A multi-dimensional environmental change function (ECF) concept, for planning environmental optimized trajectories has been developed and applied in a one-day case study for Europe. Successful work has been performed to develop so-called algorithm-based ECFs which can be calculated efficiently using routinely available meteorological data.
For the planning of optimized flight trajectories air traffic data for Europe were selected and processed. The environmental impact of the selected air traffic including associated emissions has been determined with a trajectory calculator and simulating engine emissions. Environmental impact had included forming of contrails caused by these flights. Data preparations and advancements of the Trajectory Optimization Module (TOM) have been successfully finalized. A multi-phase concept for the integration of climate, LAQ and noise has been designed and implemented, considering three consecutive flight phases (take-off, cruise, and landing).The environmental optimization of aircraft trajectories has been conducted and the entire traffic of a characteristic winter day has been environmentally optimized in four dimensions with different ATM and optimization strategies. Based on the complete environmental-optimized European air traffic of that day, the implications to the ATM network have been investigated. For two typical traffic scenarios, demand-capacity hotspots were identified revealing that the European ATM network might have to deal with a shift of ATM sector load from one set of sectors to another with a tendency of relocation to lower altitude sectors in certain situations.
Within the project algorithm based Climate Change Functions (aCCFs) were established and verified. Environmentally-optimized routes were evaluated in a future atmosphere in a comprehensive climate-chemistry model allowing a proof of concept of climate-optimization with daily route analysis by using aCCFs. As an initial step towards full climate impact optimisation, a one-year simulation for contrail avoidance has been successfully completed and the consequent impacts on flight characteristics have been well understood. Secondly, the aCCFs have been successfully implemented in the global chemistry-climate model EMAC as a separate submodel which enables aircraft trajectory optimisation in an Earth system model for identifying climate-optimal trajectories.
Furthermore, three trajectory calculation cases have been designed with respect to the great circle, the cost optimal and the climate optimal flight planning option. Accordingly, the atmospheric changes arising from flights with minimal cost or minimal climate impact were identified in comparison to the baseline great circle flights, including changes in ozone, methane, and water vapour.
In order to have available at the end of the Project a roadmap with recommendations and an implementation strategy for the environmental optimization of aircraft trajectories, close collaboration and communication with aviation stakeholders have been established. The multi-dimensional assessment concept has been published in a peer reviewed paper. For environmental optimisation an overall implementation has roadmap been prepared in cooperation with aviation stakeholders, which has been presented at several thematic stakeholder workshops and to the wider scientific community during scientific conferences.
