Towards evaluating air navigation performance for estimation of its resilience

This paper addresses operational performance management within air navigation and considers an initial approach to modelling resilience within air navigation and applies it to the current performance framework of performance of air navigation services at European airports. Resilience is an emerging paradigm and has gained the attention of political decision makers and operational planners. In particular, the distinction between nominal and non-nominal situations is closely linked with the identification of disruptions and associated impacts on the quality of service. This paper considers resilience from a system-theoretic perspective. From that perspective, operational performance can be modelled as a situation management problem and resilience aspects can be discussed on the basis of changes of system state within the state space over the considered time horizon. For the purpose of this paper, service levels of air navigation within the airport context are conceptualized on the basis of the performance indicators set forth by the European performance scheme. This exploratory study aims at identifying the fit of the existing scheme to identify and categorize disrupted services. The model is based on a case study analysis of disruptions at two European airports. The case study approach allows to derive an initial set of parameters. The results obtained provide evidence for the conceptual feasibility of addressing resilience from a situation management and state-oriented perspective. Initial requirements can be derived for the adaptation of the current set of performance indicators for air navigation within the airport context and inform further refinement of the performance framework.