Modelling flexible thrust performance for trajectory prediction applications in ATM

Reduced thrust operations are of widespread use nowadays due to their inherit benefits for engine conservation. The ability to model reduced thrust operations is a necessary contribution to ATM development in order to ensure fidelity in the simulation of what-if ATM scenarios and environmental assessment tools. This paper proposes a methodology for modelling flexible thrust by combining an assumed temperature (AT) polynomial model identified from manufacturer take-off performance data and public thrust models taken from typical ATM performance databases. The main advantage of the proposed AT model is that it only depends on the take-off conditions —runway length, airport altitude, temperature, wind, etc. The results derived from this methodology were compared to simulation data obtained from manufacturer’s take-off performance tools and databases. This comparison revealed that the polynomial model provides AT estimations with sufficient accuracy for their use in ATM simulation. The Base of Aircraft Data (BADA) and the Aircraft Noise and Performance (ANP) database were chosen as representative of aircraft performance models commonly used in ATM simulation. It was observed that there is no significant degradation of the overall accuracy of their thrust models when using AT, while there is a correct capture of the corresponding thrust reduction.