SAM/IG/2

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International Civil Aviation Organization

South American Regional Office

SECOND WORKSHOP / GROUP MEETING ON IMPLEMENTATION SAM (SAM/IG/2)

REGIONAL PROJECT RLA/06/901

Lima, Peru, 3 to November 7, 2008

Agenda
Item 4: Implementation of the air traffic flow management (ATFM) in
the SAM Region

METHODOLOGY USED BY BRAZIL FOR THE RUNWAY CAPACITY CALCULATION

(Submitted by CGNA - Air Navigation Management Center of Brazil)

Summary

This paper aims to submit to ICAO, the methodology adopted by Brazil for the
runway capacity calculation.

Reference:

• Doc 8168 – ICAO – Aircraft Operations.

1 Introduction

1.1 The saturation of the runway operational capacity for arrivals and departures have
been seen as one of the biggest problems for domestic and international airports. In order to
maintain the air traffic flow near the optimal conditions, avoiding possible overflow in the system,
the Brazilian Air Navigation Management Center (CGNA) applies standard proceedures for runway
capacity calculations. These procedures help to follow the changes in demand/capacity at the
airports, to find parameters which support recommendations to the airports of interest in advance
and to keep the overall operation in harmony.
According to the evolution of the air traffic at airports, the runway capacity calculation
will take into account not only the runway occupancy time, but also other factors which can
significantly interfere in the runway operational capacity.
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1.2 To determine the capacity of a runway or a set of runways, the following factors are
considered:
a) planning factors; and
b) factors related to the landing and takeoff operations.

1.2.1 Planning Factors

The planning factors are elements used to simplify the mathematical models, or the
operational aspects, which influence the determination of the runway capacity. The most
common are:

a) Optimal conditions for aircraft sequencing and air traffic coordination;

b) All operational teams are considered with the same capacity and same
operational performance; and

c) All radio-navigation and visual-aid are considered, technically and operationally,

unrestricted, and all communication equipment (VHF/telephony) are considered
operational.

1.2.2 Factors Related to the Takeoff and Landing Operations

a) Average runway occupancy time;

b) Aircraft Mix ;
c) Thresholds percentage of use;
d) Final approach segment length;
e) Standardized minimum separation between the aircrafts for landing;
f) Runways and taxiways configuration, and
g) Final approach speed.

2 Analysis

The mathematical model for calculating the theoretical runway capacity used by
DECEA is described in the following sections. In some of the steps, the aircraft classification is
used by grade (A through E), according to the Doc 8168 (Table III-1-2).

2.1 MATHEMATICAL MODEL FOR THE THEORETICAL RUNWAY CAPACITY

STEP 1
COLLECTION OF DATA FROM THE AIRPORT:

1º) The runway occupation time at takeoff (TOPD): time taken by the aircraft during
the takeoff operation or the time measured from the moment when the aircraft leaves the “hold short
of” position until the it flyies over the opposite threshold;
2º) The runway occupation time at landing (TOPP): time spent from the point at which
the aircraft crosses the threshold of the runway during the landing operation until it leaves the
runway; and
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3º) Flight time from the outer marker (or FAF) to the threshold of the runway (T): time
taken by the aircraft during the final approach, from the moment when the aircraft crosses over the
outer marker (or FAF) until it crosses the threshold of the runway or, in the absence of an outer
marker, when it starts the final approach segment until it crosses the threshold of the runway. The
aircraft category is considered in the time mesurement process.

Obs.: The times previously described are classified by the aircraft category and are
taken in the control tower of the airfield. These times will be recorded on special forms (Annexes 1
and 2, respectively). It is important to explain that during the time mesurement, will be watched the
"Modus Operandi" of the ATC Organs in the studied airfield.

