Vertical Navigation Trajectory Optimization Algorithm For A Commercial Aircraft

Flight trajectory optimization is an alternative to reduce flight costs and contaminant emissions generated by fuel consumption. The objective of this work is to develop an algorithm to find the most economical vertical navigation profile between two points. The global flight cost analyzed is a compromise between fuel burned and flight time. This compromise is achieved using a variable called cost index, which assigns a cost to flight time in terms of fuel consumption. The optimization is performed by calculating a candidate cruise trajectory profile using an aircraft performance database. This candidate cruise profile reduces the search space, as only those profiles around the optimal candidate one are analyzed in terms of their account climb and descent costs. During cruise, step climbs are evaluated at every hour of flight. The different profiles are compared and the most economical one is defined as the optimal vertical navigation. The algorithm was evaluated for a commercial aircraft using the same performance database as a currently operational Flight Management System. The algorithm was developed in MATLAB, and its validation was performed using a complete aerodynamic model in the software FlightSIM developed by Presagis and the profiles generated by the Part Task Trainer of a commercial Flight Management System.