Conflict-free en-route operations with horizontal resolution manoeuvers using a heuristic algorithm

Aircraft conflict resolution is an important part of air traffic control operations. This study presents a mixed integer linear programming model (MILP) using a space discretisation technique to deal with aircraft conflict resolutions in en-route flight operations. The purpose of space discretisation is to concentrate on only the significant points of the airspace. The model integrates the multi entry point approach with an airspeed adjustment technique in the horizontal plane. The model aims to generate conflict-free trajectories while minimising the total changes in entry points and airspeed values. A new heuristic algorithm was developed due to the complexity of the problem. The computational results demonstrated that the proposed approach resolved aircraft conflicts for 450 different traffic scenarios in less than a minute. Considerable fuel savings were achieved with no significant increase in delay or flight time compared to conventional vectoring techniques in a fixed entry point airspace structure.