Aviation Environmental Design Tool (AEDT) Version 3d

Note that the information on this page is for AEDT 3d. Please visit the AEDT Version 3f page for information on the latest version of AEDT.

AEDT 3d was released on March 29, 2021. This release is a free upgrade for existing AEDT 2b / 2c / 2d / 3b / 3c licensed users.

All FAA actions requiring noise, fuel burn or emissions modeling and for which the environmental analysis process has begun on or after March 29, 2021 are required to use this updated version of AEDT 3d (build 153.0.13097.1).

Guidance on the version of AEDT to be used is outlined in a memo available with documentation accompanying the AEDT 3d installer.

AEDT Version 3d Highlights

Starting with the AEDT 3d release, Microsoft SQL Server 2012 is no longer supported. Microsoft SQL Server 2017 is the only supported version and is a prerequisite for using AEDT 3d.

AEDT 3d introduces a number of new features, improvements and updates, including:

  • Storing segment-level emissions results in a SQL table and view
  • Re-implementation of the Speciated Organic Gases (SOG) calculation
  • Updates to particulate matter (PM) calculations, including the use of measured non-volatile particulate matter (nvPM) from the ICAO Emissions Databank and revised methods for estimating volatile and non-volatile PM
  • Ground Emissions Detail report
  • Running multiple pollutants at once in dispersion modeling
  • Interface to EPA’s AERSURFACE utility
  • Support for GeoTIFF terrain data for noise calculations
  • Updates to contouring methods
  • Option to visualize the creation of dynamic grids
  • ASIF import of user-defined spectra
  • Legacy Flight report
  • Update of altitude and speed labels in AEDT GUI
  • Performance model selection contingent on BADA 4 approval status of aircraft
  • Support for fixed-point profiles with BADA 4 performance
  • BADA 4 fuel burn model is only used with BADA 4 performance
  • Airport, Fleet and Study database updates, including updated airport-level weather data
BADA License Requirement for AEDT 3d

If you are a new AEDT user, please refer to the AEDT purchasing steps in the Pricing page. 

Existing AEDT 3b / 3c users do not need to re-apply for the BADA license for AEDT 3 in advance of downloading AEDT 3d.

Existing AEDT 2b / 2c / 2d users must apply for the BADA license for AEDT 3 even if you were previously approved for AEDT 2. This is because BADA 3 and BADA 4 are two distinct and different models. You will not be allowed to download the AEDT 3d software until EUROCONTROL approves your license request. Please visit https://www.eurocontrol.int/model/bada; the access procedure for the EUROCONTROL's OneSky Online is explained at the bottom of the page. Once you are logged in the BADA User Interface website, you can request a license. Select “Tools where BADA is integrated” as the license type and select "AEDT 3" as the name of the tool.

System Requirements and Specifications

The recommended specifications are listed with suggested minimums where applicable. AEDT is a stand-alone Windows based application. However, through the use of Microsoft SQL Server connectivity, it is possible to connect multiple computational clients to one central database server. AEDT requires administrative privileges for installation and execution.

 

Using the SQL Server 2017 requires additional configuration steps. Please refer to the Section 5.2.2 in the AEDT 3d Installation Manual.

  AEDT 3d System Requirements
Minimum Noise Only
(Recommended) 		Emissions Dispersion and Multi-Airport Studies (Recommended) 1
Operating System2 Microsoft Windows 10 (x64) Microsoft Windows 10 (x64) or
Windows Server 2016		 Microsoft Windows 10 (x64) or
Windows Server 2016
Processor Modern dual core processor with
2 GHz or higher clock 		Modern many core (>2) processors with
2 GHz or higher clock 		Modern many core (>2) processors with
2 GHz or higher clock
RAM 8 GB Memory 16 GB Memory 64 GB Memory or more
Hard Disk Space 100 GB Storage 500 GB Storage 500 GB Solid State Drive (SSD) for single airport emissions dispersion

4 TB or more SSD for large scale emissions analysis
Microsoft
SQL Server 		Express Edition,
Version 2017		 Standard / Enterprise Edition,
Version 2017 		Standard / Enterprise Edition,
Version 2017,
running on the SSD
Other Software Adobe Acrobat Reader Adobe Acrobat Reader Adobe Acrobat Reader

1 While it is possible to generate emissions dispersion metric results with less than the recommended configuration, the time required for those runs to complete will be significantly longer.

2 Use Microsoft Update to ensure your computer has the latest priority updates. Visit www.update.microsoft.com.

AEDT 3d Documentation

Documentation for AEDT 3d may be updated over time; please check back occasionally for updates.

For Further Information

If you have any questions regarding the features of AEDT, please contact us at aedt-support@dot.gov.