Petri net model-based approach to runway performance analysis

Abstract

Runways are a crucial element of the aircraft operations system at an airport. The concept of practical capacity, which relates the number of takeoff and landing operations to the average delay per operation, is used to evaluate the effectiveness of their use. The study aims to identify factors influencing runway performance and then quantify the scale of this impact. An original simulation model in a colored Petri net was developed to achieve this goal. It enables studying the influence of various disturbances in the takeoff and landing process on the average delay per operation. As a result of the simulation experiments, it was found that the most significant impact on runway performance has (i) the delay between the issue of the takeoff clearance and the beginning of the takeoff run, (ii) air traffic congestion, and (iii) adverse weather conditions. These factors often overlap, which significantly increases the average delay per operation. We can only affect the take-off clearance response time of these three factors. Adequate procedures and training programs should be implemented to make aircrews and air traffic controllers aware of the importance of this issue.