Terminal Flight Data Manager (TFDM) environmental benefits assessment
November 10, 2016
Project Report
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MIT Lincoln Laboratory Report ATC-420
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Summary
This work monetizes the environmental benefits of Terminal Flight Data Manager (TFDM) capabilities which reduce fuel burn and gaseous emissions, and in turn reduce climate change and air quality effects. A methodology is created which takes TFDM "engines-on" taxi time savings and converts them to fuel and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions savings, accounting for aircraft fleet mix at each of 27 TFDM analysis airports over a 2016-2048 analysis timeframe. Total fuel reductions of approximately 300 million U.S. gallons are estimated, resulting in monetized benefits from all TFDM capabilities of $65m-$582m undiscounted, $23m-$310m discounted, depending on the Social Cost of CO2 (SCC) and discount rate used. A similar methodology is used to estimate monetized benefits of reduced air quality emissions as well.