R-NEST

Detailed information about the tool, its methodology, requirements, limitations, and future developments.

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Scope
Focus: CO₂, Non‑CO₂ Phases: Taxi‑out, Departure/Climb, Cruise, Descent/Arrival, Taxi‑in, Wheels‑up/‑down, Gate‑to‑Gate Metrics: Fuel burn/CO₂, Non‑CO₂

Overview

The Research Network Strategic monitoring Tool (R-NEST) is a strategic tool used for research in network operations, focusing on flow management. R-NEST is primarily used for network performance assessment, evaluating new working methods, tools, or organisational structures. It shares a lot of data and has a common module with NEST, but the workflow and HMI have been adapted for concept validation and research.

R-NEST is a tool dedicated to:

R-NEST is a dynamic simulation tool which models the behavior of main stakeholders like the Network Manager, ANSPs for flow management, airports and airlines in pre-tactical and tactical phases. Regarding simulation, R-NEST is very close to reality. R-NEST includes a full ATM delay model (i.e., all causes of delays are modelled), integrating the CASA algorithm from the Network Manager and modeling operational noises with non-ATM daily models.

In general, R-NEST is a comprehensive tool for simulating network operations, performance evaluation and future air traffic management concepts. It is designed to support research, simplify simulations and facilitate performance evaluation and analysis of deployment scenarios.

Provider

EUROCONTROL

Versions and OS Requirements

R-NEST is a Windows based software.

Data Requirements

R-NEST, similarly to NEST, uses datasets provided by EUROCONTROL at the end of each AIRAC cycle, describing the consolidated pan-European airspace and route network, the traffic demand and distribution as well as the EUROCONTROL traffic forecasts. R-NEST can process and consolidate large quantities of data spanning over multiple years but makes it possible to drill down into the details by analysing and observing 10-minute periods of data.

Limitations

R-NEST tool is used only by EUROCONTROL and the associated research partners under SESAR projects. At present, the tool is not generally available other than as a part of specific projects.

Future Developments

Because simulations can be very often complex, there was an interest in simplifying the whole process of work with the tool. After the simulations are done, the process of analysis has been started, and the analysis dashboard was integrated to allow the matrix computation and the multiple scenario comparison. Reporting is not yet part of the R-NEST tool, but it is a part of the evolution roadmap.

Future developments are expected as follows: