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The Economics of the North Atlantic Air Traffic System

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 October 2009

Extract

1. INTRODUCTION. The North Atlantic air traffic system is the busiest and most important long-range system in operation today with a current total of 127 000 flights“annum. The combined effects of the total flight time and the difference in time zones on either side of the Atlantic makes it desirable for most passengers to fly westward in the day-time. Conversely, it is most convenient (or least inconvenient!) to fly eastbound during the hours of darkness. Thus the Atlantic traffic system is strongly tidal with the flow predominantly (though not entirely) westbound during the day and eastbound overnight. Currently the central core of the traffic in the busiest hours is organised into a parallel track structure – the Organized Track Structure (OTS), though nearly half the aircraft operate so-called random routes clear of the OTS.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © The Royal Institute of Navigation 1986

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References

REFERENCES

1Reich, P. G. (1966). Analysis of long-range traffic systems: separation standards (3 papers). This Journal 19, 88, 169, 331.Google Scholar