Multi-Objective Clean Take-Off Flight Paths for Civil Aircraft

The environmental impact of civil aviation at low altitudes concerns local air quality, the contribution to global warming and noise nuisances in residential areas located in the vicinity of airports. Aviation is responsible for only a small percentage of man-made CO2 and has a marginal impact on global warming compared to other sources, but the continuous growth of air traffic requires sustainable development to increase, creating economic value with less environmental impact. This research, integrated in the European JTI project Clean Sky, addresses the study of flight departure procedures that minimize the environmental impact of a single aircraft. Departure procedures minimizing perceived noise, the emission of nitrogen oxides and the contribution to the global production of carbon oxides are calculated. From an operational viewpoint, airlines will assign a different priority to each objective and the onboard calculator will provide the most environmental-friendly take-off flight path. These operational constraints entail that the designed algorithm must provide smooth and robust optimal flight paths.