Abstract: Identifying geographical locations suitable for a vertiport. Suitability factors across a geographical area are identified for consideration including, without limitation, noise, zoning, transit stations, fire stations, and hospitals. The suitability factors have suitability values that are based on characteristics, including location-based suitability values (i.e., proximity to mass transit stations), level-based suitability values (i.e., noise levels), and characteristic-based suitability values (i.e., residential zoning). The vertiport assessment system divides the geographical area into subregions, identifies a set of candidate vertiport locations using suitability values, weights for scaling the impact of the suitability factor, and identifies a particular subregion as a candidate location if a composite value exceeds a threshold value. The candidate subregions are shown on a user interface map overlay in a color-coded gradient that reflects the composite values for a subregion.

Abstract: Method of miles-in-trail passback restrictions for use in air traffic management. Miles-in-trail restrictions can be used as a traffic management initiative when downstream traffic congestion at airports or in sectors is anticipated. To successfully implement the miles-in-trail at airspace fixes or navigational aids, it is desired that restriction values be computed for passing back to upstream facilities at specific boundaries. This method incorporates traffic manager feedback, resulting in significant improvement in guidance. Additional operational considerations required by traffic managers to implement the passback restrictions, namely maximum ground delay and absorbable airborne delay, are used in this method. The method also includes the step of absorbing a small amount of ground and airborne delays which are sufficient to handle the imposed constraint.

Abstract: A dynamic constraint avoidance route system automatically analyzes routes of aircraft flying, or to be flown, in or near constraint regions and attempts to find more time and fuel efficient reroutes around current and predicted constraints. The dynamic constraint avoidance route system continuously analyzes all flight routes and provides reroute advisories that are dynamically updated in real time. The dynamic constraint avoidance route system includes a graphical user interface that allows users to visualize, evaluate, modify if necessary, and implement proposed reroutes.

Abstract: Methods for evaluating and implementing air traffic management tools and approaches for managing and avoiding an air traffic incident before the incident occurs. A first system receives parameters for flight plan configurations (e.g., initial fuel carried, flight route, flight route segments followed, flight altitude for a given flight route segment, aircraft velocity for each flight route segment, flight route ascent rate, flight route descent route, flight departure site, flight departure time, flight arrival time, flight destination site and/or alternate flight destination site), flight plan schedule, expected weather along each flight route segment, aircraft specifics, airspace (altitude) bounds for each flight route segment, navigational aids available. The invention provides flight plan routing and direct routing or wind optimal routing, using great circle navigation and spherical Earth geometry.

Abstract: Method and system for evaluating and implementing air traffic management tools and approaches for managing and avoiding an air traffic incident before the incident occurs. The invention provides flight plan routing and direct routing or wind optimal routing, using great circle navigation and spherical Earth geometry. The invention provides for aircraft dynamics effects, such as wind effects at each altitude, altitude changes, airspeed changes and aircraft turns to provide predictions of aircraft trajectory (and, optionally, aircraft fuel use). A second system provides several aviation applications using the first system. These applications include conflict detection and resolution, miles-in trail or minutes-in-trail aircraft separation, flight arrival management, flight re-routing, weather prediction and analysis and interpolation of weather variables based upon sparse measurements.