Abstract: Methods and system are provided for scheduling and negotiating air traffic within an airspace surrounding an airport and scheduled to land at the airport. An air traffic control (ATC) system is used to monitor the altitudes, speeds and lateral routes of aircraft. The ATC system generates a scheduled time-of-arrival (STA) at one or more meter fix points associated with the airport, the STA is stored, and data is received or inferred with the ATC system for at least a first of the aircraft, including a minimum fuel-cost speed and predicted trajectory parameters of the first aircraft based on current values of its existing trajectory parameters. Auxiliary data, including earliest and latest estimated time-of-arrival (ETAmin) and (ETAmax) at the meter fix point, STA being within/ outside ETAmin, ETAmax are generated, instructions are transmitted to the first aircraft, and the STA is updated for each aircraft stored in a queue.

Abstract: Methods and systems suitable for negotiating air traffic trajectory modification requests received from multiple aircraft that each has trajectory parameters. The methods include transmitting from at least a first aircraft a first trajectory modification request to alter the altitude, speed and/or lateral route thereof. A first conflict assessment is then performed to determine if the first trajectory modification request poses a conflict with the altitudes, speeds and lateral routes of other aircraft. If a conflict is not identified, the first trajectory modification request is granted and the first aircraft is notified of the first trajectory modification request being granted. Alternatively, if a conflict is identified, the first trajectory modification request is not granted and the first aircraft is notified thereof.

Abstract: Methods and systems scheduling and negotiating air traffic within an airspace surrounding an airport and scheduled to land at the airport. An air traffic control (ATC) system is used to monitor the altitudes, speeds and lateral routes of aircraft as they enter the airspace. The ATC system generates a scheduled time-of-arrival (STA) for each aircraft at one or more meter fix points associated with the airport, the STA for each aircraft is stored, and data is received or inferred with the ATC system for at least a first of the aircraft, including a minimum fuel-cost speed and predicted trajectory parameters of the first aircraft based on current values of its existing trajectory parameters. Auxiliary data, including earliest and latest estimated time-of-arrival ETAmin and ETAmax at the meter fix point, are generated for the first aircraft using the predicted trajectory parameters. The ATC system determines whether the STA of the first aircraft is in or outside an ETA range bounded by its ETAmin and ETAmax.