Aircraft engines dust ingestion in the Middle East

• A methodology developed to estimate the mass of dust ingested into a gas turbine engine using trajectory data obtained from a space-based ADS-B provider, enabling full short-haul flights to be simulated for the first time. Trajectories are extended by 14% +/- 13% from the great circle approximation. • Statistical analysis of the core dust mass ingested for 30,000 A320 flights, operating between 12 di..erent airports within the Middle East (a dust-producing region, with large tra..ic numbers) between March and July 2022. • Two peaks occur in the vertical profile of core dust mass ingested, which is a byproduct of the aircraft’s acceleration altitude. This leads to a divergence from a typical dust concentration profile. • Less than 1% of flights contain a holding pattern, which has been identified as a manoeuvre that significantly contributes to the overall arrival dust mass, but is rare in its occurrence. • An aircraft history which identifies the cumulative dust mass ingested for all flights operated by a single aircraft has been demonstrated. The aircraft ingests 700g of dust per engine in a 4-month operating period. Commercial aircraft operations in the Middle East are projected to grow at an annual rate of 5.1% over the next 20 years. However, aircraft operating in this region are frequently exposed to high concentrations of mineral dust, which can cause significant engine damage and reduce component lifetimes. This study presents a methodology that integrates real-world flight trajectory data with a numerical weather model to quantify the amount of dust ingested by aero engines. A large-scale analysis was conducted on 30,000 flights operated by a narrow-body aircraft across 12 Middle Eastern airports to assess regional variability in dust ingestion. The vertical distribution of ingested dust was examined, revealing a peak in the core dust ingested between 2,000 and 5,000 feet, with a secondary peak around 10,000 feet. These patterns are primarily driven by the climb phase, where significant time is spent within dust-laden altitude bands, as the aircraft increases the forward flight velocity, thereby contributing significantly to overall dust exposure. Holding patterns were identified in less than 1% of flights, with the primary driver for variability in ingested dust mass attributed to the radar vectored approaches and deviations from published arrival paths.