Airport Performance Metrics Analysis: Application to Terminal Airspace, Deicing, and Throughput

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is continuously assessing the operational performance of the National Airspace System (NAS), where they analyze trends in the aviation industry to help develop strategies for a more efficient air transportation system. To measure the performance of various elements of the aviation system, the FAA and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) developed nineteen key performance indicators (KPIs). This dissertation contains three research studies, each written in journal format, addressing select KPIs. These studies aim at answering questions that help understand and improve different aspects of airport operational efficiency. In the first study, we model the flight times within the terminal airspace and compare our results with the baseline methodology that the FAA uses for benchmarking. In the second study, we analyze the efficiency of deicing operations at Chicago O'Hare (ORD) by developing an algorithm that analyzes radar data. We also use a simulation model to calculate potential improvements in the deicing operations. Lastly, we present our results of a clustering analysis surrounding the response of airports to demand and capacity changes during the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings of these studies add to literature by providing a methodology that predicts travel times within the last 100 nautical miles with greater accuracy, by providing deicing times per aircraft type, and by providing insight into factors related to airport response to shock events. These findings will be useful for air traffic management decision makers in addition to other researchers in related future studies and airport simulations.

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctor of Philosophy

Level thesis:degree_level

doctoral

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Civil Engineering

Department dc:contributor.department

Civil and Environmental Engineering

Grantor dc:publisher

Virginia Tech

Year dc:date.issued

2022

Author dc:creator

• Alsalous, Osama

Chair dc:contributor.committeechair

• Hotle, Susan

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Mumbower, Stacey
• Abbas, Montasir M.
• Wang, Linbing

• Air Traffic Management
• Arrival Efficiency
• Terminal Airspace
• Deicing
• Simulation
• ASDE-X
• COVID-19
• Clustering Analysis
• Airport Key Performance Indicators

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Language dc:language.iso

en

Dc Identifier Other

vt_gsexam:34411

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/110507