General Definition of (Airport) Simulation
General Definition of Airport Simulation
Unlike static calculations in traditional spreadsheets, dynamic simulation becomes especially valuable for complex systems such as airports and their airspace. Complexity arises from system size, interconnected processes, human interactions, process variability, and the many actors involved — passengers, aircraft, facilities, and vehicles.
Dynamic simulation visualizes time-based interactions within a system and incorporates stochastic (random) influences, giving a far more accurate picture of system behavior than static flow calculations. Some time-dependent metrics can only be determined this way. Simulation models also process large datasets — aircraft and passenger data, flight schedules — and animate passenger, vehicle, and aircraft movements, making system behavior and optimization options easy to understand and communicate.
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IN SIMPLE TERMS THIS MEANS:
- Building a model of the system in a computer
- Experimenting with that model.
- Drawing valuable, real-world conclusions
Typical Phases of a Simulation Project
- Define objectives, scope, processes, input data, scenarios, evaluations, and intended results and deliverables.
- Analyze Processes and collect data, involve experts
- Build the computer model
- Validate the model: Confirm the model accurately represents reality.
- Run simulations of future scenarios: Analyze system behavior and generate the relevant KPIs.
- Assess results: Draw conclusions and make recommendations.
- Reporting, documentation including animation and video and actions
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Challenges of Simulation
Keep simulation and implementation teams aligned through regular communication and joint meetings
Make documentation comprehensive and accessible to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
Update simulations as preconditions or system configurations evolve during implementation.
Communicate the practical value of results to secure team engagement and commitment.
Benefits of Airport Simulation
By using airport simulation, planners, researchers and operators can make reliable, data-driven decisions to:
- Enhance operational efficiency (reduction of CO2 emissions)
- Reduce delays and costs
- Improve passenger experience satisfaction
- Assess and increase capacity and throughput
- Speed up decision processes and minize risks of decision making
- Test new strategies, before implementing changes in the real world
- Ensure smooth, efficient operations
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Predict passenger movement to anticipate bottlenecks and optimize flow.
With this glossary we would like to give short, basic explanations and definitions for important and frequently used terms in the fields of Analysis, Runway and Terminal Capacity Assessment and Airport Simulation/Allocation. These are based on our experience of practical application in the industry. We would be happy to provide you with more detailed definitions and further explanations. Please feel free to contact us.
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