Airport planning and Design

AIRPORT PLANNING

AND DESIGNBy Srinivas

Introduction

Airport Engineering encompasses the

planning, design, and construction of

terminals, runways, and navigation aids to

provide for passenger and freight service.

An airport is a facility where passengers

connect from ground transportation to air

transportation

AIRFIELD is an area where an aircraft can

land and take off, which may or may not be

equipped with any navigational aids or

markings

Air transportation

One system of transportation which tries to

improve the accessibility to inaccessible areas

Provides continuous connectivity over water

and land

Provide relief during emergencies and better

compared to others some times

Saves productive time, spent in journey

Increases the demand of specialized skill work

force

Air transportation

Helps tourism, generates foreign reserves

Requires heavy funds during provision and maintenance

Highly dependent on weather conditions compared to other modes

Requires highly sophisticated machinery

Adds to outward flow of foreign exchange

Purchase of equipment, airbuses etc.

Safety provisions are not adequate.

Providing a support system during the flight is complicate

Specific demarcation of flight paths and territories is essential

Development of Air Transport

1903 – first successful flight by Wilbur and

Orville Wright at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina

1909 – Louis Bleriot crossed English channel

to England

1911 – Post was carried by air in India from

Allahabad to Naini (pilot: Henri Pequet)

crossing Ganga

1912 – Flight between Delhi and Karachi

1914 – Air passenger transport began in

Germany

Development of Air Transport

1918 – first international service between

France and Spain

1919 – London – Paris flight

1919 – International Commission on Air

Navigation (ICAN) was established

1919 – 6 European airlines formed in Hague

the International Air Traffic Association (IATA)

to control the movement of air traffic and have

a coordinated approach

1928 – Havana Convention on civil aviation

1929 – Warsaw convention on civil aviation

1944 – international civil aviation convention

1944 – Chicago convention, establishing

provisional ICAO (international civil aviation

organization)

1945 – International Air Transport Association

(IATA) established in meeting at Havana, Cuba

1947 – ICAO was established as a body of

United Nations

27, July 1949 – worlds first jet airliner made its

journey from hatfield airport

1954 – Boeing Dash 80 type prototype, B707

first flight

1969 – concorde first flight

2006 – Airbus A328 made first flight (one of the

biggest passenger air craft i.e., 800 persons)

Air Transport in India

1911 – post was carried by air in India from Allahabad to Naini

1912 – flight between Delhi and Karachi

1927 – Civil Aviation Department was established

1929 – Regular air service between Delhi and Karachi

1932 – Tata airways ltd was setup

1933 – Indian trans-continental airways ltd was formed

1938 – 153 aircrafts were registered

1946 – Air transport licensing board was established

1947 – Tata changed its name to Air India Ltd

1948 – Air India International ltd was established by government

1953 – Air Transport Corporation bill was made, provision for establishing two corporations, one for the domestic services and other for the international services.

1972 - The International Airport Authority of India (IAAI) was setup

to coordinate the international aviation from different locations of the country

1981 -Vayudoot service was started. It merged into Indian Airlines in 1993

1985 - Air taxi policy

1994 -Airport Authority of India (AAI) was formed by merging International Airport Authority of India (IAAI) and National Airports Authority (NAA).

Airport Authority of India

Controls overall air navigation in india

Constituted by an act of parliament and it came into being on 1st April, 1995

Formed by merging NAA (National Airport Authority) and IAAI (International Airport Authority of India)

Functions of AAI

Control and management of the Indian airspace extending beyond the territory limits

Design, development and operation of domestic and international airports

Construction and management of facilities

Functions of AAI

Development of cargo ports and facilities

Provision of passenger facilities and information

systems

Expansion and strengthening of operating area

Provision of visual aids

Provision of communication and navigational aids

(ex: Radar systems)

Aircraft components

Reference: http://www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/k-12/airplane/airplane.html

Aircraft components

Aircraft components

Aircraft components

Aircraft characteristics

Engine Type and Propulsion Atmospheric propulsion and trans-atmospheric

propulsion

Propulsion may be through any type of engine Piston engine, jet engine (turbo jet, turbo propulsion or ram jet)

or rocket engine etc.

Piston – most conventional form, fuel is converted to mechanical or electrical energy

Jet – these have a capacity to provide a jet with a height thrust, which is used for movement.

Different types of jet engines exist. In case of turbo, jet known as turbo propulsion is used. Here not simple thrust is used, instead huge amount of air is sucked, and is transformed into jet.

