Detailed Analysis of Aircraft Fuel Flow Using Data from Flight Data Recorder

This paper aims to perform accurate prediction of fuel flow (FF) by employing various models: deep learning (DL), random forest (RF), generalized linear model (GLM), and the Eurocontrol Base of Aircraft Data (BADA) model, and to examine the link between FF and different aircraft performance parameters. The flight data set used in this study is obtained from real turbofan engine narrow-body aircraft performing short-distance domestic subsonic flights, containing a total of 2,674 cruise flights between 31 city pairs. Several statistical error analyses are conducted to compare the performance of the models. Root mean square error, mean absolute error, and mean squared error values for DL are calculated to be 0.01, 0.008, and 0.0001, respectively. On the coefficient of determination ((Formula presented.)) test for validation, the DL model has the highest value of 0.94. Results of the analysis in this paper show that the DL model offers the best ability to predict FF in all statistical tests, which makes it the best-suited model to estimate FF. These findings can provide the means to make more efficient trajectory planning and forecasts in air traffic management, and more accurately predict fuel consumption of aircraft, thereby decreasing emission levels of carbon gases and of various pollutants and airline operating expenses from fuel costs. © National Academy of Sciences: Transportation Research Board 2023.