Terminal Area “Green” Optimization Using Job-Shop Scheduling Techniques

In the Approach Control Area an important match for reducing aviation environmental impact is played. Aircraft Sequencing Problem (or Aircraft Landing Problem) has been widely studied for the last years in order to find the optimal sequence that maximizes the number of landing aircraft in the time unit. The model we propose is based on no-wait Job-Shop Scheduling with sequence dependent machine set up time and release date. In our model STAR and SID are divided into air segments: runways and air segments of arrival and departure procedures are modeled as machines, airplanes are considered as job with release date. Each machine i processes an Aircraft/Job and produces a cost for the environment. The impact of the pollution in each element of the grid map depends on the related machine. The “green” sensitivity of each grid map element is defined by using numerical models. Starting from existing Job-Shop Scheduling models, by means of elitary Genetic Algorithm, the number of movements in the time unit is optimized to manage the Approach airspace. Finally, an experimental analysis is presented, it has been performed on a case study of Bologna airport terminal area.