Network similarity analysis of air navigation route systems

•Structural similarity of air navigation route systems assessed by network metrics.•Identification of functional dependencies among network metrics via regression.•Fourteen out of forty metrics are selected as representatives.•Evaluation on air navigation route networks from 58 countries.•Oceania ensembles common air navigation route network features of most countries.

In this research, we propose a new methodology to assess structural similarity of air navigation route systems in 58 countries. We identify functional dependencies among network metrics through regression analysis. We build a graph for the network metrics, with each metric as a node and a link existing if there is a functional dependency between two metrics. We find that the air navigation route systems in France and Italy are most similar. The air navigation route systems in Oceania ensemble common features of most countries and should be used as representatives for analysis of new air traffic management operational procedures.