Layout of Airport Planning

Railways, Airport, Docks and Harbour Engineering

1. Airport Layout Airport  An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport. An airport consists of at least one surface such as runway for a plane to take off and land, a helipad, or water for takeoffs and landings, and often includes buildings such as control towers, hangars and terminal buildings.  

2. Characteristics of good airport layout Landing, Take off and taxing – Independent operations Shortest taxiway Safe runway length Safe approaches Excellent control tower visibility Adequate apron space Terminal building facilities Land area for future expansion Cost effective construction, maintenance and operation

3. Components of An Airport Layout 1. Runway 2. Terminal area 3. Apron 4. Taxiway 5. Hangar 6 . Control Tower 7 . Parking  

4. 1. Runways A runway is the area where an aircraft lands or takes off. It can be grass, or packed dirt, or a hard surface such as asphalt or concrete. Runways have special markings on them to help a pilot in the air to tell that it is a runway (and not a road) and to help them when they are landing or taking off. Runway markings are white.

5. Most runways have numbers on the end. The number is the runway's compass direction . (For example, runway numbered 36 would be pointing north or 360 degrees). Some airports have more than one runway going in the same direction, so they add letters to the end of the number R for right, C for center, and L for left. The other end of the runway is pointing in the opposite direction, so it gets a different number. The runway called 36 would be called 18 (for 180 degrees) if you were looking at it from the other end.

6. Runways may have other markings besides the end number on them. They may have white stripes down the middle of them, and solid white lines on the edges. The most important thing for you to remember about a runway is that it is meant for aircraft use, so you should never drive your vehicle on it, unless you are authorized to do so.

7. Types of Runway Approach Non-Instrument Runway (NI) A runway intended for the operation of aircraft using visual approach procedures Instrument Runway A runway intended for the operation of aircraft using instrument approach procedures 9

8. Runway Approach 10 Non-Instrument Runway (NI) Non-Precision Runway (NP) Precision Runway (P) Threshold Touchdown zone Aiming point

9. Runway Terminology Runway Threshold : Beginning of runway for landing. Touchdown zone: The portion of a runway, beyond the threshold, where it is intended landing aeroplanes first contact the runway. Aiming point: serves as a visual aiming point for a landing aircraft. 11

10. Runways with stopways or clearways 12

11. Clearway A defined area prepared for an airplane so that it may make a portion of its initial climb to a specified height 13

12. Stopways A defined area on the ground prepared for an airplane so take it can be stopped in the case of an abandoned take-off 14

13. Runway patterns Single runway Parallel runway Intersecting runway Divergent or open-V runway

14. Single runway Simple Adopted when Wind blows majorly in one direction Low air traffic 45 to 60 operations per hour (VFR) 20 to 40 per hour (IFR)

15. Parallel Runway Capacity depends on no of runways and spacing between the runways Spacing varies based on the degree of independence of the two runways under IFR conditions Close spacing (210m to 750m) 50 – 60 operations – Dependent to all operations Intermediate spacing(750 to 1300m) 60 – 75 operations Independent on one operation Far spacing(>1300m) 100 – 125 operations Independent on all operations

16. Intersecting runways Two runways cross each other It is adopted when wind in particular direction does not provides 95% coverage Each runway will be used for one movement only i.e either take off or landing based on the cross wind component The highest capacity is achieved when the intersection is close to the take off end

17. IFR operations 60 to 70 45 to 60 40 to 60 VFR operations 70 to 175 60 to 100 50 to 100

18. Divergent or open V runways The runways diverges without intersection When the winds are strong from one direction, only single runway can be used When winds are light both runways can be used Capacity is low when flight paths are towards V and vice versa

19. 2. Terminal area Also known as airport terminal, these buildings are the spaces where passengers board or alight from flights. These buildings house all the necessary facilities for passengers to check-in their luggage, clear the customs and have lounges to wait before disembarking. It includes terminal and operational buildings, aircraft parking area, aircraft service hangars,etc . It is designed so that to avoid inconvenience and congestion in vehicular circulation and parking. The size of apron and hangars is determined by expected type and volume of airport activities

20. Building types Terminal buildings For passengers, airline and administration facilities Provides access to enplaning passengers from the vehicle platform through booking and waiting rooms to the aircraft loading positions on the apron Operational buildings Includes control tower, weather bureau and other government services related to the aviation

21. Facilities in terminal Building

22. Passengers and baggage handling counters for booking Baggage claim section Enquiry counter Space for handling and processing mail, express and light cargo Public telephone booth Waiting hall for passengers and visitors Toilet facilities Space for magazines, news papers, ads display, etc Restaurants and bars First aid rooms General store and gift shop Office space for airport staff Weather bureau Post office and banking facilities Custom control Passport and health control Control tower

23. Planning considerations Two concepts for planning the terminal building Centralized system Decentralized system The choice of system depends upon the space needed for parking of aircrafts

24. Centralized system All passengers, cargo & baggages are routed through a central system and dispersed to aircraft Suitable when aircraft parking is within a walking distance of 180m

25. Decentralized system In this the passengers and baggage arrive near departing plane The passenger facilities in smaller units and repeated in one or more buildings This system is uneconomical when the number of gates required by individual airliner exceeds 6

26. Decentralized system

27. Decentralized – centralized system Whenever there is an increase in volume of traffic, combination of system can be implemented In this each individual airline operation is centralized.

