GENERAL KNOLEDGE ABOUT AIRPORTS
Igli Larashi
Introduction An aerodrome or airdrome is any place from where flight operations can take place. This can include an airstrip in the middle of nowhere to a commercial airport in the biggest city in the world. An airport is a special type of aerodrome that has satisfied certain certification criteria or regulatory requirements of the ICAO that a regular aerodrome may not have achieved.
According to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) an aerodrome is "A defined area on land or water (including any buildings, installations, and equipment) intended to be used either wholly or in part for the arrival, departure, and surface movement of aircraft." The word aerodrome is derived from the Greek words aeros meaning "air" and “dromos� meaning "road" or "course", hence aerodrome literally means "air course". In retrospect, an aerodrome or airdrome is any place from where flight operations can take place. This can include an airstrip in the middle of nowhere to a commercial airport in the biggest city in the world. The term aerodrome is more commonly used in UK and other Commonwealth States, rather than in America or rest of the world. The main function of an aerodrome is to allow a flight to land and take off; regardless of whether the flight contains cargo, passengers, or neither. It may also include provisions to any other related activities such as re-fuelling, hangers, etc. The term aerodrome includes small general aviation airfields, large commercial airports, and military airbases. In fact, a water aerodrome is an area of open water used regularly by seaplanes or amphibious aircrafts for landing and taking off.
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GENERAL KNOLEDGE ABOUT AIRPORTS
Igli Larashi
Looking at the definition of an aerodrome, it can be understood that an airport is in fact a special type of aerodrome. The term airport implies a certain stature of having satisfied certain certification criteria or regulatory requirements of the ICAO that a regular aerodrome may not have achieved. Hence it can be said that all airports are aerodromes, but not all aerodromes are airports. An airport is any location where aircrafts such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. An airport may also have hangers where the aircrafts can be stored. An airport usually consists of at least a runway for a plane to take off and land, a helipad, or water for take offs and landings, and will often include buildings such as control towers, and terminal buildings. A larger airport may also have fixed base operator services, seaplane docks and ramps, air traffic control, passenger facilities such as restaurants and lounges, and emergency services. Whereas, a seaplane base is an area of open water used regularly by seaplanes or amphibious aircraft for landing and take off. Comparison between Airport and Aerodrome:
Airport
Aerodrome
Definition
Any location where aircrafts such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land.
Any place from where flight operations can take place.
Guidelines
Must meet all guidelines as set for an airport by the ICAO.
No specific guidelines except safety regulations
Allow a plane to land and take off. Functions
Allow a plane to be stored.
Allow a plane to land and take off.
Guide general air traffic.
Consists
Runway, Helipad, Hangers, Control Towers, Terminal Buildings, Water for take offs and landings, fixed base operator services, seaplane docks and ramps, air traffic control, passenger facilities such as restaurants and lounges, and emergency services.
Some sort of an area for planes to land and take off.
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GENERAL KNOLEDGE ABOUT AIRPORTS
Igli Larashi
Includes
Small local airports, large commercial airports, heliport, seaplane base, and STOLport.
