Managing Turnaround Priorities
The infrastructure of Schiphol is very capital intensive and it is therefore important that utilization thereof is maximized. This requires optimal use of runways, taxiways, gates and parking stands.
Based on the currently available infrastructure, MovingDot and NLR explored potential priority rules to help optimize the airport throughput, specifically for the management of gate availability. The scope of the project was limited to the currently available airport infrastructure and analysed nominal operations.
The study made use of CDM data, airport surveillance data and flight plan data, combined with input from interviews with representatives of the different stakeholders to identify key challenges. Simulation were used to visualize specific examples.
Interests and bottlenecks
During the study several limiting factors affecting the management of gate turnarounds were identified. Corresponding improvement opportunities were determined. They were clustered based on the following topics:
- Available VOPs vs. a/c types
- Taxiway bottlenecks
- Interpretation and processing of information
- External factors
- Factors impacting workload
Strategic and tactical adjustments
In addressing specific challenges regarding gates and stands occupancy, various trade-off options were considered available to the different stakeholders, namely:
- Implementing a new A-CDM outbound planning tool which generates TSAT‘s that are more stable.
- With the new planning tool in place, provide better means to update TOBT’s to handlers and enhance the way pending TOBT and TSAT expiries are presented to handlers and cockpit crew.
- Enhance sharing of gate management information between parties involved
- Develop a CDM cell which guards the CDM process, in particular the adherence to TOBT and TSAT.
- Develop sets of rules on gate management which will be put in place during structural disruptions of the gate management process on the day of operation.
- Enhance the gate management tools to handle structural disruptions on the day of operation better.
- Allow handlers to have more influence on gate management in their designated gate areas. Make rules like RASAS but specified for handler needs in their designated areas.