Work

Impact of rainy season on approach trajectories in high-altitude airport terminal maneuvering area: a clustering analysis

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Ensuring airspace safety is crucial for the efficient operation of aviation, especially at high-altitude airports where challenging weather and geographic conditions significantly increase operational complexity. With the widespread use of ADS-B data, flight monitoring has improved, providing detailed insights into aircraft trajectories. This study investigates the impact of weather variations on trajectory patterns in Terminal Maneuvering Area (TMA) at high-altitude airports during the rainy season, applying daily clustering analysis of ADS-B data combined with meteorological conditions, while further exploring the synergistic effects of other contributing factors such as air traffic control strategies and traffic density. After data preprocessing, a clustering algorithm was used to identify trajectory patterns and detect outlier trajectories. The results show that wind direction is a key factor influencing trajectory cluster changes, with significant shifts observed when wind direction approaches or exceeds certain thresholds. This research introduces a novel method for analyzing trajectory changes in the rainy season at high-altitude airports, offering valuable insights for optimizing flight path planning and enhancing airspace safety management under complex weather conditions.

Source: Scientific Reports

DOI: 10.1038/s41598-025-13232-8

Authors: Jianxiong Chen, Jingtao Wang, Fan Li, Lin Zou

Institutions: Civil Aviation University of China, Civil Aviation Flight University of China

Language: English

Topic: Air Traffic Management and Optimization

Subfield: Aerospace Engineering

Field: Engineering

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDG: Climate action

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,690