3George Mason University, Fairfax, VA Game theory involves the analysis of dynamical systems where multiple decision makers (or players) having a stake in the system performance can either cooperate or compete to realize a payoff. This study explores gaming in the context of the future Air Traffic Management (ATM) system envisioned by the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen). A poor weather scenario is examined where flights from the southwest are routed through waypoints in the southeast as they travel to their northeastern destinations. The airlines take advantage of NextGen’s four-dimensional trajectory flight plan filing system, attempting to gain advantage over their competitors using a variety of strategies. We quantify the effects of such gaming on the NAS by determining the payoff to each airline as well as the benefit (or loss) to society as a whole. We also examine gaming strategies that could be used by the NAS itself to change the players’ motivations such that societal benefit is maximized.
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