Analysis of Along-Track Variable Wind Effects on Optimal Aircraft Trajectory Generation

A study is conducted to advance in the understanding of the influence of variable winds on optimal aircraft trajectories, and, as a consequence, the influence on trajectory planning. Multiphase aircraft trajectories with a stepped climb cruise at different altitudes are analyzed. Of particular interest is to understand how the optimum cruise altitudes are affected by vertical wind shear and by along-track wind speed variation and how these variations depend on the CI. To optimize the trajectories a parametric optimization approach is considered, which takes into account the existence of multiple local minima.