5AB: Airport, GD

AIRPORT

 as an essential part of the air transport systemThe airport forms an essential part of the air transport system because it is the physical site at which a modal transfer is made from the air mode to the land modes or vice versa.

intermediate or terminal point for an aircraft on the air portion of a trip.

FAA (Federal Aviation Administration),  and ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) .

The most commonly accepted classifications by the US

towered airports

 ATC is responsible for providing safe, orderly flow of traffic.

non towered airports

a Common frequency (CTAF) is provided to announce position.  

airside

 the runways, taxiways, aprons, aircraft maintenance areas, and air traffic control facilities and equipment, as well as the land that surrounds all of these; and 

landside

passenger buildings, cargo terminals, and other supporting facilities (e.g., airport administration, utility plants, and catering), ground access facilities (curbside, access roads, automobile parking areas and buildings, railroad stations, etc.), and any additional non-aviation facilities (e.g., hotels, office buildings, and shopping areas) that may be located within an airport’s boundaries.

functions of the passenger terminal

 The processing of passengers and baggage.
Provision for the requirement of a change of movement type.
Facilitating a change of mode.

Large international hubs

complex entities that have all the problems of any large organization with many employees.

Airport   terminal area

 is comprised of passenger and cargo terminal buildings,  aircraft parking, loading, unloading, service areas (passenger service facilities), automobile parking, and public transit stations. 

International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)

Commercial airports need to satisfy  certain standards set by which international organization

 80-95%

•The airside typically occupies _____ of the land area of an airport.

•Runways

 are identified by a two-digit number, which indicates the magnetic azimuth of the runways in the direction of operations to the nearest 10°.

is a paved land strip on which landing and takeoff operations of aircrafts take place. It is in a leveled position without any obstructions on it.

Special markings are made on the runway to differentiate it from the normal roadways. Similarly, after sunset, specially provided lighting are helped the aircrafts for safe landing.
- ATC permission 

Taxiway

is a path which connects each end of the runway with terminal area, apron, hanger etc. These are laid with asphalt or concrete like runways.
In modern airports, taxiways are laid at an angle of 30 degree to the runway so that aircrafts can use it to change from one runway to other easily.
The turning radius at taxiway and runway meets should be more than 1.5 times of width of taxiway.

• ATC guidance 

Apron ( or Ramp)

is a place which is used as a parking place for aircrafts. It is also used for loading and unloading of aircrafts.
Apron is generally paved and is located in front of terminal building or adjacent to hangers.
The size of area to be allotted for apron and design of apron is generally governed by the number of aircrafts expected in the airport.
The aircraft characteristics also considered while design. Sufficient clearances must be provided for aircrafts to bypass each other.

• No need permission 

Linear Design

Simplest and most straight-forward.
Simple organizational principles.
Consists of a single passenger processing area.
Direct relationship between curbside and the aircraft.(Short walking distances).
*Centralized passenger processing. (* discussed as another important characteristic below).

Pier Finger Design

Concept evolved in 50's when gate concourses were added to simple unit terminal buildings.

is known as decentralized facilities, with some of the required processing performed in common-use main terminal areas,
      and other processes performed in and around individual concourses.

Concourses

(known as piers or fingers), offered the opportunity to maximize the number of aircraft  parking spaces with fewer infrastructures.

Satellite terminals

are concourses extended from main-unit terminal buildings with aircraft parked at the end of the concourse around a round atrium or satellite area.
completely surrounded by aircraft.

Hybrid Terminal

As a result, many airport terminal geometries expanded in an ad hoc  basis, leading to hybrid terminal geometries incorporating features of two or more of the basic configurations.   

Compact Module Terminal or Unit Terminals

self-contained building, each housing a single airlines or group of airlines, each having direct access to the ground transportation.

Centralized

processing  provides a single point of access for departing passengers, such as a central lobby area where the check-in counters for all of the building’s gates        are located. From this central lobby passengers then proceed to the other parts of the building. 

Decentralized processing

airports that have multiple terminals. But individual at these airports may be "centralized" in the sense that passengers departing from each of these buildings may have a single access point to that building.

remote satellite

which of the layout design tends to confuse passengers due to large distances between key points within terminals

 the apron and gate system, 

which is planned and managed according to the characteristics of aircraft,

the passenger and baggage handling systems,

which are planned and managed to accommodate the needs of passengers and their baggage in their transition to or from the aircraft.

APRON AND GATE SYSTEM

are the locations at which aircraft park to allow the loading and unloading of passengers and cargo, 

 as well as for aircraft servicing and preflight preparation prior to entering the airfield and airspace. 

passenger handling system

is a series of links and processes that facilitate the transfer of passengers between A/C and one of the modes of the local ground transportation system

Flight interface

 provides the link between the A/C gates and passenger processing facilities.

Gate lounges and service counters;

   Moving sidewalks

  Buses, and mobile lounges

  Loading facilities such as loading bridges and air stairs

 Facilities for transferring between flights such as, corridors, waiting areas, and mobile conveyance facilities.

Passenger processing

accomplish the major processing activities required to prepare departing passengers for use of air transportation and arriving passengers to leave A/P for ground transportation to their destinations.
Primary activities :    

•Ticketing

•Baggage check

•Security

•Passport check

•Baggage claim

•Customs Immigration
Facilities include :
• Ticketing and baggage check-in counters
• Baggage and passenger security stations
• Information kiosks
• Baggage claim carousels
•  Customs facilities

Access/processing interface

 makes up the facilities that coordinate the transfer of passengers between ground transportation and the terminal building, Loading and unloading of passengers and baggage from vehicles at the curb and transit stations.

• Pedestrian circulation from vehicle parking facilities.

The access/processing interface includes :

•Vehicular drive and terminal curb

•Sidewalks

•Shuttle buses

where passenger processing facilities are typically located.

Security screening

• The processing of passengers and baggage for the purpose of ensuring the security of the civil aviation system has undergone a virtual overhaul following the  a virtual overhaul following the terrorist attacks on the United States on September 11, 2001.

Baggage Handling System

include a number of activities involving the collection, sorting, and distribution of baggage.

Baggage Claim

For passengers who checked baggage at the airport  prior to departure, facilities for claiming their baggage must exist at the airport.

Ancillary passenger terminal facilities

Ancillary, or nonessential facilities, are often provided in airports to improve the overall travel experience.

-   Nonessential facilities include food and beverage services, retail shops, common waiting areas, information kiosks, post offices, places of worship, hotels, conference centers , bars, and smoking lounges.

concessions

ancillary is also known as

 Passenger Flow 

 By positioning passenger processing facilities, both essential and nonessential, in convenient locations and in a logical order, terminal planners aim to keep passengers moving through airports with a minimal amount of confusion and congestion.

passenger processing

baggage check-in, and passport check are under which part of the passenger handling system