Small general aviation airfields, large commercial airports, and military airbases
Used in
Everywhere
UK and Commonwealth States
Types of Airports How an airport oper ates depends on its siz e and the types of ser vic es and facilities it offers.T here are sever al different c ategori es of airports:
Commercial Service Airports are publicly owned airports that serve aircraft that provide scheduled passenger service. They have at least 2,500 passenger boarding’s each year. There are two types of commercial service airports: Non primary (having no more than 10,000 passenger boarding’s each year) Primary (having more than 10,000 passenger boarding’s each year) Cargo Service Airports are airports that serve aircraft carrying only cargo, with a total annual "landed weight" of 100 million pounds. "Landed weight" means the weight of aircraft transporting only cargo. An airport may be both a commercial service and a cargo service airport. Reliever Airports are airports that relieve overcrowding at commercial service airports. These airports provide you with greater access to air transportation and may be publicly or privately-owned. General Aviation Airports include the remaining airports. This airport type is the largest single group of airports in the U.S. system. Airport Classifications Commercially speaking the airport are classified according to the number of passengers served. This activity define the airport in Hub types; large hubs, medium hubs, small hubs and nonhub primary The defi nitions for the airport categori es are taken from the followi ng Air port Clas sifications table:
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GENERAL KNOLEDGE ABOUT AIRPORTS
Igli Larashi
What is the difference between small and large airport operations? Large Airport Operations Large air port oper ati ons di ffer from s mall airport oper ations in several ways:
Large air port oper ati ons di ffer from s mall airport oper ations in several ways:
Overall Traffic Volume: An airport's size may dictate its traffic volume. Large airports support large volumes of traffic. This high traffic volume can result from commercial carriers that operate to and from large airports. More traffic can also result if an airport is used as a hub for a passenger carrying air carrier offering scheduled passenger service, such as Delta, or a cargo carrier, such as UPS. Night Traffic Volume: An airport that is a hub for a cargo carrier will often experience a significant amount of night traffic. For example, UPS, based out of Louisville, will fly packages overnight, sort the packages, and send them out again before morning. Therefore, Louisville International can expect a large amount of night traffic. Day Traffic Volume: An airport that hosts primarily passenger carrying air carriers can expect more traffic during the day. Daytime flights, as opposed to late night flights, are more popular with travelers, including business people and tourists. In addition, an airport that hosts a hub for a passenger carrying air carrier will experience more traffic due to an increased number of transfer flights. For example, United Airlines is based in Chicago at O'Hare International. United does not have direct flights from San Francisco to
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GENERAL KNOLEDGE ABOUT AIRPORTS
Igli Larashi
Indianapolis. Therefore, a flight from San Francisco to O'Hare may carry people transferring to a flight from O'Hare to Indianapolis. Aircraft Size: Larger airports can accommodate larger aircraft such as those used for commercial operations. These airplanes require more runway and larger ramp space. Therefore, they must fly into and out of airports with larger square footage. Larger aircraft often, but not always, produce more noise than smaller aircraft.
Small Airport Operations Small airports differ fr om l arge airpor ts i n the followi ng ways :
Air Traffic and Aircraft Size: Smaller airports typically receive more small propeller-driven airplanes than the larger jets. Also, these airports generally support a smaller amount of traffic than larger airports. Added Airport Services: Some small airports make use of Fixed Base Operators (FBO). An FBO is a business that is granted the right by the airport to operate on its property and provides such services as maintenance and fuel to aircraft that pass through the airport. Many FBOs also offer flight training to the community. These training facilities increase traffic due to training flights. However, this traffic is different than commercial traffic. Training aircraft are small, single engine propeller planes that often stay near the airport in a designated training area or in the pattern doing touch-and-go landings. Aircraft Type: Smaller airports are more likely to receive smaller charter service aircraft. These air carriers take customers to places that commercial carriers do not typically serve. Charter air carriers generally account for only a few arrivals and departures per day. However, they are becoming more popular. Since daily activity at small airports can vary, the noise levels will also vary.
Benefits of Local Airports A local airport benefits a c ommunity by i ncr easi ng c onvenienc e and hel ping the l ocal ec onomy.
Emergency Support Services: Convenience and quicker response time are especially important in emergencies. For example, during a natural disaster much 5|Page
GENERAL KNOLEDGE ABOUT AIRPORTS
Igli Larashi
needed supplies can be delivered in hours instead of days. Food, blankets, generators, vaccines and emergency personnel can be quickly sent out from the airport. A local airport reduces the time it takes to get to and from the airport in times of crisis. Tourism: Flying directly into a town, with no additional travel required, increases convenience for prospective tourists. More people may be able to visit the area more readily. Tourists stay in local hotels, eat at local restaurants, spend money in local stores, and attend local events. Sales tax from these purchases goes to local and county jurisdictions. Local Business Operations: Companies can use charter services and/or enjoy the convenience of parking their own aircraft at the airport. In addition, transportation to a city becomes much easier with an airport in the community. Because of these business-friendly services, a local airport can help to draw more business to the area. This can help to provide more jobs and economic benefits to the community Unique Community Services: Most local airports are home to a Fixed Base Operators (FBO) that offers flight training to the local community. Many people who live near an airport have had the opportunity to train for and receive their pilot licenses through a local FBO. This allows people to realize the dream of flight.