Rocket engines used in trans-atmospheric propulsion systems

Speed, power increases from piston to rockets

Type of propulsion

Engine Speed limit kmph

Piston 250 to 750

Ram jet 1280 to 2400

Rocket 4600

Operative altitude of aircraft depends up on

Type of engine

Propulsive power available to aircraft

Piston engines – low altitudes

Turbo jet or turbo propulsions – low to high

altitudes

Ram jets – used in missiles at middle altitudes

Where other type of movements are less

Rocket jets – outside atmosphere

Size of air craft:

One of the important aspect

Here not just the size of main body, but the size of

overall wing space is considered important

By ICAO, FAA guidelines, air craft wing space is

considered but not main body for classifying the

airport.

It is important to look at different aspects of size.

Size of Aircraft

Size of Aircraft involves Fuselage length

From nose of the aircraft to the tail of the aircraft

Fuselage is the area which compasses the fuel which is to be transported along the aircraft, which is used along the path, at the same time it also encompasses the payload and that is the passengers and the freight that will also be placed within the fuselage length.

Height and width (at tail) Since additional wings are provided at tail in lateral, vertical

directions

Gear tread (distance between main gears)

Wheel base Distance between nose gear (pilots location) and main

gear(at wings connection)

Wing span

Measured at the location of wings to the furthest ends

of wings

Wing span decides

Width of taxi way

Clearance between two parallel traffic ways

Size of apron and hanger

Width of hanger gate

Aircraft characteristics

Length of aircraft decides

Widening of taxi way on curves

Sizes of apron and hanger

Height of aircraft or empennage height

It decides the height of hanger gate

The gear tread and wheel base

Min turning radius of the aircraft.

Aircraft characteristics – weight

&wheel configuration

Pavement thickness, design, materials etc.,

depend on the weight and wheel distribution of

aircraft.

Different types of weights

Maximum gross take-off weight

Total amount of weight when it is taking off from

runway

Maximum standard landing weight

Fuel consumed during transport will be deducted from

take-off weight

Operating empty weight

Operating at zero pay load

Weight and wheel distribution

Pay load

Load for which revenues are generated (passengers +

freight)

Zero-fuel weight

Air craft reaching destination and fuel is getting empty

Note: (maximum is taken considering biggest aircraft allowed at

airport

Wheel configuration defines how the weight

will be transferred to the bottom

More the no of wheels, lesser the stress, hence

less thickness enough.

Different wheel combinations available based on

size of aircraft.

Single tandem, duel tandem and multi axle

tandems are used based on the size and weight

of air craft.

Some wheel configurations are shown in the next

slide.

Minimum turning radius

While making a turn, the nose gear is steered and hence it makes an angle with the axis of main gear called angle of rotation.

The point of intersection of axis of main gear and line through axis of steered nose gear is called point of rotation.

Max angle varies between 50 to 60 degrees

The line joining the centre of rotation and the tip of farthest wing of aircraft is known as minimum turning radius.

The amount depends on size of aircraft

Minimum circling radius

Related to movement of aircraft with in the air

Radius in space required for the aircraft to take a smooth turn

It depends on

Type of aircraft (size, power propulsion system etc.,)

Air traffic volume

Weather condition

It is the total radius which is provided at the top of the air port in which the aircraft will be circling if it is not allowed to land.

Speed

Air speed

Speed of air craft in air relative to medium.

Indicated speed

Indicated by the instrument onboard

2% lower than actual true speed

The reason is it is relative speed what is true, to

get the correct value of speed 2% is reduced for

resistance in air.

Capacity of air craft

No of passengers and amount of cargo it can

handle

Dependant on

Size

Propulsive power of aircraft

Speed of air craft

Noise

Big problem if nearer to developed areas

Major sources of noises are

Engine

Machinery (more during landing)

Primary jet (more during take-off)

Disturbances are more during take off

Since the inception of jet engines the noise

has been reduced to a great extent

Vortices at tail end

Vortices form at tail when moving at high

speed

Have a tendency to break tail if they are heavy

and eddies are formed

Vortices are made of 2 counter rotating

cylindrical masses of air extending along the

path

These are formed near tail ends of wings or

tail end of aircraft

The velocity of wind in these vortices will be

very high

Jet blast

This aspect belongs to aircrafts having jet engines

This is the blast that comes out of jet engine at the rear of air craft to provide a force for movement

If we consider the case where air craft is standing and jet blast is coming from back side, it is so hot and creates severe conditions

The severity depends on

Height of tail pipe

Angle of tail pipe

Hence, blast fences are needed to control the damage to the pavements

Fuel spillage

Spilling of fuel occurs when the engine is

shutdown or loosing speed

It is spilled fuel from the engine or other

locations into the aircraft. This may cost the

speed when it is moving on runways or

taxiways or apron.

