Designing segmented independent parallel approach procedures for a mixed-equipage environment

Airport capacity and environmental issues, like noise mitigation, are major challenges that face aviation. From the perspective of flight guidance, the development of laterally segmented approach procedures allow for rerouting around congested areas and is thus a promising approach in coping with these issues. Considering airports with parallel runway systems, an increased airport capacity can be reached when runways are operated independently. This, however, requires straight precision approaches to be conducted according to current guidelines issued by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). To enable independent operations of segmented approaches at parallel runway systems, an elementary safety concept was developed in previous work. Similar to ICAO´s concept on independent parallel approach, but modified for segmented approaches, the safety concepts requires approach paths to be monitored by approach controllers. In case of deviations from the intended approach paths, it is the controller´s role to intervene and resolve possible collision scenarios. Having developed such a safety concept, the question arises regarding how approach procedures in the Terminal Maneuvering Area need to be designed to allow for optimal sequencing and maximized throughput taking into account equipage and legislative considerations. In this paper, an approach procedure design is presented that integrates the aforementioned constraints. The basic idea is to utilize a flexible RNAV-transition with trombone characteristics. The procedure design will be described and evaluated thoroughly.