The role of advanced air traffic management in reducing the impact of aircraft noise and enabling aviation growth

Aviation is a critical component of the global economic infrastructure. If there is to be growth in aviation, however, the environmental impacts of aviation must be mitigated. While the benefits of advanced noise abatement procedures have been recognized, the primary obstacle to the implementation of these procedures remains the inability of air traffic controllers to maintain manually the precise sequencing and spacing required for maximum takeoff and landing rates in heavy traffic. Thus, introduction of automation that predicts the performance and noise impact of aircraft, and uses this information to assist the controller in determining and maintaining the appropriate sequencing and spacing, is critical to the successful utilization of noise abatement procedures. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.