Aviation Environmental Design Tool (AEDT) Version 3b

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

AEDT 3b was released on September 24, 2019. This release is a free upgrade for existing AEDT 2b / 2c / 2d licensed users.

All FAA actions requiring noise, fuel burn or emissions modeling and for which the environmental analysis process has begun on or after September 6, 2019 are required to use AEDT 3b. Guidance on the version of AEDT to be used is outlined in a memo available on the AEDT website.

AEDT Version 3b Functionality

AEDT 3b is a major release that includes new substantial changes to aircraft performance modeling along with other new features, updates, and a series of bug fixes and usability improvements.

AEDT 3b introduces the ability to select alternative weight and reduced thrust departure profiles. This new feature is considered non-standard, and therefore, the FAA’s policy for non-standard modeling procedures and methodology applies to its use.

With AEDT 3b, aircraft performance can be calculated using EUROCONTROL’s Base of Aircraft Data (BADA) Family 4, which provides improved modeling fidelity in the terminal area and enables the ability to compute noise and emissions from sophisticated user-defined flight procedures. The capability is currently provided for research purposes only.

In AEDT 3b, the use of dynamic grid is now supported for both system and user-defined noise metrics. The user also has the option of limiting the dynamic grid expansion to a user-defined boundary for closing and non-closing contours.

AEDT 3b supports U.S.EPA’s three-tiered screening approach to 1-hour NO2 emissions dispersion modeling and the use of 1-minute and 5-minute Automated Surface Observing System (ASOS) weather data.

Other highlights from this release include:

  • Airport, Fleet and Study database updates
  • Support for Windows 10 / Windows Server 2016
  • Environmental Justice support for Limited English Proficiency (LEP) analysis
BADA License Requirement for AEDT 3b

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

All AEDT users must apply for the BADA license for AEDT 3 in advance of downloading AEDT 3b. Because BADA 3 and BADA 4 are two distinct and different models, EUROCONTROL requires existing AEDT users to apply for the AEDT 3 license even if you were previously approved for AEDT 2. You will not be allowed to download the AEDT 3b 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.

  AEDT 3b 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 		SQL Server 2012 Express Edition SQL Server 2012 Standard Edition or higher SQL Server 2012 Standard Edition or higher, 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 3b Documentation

Documentation for AEDT 3b 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.