4D trajectory optimization with weather forecast parameters

This paper presents a 4-Dimensional Trajectory (4DT) optimization tool to be implemented within an innovative Flight Management System (FMS) developed to control a commercial airliner along the optimal reference trajectory, respecting spatial and temporal constraints. The 4DT optimization tool includes weather forecast parameters based on the Global Forecast System (GFS) model, and it generates a trajectory that minimizes the aircraft fuel consumption by solving an Optimal Control Problem (OCP), using the Chebyshev Pseudospectral numerical direct collocation scheme. The advantages of the implementation of real atmosphere data in the optimization process are evaluated through simulations performed in the Multipurpose Aircraft Simulation Laboratory (MASLab), on a Boeing 747-100 model equipped with a complete Automatic Flight Control System (AFCS) suite. The results, for a Rome to Turin climb-cruise-descent flight mission, show that the reference trajectory generated with the novel optimization tool allows increased 4DT tracking performances and a fuel consumption reduction of 2.3%.