The project CADENZA, short for “Advanced Capacity and Demand Management for European Network Performance Optimization”, aims at developing a detailed trajectory broker concept for the European flight network. It builds upon the findings of the previous SESAR Exploratory Research project COCTA, in which Professor Dr. Strauss was already involved and which won the Jane's-ATC Innovation Award in 2019, as well as upon latest industry developments. The trajectory broker will balance capacity and demand through a coordinated capacity provision process and collaborative trajectory management (including a novel trajectory charging scheme).
CADENZA covers all areas of capacity provision (en-route, terminal area, and airport) as well as all temporal levels (strategic, pre-tactical and tactical). Based on previous research, the researchers expect significant improvements in cost-efficiency as well as positive impacts on other key performance indicators, especially delays and CO2 emissions.
The CADENZA concept will be thoroughly validated, using mathematical models and comprehensive real-world trajectory data. Sensitivity analysis will incorporate non-nominal conditions as well as different assumptions with respect to the overall air traffic management framework, e.g., different levels of flexibility in capacity provision. Moreover, a high degree of stakeholder involvement – including an industry expert panel and stakeholder workshops – ensures practical relevance. The panel includes representatives from SWISS airlines, Vueling, Thomas Cook Airlines, London Heathrow Airport, Zurich Airport, Lufthansa Systems, NATS among others.
With a share of around €360.000 of the overall project cost of €2 million, the Mercator Chair of Professor Dr. Arne Strauss at WHU will lead the development of innovative methodological approaches to this new problem including scalable optimisation approaches. The project will start mid-2020 and is planned to end around Dec 2022.