Σ Wi Pi = 770/5.70= 74.0 ops/hr

Example 6 (3/3)

Annual demand: 294,000 ops; average daily

traffic 877 ops; peak hour 62, MI 90 VFR/ 100
IFR

What will be the Annual Service Volume that

could be accommodated for the runway system
shown?

ASV = Cw D H = 74 (294000/877) (877/62) = 350,900 ops/year