Emergence of Regional Jets and The Implications on Air Traffic Management

Airlines are increasingly using regional jets to better match aircraft size to high value, but limited demand markets. This has been especially important following increased financial pressure on the industry after September 11th 2001. The increase in regional jets represents a significant cha...

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Main Authors: Mozdzanowska, A., Hansman, R. J., Histon, J., Delahaye, D.
Format: Technical Report
Language:en_US
Published: 2007
Subjects:
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/35881
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author Mozdzanowska, A.
Hansman, R. J.
Histon, J.
Delahaye, D.
author_facet Mozdzanowska, A.
Hansman, R. J.
Histon, J.
Delahaye, D.
author_sort Mozdzanowska, A.
collection MIT
description Airlines are increasingly using regional jets to better match aircraft size to high value, but limited demand markets. This has been especially important following increased financial pressure on the industry after September 11th 2001. The increase in regional jets represents a significant change from traditional air traffic patterns. To investigate the possible impacts of this change, this study analyzed the emerging flight patterns and performance of regional jets compared to traditional jets and turboprops. In addition, a comparison between regional jet flight patterns in the United States and Europe was conducted. Regional jet operations generally cluster in the regions with high traditional jet operation density, implying a high level of interaction between the two aircraft types. The regional jets were observed to fly shorter routes than traditional jets, with few transcontinental flights. However, the gap between regional and narrow body traditional jet stage lengths appears to be closing. In addition, regional jets were observed to exhibit lower climb rates than traditional jets, which may impact air traffic control handling and sector design. It was also observed that regional jets cruise at lower altitudes than traditional jets possibly due to their shorter flight routes. Finally, it was observed that regional jets cruise at a lower Mach number than traditional jets, except on specific high density routes where the regional jets are either slowing down the traditional jet traffic or flying above their optimum cruise speed. Since the composition and utilization of the national fleet is changing, this will pose potential problems for air traffic management. In particular, it may cause serious congestion issues when demand increases during an economic recovery.
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spelling mit-1721.1/358812019-04-12T08:35:49Z Emergence of Regional Jets and The Implications on Air Traffic Management Mozdzanowska, A. Hansman, R. J. Histon, J. Delahaye, D. regional jets air transportation air traffic flight patterns Airlines are increasingly using regional jets to better match aircraft size to high value, but limited demand markets. This has been especially important following increased financial pressure on the industry after September 11th 2001. The increase in regional jets represents a significant change from traditional air traffic patterns. To investigate the possible impacts of this change, this study analyzed the emerging flight patterns and performance of regional jets compared to traditional jets and turboprops. In addition, a comparison between regional jet flight patterns in the United States and Europe was conducted. Regional jet operations generally cluster in the regions with high traditional jet operation density, implying a high level of interaction between the two aircraft types. The regional jets were observed to fly shorter routes than traditional jets, with few transcontinental flights. However, the gap between regional and narrow body traditional jet stage lengths appears to be closing. In addition, regional jets were observed to exhibit lower climb rates than traditional jets, which may impact air traffic control handling and sector design. It was also observed that regional jets cruise at lower altitudes than traditional jets possibly due to their shorter flight routes. Finally, it was observed that regional jets cruise at a lower Mach number than traditional jets, except on specific high density routes where the regional jets are either slowing down the traditional jet traffic or flying above their optimum cruise speed. Since the composition and utilization of the national fleet is changing, this will pose potential problems for air traffic management. In particular, it may cause serious congestion issues when demand increases during an economic recovery. 2007-02-06T19:20:34Z 2007-02-06T19:20:34Z 2003-06-27 Technical Report http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/35881 5th Eurocontrol / FAA ATM R&D Seminar, Budapest, Hungary, 23rd - 27th June 2003 en_US application/pdf
spellingShingle regional jets
air transportation
air traffic
flight patterns
Mozdzanowska, A.
Hansman, R. J.
Histon, J.
Delahaye, D.
Emergence of Regional Jets and The Implications on Air Traffic Management
title Emergence of Regional Jets and The Implications on Air Traffic Management
title_full Emergence of Regional Jets and The Implications on Air Traffic Management
title_fullStr Emergence of Regional Jets and The Implications on Air Traffic Management
title_full_unstemmed Emergence of Regional Jets and The Implications on Air Traffic Management
title_short Emergence of Regional Jets and The Implications on Air Traffic Management
title_sort emergence of regional jets and the implications on air traffic management
topic regional jets
air transportation
air traffic
flight patterns
url http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/35881
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