The Runway Delay Simulation Model (RDSIM) was primarily developed to perform runway capacity/delay analysis. The model simulates runway operations and provides both capacity and delay information. It is a critical event stochastic model that employs Monte Carlo sampling techniques.

Runway capacity simulations are made by varying the demand. Graphs showing flow rates versus demand and delay versus demand can be generated. Results are calculated for a single traffic hour using many replications. Arrival and departure demand during the hour is assumed to be uniformly distributed. The model is capable of operating with arrival-priority, departure-priority, or balanced arrivals and departures. This model can be used to compute capacity at an acceptable level of delay and maximum throughput.

Runway delay simulations utilize daily demand to provide by runway, hourly and daily delay, flow rates and queuing data for arrivals and departures. RDSIM simulations accept inputs similar to, but less detailed than, those used by ADSIM; therefore, they require far less time and effort to simulate. The inputs include runway usage, runway occupancy times, exit probabilities, aircraft demand and mix, aircraft approach velocities, aircraft separations and ATC rules and procedures.

The RDSIM runway delay statistics are similar to those produced by ADSIM. Review of past Design Team problems indicates that at least 95 percent of airport delays are runway-related and at least two-thirds of the airport improvements studied are runway-related. In these situations, RDSIM can readily be used to capture the main benefits of a given improvement and to compare savings of various improvements. Using RDSIM, wherever applicable, can eliminate the large amount of time and effort required for ADSIM simulations.