Influencing characteristics of

aircraft on design of airport

Engine type and propulsion

Size

Aircraft weight and wheel configuration

Minimum turning radius

Minimum circling radius

speed capacity

Noise

Vortices at tail ends

Jet blast

Fuel spillage

Engine type and propulsion

decides

Size of the aircraft

Speed

length of the runway (more speed ->longer runway)

Weight (more if bigger propulsion system)

Carrying capacity (depends on size)

Noise (depends on propulsion system)

Circling radius (high power, and speed crafts have high radius)

Range (distance it can move without refueling)

Maintenance facilities

Ballast pads (required for jet propulsion)

Size of aircraft influences Load carrying capacity

Other facilities like apron, terminal area etc.

Bigger the size larger are facilities to be provided at airport terminal building

Wing span will increase with size It has effect on taxiway width

Separation between traffic lanes

Size of gate, apron size, width of hanger etc.

Length Widening of taxiway on curves, apron, hangers, width of exit

way

Height : further influences height of hanger gate

Wheel base, gear tread also changes

Aircraft wheel configuration

Thickness of runway, taxiway, apron

Distribution of load to ground

Turning (difficult for more weight in case of sharp

curves)

Stability (depends on the support system

provided and also depends on wheel

configuration)

Minimum turning radius

Radius of taxiways

Taxiway is the connecting pavement which is provided between the runways and aprons

Minimum circling radius:

Defines the minimum distance between 2 near by airports

For larger aircrafts it will be in kms hence more distance is required between 2 airports

Adjustments of timings of landing and takeoff

Airport capacity(decrease with increased air circle time)

Zoning laws related to height of obstruction

Speed

Reduces journey time

Increase in frequency of operations

Improving and broadening the air network system

Capacity

Processing terminals

Passenger and baggage handling facilities

Cargo processing

Size of apron, special equipments etc.

Vortices at tail ends

Hazardous to aircraft

Stresses at fuselage and other joints

Pressure under wings producing lifts and drags

Jet blast

Inconvenience to passengers

May do harm to airport runways and other components of airport

Fuel slippage

Badly effects bitumen pavements

Causes slip of wheels

Selection of site for airport

Air traffic potential Magnitude of passenger and freight traffic expected

Adequate access

Sufficient airspace

Circling radius should be taken care

Sufficient land Various facilities, terminal buildings, security systems

Atmospheric and meteorological conditions

Availability of land for expansion

Availability of utilities

Development of surrounding area

Ground accessibility

Presence of other airports

Regional plan

Soil characteristics

Surrounding obstructions

Use of air port

Atmospheric and meteorological conditions

Visibility Fog, smoke, haze

Affected by wind

Development of area (industrial)

Causes reduction in frequency and hence in capacity handling

Wind Direction and intensity

Associated topographical features (hills, valley)

Windward/leeward side

Locating development w.r.t site of airport

Availability of land for expansion

Future prediction of air traffic

Land for parking vehicles, providing facilities

Land cost at later stage

Availability of land at later stage

Availability of utilities

Water, power etc.,

Sewerage, communication etc.

Development of surrounding area

Residential or sensitive area

Industrial development

Height of development

Zoning laws

Noise pollution

Movement of air pollution

Birds and hits at engines

Economy of construction

Alternate sites to be examined

Availability of local construction material

Terrain even or not

Problematic areas

Water logging areas

Reclaimed areas

Ground accessibility

Travel time in air vs on ground

Easily approachable using all modes

Proximity to areas of trip generation

Facilities for private vehicle users

Efficient transport system

Presence of other airport

Traffic volume

circling radius

Types of air crafts in different airports

Type of operating facility

Instrumental flight rules, design flight rules

Separation distance between radii

May cause

Accidents, reduction in capacity

Characteristics of soil

Strength of soil sub grade

Drainage of soil

Level of water table and its impact

Sub-soil drainage effects

Valley side may have flooding

Soil with good amount of pervious material like

sand or gravel is considered good

Use of airport

Civil or for military

Adaptability for other usage during emergencies

Surrounding area obstructions

Clear air space for take off and landing

High rise buildings not allowed

High trees are cleared off

Zoning laws are made to take care

Factors affecting the size of

airport Size of airport

Defined by the space for operators, controlling systems, facilities, manpower etc.

Controlled by peak aircraft traffic, aircraft characteristics

Elevation of airport size above MSL density and air pressure reduces

Effects runway requirements, lift, drag etc.

Aircraft performance varies altitude, air density, pressure , temperature

Meteorological conditions Wind, temperature

Effects runway orientation, length and no of runways reqd.

Performance characteristics of aircraft

Volume of air traffic (peak hour volume, size of aircraft, nature of air traffic, runways, taxiways etc.,)