Noise Analysis and Negotiation Tool for Terminal RNP Procedure Design

Approach and departure procedures based on Required Navigation Performance (RNP) standards have substantial flexibility compared to conventional approaches using groundbased navigation. Designing optimal RNP procedures is challenging due to the strong emphasis placed on noise and other environmental objectives in addition to cost, throughput, and safety requirements. In this research, a trade-space exploration tool is developed in order to resolve multiple, conflicting environmental and performance tradeoffs in designing RNP procedures. The tool incorporates an automatic flight path generator as well as FAA’s Integrated Noise Model (INM) enhanced by a new automated user front end. It generates a large set of feasible RNP routes and evaluates them in terms of fuel burn, flight time, throughput, greenhouse gas emissions and noise exposure. This multi-dimensional tradeoff analysis offers an exploration of the full solution space to identify a set of feasible options instead of attempting to identify a single optimal solution. The tool also provides visualization of the tradeoffs and can serve as a negotiation tool to mediate between community groups, airports and airline stakeholders. The tool’s generic setup allows it to be applied to different runways and airports. The framework is presented and its capabilities are shown for potential RNP approach procedures to Boston Logan (BOS) Runway 22L.