Parallel-route Systems for Supersonic Traffic

Abstract

This is the third article of a series of three describing the methods developed at the Royal Aircraft Establishment for costing the effect of air traffic control deviations in long range systems. The first two discussed the general principles of costing and their application to the current and future systems for subsonic aircraft over the North Atlantic. The present paper considers systems for the S.S.T.The characteristics and mode of operation of the supersonic transport are untested, and it will operate at an altitude for which information is relatively scanty. This means that the results obtained for the cost penalties in a supersonic traffic system must be regarded as tentative. On the other hand, because we are considering traffic systems for aircraft at such an early stage of development, the situation can be analysed in a more fundamental way, with particular emphasis on the effect of the system on the aircraft design.