Defining dynamic route structure for airspace configuration

This article describes a method for defining route structure from flight tracks. Individual merge and diverge intersections between pairs of flights are identified, clustered, and grouped into nodes of a route structure network. Links are placed between nodes to represent major traffic flows. A parametric analysis determined the algorithm input parameters producing route structures of current day flight plans that are closest to today's airway structure. These parameters are then used to define and analyse the dynamic route structure over the course of a day for current day flight paths. Route structures are also compared between current day flight paths and more user-preferred paths such as great circle and weather avoidance routing.