Design Factors of Guiding Aircraft Through Continuous Descent Operations: Pilot and Controller Perspectives

Objective: This survey identifies the design factors needed to guide aircraft through continuous descent operation (CDO) procedures. Background: Three possible alternatives for CDO at Taoyuan International Airport (TPE) in Taiwan are presented: (a) open path-radar vectoring-based CDO, (b) open path-time control-based CDO, and (c) open path procedure permitting CDO to downwind. Method: One hundred and twenty surveys were distributed and 61 pilots and 49 controllers responded. Eight pilots and 25 controllers had experience implementing CDOs. Results: All respondents ranked altitude control as the most important design factor. Pilots with CDO experience preferred to reduce the frequency of communication in the procedure, whereas experienced controllers expected to know the approach path as early as possible. Conclusion: Altitude control is the highest priority design factor for improving the current CDO procedure at TPE.