STEP 2

AVERAGE RUNWAY OCCUPANCY TIME (MATOP)

Average runway occupancy time will be calculated for each runway threshold; due to
the fact that each runway has its own configuration. This leads to different average time of runway
occupancy in each threshold.
After taking the runway occupancy time, the arithmetic average of the runway
occupancy time (MATOP) is calculated separatelly by aircraft category, as follows:

MATOPA= TOPDA+TOPPA
2

MATOPB= TOPDB+TOPPB
2

MATOPC= TOPDC+TOPPC
2

MATOPD= TOPDD+TOPPD
2

MATOPE= TOPDE+TOPPE
2

STEP 3

AIRCRAFT MIX (MIX)

Aircraft Mix is the fleet configuration operating at the studied airport. According to
Doc 8168, the aircraft are subdivided into five categories, depending on the runway threshold
crossing speed, which must be 130% of the value of the stall speed with the landing configuration
(full flaps, gear down). Therefore, the aircraft are classified as follows:

CAT "A" speed less than 90 kt

CAT "B" Speed between 91/120kt
CAT "C" Speed between 121/140kt
CAT "D" speed between 141/165kt
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CAT "E" Speed between 166/210kt

The percentage by aircraft category (Mix) will be calculated from the total daily
movement. To obtain this number, the data sample should be taken in the period of one week. The
choosen week should contain the day selected to collect the data for calculating the runway
occupation time.

The table below shows an example of aircraft mix calculation:

MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY

CAT ACFT PERC ACFT PERC ACFT PERC ACFT PERC ACFT PERC
A 32 8.42% 29 7.63% 25 6.51% 39 9.68% 25 6.31%
B 55 14.47% 57 15.00% 61 15.89% 73 18.11% 66 16.67%
C 283 74.47% 283 74.47% 286 74.48% 282 69.98% 297 75.00%
D 6 1.58% 11 2.89% 11 2.86% 8 1.99% 8 2.02%
E 4 1.05% 0 0.00% 1 0.26% 1 0.25% 0 0.00%
TOTAL 380 100% 380 100% 384 100% 403 100% 396 100%

Arithmetic mean
CAT Mix
A 7.71 %
B 16.03 %
C 73.68 %
D 2.27 %
E 0.31 %
TOTAL 100 %

STEP 4

WEIGHTED AVERAGE TIME OF RUNWAY OCCUPATION (TMOP)

It is the weighted average time of the arithmetic average of the runway occupation time
(MATOP) by category of aircraft, taking into account the mix of aircrafts.The average time should
be calculated for each threshold in the aerodrome, because the different configurations of the
taxiways for each threshold in use.

TMOP = MIXA x MATOPA + MIXB x MATOPB + MIXC x MATOPC + MIXD x

MATOPD + MIXE MATOPE
∑MIX

STEP 5

FINAL APPROACH SPEED(VA)

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It is the speed needed to go through the segment of final approach (SAF) for landing.
This velocity comes from the division of the approach segment length by the flight time (T) from
the outer marker (or FAF) until the runway threshold.

VAA=SAF
TA

VAB=SAF
TB

VAC=SAF
TC

VAD=SAF
TD

VAE=SAF
TE

STEP 6

AVERAGE SPEED IN THE FINAL APPROACH (VM):

Weighted average of the final approach speeds, taking into account the mix of aircraft.

VM= MIXA xVAA + MIXB xVAB + MIXC xVAC + MIXD xVAD + MIXE xVAE
∑MIX

STEP 7

DETERMINATION OF SAFE SEPARATION (SS):

The study considers the occurrence of a takeoff between two consecutive landings, but
without affecting the regulatory minimum separation (SMR), which is established in rules of ICA
100-12 in the case of Brazil. With this aim, it is necessary to calculate a safe distance to be added to
the regulatory minimum separation between aircrafts on approach, in order to allow the take off of
an aircraft, after the landing of the first approaching aircraft, but without compromising the
regulatory separation to the second approaching one.
This distance comes from the multiplication of the weighted average speed in the final
and the weighted average of the runway occupation time.

