A method for determination of optimum vehicle size and frequency of service for a short haul V/STOL air transport system
Author(s)
Simpson, R. W.; Neuve Eglise, Michel J.
DownloadFTL_R_1968_01.pdf (1.739Mb)
Other Contributors
United States. Office of High-Speed Ground Transportation
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Flight Transportation Laboratory
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
To compete successfully in short haul markets under 200 miles, an air transport system must offer a high daily frequency of service, N, as well as short air travel times. In a given market, N can be increased by using vehicles of smaller seat capacity, C, which are more expensive per seat to operate. A method of determining optimal values of N and C for assumed market behavior in terms of fare and time elasticities is presented. By defining total trip time to include the average wait for service, and using a demand model developed for the Northeast Corridor, the air share of total demand in any market can be calculated as a function of N and the competing fares. Plotting daily passengers versus N, and relating this to the maximum and breakeven load factors for a family of vehicles of different seating capacities, determines the values of N and C which maximize return to the operator.
Description
May 1968 Includes bibliographical references (p. 39)
Date issued
1968Publisher
Cambridge, Mass. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Flight Transportation Laboratory, [1968]
Other identifiers
13446981
Series/Report no.
FTL report (Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Flight Transportation Laboratory) ; R68-1
Keywords
Vertically rising aircraft, Short take-off and landing aircraft, Aeronautics, Commercial, Airlines, Passenger traffic, Cost of operation