Enhancing Aircraft Fuel Burn Modeling on the Airport Surface

Abstract

Aircraft fuel burn modeling is useful for a range of systems analysis activities. Models such as the FAA’s Aviation Environmental Design Tool (AEDT) are widely used to support these activities. Previously, limited availability to thrust and movement data forced AEDT to make several simplifying assumptions, which adversely affect the accuracy of its current fuel burn estimates. This paper identifies first order airport surface fuel burn modeling enhancements in the areas of baseline taxi fuel flow modeling, taxi time estimation and pre-taxi fuel burn that may be suitable for inclusion in future versions of AEDT.