SS = VM x TMOP
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STEP 8

DETERMINATION OF TOTAL SEPARATION BETWEEN TWO CONSECUTIVES

LANDINGS (ST):

By calculating the distance traveled by the second aircraft on final approach, during the
time that the runway stays busy and adding the calculated distance to the regulatory minimum
separation adopted, we get the necessary separation between two consecutive landings.
The total separation comes from the summation of the safe separation distance (SS)
with the regulatory minimum separation, as follows:

ST = SMR + SS

There are cases where the SS can be disregarded. Usually this can happen at the airports that have
two or more runways, improoving the dynamism of the operation and enabling an aircraft to line up
and wait on a runway during the landing of other aircraft on another runway.

STEP 9

DETERMINATION OF WEIGHTED AVERAGE TIME BETWEEN TWO

CONSECUTIVES LANDINGS (TMST):

The weighted average time used for the total separation between two consecutive
landings is obtained from the total separation distance length divided by the weighted average speed
of the aircraft mixing, as follows:

TMST = ST/VM

STEP 10

DETERMINATION OF THE NUMBER OF LANDING AIRCRAFT IN ONE HOUR (P):

The possible number of landings with the proposed separation within a time interval of
one hour is obtained dividing the interval of one hour by the weighted average time used for the
total separation between two consecutive landings, as follows:

P = 1Hora(sec)/TMST(sec)

STEP 11

DETERMINATION OF THE NUMBER OF DEPARTURE IN ONE HOUR (D):

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Applying the calculated total separation it is possible to have one departure between
two consecutive landings. Decreasing one aircraft of the total number of landings, we get the
possible number of departure in the interval of one hour.

D = P-1

STEP 12

DETERMINATION OF THE RUNWAY CAPACITY (CP):

The runway capacity comes from the addiction of the number of landings with the
number of takeoffs, as folows:

CP=P+D

STEP 13

PERCENTAGE OF RUNWAY USAGE (PU):

The runaway usage percentage is calculated from the total monthly movement, obtained
from a one year data sample.
In order to achieve the required precision in the calculations, the last twelve months
data of the control tower management systems are analysed to measure the usage percentage of each
runway of the aerodrome.
The tables below show an example the runaway usage percentage calculation:

RUNWAY % RUNWAY OCUPATION

A 86
B 14
TOTAL 100

MES RWY A RWY B MONTHLY MOVEMENT

ENE 7622 2631 10253
FEB 6364 3229 9593
MAR 9239 2409 11648
ABR 9965 1184 11149
MAY 10811 896 11707
JUN 11280 291 11571
JUL 11637 620 12257
AGO 12145 263 12408
SET 11687 273 11960
OCT 9177 2184 11361
NOV 7765 2936 10701
DIC 7487 3665 11152
TOTAL 115179 20581 135760
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STEP 14

CAPACITY OF A RUNWAY SET

The runway capacity of a runway set is the full sustainable capacity, in the operational
point of view, considering the runway usage percentage of each runway. The runway set capacity is
the weighted average of each runway capacity, considering the respective runway usage percentage,
as follows:

CA = PU1xCP1 + PU2xCP2 +........PUNxCPN

PU1+PU2......... PUN

2.2 Practicable Runway Capacity

The practicable runway, or runway set, capacity can be choosen between 80% and
100% of the theoretical runway capacity.
It is recommended to use values closed to 80% of the theoretical runway capacity to
reduce the possibility of delays during the operation when some external factor, like weather,
operational delays of the companies, etc., interferes in the normal airdrome operation. When the
practicable runway capacity value is closed to 100%, it becomes difficult to recover delays caused
by external factors.

3 Action suggested

3.1 The meeting is invited to:

a) Analyze the information presented in the Working Paper.

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APPENDIX A

DEPARTURE TIME OF RUNWAY OCUPPATION

Airdrome: ____ Date: ________ RWY: ____

Time of beginning: _____ Time of ending: _____

Aircraft Category Time Obs

OBS.: In the fields below is the average time of runway occupation by aircraft category.

