Title: The importance of probability theory in the airport and air traffic control sectors

Authors: Amedeo R. Odoni

Addresses: Operations Research Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, 33412, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA

Abstract: Uncertainty is pervasive in airport and air traffic control (ATC) planning, operations and design. This paper describes various types of uncertainty and the underlying causes, and discusses the need for dealing explicitly with probabilistic models and outcomes. Several examples of problems involving short-, medium- and long-term uncertainty are presented. In recent years, significant progress has been made in training airport and ATC specialists at the planning and managerial levels to deal with decisions in a probabilistic context. However, much remains to be done with respect to similar training at the operations level.

Keywords: probability theory; air traffic control; flow management; airport passenger handling; uncertainty; ATC planning; probabilistic models; modelling.

DOI: 10.1504/IJCEELL.1994.030294

International Journal of Continuing Engineering Education and Life-Long Learning, 1994 Vol.4 No.1/2, pp.105 - 113

Published online: 14 Dec 2009 *

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