Airport Categorisation There are two ways of categorising airports. One is to define what size of aircraft the airport has been designed to handle - from something small like an ATR-72, all the way up to the Airbus A380 at the other end of the scale. As is normal in aviation, both ICAO and the FAA have their own definitions - the Aerodrome Reference Code (ICAO) and the Airplane Design Group (FAA). They both amount to the same thing as will be shown later. Related to this is the Rescue Fire Fighting category (ICAO) and the Airfield Rescue Fire Fighting category (FAA). The other way of categorising an airport is to determine how easy or difficult the airport is to fly into and out of. An example of an easy airport would be somewhere like Manston ( Kent International) in the U.K. This airport is quiet, is surrounded by flat land, and has a reasonably long runway with good instrument approaches to both ends. An example of a difficult airport would be Innsbruck. The main issue with Innsbruck is its location in the very narrow Inn Valley. Quite challenging in good weather and with a serviceable aircraft, but when things start to go awry, the workload and difficulty ramp up considerably. Innsbruck can also be subject to turbulence (Foehn wind effect), occasional poor weather (fog and snow) and it has a short runway. There is only an instrument approach to one end and, if circling is required, there are obstacles in the city itself to be aware of. All in all a lot to think about. Airport Categorisation I (What is the largest aircraft an airport can handle?) What should be a simple question to resolve is in reality fairly complex given two governing bodies (ICAO and FAA) and a multitude of different criteria laid down for aircraft operations. The most useful measures are the Rescue Fire Fire-fighting
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GENERAL KNOLEDGE ABOUT AIRPORTS
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category (RFF or ARFF) and the Aerodrome Code. Both these measures are derived from various aircraft dimensions and approach performance. First some definitions: RFF
ARFF Approach Category Aerodrome Reference Code ICAO Code Number ICAO Code Letter FAA Airplane Design Group
ICAO Rescue Fire-Fighting Category: Determined by fuselage length and fuselage width. It is typical that operations to both destination and alternate airfields are still permitted when RFF is temporarily up to two states below that required by aircraft certification. ie 787-800 normally specifies RFF 9, however operations will still be permitted to airfields at RFF 7. Requirements for en-route alternates and ETOPs alternates are generally even less restrictive. FAA Airfield Rescue Fire-Fighting Category: as for RFF but determined by fuselage length only. FAA Standard, also adopted by ICAO. Letter A-D determined by Aircraft Final Approach Speed Reference Code made up of an ICAO code number followed by an ICAO code letter (see below). Number between 1 and 4 determined by runway field length. Of little practical use for Commercial Jet operations as all runways ≼ 1800m are category 4. Letter (A-F) determined by maximum allowable Wing Span and Main Gear Outer Track. Number between I and VI dependent upon aircraft wing span. Equivalent to ICAO code letter.
The table below summarises all this information on per aircraft basis.