Average Average Average

CAT time CAT time CAT time
A B C

Average Average
CAT time CAT time
D E
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APPENDIX B

ARRIVAL TIME OF RUNWAY OCCUPATION

Airdrome:_________ Date:__________ RWY:___________

Time of beginning:____________ Time of ending

Aircraft Category Time Obs

OBS.: In the fields below is the average time of runway occupation by aircraft category.

Average Average
CAT Average time CAT time CAT time
A B C

Average Average
CAT time CAT time
D E
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APPENDIX C

ARRIVAL TIME BETWEN OM AND THR

Airdrome:_________ Date:__________ RWY:___________

Time of beginning:____________ Time of ending:____________

VELOCIDAD(KT)
Average
AIRCRAFT Type Category speed OM THR wind(KT) OBS:

OBS.: In the fields below is the average time of runway occupation by aircraft category

Average Average Average

CAT time CAT time CAT time
A B C

Average Average
CAT time CAT time
D E
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APPENDIX D

ABBREVIATIONS
ARR Arrival

ATC Air Traffic Control

ATCO Air Traffic Control Officer

CAT Category

CFP Actual Runway Capacity

CTP Hypothetical Runway Capacity

CT Time Counting

CGNA Air Navigation Management Center

DEP Departure

FAA Federal Aviation Administration

IEPV Brazilian Aeronautical Forms

OM Outer Marker

FAF Final Approach Fix

FPL Filed Flight Plan

IMC Instrument Meteorological Conditions

RWY Runway

SAS Situation Analysis System

SEP REQ Required Separation

SGTC Control Tower Management System

TARIS Terminal of radar presentation with synthetic image

TG Touch-and-Go

TOP Runway Occupancy Time

THR Threshold

TPH Typical Peak Hour

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APPENDIX E
DEFINITIONS
a) ACTUAL RUNWAY CAPACITY
The possible maximum number of operations during sixty minutes, taking into
account the runway occupancy time. (top).
b) HYPOTHETICAL RUNWAY CAPACITY
The runway capacity calculated during sixty minutes, taking into account the
average time of runway occupancy and the legislation concerning aircraft separation, including the
specific rules and procedures adopted to the local operations.
c) AEROPLANE CATEGORY
Classification of aeroplanes subdivided into five groups (a, b, c, d, e), defined
according to the indicated airspeed at threshold which must be equal to 130 per cent of the stall
speed, with a landing configuration (full flaps, gear down).
d) AIRCRAFT MIX
Percent distribution of the aircraft fleet in operation in the analyzed airport,
according to the aeroplane category.
e) PERCENTAGE BY AEROPLANE CATEGORY
Calculated index considering the total daily aircraft movement, reported in the
IEPV 100-34 form (Aircraft Movement in Aerodromes) or collected from the Control Tower
Management Systems. This index is equal to the percent mean of one year sample, based on
weekdays (except Saturdays, Sundays and holidays).
f) PERCENTAGE OF RUNWAY UTILIZATION AT AN AERODROME
Calculated index considering the total daily aircraft movement. This index is equal
to the percent mean of one year sample in order to approve the confidence on the data.
g) SATURATION
Situation on which the air traffic demand is higher than the airport capacity or than
a certain control sector.
h) RUNWAY OCCUPANCY TIME FOR DEPARTING AIRCRAFT
Runway occupancy time for departing aircraft based on the moment that the
aircraft leaves the holding point until the moment it crosses the opposite threshold.
i) RUNWAY OCCUPANCY TIME FOR ARRIVING AIRCRAFT
Runway occupancy time for arriving aircraft based on the moment that the aircraft
crosses the threshold until the moment it vacates the runway.
j) AVERAGE RUNWAY OCCUPANCY TIME TAKING INTO ACCOUNT EACH
AEROPLANE CATEGORY
Arithmetic mean, considering each aeroplane category, between the runway
occupancy time for departing aircraft and the runway occupancy time for arriving aircraft.