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ATC News
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Improved De-icing Prognosis at Zurich Airport by delair system
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 De-icing prognosis system arosa for an early determination of actual capacity demand in operations |
Each winter again the airports face the problem to predict the scope and duration of aircraft de-icing. Even the most experienced de-icing coordinators only can solve this problem to a limited extent. This results in de-icing capacities which are not adjusted to actual demand and, thus, in aninsufficient or too large number of de-icing vehicles. This might lead to subsequent delays and even to flight cancellations which is a costly enterprise for airport operators or airlines.
One year ago Zurich International Airport asked delair to develop a prognosis and planning system for the de-icing planning. This system is based on arosa, a system to predict the airport capacity.
Powered by fast and powerful algorithms the prognosis system determines the future situation at an airport with regard to the de-icing process. The de-icing prognosis shows the departures for the next hours with the best available off-block time and provides the resource demand for de-icing vehicles and de-icing pads. Within very short time the user can use what-if-scenarios to find out how an increase or a cut-back of de-icing capacities impacts on the departure times.
The de-icing of departures can take place on the stand or on the so-called remote de-icing pads. Here, the de-icing prognosis allows for an optimum allocation, either via a set of rules or manually. The amount of available de-icing pads and de-icing vehicles can be determined. Furthermore, it is possible to fine-tune the de-icing depending on the weather situation (percentage of aircraft to be de-iced) and to determine the duration of de-icing.
On this basis the demand as well as the waiting time for aircraft is calculated. Thus, the user is provided with the respective cost-benefit and delay analysis during the allocation of vehicles and de-icing areas. Airlines and passengers can be informed very early about possible delays or cancellations.
By this means the arosa de-icing prognosis system guarantees a considerably improved planning and helps to reduce delays and flight cancellations. |
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