# DENVER -- Denver International (DEN)

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**Benchmark Results**

-   The capacity benchmark for Denver International Airport today is
    210-219 flights per hour (arrivals and departures) in Optimum
    weather, when visual approaches can be conducted.

-   The benchmark decreases to 186-202 flights per hour in Marginal
    conditions, and to 159-162 flights per hour in IFR conditions, for
    the most commonly used runway configuration in these conditions.
    Additional operations may be possible under other conditions, such
    as additional arrivals on a departure runway. On the other hand,
    throughput may be less when ceiling and visibility are low, or if
    adverse winds affect aircraft performance.

-   Note that these benchmarks do not always represent balanced
    operations. Rather, there may be more arrivals than departures in
    the Optimum and Marginal scenarios, and more departures than
    arrivals in IFR. If the facility reported rates are significantly
    unbalanced (i.e., unequal numbers of arrivals and departures), the
    benchmark rates will be unbalanced as well. The facility reported
    rates reflect current operations at the airport during a busy hour,
    but such unbalanced rates cannot be sustained for extended periods.

-   A new runway opened in 2003, allowing an additional departure stream
    and increasing the benchmark rate by 22-43 percent depending upon
    weather conditions. This increase assumes that airspace, air traffic
    control procedures, ground infrastructure, and environmental
    constraints allow full use of the new runway.

-   Other planned technological improvements at DEN would increase the
    benchmark rate in all weather conditions. Improved delivery accuracy
    that is assumed to result from advanced TMA and RNAV procedures will
    help to increase the benchmark rate in the Optimum and IFR
    scenarios. The benchmark rate increases further under Marginal
    conditions with the additional benefit of CEFR, which is expected to
    allow visual separation by suitably equipped aircraft in Marginal
    conditions.

-   The following charts compare actual hourly traffic with the
    calculated capacity curves for DEN.

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    **NOTE:** Data on frequency of occurrence of weather and runway
    configuration usage is based on FAA ASPM data for January 2000 to
    July 2002 (excluding 11-14 September 2001), 7 AM to 10 PM local
    time.

**Full operational use** of the new parallel runway will provide an
additional departure stream in all weather scenarios.

**Other planned Improvements** at DEN include:

-   CEFR, for reduced in-trail separations between arrivals in Marginal
    conditions.

-   Advanced TMA/RNAV, to improve delivery accuracy and help DEN
    consistently utilize available capacity.

    Additional information on these improvements may be found in the
    Introduction and Overview of this report, under "Assumptions."

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Hourly traffic data was obtained from the FAA ASPM database for January
2000 to July 2002 (excluding 11-14 September 2001), 7 AM to 10 PM local
time. Facility reported rates were provided by ATC personnel at DEN.