Current Practices in Runway Configuration Management (RCM) and Arrival/Departure Runway Balancing (ADRB)

Abstract Significant air traffic increases are anticipated for the future of the National Airspace System (NAS). To cope with future traffic increases, fundamental changes are required in many aspects of the air traffic management process including the planning and use of NAS resources. Two critical elements of this process are the selection of airport runway configurations, and the effective management of active runways. Two specific research areas in NASA’s Airspace Systems Program (ASP) have been identified to address efficient runway management: Runway Configuration Management (RCM) and Arrival Departure Runway Balancing (ADRB). Current procedures for selecting active runways are primarily centered on prevailing winds and forecast winds. Other factors such as noise constraints, traffic loading, and weather are considered also, however, wind is the primary driver. With higher demands on the NAS from increased traffic, systemic interests will become increasingly more important in runway selection,