Page 217 - Aeronautical Engineer Data Book

Section 11

Airport design and compatibility

Airports play an important role in the civil and
military aeronautical industries. They are part
of the key infrastructure of these industries
and, because of their long construction times
and high costs, act as one of the major fixed
constraints on the design of aircraft.

11.1 Basics of airport design

11.1.1 The airport design process
The process of airport design is a complex
compromise between multiple physical,
commercial and environmental considerations.
Physical facilities needed include runways,
taxiways, aprons and strips, which are used for
the landing and take-off of aircraft, for the
manoeuvring and positioning of aircraft on the
ground, and for the parking of aircraft for
loading and discharge of passengers and cargo.
Lighting and radio navigation are essential for
the safe landing and take-off of aircraft. These
are supplemented by airfield markings, signals,
and air traffic control facilities. Support facili­
ties on the airside include meteorology, fire
and rescue, power and other utilities, mainte­
nance, and airport maintenance. Landside
facilities are the passenger and cargo terminals
and the infrastructure system, which includes
parking, roads, public transport facilities, and
loading and unloading areas. At all stages of
the design process, the issue of aircraft compat­
ibility is of prime importance – an airport must
be suitable for the aircraft that will use it, and
vice versa.