Original title: Trajectory-Based Co-Optimization of Arrival Scheduling and Descent Path Design in the Terminal Maneuvering Area
Yutian Pang, John-Paul Clarke · September 2026
Airports usually plan landing schedules and airplane descent paths separately. This creates a problem: a schedule that saves time can waste a lot of fuel, because airplanes cannot balance slowing down early against flying extra distance. To fix this, researchers built a system that plans both at once. It chooses an airplane's route stretches, the exact point it lines up with the runway, and the speeds at which it lowers its wing flaps. The system tests candidate glides in advance using wind-aware models and flight simulations to check fuel, flight time, and safety. A scheduler then assigns the best verified path while keeping safe spacing between planes. Testing this on Atlanta airspace showed big gains. Co-optimized continuous descents cut fleet fuel burn by about 15% below saturation, and delaying plane deceleration cut fuel by about 23%.
Running errands in different parts of town requires timing each stop and choosing the best roads. Starting with a distant stop might mean backtracking, wasting time and fuel. In this paper, the system schedules when planes should land and designs their flight paths together, so they don't waste fuel by flying extra miles or waiting.
Airlines burn less fuel, which lowers costs and reduces emissions. For future autonomous or reduced-crew flights, a single coordinated plan is essential.
The study is based on case studies in Atlanta, so it's not clear how well it works in other airspaces. It uses simulations, not real-world trials. The paper does not address integration with existing air traffic control systems.
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Trajectory-Based Co-Optimization of Arrival Scheduling and Descent Path Design in the Terminal Maneuvering Area — Yutian Pang, John-Paul Clarke
Abstract licence: CC0
Explanation generated by Synthesis from the abstract — it is not the original paper. This is a preprint, so it hasn't necessarily been peer reviewed.