Aircraft Type
Wing Span /m
Main Fuselage Fuselage Approach Aerodrome RFF ARFF Gear Length /m Width Category Ref. Code Category Category Outer /m Track /m
A310
43.92
9.6*
46.7
5.64
C
4D
7
C
A318
34.1
8.95
31.44
3.96
C
4C
6
B
A319
34.1
8.95
33.84
3.96
C
4C
6
B
A320
34.1
8.95
37.57
3.96
C
4C
6
B
A321-200
34.1
8.95
44.51
3.96
C
4C
7
C
A330-200
60.3
10.69
59
5.64
D
4E
7
C
A330-300
60.3
10.69
63.69
5.64
D
4E
8
D
A340200/300
63.45
10.69
60.3/63.7
5.64
D
4E
8
E
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GENERAL KNOLEDGE ABOUT AIRPORTS
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A340500/600
63.45
10.69
67.8/75.3
5.64
D
4E
9
E
A380
79.75
14.34
72.75
7.14
D
4F
10
E
B737-400
28.9
5.25*
36.45
3.76
C
4C
6
B
B737-900
34.31
5.76*
42.11
3.76
C
4C
7
C
B757-200
38.04
7.3*
47.34
3.7
C
4D
7
C
B757-300
38.04
7.3*
54.47
3.7
D
4D
8
D
B767-300
47.6
10.90
54.96
4.72
D
4D
8
D
B767-400
51.9
10.90
61.37
4.72
D
4D
9
E
6.19
D
4E
9
E
6.49
D
4E
9
E
5.91
D
4E
8/9
D/E
B777200/300 B747-400 B787800/900
60.90/6 13.00 63.73/73.85 4.80 64.44
12.70
70.65
60.12/6 11.86 56.72/62.81 3.40
* Value is for Main Gear Track, not outer track
So, if one is reading about a new airport being built in China (where else?), and it states that it is being built to cater for code 4D aircraft, we now know the aircraft up to the size of a Boeing 767 or Airbus A310 can be accepted. The ICAO Aerodrome Reference Code is a two part categorisation of aircraft types which simplifies the process of establishing whether a particular aircraft is able to use a particular aerodrome. It is included in ICAO Annex 14. It has two 'elements', the first is a numeric code based on the Reference Field Length for which there are four categories and the second is letter code based on a combination of aircraft wingspan and outer main gear wheel span. Element 1 of the Code is as follows: Code number
Aeroplane reference field length
1
< 800 m
2
800 m but < 1200 m
3
1200 m but < 1800 m
4
1800 m and above
Typical aeroplane DE HAVILLAND CANADA DHC6/PIPER PA-31 ATR42/BOMBARDIER Dash 8 Q300 SAAB 340/BOMBARDIER Regional Jet CRJ-200 BOEING 737-700/AIRBUS A-320
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Field length means the balanced field length (which is when the take-off distance required is equal to the accelerate-stop distance required) if applicable, or take-off distance in other cases. Aeroplane reference field length is defined as "the minimum field length required for take-off at maximum certificated take-off mass, at sea level, in ISA conditions in still air and with zero runway slope as documented in the AFM or equivalent document. Element 2 of the Code is derived from the most restrictive of either the aircraft wingspan or the aircraft outer main gear wheel span. The categories are as follows:
Code letter
Wingspan
Outer main gear wheel span
Typical aeroplane
A
< 15 m
< 4.5 m
PIPER PA-31/CESSNA 404 Titan
B
C
D
E
F
15 m but < 24 m 24 m but < 36 m 36 m but < 52 m 52 m but < 65 m
4.5 m but < 6 m
6 m but < 9 m
BOMBARDIER Regional Jet CRJ200/DE HAVILLAND CANADA DHC-6 BOEING 737-700/AIRBUS A320/EMBRAER ERJ 190-100
9 m but < 14 m
B767/AIRBUS A-310
9 m but < 14 m
B777/B787 Series/A330
65 m but <
14 m but < 16
80 m
m
BOEING 747-8/AIRBUS A-380-800
It should be noted that Element 2 is often used on its own since it has direct relevance to detailed airport design. It also has a parallel but differently defined code use by the FAA, the Airplane Design Group (ADG) Airport Categorisation II (How easy is the airport to use?) For each airfield an operator uses, either as a destination or nominated as a suitable alternate, there is a regulatory requirement to carry out a risk assessment. The consequence of this is to categorise the airfield as A, B or C. Category A
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Category A when the airfield satisfies all of the following requirements: 1. An approved instrument approach procedure. 2. At least one runway with no performance limited procedure for take-off and/or landing 3. Published circling minima not higher than 1000ft 4. Night operations capability Category B A Category B airfield is an airfield which does not satisfy all of the Category A airfield requirements, or which requires extra considerations such as: 1. 2. 3. 4.
Non Standard Approach aids and / or approach patterns, or Unusual local weather conditions or Unusual characteristics or performance limitations, or Any other relevant considerations including obstructions, physical layout, lighting etc.
Category C A Category C airfield requires additional considerations to a Category B aerodrome and is considered to pose certain problems for the approach and / or landing and / or take-off. Airfield categorisation is authorised by the Chief pilot, or in his absence the fleet manager.
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