28. 3 . Taxiway A taxiway is a path on an airport connecting runways with ramps, hangars, terminals and other facilities. They mostly have hard surface such as asphalt or concrete, although smaller airports sometimes use gravel or grass.  

29. Generally, width smaller than runway Lightings for night flying Various designs – high-speed turn off (45 deg) at end of runway Can be one or multiple in bigger airport Taxiways are given label 34

30. Taxiway Taxiways on aprons 35

31. Taxiway Recommendations.— Taxiways should be provided to permit the safe surface movement of aircraft. Sufficient entrance and exit taxiways for a runway should be provided to make the movement of airplanes to and from the runway smooth and to provide more rapid exit taxiways when traffic volumes are high. 36

32. 4. Aprons Aircraft aprons are the areas where the aircraft park. Here loading and unloading of passengers and cargos are done The size of apron depends on Type of aircraft and its loading area ( Gate position) Number of gate positions Aircraft parking system Gate: It is the space for parking of single aircraft for the loading and unloading of passengers, baggage and cargo

33. Size of gate position Size of aircraft and minimum turning radius Manner of entry and exit of aircraft Aircraft parking configuration – least interference due to heat, fumes and jet blast during maneuvering. Types are Nose-in and angled nose-in Nose-in and angled nose-out Parallel system

34. Nose-in and angled nose-in Advantages Less noise while taxiing in because no turning is required Hot blast is not directed towards the terminal building The aircraft forward door is close to terminal building Disadvantages The aircraft rear door is far away

35. Nose-out and angled nose-out Advantages Less power of maneuvering The rear door is close to terminal building Only small apron area is required Disadvantages The jet blast is directed towards the terminal building

36. Parallel system Advantages Both front and rear doors are near terminal building Disadvantages The nose and hot blast are directed towards adjacent gate Requires more space

37. Aircraft parking Frontal system Open apron system Finger system Satellite system

38. Frontal system Simple and economical Small airports with few gates Aircraft capacity 3 to 6 Ease of access and short walking distances High operation cost and no convenient location for common facilities

39. Open apron system Aircrafts parked in rows, takes time to reach the outermost row Passengers may exposed to noise, bad weather, jet blast , and noise due to long distances, so requires closed conveyance Aircraft can be self maneuvered Flexibility in additional aircraft parking i.e future expansion If not scheduled properly it causes delay

40. Pier or finger system Pier is an extension from the terminal building, T or Y or Straight shaped. Aircrafts are parked near this pier Economical Allows Future expansion

41. Satellite system Satellites are small buildings located on apron These are connected to terminal building via underground tunnel or above ground connector. Common departure facilities can be provided It affords movement of aircraft around the structure High walking distance Connections cost are high It lacks flexibility for expansion

42. Hangar It is an enclosure for housing and repairing of aircraft Constructed of steel framework with Galvanized iron sheet covering It is provided with machine shops and stores for spare parts The size depends o n aircraft size and its turning radius Number of hangars depends upon air traffic intensity It is taken by the airlines on rental basis

43. Types of hangar Nose hangars Large size aircraft Front portion is concentrated This design provides confortable working condition, proper servicing and overhauling of engines can be done Economical

44. Tee hangar Small sized aircraft The aircraft can maneuver without any assistance The clearance between aircrafts is 30cm

45. Requirements Connected with terminals and apron Facilities of water supply, drainage, electricity and phone to be provided Good topography with natural drainage Should not be in the path of frequent wind storms Future expansion

46. Vehicular parking The system should be convenient to reach the terminal building The parking is essentially for passengers, visitors, employees and taxies Categories of parking Short term Long term Remote

47. Short term parking: Provided very near to terminal building 3 hours or less 80% of parking is short term but accumulates only 20% of parking area Long term parking: It is slightly provided away from the terminal building Rents are provided at discounts

48. Remote parking: It is provided far away from the terminal building Provisions to carry baggage are made Rents are very low

49. Patterns: Parallel to kerb – less disruptions to traffic but parking and unparking is difficult 45 degrees to kerb – ease of parking and unparking Right angled to kerb – preferred only under special conditions

50. Vehicular Parking

51. Typical airport layouts Single and parallel runways Intersecting and non intersecting runways Tangential runways

52. Assignment Draw a typical layout of an international airport in India and show locations of Runway, Taxi way, Apron, Airport building, Parking and Circulation area Evaluate the suitability of the site of an existing international airport with the factors considered for selection of airport

53. Roll no 61 – 70 Chennai 71 – 80 Delhi 81 – 90 Bombay 91- 100 Kolkata 101 - 110 Trivandrum 111 – 120 Bangalore 121 – 136 Hyderabad