This study investigates a new aircraft flight trajectory optimisation method, derived from the Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm II method used for multi-objective optimisations. The new method determines, in parallel, a set of optimal flight plan solutions for a flight. Each solution is optimal (requires minimum fuel) for a Required Time of Arrival constraint from a set of candidate time constraints selected for the final waypoint of the flight section under optimisation. The set of candidate time constraints is chosen so that their bounds are contiguous, i.e. they completely cover a selected time domain. The proposed flight trajectory optimisation method may be applied in future operational paradigms, such as Trajectory-Based Operations/free flight, where aircraft do not need to follow predetermined routes. The intended application of the proposed method is to support Decision Makers in the planning phase when there is a time constraint or a preferred crossing time at the final point of the flight section under optimisation. The Decision Makers can select, from the set of optimal flight plans, the one that best fits their criteria (minimum fuel burn or observes a selected time constraint). If the Air Traffic Management system rejects the flight plan, then they can choose the next best solution from the set without having to perform another optimisation. The method applies for optimisations performed on lateral and/or vertical flight plan components. Seven proposed method variants were evaluated, and ten test runs were performed for each variant. For five variants, the worst results yielded a fuel burn less than 90kg (0.14%) over the ‘global’ optimum. The worst variant yielded a maximum of 321kg (0.56%) over the ‘global’ optimum.

中文翻译：

---

利用一组替代终点到达时间目标（RTA 约束）的新飞行计划优化方法

本研究研究了一种新的飞机飞行轨迹优化方法，该方法源自用于多目标优化的非支配排序遗传算法 II 方法。新方法同时确定了一组飞行的最佳飞行计划解决方案。每个解决方案对于从一组候选时间约束中的到达时间约束来说都是最优的（需要最少的燃料），这些候选时间约束是为优化下的飞行段的最终航路点选择的。选择候选时间约束的集合使得它们的边界是连续的，即它们完全覆盖选定的时间域。所提出的飞行轨迹优化方法可以应用于未来的操作范例，例如基于轨迹的操作/自由飞行，其中飞机不需要遵循预定路线。所提议方法的预期应用是在优化飞行段的最后点存在时间限制或首选穿越时间时，在规划阶段为决策者提供支持。决策者可以从一组最佳飞行计划中选择最符合他们标准的一个（最小燃料消耗或遵守选定的时间限制）。如果空中交通管理系统拒绝飞行计划，那么他们可以从集合中选择下一个最佳解决方案，而无需执行另一次优化。该方法适用于对横向和/或垂直飞行计划组件进行的优化。评估了七个提议的方法变体，并对每个变体进行了十次测试运行。对于五个变体，最差的结果是比“全局”最佳值少了 90 公斤（0.14%）的燃料消耗。