This study aims to determine the impact of the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) taxiway system development stages on runway capacity and delays in a single-runway airport that serves mixed operations by using a combined approach integrating the capacity-demand estimation analyses. We proposed a generic and systematic approach to taxiway development alternatives based on the ICAO guidelines rather than case-specific improvements presented in previous studies. The Samsun Çarşamba Airport (LTFH), which has the most basic level of taxiway layout, was chosen as a case study. The development stages were modeled and run in a fast-time simulation environment for different traffic scenarios based on historical data. As a result of modelling, average airborne and gate waiting delay of arrivals, queue delay of departures, taxi times, and runway occupation times were obtained. In addition, gate sensitivity and cost-benefit analyses were carried out. A triple exponential smoothing forecast was performed for different scenarios including normal, runway closures, COVID-19, and recovery from COVID-19. Practical capacities of the stages were revealed using the results of simulation and traffic demand forecasts. In addition, we evaluated the potential operational improvements of the stages by modifying a previously presented mathematical model. The proposed approach can assist airport operators in predicting the airport capacity saturation and selecting the best capacity improvement strategy for unexpected events.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to create a flight route optimization for all flights that aims to minimize the total cost consists of fuel cost, ground delay cost and air delay cost over the fixed route and free route airspaces. Design/methodology/approach: Efficient usage of current available airspace capacity becomes more and more important with the increasing flight demands. The efficient capacity usage of an airspace is generally in contradiction to optimum flight efficiency of a single flight. It can only be achieved with the holistic approach that focusing all flights over mixed airspaces and their routes instead of single flight route optimization for a single airspace. In the scope of this paper, optimization methods were developed to find the best route planning for all flights considering the benefits of all flights not only a single flight. This paper is searching for an optimization to reduce the total cost for all flights in mixed airspaces. With the developed optimization models, the determination of conflict-free optimum routes and delay amounts was achieved with airway capacity and separation minimum constraints in mixed airspaces. The mathematical model and the simulated annealing method were developed for these purposes. Findings: The total cost values for flights were minimized by both developed mathematical model and simulated annealing algorithm. With the mathematical model, a reduction in total route length of 4.13% and a reduction in fuel consumption of 3.95% was achieved in a mixed airspace. The optimization algorithm with simulated annealing has also 3.11% flight distance saving and 3.03% fuel consumption enhancement. Research limitations/implications: Although the wind condition can change the fuel consumption and flight durations, the paper does not include the wind condition effects. If the wind condition effect is considered, the shortest route may not always cause the least fuel consumption especially under the head wind condition. Practical implications: The results of this paper show that a flight route optimization as a holistic approach considering the all flight demand information enhances the fuel consumption and flight duration. Because of this reason, the developed optimization model can be effectively used to minimize the fuel consumption and reduce the exhaust emissions of aircraft. Originality/value: This paper develops the mathematical model and simulated annealing algorithm for the optimization of flight route over the mixed airspaces that compose of fixed and free route airspaces. Each model offers the best available and conflict-free route plan and if necessary required delay amounts for each demanded flight under the airspace capacity, airspace route structure and used separation minimum for each airspace.

This paper analyses the capacity effects of End-Around Taxiway at Istanbul New Airport which is planned to serve for 150 million passengers per year with the 6 independent runways when it is constructed completely. The new airport will be in service with its two independent and two dependent parallel runways after the first phase of the construction. The airport has also end-around taxiways to increase the runway capacity. End-around taxiways allow the aircraft continue to their taxi movements without the runway crossing. The runway crossing decreases the runway capacity since the crossing aircraft blocks the runway. The effects of runway crossing problem on the runway capacity are analysed in this paper. Istanbul New Airport first phase configuration is modelled with Simmod discrete event simulation tool in two different scenarios which are named baseline and alternative. The baseline scenario represents the new airport without end-around taxiways. The alternative scenario represents the same condition with end-around taxiways. The capacity problems of runway crossing are analysed and it is enhanced with the end-around taxiway usage. The analysis shows the runway capacities with and without runway crossing.

The rapid annual increase in air traffic volume leads to serious capacity problems especially at major airports. Airport runway capacities are significantly limited by wake turbulence phenomena between arriving and departing aircraft pairs. RECAT, an international joint effort, aims to redefine wake turbulence categories and their associated minima to increase runway capacities. This study analyses the impacts of possible RECAT implementation on arriving and departing flight sequences for independent parallel runway configurations with saturated demand. Istanbul New Airport is modelled as a test case using Simmod Pro, a discrete-event simulation tool. A baseline and an alternative scenario has been created to compare the current and RECAT separation minima. The implementation of RECAT improved the total throughput and reduced airborne delays for arriving flights while it increased departure queue delays and lengths. Further operational strategies are required to increase the benefits of RECAT for departing flight sequences.