Air traffic simulator --> efficiency gains

[Philip Argy]

New simulator aiming to change aviation efficiency


A team of Canberra-based researchers is transforming air space management in Australia.
The team based at the Australian Defence Force Academy, have developed a unique air traffic simulator that could see pollution, air noise and costs cut.
The device can simulate existing and advanced air conditions.
Researchers are hopeful it will be adopted around the world to evaluate and modify flight paths to decrease the use of fuel.
Developer Sameer Alam says the group's research has found innovative savings, which will hopefully translate into more efficient air travel.
"We have estimated that for a typical Melbourne-Sydney flight there can be a saving of around half a tonne," he said.
"By using smarter air traffic procedure and we can reduce noise by around 30 percent in the vicinity of the aircraft."
Airservices Australia is trialing the system to cut aviation's carbon footprint.

Just noticed this ABC news item - can anyone on the Board tell us more about how the fuel savings are achieved - is it more than finding and riding tail winds?

[Adam P.]

Continuous rate descents rather than the 'stepped' descents currently in use would be one of the methods I'd have thought - a long descent from cruise at a low power setting, rather than descend a bit, fly level at low altitude (therefore burning more fuel than equivalent flying at higher altitude) and descend a little bit more.

[Philip Argy]

A 500kg fuel saving for a MEL-SYD flight seems pretty impressive.

[NickN]

500KG is very impressive. Even a saving of 200KG per flight multiplied out by the number of flights accross the world daily, thats a hell of a reduction.