Intelligent Approach

Delivering efficiency and flexibility by optimising arrivals spacing

The solution

Optimising arrivals spacing

Intelligent Approach is an arrival spacing tool that safely optimises runway capacity to improve operational resilience, deliver better on-time performance, reduce CO2 emissions, and increase revenue.

The family of functional modules caters to each airport’s unique needs. IA fully integrates into existing ATC systems and can be used in different environments to deliver benefits in all types of operational scenarios.

Find out more below and perhaps contact us to set up a conversation about how Intelligent Approach can benefit your operation.

Intelligent Approach - Designed to optimise arrivals management

Features

Intelligent Approach features a family of modules to allow airports to tailor the tool to suit their unique challenges and needs. Intelligent Approach delivers more runway capacity in all conditions and significant benefits during peak times or disruptive weather conditions. They have been created through combining the air traffic control expertise of NATS with the technology expertise of Leidos.

The modules can be integrated into existing operations and Air Traffic Management Systems without the need for airport infrastructure changes. They are specifically designed to optimise and improve the consistency of approach spacing.

Distance Based Separation

Distance Based Separation provides optimised wake spacing rules to provide controllers with a visual indication of the required separation.

This improves the consistency of delivery of aircraft to the runway, resulting in typical capacity gains of 2-3 landings per hour.

Time Based Separation

Time Based Separation provides an increase in capacity, enabling the ability to deliver more aircraft, or to better deal with peaks in demand.

The dynamic adjustment of spacing for all wind conditions recovers the capacity lost due to headwinds, improving operational and safety performance.

Mixed Mode Operations

A world-first spacing tool that maximises runway arrivals and departures for mixed mode runways, including single runway airports.

Mixed Mode safely increasing capacity and resilience gains by 2-3 movements per hour.

Pairwise

Pairwise provides the capability to separate aircraft using an enhanced wake scheme.

Instead of using a wake scheme that categorises aircraft based on weight and wingspan, Pairwise is categorised using wake vortex separation that is individually tailored for each pair of aircraft, providing typical capacity gains of two landings per hour.

Intelligent Approach for Mixed Mode Operations

Intelligent Approach helps air traffic controllers more efficiently manage the gaps between arriving and departing aircraft.  It provides air traffic controllers with markers on their radar screens, helping them precisely position each arrival to create the most efficient sequence of traffic, increase capacity and reducing fuel burn and emissions. 

The system is now optimised for Mixed Mode Operations. Watch our video to find out more.

Benefits

Intelligent Approach can deliver the following key benefits to an airport operation:

Capacity

Enables choice in how to exploit existing runway and airspace infrastructure whilst increasing the available tactical capacity.

Environment

Reduced fuel burn and emissions through improved predictability and reduced airborne holding.

Resilience

Increased on-time performance meaning reduced delays, reduced costs, and happier passengers.

Revenue

Increased revenue by enabling additional capacity.

Airport growth

Supports airport growth plans at a fraction of the cost of major capital investment.

Case study

Deploying Intelligent Approach into Heathrow Airport

Intelligent Approach has been in continuous operation at Heathrow since March 2015. Benefits already achieved include an average tactical capacity gain of 2 aircraft landings per hour in all wind conditions, an improvement of 1.5-2.5% in airport punctuality and an average saving of over 1,410 seconds per day in arrival separation on final approach.

A HEATHROW CASE STUDY

Case study

Deploying Intelligent Approach at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol

Capacity for aircraft landing at Schiphol Airport during high wind conditions has increased by 3 - 6 additional aircraft per hour, per runway. That’s an enormous benefit that’s going to make a real difference in terms of on-time performance and the noise impact for local residents, and it’s been achieved without the need for any new equipment or infrastructure at the airport itself.

Partner

Leidos is a Fortune 500® innovation company rapidly addressing the world’s most vexing challenges in national security and health.

The company's global workforce of 47,000 collaborates to create smarter technology solutions for customers in heavily regulated industries. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, Leidos reported annual revenues of approximately $15.4 billion for the fiscal year ended December 29, 2023.

For more information, visit www.leidos.com.

Leidos HQ

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