POTENTIAL COST-BENEFIT ANALYSIS FOR THE ASSESSMENT OF AIR CORRIDOR INSTALLATION INTO JAPANESE AIRSPACE

The air corridor is an airspace concept to optimize operational efficiency of flights inside it. However, it inevitably becomes a huge obstacle for aircraft flying outside it. In this study, the cost-benefit analysis is performed in order to clarify the feasibility and the conditions at which the air corridor installation becomes beneficial. The increases of the operational cost of the flights outside the air corridor is analyzed through the comparison between the actual trajectories and numerical simulations of the trajectories to avoid the air corridor. The reduction of the operational cost by flying along the optimum trajectories inside the air corridor is also analyzed through comparison with actual trajectories. It has been clarified that even a small number of flights operated inside the air corridor achieves total operational cost reduction. It is further concluded that the air corridor should be installed as early as onboard self-separation capability becomes available.